California CNA Salary - How Much Do CNAs Make in CA?

CNA salary in California

California has long been considered a state where people have to make a good salary in order to comfortably live. The CNA salary in California is an enviable one that makes many CNAs around the United States more comfortable about moving to California because they know that they will be able to afford to live there without worrying about whether or not they are going to have to take a second job. As with any state, entry-level CNAs will earn less than an experienced CNA and the more experience a CNA has the higher the pay they can receive.

The CNA salary in California ranges from around $21,000 a year to around $31,000 a year. Why the large range? Mainly because California is a very large state and has many different employers who each pay CNAs a little differently. For example, an entry-level CNA in the city will make more working at a nursing facility than the same CNA would if they were to work at a nursing facility that is in a rural area. An experienced CNA can command a higher salary but will earn more working in the city than they will working in a small town. This is because of the differences in the costs of living in a small town and a city.

Employers have a lot to do with the CNA salary in California and the larger the employer the higher the salary. CNAs who are entry-level can easily find work in nursing homes and home health agencies but they will usually be paid more by those that are owned by a larger company such as a hospital. Hospitals are prime places for CNAs to work because they offer excellent benefits and a larger salary. The bigger the hospital the bigger the pay is the general rule in the healthcare field. Private companies may hire CNAs for their employees' healthcare needs and the bigger companies usually pay the best.

It is not difficult for a CNA to get experience in the healthcare field and this experience is necessary for the CNA salary in California. Entry-level CNAs are often barred from working in government or hospital jobs because they are seen as still needing some additional training. Part of this is because most training programs only last a few weeks or months. Experienced CNAs not only get better benefits and a higher salary but enjoy better job security and more opportunities to move higher in a company.