Skip to main content

New! What the partnership between Bettercomp and WTW means for comp

BetterComp Logo

What to Pay a Certified Nursing Assistant in Phoenix, AZ (2026)

Last updated: May 15, 2026 Built for: Total Rewards, Comp, HR Sample: BLS OEWS + disclosed-range postings
Market Median
$39,000
base, annual
Competitive Range
$34K–$45K
25th–75th percentile
YoY Movement
+4.7%
trailing 12 months
Days to Fill
~19
Phoenix metro average
To hire a Certified Nursing Assistant in Phoenix at market, plan on a base salary range of $34,000 to $45,000, with $39,000 as the midpoint. To attract candidates in a market where average time-to-fill runs 19 days, expect to lead at $45K–$51K plus a sign-on bonus, common in skilled nursing settings. Arizona does not currently require pay range disclosure in job postings.

How to set your CNA pay range in Phoenix

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

Lag Market
Pay Below Median
$30K–$34K
Workable in non-acute settings with strong non-cash differentiation. Expect longer fill times and turnover ~1.4× the Phoenix average.
Match Market — recommended
Pay at Median
$37K–$41.4K
Default for most Phoenix employers. Competitive enough to fill in ~19 days. A range width of ~30% (min $34,000 to max $45,000) keeps compa-ratio movement smooth across a CNA's typical 8–12 year tenure.
Lead Market
Pay Above Median
$42.6K–$51K
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 Phoenix, AZ

Where the Phoenix market actually sits for CNA base pay.

10th $30K
25th $34K
Median $39K
75th $45K
90th $51K

Most Phoenix employers building a range for this role anchor the midpoint to the market median ($39,000) and set range width at 30–35% — a min of $34,000 and a max of $45,000. This keeps the band wide enough for experience-based progression without concentrating range penetration at the cap.

Arizona pay transparency compliance for CNA job postings

What you must post when hiring a CNA in Arizona.

Not required statewide. Arizona has no statewide pay transparency law. Posting a range is optional — but roughly half of healthcare employers in the market now disclose ranges voluntarily, and candidates increasingly skip postings without one.

For a CNA role in Phoenix, a compliant good-faith range looks like $34,000 to $45,000. No statutory requirement applies, but if you disclose voluntarily, post a good-faith range of $34,000–$45,000 rather than a single number — it screens out misaligned candidates and reduces offer-stage fallout.

Top CNA employers in Phoenix — who you're competing against

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

Employer Type Disclosed Range Sign-on Bonus
Banner Health Health system $38K–$48K Very common ($2K–$5K)
HonorHealth Health system $36K–$46K Common ($2K–$4K)
Brookdale Senior Living SNF / assisted living $32K–$42K Very common ($2K–$4K)
Mayo Clinic Arizona Specialty academic $40K–$50K Sometimes
Dignity Health AZ / CommonSpirit Health system $36K–$46K Common ($2K–$4K)

CNA talent supply and hiring difficulty in Phoenix

How hard is it to fill a CNA role in Phoenix.

~19
Avg Days to Fill
~3,200
Active Postings
~38,000
Phoenix CNA Workforce
Moderate
Supply : Demand

Skill premiums CNA candidates command in Phoenix, AZ

Skill / Credential Pay Premium Demand Signal
Bilingual Spanish +3–5% High
Dementia / memory care +5–7% Very high — snowbird demand
Hospice / palliative +4–6% High
Lift / restorative +3–5% High

CNA total compensation in Phoenix — what candidates expect beyond base

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

Component Typical Value Prevalence in Phoenix Postings
Base salary $39,000 (median) 100%
Shift differential +10–16% premium ~78%
Sign-on bonus $2,000–$5,000 ~54%
Overtime opportunity $4K–$9K annualized ~90%
Tuition reimbursement $2,000–$4,000/yr ~36%
Estimated total comp benchmark ~$48,000–$58,000 —

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 Phoenix — SNF, hospital, clinic, home health

Where the CNA range splits by employer type in the Phoenix metro.

Setting Median Competitive Range Hiring Difficulty
SNF / assisted living $36,000 $32K–$42K Very high — snowbird seasonal
Hospital $44,000 $38K–$50K Moderate
Home health $40,000 $36K–$46K High
Memory care $42,000 $37K–$48K Very high
Hospice $42,000 $37K–$48K Moderate

CNA salary in Phoenix vs. other Arizona and nearby metros

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

Location Median Base vs. Phoenix Hiring Difficulty
Phoenix–Mesa–Scottsdale, AZ $39,000 — Moderate
Las Vegas–Henderson–Paradise, NV $38,000 −2.6% Moderate
Denver–Aurora–Lakewood, CO $40,000 +2.6% Moderate
Tucson, AZ $36,000 −7.7% Moderate
Arizona statewide $36,000 −7.7% —
U.S. national $38,200 — —

FAQ: hiring a Certified Nursing Assistant in Phoenix, AZ

Market median is $39,000 for base pay. To match market, set a range with the midpoint at $39,000 — typically $34,000 to $45,000. To lead the market, plan on $45K–$51K base plus a sign-on bonus.
No statewide law requires a posted range in Arizona. Disclosing one voluntarily — a good-faith range such as $34,000–$45,000 — is increasingly the market norm and improves application rates.
$35,000 falls below the Phoenix market median of $39,000 — 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 54% of Phoenix CNA postings include a sign-on bonus — pushed higher by snowbird-driven seasonal demand. Banner, HonorHealth, and Brookdale lead with $2,000–$5,000 offers.
Average fill time is approximately 19 days in the Phoenix metro. Roles paid above the 75th percentile ($45K+) fill in roughly 18–22 days. Roles below the 25th percentile ($34K) commonly take 45+ days and have elevated turnover within the first 90 days.
By Phoenix-metro posting volume: Banner Health, HonorHealth, Brookdale Senior Living, Mayo Clinic Arizona, Dignity Health AZ / CommonSpirit lead the pack.
A 30–35% range width (min to max) is standard for CNA in Phoenix — for example, $34,000 to $45,000. Narrower than 25% compresses progression and creates compa-ratio pressure within 18 months.
No. Arizona has no pay transparency law covering internal or external postings. Note that remote roles open to candidates in states like Colorado or California may still trigger those states' disclosure requirements.

Related CNA pay benchmarks — Arizona metros and nearby nursing roles

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

One page. One job. One city.

If you're modeling pay ranges across hundreds of roles and dozens of locations, doing this manually is the merit-cycle scramble that ate your last quarter. BetterComp keeps your full range structure current against live market data — without the survey lag.

See how it works →

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