What CNA Jobs Actually Pay in 2026: Per Diem vs. Regular Shifts vs. Caregiver Roles

Quick answer: How much do CNAs make in 2026? Across 69 CNA-titled postings that state pay in our verified sample, the median stated starting rate is $23.42/hr — but per diem roles state $24.08/hr while regular-shift CNA roles state $18.00/hr. (AiJobSearch analysis, October 2026)

CNA pay is the wage an employer states in a certified nursing assistant job posting — the hourly figure printed on the listing itself. On AiJobSearch every posting carries one of two labels: "Stated by employer" when the employer published a number, or "Pay not stated by employer" when they did not. We never estimate, average in outside survey data, or fill in a range the employer did not provide. That discipline matters most in healthcare, because one category contains two very different kinds of work: flexible per diem shifts and regular staff shifts.

The category, by the numbers

For this guide we audited the verified Healthcare & CNA postings in the AiJobSearch inventory (October 2026) — a deliberately small, source-checked sample rather than a bulk scrape: 86 verified Healthcare & CNA postings from 46 different employers, spanning 49 states and 70 cities.

Pay is stated in 84 of 86 postings (98%). That is the most transparent category we publish. The other 2 postings are labeled "Pay not stated by employer," and for those the rate is a first-phone-call question, not a guess.
CNA titles dominate the category: 70 of the 86 postings are CNA or certified nursing assistant roles. Caregiver-titled roles account for 15 postings, overlapping in part with CNA roles that also carry caregiver language.
One staffing platform posts heavily: Nursa accounts for 34 of the 86 postings, most of them per diem CNA shifts. That concentration is exactly why the headline median needs unpacking — per diem shifts are priced differently from staff jobs, and a single median hides the split.

What the stated pay actually shows

Across the 84 Healthcare & CNA postings that state hourly pay, measured by the starting rate the employer published (AiJobSearch analysis, October 2026):

Median stated starting rate: $22.50/hr. Average stated starting rate: $21.18/hr. Stated starting rates run from $12.00 to $30.00/hr, and the top of stated ranges reaches a median of $24.01/hr.
CNA-titled roles: $23.42/hr median stated starting rate across 69 postings that state pay, with an average of $21.45/hr. That median is pulled upward by per diem shifts, as the next two bullets show.
Per diem and PRN CNA roles: $24.08/hr median stated starting rate across 35 postings that state pay, with stated starting rates from $23.24 to $26.99/hr. These are fill-in shifts booked through staffing platforms — higher hourly pay, no guaranteed schedule.
Regular-shift CNA roles: $18.00/hr median stated starting rate across 35 CNA postings whose titles carry no per diem or PRN marker, with an average of $18.25/hr and stated starting rates from $15.00 to $25.00/hr. This is the staff-job lane most full-time applicants are actually comparing.
Caregiver-titled roles: $16.50/hr median stated starting rate across 15 postings that state pay. Caregiver roles, including home health aide titles, generally do not require the CNA credential that staff CNA roles screen for, and the stated pay reflects that.

The headline finding: the per diem premium in this sample is $6.08/hr — the gap between the per diem median stated starting rate ($24.08/hr) and the regular-shift CNA median ($18.00/hr). At face value that looks like free money. It is not. Per diem pay buys the employer flexibility: shifts appear when a unit is short, they can disappear when census drops, and the hourly figure usually carries no guaranteed hours, no set schedule, and often no benefits. Compare a per diem offer on expected weekly hours, not on the hourly number alone.

The three healthcare lanes, compared

Per diem / PRN CNA — volume: 35 of 86 postings in the sample. Stated starting pay: $24.08/hr median across 35 stated postings. Entry barrier: a current CNA credential plus the flexibility to take shifts as they post. Best for: experienced CNAs who want schedule control and can absorb variable weekly hours.
Regular-shift CNA — volume: 35 CNA postings with no per diem or PRN marker in the title. Stated starting pay: $18.00/hr median across those postings, with stated rates from $15.00 to $25.00/hr. Entry barrier: a current CNA credential; hospitals, rehabilitation centers, and nursing facilities in the sample screen on it. Best for: predictable hours, a home unit, and benefits eligibility — the things the per diem rate does not include.
Caregiver and home health aide — volume: 15 caregiver-titled postings from 11 employers in 9 states. Stated starting pay: $16.50/hr median across 15 stated postings. Entry barrier: lowest in the category — many postings hire on caregiving experience rather than a CNA credential. Best for: entering healthcare work, home-based shifts, and building the experience that later supports a CNA application.

None of these lanes is simply "best." A regular-shift role at $18.00/hr with 36 guaranteed hours a week pays more in a month than a $24.08/hr per diem role that books 12 hours. Run the hours math on every offer before you compare the hourly figures.

How to use this data

Filter for stated pay first. With 98% of Healthcare & CNA postings in the sample stating a rate, the "Stated pay only" filter on AiJobSearch lets you compare real numbers for almost the whole category. For the 2 unstated postings, ask the rate in the first call.
Separate per diem from staff roles before comparing. A $24.08/hr per diem median and an $18.00/hr regular-shift median describe different products. Put offers in the same lane, then compare the rate, the guaranteed hours, and shift differentials together.
Compare the full range, not the start. The median top-of-range across stated Healthcare & CNA postings is $24.01/hr against a $22.50/hr median start. Ask what moves you inside the range: unit, shift, experience, or credential steps.
Watch new postings as they land. Per diem shifts in particular are filled from fresh postings, not old ones. AiJobSearch Pro ($8/mo) sends new-posting alerts for your category and state, so you see CNA and caregiver postings in the first 48 hours, when response rates are highest.

Frequently asked questions

How much do CNAs make in 2026? Across 69 CNA-titled postings that state pay in our verified sample, the median stated starting rate is $23.42/hr (AiJobSearch analysis, October 2026). That headline splits by shift type: per diem CNA roles state a $24.08/hr median across 35 postings, while regular-shift CNA roles state an $18.00/hr median across 35 postings.

Do per diem CNA jobs pay more than full-time CNA jobs? In stated hourly pay, yes — $24.08/hr median for per diem and PRN roles versus $18.00/hr for regular-shift CNA roles in our verified sample, a $6.08/hr gap across 35 postings in each lane. Per diem roles trade that higher rate for variable hours and no guaranteed schedule, so compare expected weekly hours, not just the hourly figure.

How much do caregivers make compared to CNAs? Across 15 caregiver-titled postings that state pay in our verified sample, the median stated starting rate is $16.50/hr — below both CNA lanes. Caregiver roles generally do not require a CNA credential, which is the main reason the stated pay and the screening bar are both lower.

Which healthcare employers state pay most often in your sample? Pay is stated in 84 of 86 verified Healthcare & CNA postings (98%), so nearly every employer in the sample publishes a rate. Nursa posts the most roles — 34 of 86, mostly per diem CNA shifts — followed by All Ways Caring HomeCare with 4 postings.

Why do some healthcare jobs not state pay? Only 2 of 86 healthcare postings in our verified sample leave pay unstated, and those are labeled "Pay not stated by employer" on AiJobSearch. Employers omit pay for many reasons; the fix is simple — ask for the starting rate, the top of the range, and any shift differential in the first phone call, before you invest in interviews.