A CNA, or certified nursing assistant, plays a crucial role in every medical environment.
CNAs have a variety of tasks that make them an essential component of the patient care process.
With all these essential tasks, you might wonder how much do CNAs make in California, one of the biggest states in the USA?
While working as a CNA is sometimes regarded as an entry-level occupation, it is an excellent stepping stone to other healthcare careers.
In many respects, working as a CNA may help you prepare for a career in nursing or healthcare administration, and it’s a great place to start.
And according to Indeed, Nursing Assistants with CNA certification earn +77.00% more than their average base salary.
The qualifications for becoming a CNA differ based on where you reside, but the primary process is the same.
Learn about CNA responsibilities, how to become one, and how your nursing assistant experience might help you advance in other healthcare fields.
Summary
| Guide | How Much Do CNA’s Make? |
|---|---|
| Average Income | $44,800 per year |
| Highest Income | $55,000 per year |
| Qualification | Only training is required |
| Training | Required |
Who Are CNAs?
A certified nursing assistant, aka a CNA, is a health care practitioner who assists patients and old people, also called residents in assisted living or independent living institutions or homes, nursing homes, hospitals, and other health care institutions with primary nursing care and assistance.
They assist patients with activities of daily life such as bathing, taking vital signs, eating, and bathing.
CNAs work with physicians, nurses, and physical therapists as part of a healthcare team.
If you do not want to spend years in college studying for a degree, becoming a certified nurse assistant is a valuable method to enter into the profession of nursing.
By obtaining a CNA certification, you may begin working as a CNA and gain useful experience in a very short period of time.
How Much Do CNAs Make?
The pay of CNAs varies substantially based on their location and the type of institution where they work.
CNA salaries are often higher in places with many nursing homes and hospitals, such as urban regions and also states that have a high cost of living, such as California.
Working at specialized institutions, government facilities, or research institutes might also help you earn more money as a CNA.
A certified nursing assistant’s annual salary can increase with more experience and education.
Although updated compensation information for CNAs constantly changes, certified nursing assistants in California, one of the biggest states in the United States, earn an average base wage of $19,83 per hour or $44,800 per year.
California’s average CNA salary is about %17 higher than the national average of CNAs in the States.
CNAs also earn an extra $5,250 in overtime pay each year on average in California, and this is again higher than the national average.
1. How much do CNAs make in California in an hour?
CNAs make a minimum of $8.75 an hour and a maximum of $24.35 an hour in California.
2. How much do CNAs make in California in a month?
CNAs make a minimum of $1,516 a month and a maximum of $4,221 a month in California.
3. How much do CNAs make in California in a year?
CNAs make a minimum of $18,196 a year and a maximum of $50,653 a year in California.
Highest Salary Of CNAs In 2023
When we take a look at the highest salary of CNAs, it is not that high but still not bad.
The top then percent, the highest salary range of CNAs in California, get around $55,000 annually.
Even though it is substantially higher than the average amount that a typical CNA gets in the USA, it is still not enough to have a family on your own, especially in bigger states.
California is one of the states that have the highest cost of living in the whole country, making it even harder to survive even with the highest wage.
Is being A CNA Good Or Bad?
If you like helping people, working with them, and helping them in their worst situation and have the necessary soft skills to maintain that in the longer run, being a CNA is probably a good fit for you because it is all about people and helping them.
However, the pay is not that good, and you might need to work a second job due to this. Because of this, being a CNA, if you do not have other financial means, is bad.
Pros and Cons of Being A CNA
Pros
- Short training period
- In-demand
- Minimum qualification requirements
- Benefits
- You get to help others
- You get to travel
- You can work overtime or during holidays to make extra money
Cons
- Paid training
- Low salary
- Physically demanding
- You will be exposed to pathogens
Where Can a CNA Work?
How To Become A CNA?
Here’s how you can become a CNA:
- Certified nursing assistants (CNAs), unlike other nursing professionals, do not need to have a college diploma.
- Aspiring nursing assistants must complete a state-approved training program and pass a state certification exam, leading to a non-degree certificate or diploma from a post-secondary institution.
- Once you finish your training and obtain a certificate, you can start working as a CNA.
The most important qualification of CNA is their soft skills rather than the education necessary.
You are going to be working with people solely, and you need to be good with people, need to have good communication skills, patience, and many more other skills which are useful when working as a CNA.
How Many Hours Does CNA Work?
CNAs are ideally offered two types of shift timings. They can either work for 8 hours in a day for five days a week, or they can work in 12-hour shifts, three days a week.
The shift can be morning, evening, or even night, depending on the work place.
What is the Starting Pay of a CNA?
The starting pay of CNAs is $8.75 an hour or $18,196 a month. By gaining more experience, CNAs can make a maximum of $24.35 an hour or $50,635 in California, which is pretty less.
CNA Training Programs
Individuals who want to work as CNAs must have a high school diploma or GED, as well as nursing assistant training.
Community colleges, vocational schools, and medical facilities all offer these programs.
Before enrolling, prospective CNAs should double-check that the school they’re considering has accreditation by the state’s nursing board that they live in, along with the National League for Nursing Accredited Commission (NLNAC).
Individuals must pass a CNA certification exam after successfully completing CNA training.
This test has two parts: a written section and a practical section.
The written test will be administered in a group setting and will generally consist of multiple-choice questions.
Conclusion
To conclude, CNAs are one of the jobs that does not earn too much but are still a fun job to do if you like to help people around, especially old folks who can not live on their own.
Also, you get to be part of the healthcare industry as you work alongside other departments of healthcare.
Even though some of the CNAs work second jobs, if you have enough experience, you can earn a salary that is enough for you to get by.
FAQ
How much do CNAs make in California when they first start off?
They start from the lowest bracket, which is lower than the average CNA salary in California.
How much do CNAs make in California with ten years or more experience?
CNAs that have more than ten years of experience are generally in the top ten percent; this means they get the highest salary.
How much do CNAs make in California if they work in a nursing home?
This does not really affect your job, so you probably get it according to your experience, work ethic, location, and other reasons.
Shefali Jain is a Content Writer & Editor at USWorkforce.org
After completing her graduation in hospitality, Shefali decided to follow her passion and started writing. Shefali has been writing for two years now and contributes to our website as a skilled editor and content writer with strong research skills. Writing product and service reviews, biographies, and book reviews are some of her key areas, among many others in which she specializes. In her time at the organization, she has written and edited content on a range of topics, including employment law, human resources, and business management.
ARTICLE SOURCES
The US Workforce has a policy of producing high-quality content that follows industry standards by using primary sources, such as white papers and government data, alongside original reporting from reputable publishers. We also follow an editorial style where appropriate information about the topic can be found with due credit given when applicable.