Nursing assistants

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Total Workforce

1.43M

Average Age

39.2

Average Salary

$26,272

Average Male Salary

$32,255

Average Female Salary

$25,497

About

Nursing assistants are most often employed by the Nursing Care Facilities industry. The average yearly wage for Nursing assistants was $26,272 in 2016. The top 3 most similar occupations to Nursing assistants by wage are Telemarketers, Helpersinstallation, maintenance, & repair workers , and Transportation service attendants.

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 Providence City PUMA, RI, Jamaica, Hollis & St. Albans PUMA, NY, and Brockton City, Stoughton & Avon Towns PUMA, MA. The top 3 locations with a relatively high concentration of Nursing assistants are Providence City PUMA, RI, Lauderhill & Lauderdale Lakes Cities PUMA, FL, and Frankford, Belair-Edison & Loch Raven PUMA, MD.

Healthcare Support Occupations Healthcare Support Occupations Service Occupations

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 Justice, public order, & safety activities . Nursing assistants are paid most in St. Paul City (East) PUMA, MN but are relatively concentrated in Providence City PUMA, RI.

Wages

Yearly Wage

$26,272

AVERAGE SALARY

± $525

In 2018, Nursing assistants earned an average of $26,272, $27,616 less than than the average national salary of $53,888.

Telemarketers 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

0.334

WAGE GINI

In 2018, Nursing assistants had a wage GINI coefficient of 0.334, which is lower than than the national average of 0.479. 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.

Industries

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, and Home health care services.

Highest Paying

The highest paying industries for Nursing assistants, by average wage, are Justice, public order, & safety activities , Pharmacies & drug stores, and Offices of physicians.

Industries by Share

1.43M

2018 Workforce

± 29,212

This graphic shows the share of Nursing assistants employed by various industries. Nursing Care Facilities employs the largest share of Nursing assistants at 38.1%, followed by General medical and surgical hospitals, and specialty (except psychiatric and substance abuse) hospitals with 27.6% and Home health care services with 9.7%.

Diversity

Demographic information on Nursing assistants in the US. The average age of male Nursing assistants in the workforce is 37.4 and of female Nursing assistants is 39.4, and the most common race/ethnicity for Nursing assistants is White (Non-Hispanic).

Gender Composition

164k

MALE WORKFORCE

± 9,933

1.27M

FEMALE WORKFORCE

± 27,502

88.5% of Nursing assistants are Female, making them the more common gender in the occupation. This chart shows the gender breakdown of Nursing assistants.

Race & Ethnicity

Most Common Race or Ethnicity of Nursing assistants

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

44.7% of Nursing assistants are White (Non-Hispanic), making that the most common race or ethnicity in the occupation. Representing 33% 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 Gender

37.4

AVERAGE MALE AGE

± 0.823

39.4

AVERAGE FEMALE AGE

± 0.313

The median age of Nursing assistants is 39.2, and Male employees are generally 2.04 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.