Do Registered Nurses or Nursing Assistant (CNA)s earn more?

Registered Nurses earn more, with a national median of about $93,600 a year vs $39,610 for Nursing Assistant (CNA)s — a gap of roughly $53,990 per year.

How big is the pay gap between Registered Nurses and Nursing Assistant (CNA)s?

The difference is about $53,990 a year, or roughly 136% more for Registered Nurses. It varies by state, experience, setting, and shift — use the calculator to compare both for your own situation.

Why do Registered Nurses earn more than Nursing Assistant (CNA)s?

Scope of practice, required education, and autonomy are the biggest drivers — Registered Nurses complete more training and take on more clinical responsibility, which is reflected in pay.

Why are some figures verified and others estimates?

National pay for the main nursing roles — registered nurses, LPNs/LVNs, nurse practitioners, CRNAs, nurse midwives, and nursing assistants — comes from verified public wage data. State, city, and specialty figures that aren't reported on their own start from that national pay and are labeled "Estimated" or "Specialty estimate." We never show an estimate as a verified figure.

RN vs CNA Salary

Registered Nurses earn more — a national median of $93,600 vs $39,610, a gap of about $53,990 per year.

Registered Nurse

Verified public wage data

$93,600 / yr median

Median $93,600

$66,030Middle 50%: $75,990–$100,780$135,320

Nursing Assistant (CNA)

Verified public wage data

$39,610 / yr median

Median $39,610

$30,020Middle 50%: $35,430–$47,940$51,220

Annual pay, side by side

Registered NurseVerified public wage data$93,600$45.00/hr
Nursing Assistant (CNA)Verified public wage data$39,610$19.04/hr

What the difference comes down to

Registered nurses earn substantially more than certified nursing assistants because the RN is a licensed professional role requiring an ADN or BSN degree and passing the NCLEX-RN, while the CNA is an entry-level certificate role focused on assisting with basic patient care. The gap reflects differences in scope of practice, education, and clinical responsibility. Scope of practice, required education, and autonomy are the biggest drivers of the gap. Use the calculator to personalize either path by your state, experience, and work setting.

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Source & confidence— A verified figure from official U.S. public wage data.

BLS OEWS (May 2024, national)

National wage figures for SOC 29-1141 are seeded from published BLS OEWS May 2024 national data. Run `npm run import:oews` to replace seed values with figures parsed directly from official OEWS files.

Source year 2024. Last reviewed June 1, 2025. Full methodology

Last reviewed June 1, 2025.

RN vs CNA Salary FAQ

Do Registered Nurses or Nursing Assistant (CNA)s earn more?: Registered Nurses earn more, with a national median of about $93,600 a year vs $39,610 for Nursing Assistant (CNA)s — a gap of roughly $53,990 per year.
How big is the pay gap between Registered Nurses and Nursing Assistant (CNA)s?: The difference is about $53,990 a year, or roughly 136% more for Registered Nurses. It varies by state, experience, setting, and shift — use the calculator to compare both for your own situation.
Why do Registered Nurses earn more than Nursing Assistant (CNA)s?: Scope of practice, required education, and autonomy are the biggest drivers — Registered Nurses complete more training and take on more clinical responsibility, which is reflected in pay.
Why are some figures verified and others estimates?: National pay for the main nursing roles — registered nurses, LPNs/LVNs, nurse practitioners, CRNAs, nurse midwives, and nursing assistants — comes from verified public wage data. State, city, and specialty figures that aren't reported on their own start from that national pay and are labeled "Estimated" or "Specialty estimate." We never show an estimate as a verified figure.