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What to Pay a Certified Nursing Assistant in New York, NY (2026)

Last updated: May 15, 2026 Built for: Total Rewards, Comp, HR Sample: BLS OEWS + disclosed-range postings
Market Median
$44,000
base, annual
Competitive Range
$38K–$51K
25th–75th percentile
YoY Movement
+3.8%
trailing 12 months
Days to Fill
~22
New York metro average
To hire a Certified Nursing Assistant in New York at market, plan on a base salary range of $38,000 to $51,000, with $44,000 as the midpoint. To attract candidates in a market where average time-to-fill runs 22 days, expect to lead at $51K–$59K plus a sign-on bonus, common in skilled nursing settings. New York REQUIRES pay range disclosure under the NY Pay Transparency Law.

How to set your CNA pay range in New York

Three pay positions, modeled against current New York market data. Pick the one that matches your comp philosophy and the role's strategic value.

Lag Market
Pay Below Median
$34K–$38K
Workable in non-acute settings with strong non-cash differentiation. Expect longer fill times and turnover ~1.4× the New York average.
Match Market — recommended
Pay at Median
$41.6K–$46.8K
Default for most New York employers. Competitive enough to fill in ~22 days. A range width of ~30% (min $38,000 to max $51,000) keeps compa-ratio movement smooth across a CNA's typical 8–12 year tenure.
Lead Market
Pay Above Median
$48.2K–$59K
Use for hard-to-fill specialties (wound care, IV therapy, bilingual), 24/7 SNF roles, or when speed-to-hire trumps budget. Reduces fill time by 35–45% on average.

CNA salary percentile distribution in New York, NY

Where the New York market actually sits for CNA base pay.

10th $34K
25th $38K
Median $44K
75th $51K
90th $59K

Most New York employers building a range for this role anchor the midpoint to the market median ($44,000) and set range width at 30–35% — a min of $38,000 and a max of $51,000. This keeps the band wide enough for experience-based progression without concentrating range penetration at the cap.

New York pay transparency compliance for CNA job postings

What you must post when hiring a CNA in New York.

Required. New York requires employers with 4+ employees to include a good-faith salary range in every job posting, promotion, or transfer opportunity advertised to NYC-area candidates.
Requirement Applies When Penalty for Non-Compliance
Salary or hourly range in posting 4+ employees; role performed in NY Up to $1,000 first violation; up to $3,000 subsequent
Job description included Where description exists Same schedule

For a CNA role in New York, a compliant good-faith range looks like $38,000 to $51,000. A compliant good-faith range for this role in New York is $38,000–$51,000.

Top CNA employers in New York — who you're competing against

Top healthcare employers hiring CNAs in the New York metro and what they're posting.

Employer Type Disclosed Range Sign-on Bonus
Northwell Health Integrated health system $42K–$54K Very common ($2K–$5K)
NYC Health + Hospitals Public health system $40K–$52K Government benefits
Centers Health Care SNF network $38K–$48K Very common ($3K–$6K)
Mount Sinai Academic medical center $44K–$56K Sometimes
RWJBarnabas Health Health system (NJ) $40K–$52K Common ($2K–$5K)

CNA talent supply and hiring difficulty in New York

How hard is it to fill a CNA role in New York.

~22
Avg Days to Fill
~9,800
Active Postings
~138,000
New York CNA Workforce
Tight
Supply : Demand

Skill premiums CNA candidates command in New York, NY

Skill / Credential Pay Premium Demand Signal
Bilingual (Spanish, Mandarin, Russian) +4–7% Very high — multilingual demand
Dementia / memory care +4–6% Very high — LTC concentration
Hospice / palliative care +4–6% High
Restorative + lift cert +3–5% High

CNA total compensation in New York — what candidates expect beyond base

Total rewards mix for CNAs in New York. "Prevalence" reflects share of New York disclosed-range postings including each element.

Component Typical Value Prevalence in New York Postings
Base salary $44,000 (median) 100%
Shift differential +10–18% premium ~84%
Sign-on bonus $2,000–$5,000 ~56%
Overtime opportunity $5K–$11K annualized ~92%
Union pension (1199SEIU) Strong defined-benefit ~38% unionized
Estimated total comp benchmark ~$54,000–$66,000 —

Shift differentials and sign-on bonuses are typically table stakes rather than differentiators. Tuition reimbursement for LPN-to-RN bridge programs is increasingly the lever that wins competitive offers, particularly for early-career candidates.

CNA pay by setting in New York — SNF, hospital, clinic, home health

Where the CNA range splits by employer type in the New York metro.

Setting Median Competitive Range Hiring Difficulty
Skilled nursing / LTC $42,000 $38K–$48K Very high
Hospital $48,000 $42K–$54K Moderate
Home health $44,000 $39K–$50K High
Assisted living $40,000 $36K–$46K Tight
Hospice $46,000 $41K–$52K Moderate

CNA salary in New York vs. other New York and nearby metros

What you'd pay if you hired in a nearby metro instead.

Location Median Base vs. New York Hiring Difficulty
New York–Newark–Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA $44,000 — Above national avg
Boston–Cambridge–Nashua, MA-NH $48,000 +9.1% Tight
Philadelphia, PA-NJ-DE-MD $40,000 −9.1% Moderate
Washington, DC-VA-MD-WV $46,000 +4.5% Above national avg
New York statewide $42,000 −4.5% —
U.S. national $38,200 — —

FAQ: hiring a Certified Nursing Assistant in New York, NY

Market median is $44,000 for base pay. To match market, set a range with the midpoint at $44,000 — typically $38,000 to $51,000. To lead the market, plan on $51K–$59K base plus a sign-on bonus.
Yes. New York's pay transparency law (effective September 2023) requires a good-faith salary or hourly range in every posting for roles that can or will be performed in New York.
$39,000 falls below the New York market median of $44,000 — roughly at the 25th–50th percentile locally. Acceptable in SNF or physician office settings where the candidate pool is deeper; below-market for hospital or specialty roles.
Roughly 56% of NYC CNA postings include a sign-on bonus. Centers Health Care, Northwell, and RWJBarnabas lead with $3,000–$6,000 offers, primarily in SNF and LTC.
Average fill time is approximately 22 days in the New York metro. Roles paid above the 75th percentile ($51K+) fill in roughly 18–22 days. Roles below the 25th percentile ($38K) commonly take 45+ days and have elevated turnover within the first 90 days.
By New York-metro posting volume: Northwell Health, NYC Health + Hospitals, Centers Health Care, Mount Sinai, RWJBarnabas Health lead the pack.
A 30–35% range width (min to max) is standard for CNA in New York — for example, $38,000 to $51,000. Narrower than 25% compresses progression and creates compa-ratio pressure within 18 months. New York does not specify a maximum range width, but the range must be a good-faith estimate of what the employer will pay.
Yes. New York's law covers internal transfer and promotion postings, not just external job ads.

Related CNA pay benchmarks — New York metros and nearby nursing roles

Same role, nearby metros
CNA pay benchmark — Los Angeles, CA → CNA pay benchmark — Chicago, IL → CNA pay benchmark — Houston, TX → All CNA pay benchmarks →
Related roles in New York
Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist pay benchmark — New York → Licensed Practical Nurse pay benchmark — New York → Nurse Practitioner pay benchmark — New York → Registered Nurse pay benchmark — New York → Travel Nurse pay benchmark — New York → Emergency Room Registered Nurse pay benchmark — New York → ICU Registered Nurse pay benchmark — New York → Operating Room Registered Nurse pay benchmark — New York → All roles' pay benchmarks →

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Data refreshed May 15, 2026. Next scheduled update: August 15, 2026.
© 2026 BetterComp. Market data informational only — not legal advice.