Salary · CA · SOC 31-1131

Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) salary in California, per year and per hour

BLS data for May 2025. Median, mean, and percentile pay for nursing assistants in California, with every metro area BLS publishes.

Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 estimates, released May 15, 2026. Publisher page

Quick answer

The median pay for nursing assistants in California was $47,630 a year, or $22.90 an hour, in May 2025 (BLS). The middle 80% earned $40,110 to $61,100. About 110,060 were employed.

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Certified Nursing Assistant pay in California vs the US

Certified Nursing Assistant wages in California and the US, May 2025
Measure	CA annual	CA hourly	US annual
Median (50th percentile)	$47,630	$22.90	$42,260
Mean (average)	$50,190	$24.13	$42,700
10th percentile	$40,110	$19.28	$33,940
25th percentile	$45,850	$22.04	$37,260
75th percentile	$54,800	$26.35	$47,220
90th percentile	$61,100	$29.38	$51,980

Employment in California: 110,060. Location quotient: 0.65 (1.0 = the national share of jobs).

Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Publisher page

Certified Nursing Assistant salary by metro area in California

Certified Nursing Assistant median wage by metro area, California
Metro area	Median annual	Median hourly	Employed
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA	$47,380	$22.78	43,090
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA	$56,080	$26.96	11,790
Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA	$46,430	$22.32	9,940
San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA	$48,070	$23.11	9,670
Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA	$47,510	$22.84	5,650
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA	$56,840	$27.33	5,350
Fresno, CA	$44,710	$21.50	3,880
Stockton-Lodi, CA	$46,530	$22.37	2,560
Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA	$46,800	$22.50	2,070
Bakersfield-Delano, CA	$46,130	$22.18	1,720
Visalia, CA	$46,810	$22.51	1,530
Modesto, CA	$46,550	$22.38	1,500
Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA	$49,240	$23.67	1,250
Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA	$47,130	$22.66	1,090
Salinas, CA	$48,870	$23.50	1,070
Vallejo, CA	$48,900	$23.51	940
Chico, CA	$46,380	$22.30	790
Redding, CA	$44,880	$21.58	760
San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA	$46,840	$22.52	610
Yuba City, CA	$46,130	$22.18	520
Merced, CA	$44,730	$21.51	500
Napa, CA	$50,370	$24.21	460
Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA	$47,940	$23.05	440
Hanford-Corcoran, CA	$45,980	$22.11	290
El Centro, CA	$44,670	$21.48	240

Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Publisher page

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Certified Nursing Assistant salary in California

Median pay: $47,630 a year ($22.90 an hour)

Middle 80% earn $40,110 to $61,100 a year

Employed: 110,060

BLS OEWS, May 2025. Source: Rivvi

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<div style="font:14px/1.45 system-ui,sans-serif;color:#222;border:1px solid #E6E6EE;border-radius:12px;padding:14px 16px;max-width:360px;background:#fff"><div style="font-weight:600;font-size:15px;margin-bottom:6px">Certified Nursing Assistant salary in California</div><div style="margin:2px 0">Median pay: <strong>$47,630</strong> a year ($22.90 an hour)</div><div style="margin:2px 0">Middle 80% earn $40,110 to $61,100 a year</div><div style="margin:2px 0">Employed: 110,060</div><div style="margin-top:8px;font-size:12px;color:#555">BLS OEWS, May 2025. Source: <a href="https://rivvi.ai/salary/certified-nursing-assistant/ca" style="color:#3C38C9">Rivvi</a></div></div>

Questions

How much does a CNA make per hour in California?

The median hourly wage was $22.90 in May 2025, per BLS. The 10th percentile was $19.28 and the 90th was $29.38.

What is the average CNA salary in California?

BLS reports a mean (average) of $50,190 a year and a median of $47,630 for May 2025. The median is the middle wage; the mean is pulled up by the highest earners.

Do nursing assistants in California earn more than the US median?

The California median of $47,630 is 13% higher than the US median of $42,260 (BLS, May 2025).

How does California rank for certified nursing assistant pay?

California ranks 6 of 51 states (plus DC) by median annual wage for nursing assistants (BLS, May 2025).

Where do these numbers come from?

The BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey, May 2025 estimates, SOC 31-1131. BLS reports CNAs as Nursing Assistants (SOC 31-1131). Figures BLS did not publish are left out.