Nurse Aides Schools, Salaries, and Job Data

Job Numbers and Growth

Nurse aides hold about 1,447,000 positions nationally. As an occupation, this career is ranked high for unemployment rate. About 6% of employees could not obtain a job in 2008.

Area Job Conditions

Jobs in this career are most numerous in Lewiston (Idaho), Kankakee (Illinois), and Johnstown (Pennsylvania), and least common in Las Vegas (Nevada), Raleigh (North Carolina), and El Centro (California).

Salaries vary the US, with the highest being found in Nassau (New York), San Francisco (California), and New York (New York). The lowest salaries for this job are in El Paso (Texas), McAllen (Texas), and Brownsville (Texas).

Training and Education

Getting a postsecondary vocational award will improve one'schance of landing a job in this field. Nurse aides with at least a bachelor's degree are 7% of the total. Approximately 37% of workers started college, but did not pursue a bachelor's degree. High school was sufficient education for 55% of people in this field. Recommended schools are shown in the column to the right; request information from them to help you decide which if any could help you with this career.

Part-Time Work and Self-Employment

Approximately, 24% of nurse aides work part-time. In this field, about 2% work for themselves.

Nurse Aides: An Introductory Video

Nurse Aides Around the Country

In the list below, each metro area is rated for the relative popularity of nurse aides compared to other locations (that is, jobs per population). Single or double up or down arrows indicate the relative popularity in that location. Within each state listing, metro areas are sorted by the actual number of jobs for nurse aides.

Alabama

Location	Median Pay	Workers
Birmingham	$22,000	6,070
Mobile	$20,000	1,690
Montgomery	$20,000	1,580
Huntsville	$19,000	1,560
Tuscaloosa	$20,000	1,490
Dothan	$20,000	1,000
Gadsden	$21,000	680
Florence	$19,000	630
Anniston	$21,000	530
Decatur	$20,000	400

Alaska

Location	Median Pay	Workers	Popularity
Anchorage	$31,000	1,070
Fairbanks	$33,000	260

Arizona

Location	Median Pay	Workers
Phoenix	$25,000	12,200
Tucson	$24,000	4,590
Prescott	$25,000	680
Kingman	$24,000	520
Yuma	$25,000	470
Flagstaff	$21,000	270

Arkansas

Location	Median Pay	Workers
Little Rock	$21,000	5,320
Fort Smith	$19,000	1,800
Fayetteville	$21,000	1,570
Hot Springs	$20,000	780
Jonesboro	$20,000	710
Pine Bluff	$20,000	650

California

Location	Median Pay	Workers
Riverside	$25,000	8,580
San Diego	$26,000	8,460
Oakland	$31,000	7,860
Santa Ana	$25,000	7,310
Sacramento	$28,000	6,690
San Jose	$33,000	5,960
San Francisco	$38,000	5,720
Fresno	$25,000	2,440
Stockton	$26,000	1,710
Modesto	$25,000	1,690
Bakersfield	$23,000	1,570
Oxnard	$28,000	1,350
Visalia	$21,000	1,330
Santa Barbara	$29,000	1,300
Chico	$23,000	1,210
Santa Rosa	$31,000	1,180
Vallejo	$27,000	960
Salinas	$31,000	830
San Luis Obispo	$26,000	780
Santa Cruz		690
Napa	$32,000	620
Redding	$27,000	520
Yuba City	$26,000	490
Madera	$26,000	470
Merced	$24,000	470
Hanford	$25,000	270
El Centro	$23,000	110

Colorado

Location	Median Pay	Workers
Denver	$28,000	8,960
Colorado Springs	$26,000	2,030
Boulder	$30,000	1,450
Fort Collins	$25,000	1,020
Greeley	$26,000	800
Pueblo	$23,000	760
Grand Junction	$25,000	540

Connecticut

Location	Median Pay	Workers
Hartford	$31,000	8,340
Bridgeport	$31,000	5,310
New Haven	$29,000	4,750
Norwich	$29,000	1,780
Danbury	$29,000	1,660
Waterbury	$28,000	1,260

Delaware

Location	Median Pay	Workers	Popularity
Wilmington	$29,000	4,030
Dover	$27,000	740

District of Columbia

Location	Median Pay	Workers	Popularity
Washington	$27,000	11,930

Florida

Location	Median Pay	Workers
Tampa	$24,000	14,320
Miami	$23,000	10,280
Orlando	$23,000	9,760
West Palm Beach	$23,000	7,280
Fort Lauderdale	$23,000	7,000
Jacksonville	$24,000	6,350
Sarasota	$25,000	4,700
Lakeland	$22,000	2,970
Cape Coral	$25,000	2,880
Deltona	$24,000	2,760
Palm Bay	$23,000	2,540
Pensacola	$23,000	1,950
Gainesville	$23,000	1,780
Ocala	$22,000	1,710
Port St Lucie	$24,000	1,690
Tallahassee	$21,000	1,340
Naples	$27,000	930
Punta Gorda	$24,000	770
Panama City	$22,000	740
Sebastian	$23,000	690
Fort Walton Beach	$24,000	590

Georgia

Location	Median Pay	Workers
Atlanta	$23,000	14,890
Augusta	$20,000	2,990
Savannah	$21,000	1,780
Macon	$19,000	1,260
Columbus	$21,000	1,120
Valdosta	$19,000	770
Rome	$22,000	750
Albany	$17,000	690
Athens	$21,000	650
Gainesville	$23,000	510
Warner Robins	$19,000	500
Dalton	$20,000	340
Brunswick	$22,000	240

Hawaii

Location	Median Pay	Workers	Popularity
Honolulu	$30,000	3,750

Idaho

Location	Median Pay	Workers
Boise	$24,000	2,940
Lewiston	$21,000	790
Coeur Dalene	$23,000	450
Idaho Falls	$26,000	390
Pocatello	$20,000	370

Illinois

Location	Median Pay	Workers
Chicago	$25,000	31,240
Peoria	$25,000	2,700
Rockford	$25,000	1,760
Springfield	$30,000	1,180
Kankakee	$24,000	1,060
Champaign	$23,000	780
Decatur	$25,000	710
Bloomington	$23,000	650
Danville	$26,000	400

Indiana

Location	Median Pay	Workers
Indianapolis	$25,000	7,560
Gary	$23,000	2,780
Fort Wayne	$23,000	2,390
Evansville	$24,000	2,300
South Bend	$23,000	1,550
Lafayette	$23,000	960
Muncie	$23,000	820
Elkhart	$23,000	800
Terre Haute	$22,000	790
Bloomington	$23,000	770
Anderson	$23,000	660
Michigan City	$24,000	490
Kokomo	$23,000	460
Columbus	$22,000	420

Iowa

Location	Median Pay	Workers
Des Moines	$25,000	3,610
Davenport	$23,000	1,670
Waterloo	$23,000	1,220
Cedar Rapids	$25,000	1,220
Iowa City	$26,000	880
Dubuque	$24,000	750
Sioux City	$22,000	680
Ames	$26,000	380

Kansas

Location	Median Pay	Workers
Wichita	$23,000	3,590
Topeka	$25,000	2,020
Lawrence	$24,000	380

Kentucky

Location	Median Pay	Workers
Louisville	$24,000	7,780
Lexington	$24,000	2,500
Owensboro	$20,000	870
Bowling Green	$21,000	700
Elizabethtown	$21,000	550

Louisiana

Location	Median Pay	Workers
New Orleans	$22,000	4,630
Baton Rouge	$19,000	3,610
Shreveport	$19,000	2,810
Monroe	$18,000	1,580
Lafayette	$18,000	1,530
Alexandria	$20,000	1,240
Lake Charles	$18,000	1,100
Houma	$22,000	1,070

Maine

Location	Median Pay	Workers
Portland	$26,000	2,660
Bangor	$24,000	910
Lewiston	$23,000	640

Maryland

Location	Median Pay	Workers
Baltimore	$29,000	17,680
Bethesda	$31,000	5,160
Hagerstown	$27,000	1,330
Cumberland	$25,000	800
Salisbury	$26,000	740

Massachusetts

Location	Median Pay	Workers
Boston	$29,000	19,380
Springfield	$26,000	4,540
Worcester	$30,000	3,910
Lowell	$28,000	1,900
Framingham	$30,000	1,720
Barnstable Town	$29,000	1,550
New Bedford	$25,000	1,540
Brockton	$29,000	1,290
Haverhill	$30,000	1,280
Lawrence	$29,000	720
Leominster	$28,000	560
Pittsfield	$26,000	350

Michigan

Location	Median Pay	Workers
Warren	$26,000	11,380
Detroit	$28,000	8,640
Grand Rapids	$26,000	5,310
Kalamazoo	$24,000	2,030
Ann Arbor	$29,000	2,010
Flint	$24,000	1,850
Saginaw	$24,000	1,510
Lansing	$27,000	1,390
Niles	$26,000	1,060
Jackson	$26,000	940
Holland	$25,000	940
Muskegon	$26,000	920
Battle Creek	$27,000	790
Bay City	$25,000	700
Monroe	$25,000	550

Minnesota

Location	Median Pay	Workers
Minneapolis	$29,000	15,030
Duluth	$25,000	2,710
Rochester	$29,000	1,550
St Cloud	$25,000	1,220

Mississippi

Location	Median Pay	Workers
Jackson	$20,000	4,370
Hattiesburg	$19,000	1,180
Gulfport	$25,000	860
Pascagoula	$19,000	530

Missouri

Location	Median Pay	Workers
St Louis	$23,000	16,620
Kansas City	$24,000	10,630
Springfield	$21,000	3,170
Columbia	$22,000	910
Jefferson City	$20,000	880
Joplin	$20,000	790
St Joseph	$20,000	780

Montana

Location	Median Pay	Workers
Billings	$23,000	1,070
Missoula	$22,000	500
Great Falls	$22,000	470

Nebraska

Location	Median Pay	Workers	Popularity
Omaha	$24,000	4,940
Lincoln	$24,000	1,720

Nevada

Location	Median Pay	Workers
Las Vegas	$30,000	3,470
Reno	$27,000	1,180
Carson City	$28,000	310

New Hampshire

Location	Median Pay	Workers
Manchester	$29,000	1,460
Nashua	$27,000	1,150
Rochester	$27,000	520
Portsmouth	$26,000	390

New Jersey

Location	Median Pay	Workers
Edison	$27,000	13,210
Newark	$26,000	10,880
Camden	$26,000	7,910
Trenton	$28,000	2,530
Atlantic City	$27,000	2,230
Vineland	$25,000	1,350
Ocean City	$26,000	890

New Mexico

Location	Median Pay	Workers
Albuquerque	$24,000	3,570
Las Cruces	$20,000	840
Santa Fe	$23,000	490
Farmington	$23,000	440

New York

Location	Median Pay	Workers
New York	$32,000	58,280
Nassau	$35,000	14,360
Buffalo	$25,000	6,700
Rochester	$25,000	5,700
Albany	$25,000	4,650
Syracuse	$24,000	3,630
Utica	$23,000	3,050
Poughkeepsie	$28,000	2,590
Binghamton	$25,000	1,560
Glens Falls	$24,000	630
Elmira	$26,000	620
Kingston	$25,000	580
Ithaca	$25,000	320

North Carolina

Location	Median Pay	Workers
Charlotte	$23,000	3,980
Durham	$26,000	1,910
Raleigh	$26,000	1,740
Winston Salem	$24,000	1,690
Greensboro	$23,000	1,680
Asheville	$25,000	1,000
Hickory	$22,000	930
Wilmington	$23,000	870
Fayetteville	$27,000	750
Greenville	$22,000	680

North Dakota

Location	Median Pay	Workers
Fargo	$24,000	1,460
Bismarck	$24,000	1,060
Grand Forks	$24,000	980

Ohio

Location	Median Pay	Workers
Cleveland	$24,000	13,760
Cincinnati	$25,000	12,410
Columbus	$25,000	8,580
Dayton	$24,000	6,070
Toledo	$25,000	4,900
Akron	$24,000	3,760
Youngstown	$23,000	3,670
Canton	$22,000	2,810
Springfield	$22,000	1,100
Lima	$22,000	1,040
Mansfield	$21,000	690
Sandusky	$27,000	420

Oklahoma

Location	Median Pay	Workers
Oklahoma City	$20,000	5,400
Tulsa	$21,000	4,850
Lawton	$20,000	470

Oregon

Location	Median Pay	Workers
Portland	$28,000	6,200
Salem	$27,000	1,240
Eugene	$25,000	1,210
Medford	$26,000	670
Bend	$27,000	300
Corvallis	$24,000	240

Pennsylvania

Location	Median Pay	Workers
Philadelphia	$26,000	22,850
Pittsburgh	$25,000	15,570
Allentown	$25,000	5,210
Scranton	$25,000	4,580
Lancaster	$27,000	3,130
Harrisburg	$27,000	2,830
Reading	$26,000	2,260
York	$26,000	1,730
Erie	$24,000	1,630
Johnstown	$26,000	1,570
Lebanon	$26,000	1,120
Altoona	$25,000	840
Williamsport	$23,000	700
State College	$23,000	580

Rhode Island

Location	Median Pay	Workers	Popularity
Providence	$28,000	9,270

South Carolina

Location	Median Pay	Workers
Columbia	$20,000	4,350
Greenville	$22,000	2,620
Charleston	$23,000	2,060
Florence	$19,000	1,890
Spartanburg	$23,000	1,540
Anderson	$20,000	700
Myrtle Beach	$21,000	510
Sumter	$20,000	340

South Dakota

Location	Median Pay	Workers	Popularity
Sioux Falls	$24,000	1,870
Rapid City	$23,000	630

Tennessee

Location	Median Pay	Workers
Nashville	$24,000	6,960
Memphis	$23,000	5,850
Knoxville	$22,000	3,230
Chattanooga	$22,000	2,120
Johnson City	$22,000	1,590
Kingsport	$20,000	1,370
Clarksville	$22,000	810
Jackson	$22,000	800
Cleveland	$22,000	480
Morristown	$19,000	470

Texas

Location	Median Pay	Workers
Houston	$22,000	19,270
Dallas	$23,000	17,890
San Antonio	$21,000	8,830
Fort Worth	$23,000	7,200
Austin	$22,000	4,830
Mcallen	$18,000	2,810
El Paso	$18,000	2,480
Lubbock	$20,000	1,990
Killeen	$22,000	1,600
Beaumont	$19,000	1,600
Brownsville	$18,000	1,480
Amarillo	$20,000	1,400
Abilene	$18,000	1,370
Tyler	$21,000	1,300
Corpus Christi	$21,000	1,280
Longview	$20,000	1,230
Waco	$21,000	1,200
Wichita Falls	$19,000	1,070
Victoria	$18,000	800
Texarkana	$20,000	720
Sherman	$20,000	670
College Station	$20,000	640
Laredo	$19,000	600
San Angelo	$20,000	560
Midland	$20,000	370
Odessa	$21,000	310

Utah

Location	Median Pay	Workers
Salt Lake City	$23,000	4,440
Provo	$21,000	1,440
Ogden	$22,000	1,360
Logan	$22,000	560
St George	$22,000	470

Vermont

Location	Median Pay	Workers	Popularity
Burlington	$28,000	940

Virginia

Location	Median Pay	Workers
Virginia Beach	$21,000	7,470
Richmond	$23,000	5,830
Roanoke	$23,000	2,300
Charlottesville	$25,000	1,290
Lynchburg	$22,000	1,100
Harrisonburg	$24,000	790
Blacksburg	$22,000	570
Winchester	$24,000	520
Danville	$23,000	430

Washington

Location	Median Pay	Workers
Seattle	$29,000	9,390
Tacoma	$28,000	2,020
Spokane	$25,000	2,010
Yakima	$23,000	1,000
Bremerton	$28,000	970
Kennewick	$23,000	680
Bellingham	$23,000	630
Olympia	$23,000	550
Longview	$24,000	450
Wenatchee	$24,000	360
Mount Vernon	$28,000	320

West Virginia

Location	Median Pay	Workers
Huntington	$21,000	1,570
Charleston	$20,000	1,210
Wheeling	$21,000	1,140
Parkersburg	$19,000	1,050
Morgantown	$21,000	1,000
Weirton	$20,000	880

Wisconsin

Location	Median Pay	Workers
Milwaukee	$26,000	9,370
Madison	$27,000	3,550
Green Bay	$25,000	1,650
Eau Claire	$26,000	1,330
Racine	$28,000	1,260
La Crosse	$26,000	1,180
Appleton	$26,000	1,140
Oshkosh	$26,000	970
Janesville	$25,000	870
Wausau	$24,000	820
Sheboygan	$26,000	700
Fond	$25,000	690

Wyoming

Location	Median Pay	Workers	Popularity
Casper	$25,000	610
Cheyenne	$27,000	500

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