Nursing assistants

Detailed Occupation

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2020 Workforce

1.43M

Average Age

39.6

Average Salary

$26,774

Average Male Salary

$32,234

Average Female Salary

$26,087

About

Nursing assistants are most often employed by the Nursing Care Facilities industry. The average yearly wage for Nursing assistants was $26,774 in 2016. The top 3 most similar occupations to Nursing assistants by wage are Office machine operators, except computer, Helpersinstallation, maintenance, & repair workers , and Other grounds maintenance workers.

Nursing assistants are part of the Healthcare Support Occupations, along with Home health aides, Personal care aides, Nursing assistants, Orderlies and psychiatric aides, Occupational therapy assistants & aides, and 9 more.

The top 3 locations that employ the most Nursing assistants are Jamaica, Hollis & St. Albans PUMA, NY, Wakefield, Williamsbridge & Woodlawn PUMA, NY, and Canarsie & Flatlands PUMA, NY. The top 3 locations with a relatively high concentration of Nursing assistants are Wakefield, Williamsbridge & Woodlawn PUMA, NY, East Flatbush, Farragut & Rugby PUMA, NY, and Lauderhill & Lauderdale Lakes Cities PUMA, FL.

Information on the businesses and industries that employ Nursing assistants and on wages and locations for those in the field. Nursing Care Facilities is the industry that employs the most Nursing assistants, both by share and by number, though the highest paid industry for Nursing assistants, by average wage, is Pharmaceutical & medicine manufacturing. Nursing assistants are paid most in Chandler City (South) PUMA, AZ but are relatively concentrated in Wakefield, Williamsbridge & Woodlawn PUMA, NY.

Yearly Wage

$26,774

AVERAGE SALARY

± $531

In 2020, Nursing assistants earned an average of $26,774, $29,180 less than than the average national salary of $55,954.

Office machine operators, except computer make somewhat more than Nursing assistants while Helpersinstallation, maintenance, & repair workers make somewhat less. This chart shows the various occupations closest to Nursing assistants as measured by average annual salary in the US.

Wage Distribution

0.345

WAGE GINI

In 2019, Nursing assistants had a wage GINI coefficient of 0.345, which is lower than than the national average of 0.478. In other words, wages are distributed more evenly for Nursing assistants (shown in red) than for the overall labor force (shown in gray).

Wage by Location

HIGHEST PAYING PUMAS

This map shows the Public Use Microdata Areas (PUMAs) in the United States shaded by average annual wage for Nursing assistants.

Spatial Concentration

PUMAs with a Relatively High Concentration of Nursing assistants

This map displays which Public Use Microdata Areas (PUMAs) in the United States have a relatively high population of Nursing assistants.

Most Common

The most common industries employing Nursing assistants, by number of employees, are Nursing Care Facilities, General medical and surgical hospitals, and specialty (except psychiatric and substance abuse) hospitals, Home health care services, Residential care facilities, except skilled nursing facilities, Other health care services, Individual & family services, Outpatient care centers, Offices of physicians, Employment services, Administration of human resource programs, and Private households.

Highest Paying

The highest paying industries for Nursing assistants, by average wage, are Pharmaceutical & medicine manufacturing, Not specified retail trade, and Agencies, brokerages, and other insurance related activities.

Industries by Share

1.43M

2020 Workforce

± 29,253

−1.53%

1 YEAR GROWTH

± 2.92%

The number of people employed as Nursing assistants has been declining at a rate of −1.53%, from 1,455,838 people in 2019 to 1,433,516 people in 2020.

This graphic shows the share of Nursing assistants employed by various industries. Nursing Care Facilities employs the largest share of Nursing assistants at 33.9%, followed by General medical and surgical hospitals, and specialty (except psychiatric and substance abuse) hospitals with 25.2% and Home health care services with 15.5%.

Diversity

Demographic information on Nursing assistants in the US. The average age of male Nursing assistants in the workforce is 37.9 and of female Nursing assistants is 39.8, and the most common race/ethnicity for Nursing assistants is White (Non-Hispanic).

Composition by Sex

160k

MALE WORKFORCE

± 9,823

1.27M

FEMALE WORKFORCE

± 27,584

88.8% of Nursing assistants are Female, making them the more common sex in the occupation. This chart shows the sex breakdown of Nursing assistants.

Race & Ethnicity

Most Common Race or Ethnicity of Nursing assistants

White (Non-Hispanic)
Black (Non-Hispanic)
White (Hispanic)

42.1% of Nursing assistants are White (Non-Hispanic), making that the most common race or ethnicity in the occupation. Representing 34.1% of Nursing assistants, Black (Non-Hispanic) is the second most common race or ethnicity in this occupation. This chart shows the racial and ethnic breakdown of Nursing assistants.

Age by Sex

37.9

AVERAGE MALE AGE

± 0.869

39.8

AVERAGE FEMALE AGE

± 0.313

The median age of Nursing assistants is 39.6, and Male employees are generally 1.88 years younger than than their Female counterparts.

Education

Data on higher education choices for Nursing assistants from The Department of Education and Census Bureau. The most common major for Nursing assistants is Health but a relatively high number of Nursing assistants hold a major in Health.