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Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA)

⚡ In 30 seconds
Right for you?

A fast, benefits-carrying way into healthcare and a real stepping-stone to LPN/RN — but it's physically hard, entry-level pay, and shift work.

Real pay

$42,260/yr median

How to start
See the steps ↓
Free practice for the exam this unlocks →

1. What this job is

Frontline hands-on patient care in hospitals, nursing homes, assisted living, and home health — vitals, hygiene, mobility, feeding. The platform's CNA practice-test bank drills the exact two-part knowledge + skills competency exam that unlocks this job.
📊 The bigger picture
People doing this job: 1,448,910Source: BLS OEWS May 2025 · last checked 2026-07-09
Outlook: +1% 2024–2034; ~204,100 openings/yr (BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, Nursing Assistants)Source: BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook · last checked 2026-07-09

About 86.9% of nursing assistants are women (BLS CPS Table 11, 2024); it is the third-largest healthcare occupation in the US.

Next: Is it right for you →

2. Is it right for you

Pay reality

This is real W-2 employment, not gig work — many employers offer health insurance, PTO, and retirement (varies by employer and full-time vs. per-diem status), and taxes are withheld from your paycheck. National median $42,260/yr, with the middle range roughly $33,940–$51,980/yr (p10–p90) — both figures are BLS OEWS May 2025.

Schedule

Full-time or part-time; physically demanding, often on your feet with lifting. Shift and weekend work is common across hospitals, nursing homes, and home-health settings.

Pros & cons

Pros: real W-2 job with benefits (health, PTO, retirement — employer-dependent) and taxes withheld; a short entry path (weeks of training, not years) and a stepping stone toward LPN/RN; steady demand nationwide, and the CNA knowledge test is the same skill our practice bank drills. Cons: physically demanding, often on your feet with lifting, shift and weekend work is common; entry-level pay (national median about $42,260/yr, lower in TX/FL, higher in CA/NY/WA); training hours and rules differ by state — plan around your state's requirement.

Who this fits

Best for someone who wants a fast, low-cost entry into healthcare, is comfortable with physical hands-on care work, and wants real W-2 benefits over gig flexibility.
Median pay (BLS)
$42,260/yr median
$33,940–$51,980 (p10–p90)

Unlike gig work, this is W-2 employment. Many employers (hospitals, nursing homes, home-health agencies) offer health insurance, paid time off, and retirement — but benefits vary by employer and by full-time vs. per-diem status. Taxes are withheld from your paycheck.

Source: BLS OEWS May 2025 · last checked 2026-07-09

🧾 About taxes: W-2 employment: your employer withholds taxes from each paycheck and you receive a W-2 (unlike 1099 gig work).

Good as part-time

  • • Hospitals and facilities regularly hire per-diem/PRN CNAs — a real part-time option around school or a second job.Source: BLS OEWS via O*NET · last checked 2026-07-09

Good as full-time

  • • 62% of nursing assistants report working 40-hour weeks — full-time facility roles are the norm, with shift differentials for nights/weekends.Source: BLS OEWS via O*NET · last checked 2026-07-09
📍 By state

CA

Pay impact: $47,630/yr median

Extra requirements:

  • • Training: 160 hours (60 classroom + 100 supervised clinical) — over double the federal floor. Exam vendor: D&S Diversified/Headmaster or Credentia. Registry: California Nurse Assistant Registry (CDPH). Background check: Live Scan fingerprinting → CA DOJ + FBI.Source: California Nurse Assistant Registry (CDPH) · last checked 2026-07-09
Source: California Nurse Assistant Registry (CDPH) · last checked 2026-07-09

NY

Pay impact: $48,590/yr median

Extra requirements:

  • • Training: ≥100 hours incl. ≥30 supervised clinical. Exam vendor: Prometric. Registry: NYS Nursing Home Nurse Aide Registry (Prometric-managed). Background check: fingerprint-based FBI + NYS criminal history.Source: NYS Nurse Aide Registry (Prometric) · last checked 2026-07-09
Source: NYS Nurse Aide Registry (Prometric) · last checked 2026-07-09

TX

Pay impact: $37,500/yr median

Extra requirements:

  • • Training: 100 hours (60 classroom + 40 hands-on care); 24-month window to pass the exam after training. Exam vendor: Credentia. Registry: Texas Nurse Aide Registry (TULIP portal). Background check: DPS + FBI fingerprint-based check.Source: Texas Nurse Aide Registry (HHS) · last checked 2026-07-09
Source: Texas Nurse Aide Registry (HHS) · last checked 2026-07-09

FL

Pay impact: $37,510/yr median

Extra requirements:

  • • Training: 120 hours (80 classroom/lab + 40 clinical, ≥20 in long-term care). 🔴 The written exam is offered in English only. Exam vendor: Prometric. Registry: Florida Nurse Aide Registry. Background check: Level 2 Livescan (Care Provider Background Screening Clearinghouse).Source: Florida Nurse Aide Registry (DOH/Prometric) · last checked 2026-07-09
Source: Florida Nurse Aide Registry (DOH/Prometric) · last checked 2026-07-09

WA

Pay impact: $49,180/yr median

Extra requirements:

  • • Training: 108 hours (35 classroom + 33 skills lab + 40 clinical), confirmed from WAC 246-841A-440. Exam vendor: Credentia. Registry: WA Nurse Aide Registry (DSHS); credential title = Nursing Assistant Certified (NAC). Background check: WA Background Check Central Unit (FBI fingerprint usually not required). 🔴 Regulatory authority moved from DOH to the WA Board of Nursing (WABON) on 2026-07-01.Source: WA Board of Nursing (nursing.wa.gov) · last checked 2026-07-09

WA's nurse-aide regulatory authority moved from the Department of Health (DOH) to the WA Board of Nursing (WABON) effective 2026-07-01 (SB 5051) — cite nursing.wa.gov, not doh.wa.gov. The 108-hour requirement is confirmed verbatim from WAC 246-841A-440 (the 85/115 figures circulating elsewhere are not in the rule).

Source: WA Board of Nursing (nursing.wa.gov) · last checked 2026-07-09
Next: Can you apply? →

3. Can you apply?

Minimum age is typically 18 (most state-approved training programs; some accept 16–17 within a training program — there is no federal age floor). Beyond age: a criminal background check, a completed state-approved training program with a passing competency-exam score, and US work authorization (Form I-9).
  • Minimum age is typically 18 (most state-approved training programs; some accept 16–17 within a training program — there is no federal age floor).Source: State nurse-aide training programs · last checked 2026-07-09
  • A criminal background check (often fingerprint-based) is required. A disqualifying record — abuse, neglect, theft from a patient, or certain felonies — bars you from the state nurse-aide registry.Source: 42 CFR 483 (OBRA-87) · last checked 2026-07-09
  • Completion certificate from a state-approved nurse-aide training program and a passing score on the state competency exam; a high-school diploma/GED is commonly required to enroll.Source: 42 CFR 483 (OBRA-87) · last checked 2026-07-09
  • Requires authorization to work in the US (standard W-2 employment eligibility, Form I-9).Source: USCIS Form I-9 · last checked 2026-07-09

🛑 Work authorization — read this first

CNA work is standard W-2 employment (not gig), but that doesn't make it automatically available to F-1 students. On-campus work, CPT, and OPT all require the job to be part of/directly related to your degree program and employer-authorized — a CNA job taken off-campus without matching CPT/OPT authorization is unauthorized employment and a status violation. State nurse-aide registries also require a Social Security number and standard work-authorization documentation (Form I-9) to be hired.

Source: USCIS Policy Manual, Vol. 2 Part F (official) · last checked 2026-07-09
  • Minimum age is typically 18 (most state-approved training programs; some accept 16–17 within a training program — there is no federal age floor).Source: State nurse-aide training programs · last checked 2026-07-09
  • A criminal background check (often fingerprint-based) is required. A disqualifying record — abuse, neglect, theft from a patient, or certain felonies — bars you from the state nurse-aide registry.Source: 42 CFR 483 (OBRA-87) · last checked 2026-07-09
  • Completion certificate from a state-approved nurse-aide training program and a passing score on the state competency exam; a high-school diploma/GED is commonly required to enroll.Source: 42 CFR 483 (OBRA-87) · last checked 2026-07-09
  • Requires authorization to work in the US (standard W-2 employment eligibility, Form I-9).Source: USCIS Form I-9 · last checked 2026-07-09
Next: What to prepare →

4. What to prepare

Four steps: complete state-approved training, pass the two-part competency exam, clear the background check and get registry-listed, then apply to employers.
  • Enroll in and complete a state-approved nurse-aide training program (hours vary by state — see the state list below).Source: 42 CFR 483 (OBRA-87) · last checked 2026-07-09
  • Pass the two-part competency exam (knowledge + skills) through your state's testing vendor (Prometric, Credentia, or a state-approved vendor).Source: State nurse-aide competency programs · last checked 2026-07-09
  • Clear the criminal background check and get listed on your state's nurse-aide registry — registry listing IS your certification.Source: 42 CFR 483 (OBRA-87) · last checked 2026-07-09
  • Apply to employers — hospitals, nursing homes, assisted living, and home-health agencies. A federal rule lets you work up to 4 months while completing certification.Source: 42 CFR 483 (OBRA-87) · last checked 2026-07-09
  1. 1

    Confirm you meet enrollment requirements and enroll in a state-approved nurse-aide training program (classroom + supervised clinical hours vary by state).

    42 CFR 483 (OBRA-87)

🗒️ Optional checklist — tick as you gather each item (saved on this device).

0 / 4 ready
Next: Apply step by step →

5. Apply step by step

  1. 2

    Pass the two-part competency exam (knowledge + skills) through your state's testing vendor (Prometric, Credentia, or a state-approved vendor).

Next: After you apply →

6. After you apply

  1. 3

    Clear the criminal background check and get listed on your state's nurse-aide registry — registry listing IS your certification.

    42 CFR 483 (OBRA-87)
  2. 4

    Apply to employers — hospitals, nursing homes, assisted living, and home-health agencies. A federal rule lets you work up to 4 months while completing certification.

    42 CFR 483 (OBRA-87)
Next: Starting out & safety →

7. Starting out & safety

🦺 Safety & injury facts

Workers' comp: ✅ Yes. As a W-2 employee you are covered by employer-paid workers' compensation in nearly every state (medical + partial wage replacement for on-the-job injury) — the opposite of the gig/1099 case.Source: State workers' compensation law · last checked 2026-07-09
Injury rate: Among the HIGHEST musculoskeletal-injury occupations — about 166.3 per 10,000 workers, over 5× the all-industry average, mostly from lifting/repositioning patients (OSHA, citing BLS SOII).Source: OSHA (citing BLS SOII) · last checked 2026-07-09
Common hazards: Back/shoulder strains from patient lifting (dominant), slips, patient aggression (hit/spit/bitten), and needlestick/bloodborne exposure.

OSHA recommends: use mechanical lifts (not just body mechanics), a workplace-violence prevention program, and bloodborne-pathogen controls plus a Hepatitis B vaccine.

Next: Your next step →

8. Your next step

Next steps

CNA is a stepping stone — many CNAs go on to LPN/RN bridge programs after building experience. Compare against Home Health / Personal Care Aide (lower entry bar, lower pay, one-on-one in-home care) or a W-2 delivery job like Light Truck Driver (no healthcare training needed, honest baseline vs. gig delivery pay) before choosing a path.

🎯 Level up — the next credential

FAQ

Q: How long does CNA training take? A: Weeks, not years — a state-approved program plus a two-part competency exam; a federal rule even lets you work up to 4 months while completing certification. Q: Do all states pay the same? A: No — national median is about $42,260/yr, but it runs from roughly $37,500 (TX) to $49,180 (WA) — see the state list below.