Salaries for medical assistants in each state in 2023

According to a report from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), there are approximately 1,310,090 nurses working as nursing assistants in the United States. They make up a large share of the total number of jobs in the country, approximately 8,859 per 1,000 jobs. The national average annual salary for a nursing assistant is $36,220, which is significantly lower than the average annual salary for all occupations of $61,900.

The top 10 states where nursing assistants earn the most are:

• State of California: median salary $44,420
• State of Massachusetts: average salary $43,570
• State of New York: average salary $43,450
• State of Alaska: average salary $42,960
• State of Washington: average salary $42,480
• State of New Hampshire: average salary $42,430
• State of Minnesota: average salary $41,390
• State of Hawaii: average salary $41,110
• State of Oregon: average salary $39,870
• State of Connecticut: average salary $39,490

It is also noted that the states where nursing assistants earn the highest salaries are predominantly in the northeast and west of the United States.

The exception to this is the state of Minnesota, which is located in Midwest. It's no surprise that Alaska ranks first in average nursing assistant salaries, as the area is known for its high cost of living.

In the 10 states with the lowest average nursing assistant salaries, four states have annual salaries of less than $30,000. This is an unfortunate state of affairs for such an important and popular profession.

From among these states:

• State of Mississippi: average salary $27,140
• State of Louisiana: average salary $28,190
• State of Alabama: average salary $28,550
• State of Arkansas: average salary $29,970
• State of Georgia: average salary $30,210
• State of South Carolina: average salary $31,600
• State of Missouri: average salary $31,780
• State of Tennessee: average salary $32,150
• State of Arizona: average salary $32,180
• State of Texas: average salary $32,330

In the past five years, the average salary for nursing assistants in 12 states has increased by 30% or more.

The table below summarizes all 50 states and their average annualized nursing assistant salaries. The states are in alphabetical order, but their rankings are also listed from 1 to 50 (1 being the highest paid, 50 being the lowest paid).