Nursing Assistants
Also called: Certified Nurses Aide (CNA), Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA), Nursing Assistant, Patient Care Assistant (PCA)Provide or assist with basic care or support under the direction of onsite licensed nursing staff. Perform duties such as monitoring of health status, feeding, bathing, dressing, grooming, toileting, or ambulation of patients in a health or nursing facility. May include medication administration and other health-related tasks. Includes nursing care attendants, nursing aides, and nursing attendants.
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What the data says: AI could halve the time on 7 of its 33 tasks, and jobs are projected to grow 2.6% by 2035. How to think about this →
About this projection
BLS builds AI into its projections where the research supports it: “BLS generally applies adjustments based on this research conservatively, where there is convincing evidence for a change.”
It also notes a limit: “BLS projection methods are not designed to capture extremely rapid technological change.”
On its AI exposure groups, BLS says exposure “does not imply job loss.”
Recent conditions
- In 2024, 4.1% of people in this work were unemployed, against 3.8% across all occupations Census ACS 2024
- From Sep 2025 to Aug 2026, 5.0 hires for every 10 job openings in health care and social assistance, which employs about 92% of people in this work, against 7.3 across all industries BLS JOLTS
One box per opening, filled for each hire; hires beyond the openings are added in a lighter shade. Higher can mean openings get filled, or that people leave often; lower, that jobs go unfilled, or hiring is slow.5.0 this industry7.3 all industries
Median pay by state BLS OEWS May 2025, state estimates
Tap a state for its figures.
Median pay in every state
| State | Median | Middle half earn | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $34,140 | $30,060 to $36,390 | 25,250 |
| Alaska | $46,370 | $45,120 to $52,240 | 2,060 |
| Arizona | $44,780 | $38,320 to $46,630 | 20,320 |
| Arkansas | $34,430 | $30,200 to $36,070 | 17,260 |
| California | $47,630 | $45,850 to $54,800 | 110,060 |
| Colorado | $47,380 | $44,550 to $49,920 | 22,240 |
| Connecticut | $44,790 | $41,900 to $47,180 | 21,380 |
| Delaware | $42,030 | $38,490 to $45,210 | 5,530 |
| District of Columbia | $47,700 | $42,400 to $51,850 | 3,490 |
| Florida | $37,510 | $36,040 to $42,310 | 96,960 |
| Georgia | $37,680 | $35,490 to $42,980 | 43,440 |
| Hawaii | $45,350 | $40,060 to $50,440 | 5,050 |
| Idaho | $38,650 | $36,300 to $46,250 | 7,910 |
| Illinois | $45,960 | $39,420 to $48,380 | 68,640 |
| Indiana | $38,330 | $37,020 to $44,420 | 33,640 |
| Iowa | $39,350 | $37,360 to $45,650 | 22,670 |
| Kansas | $38,010 | $36,210 to $44,170 | 24,610 |
| Kentucky | $38,370 | $36,150 to $44,120 | 23,410 |
| Louisiana | $30,510 | $29,070 to $35,100 | 20,690 |
| Maine | $47,070 | $44,200 to $50,190 | 8,540 |
| Maryland | $43,240 | $38,400 to $45,760 | 27,720 |
| Massachusetts | $46,680 | $44,340 to $49,800 | 38,130 |
| Michigan | $39,570 | $38,160 to $44,910 | 43,290 |
| Minnesota | $46,680 | $40,340 to $49,330 | 29,120 |
| Mississippi | $31,520 | $29,520 to $35,200 | 14,200 |
| Missouri | $37,680 | $35,400 to $41,600 | 34,050 |
| Montana | $40,900 | $38,040 to $47,550 | 4,390 |
| Nebraska | $40,000 | $38,030 to $46,410 | 16,450 |
| Nevada | $45,490 | $39,100 to $47,990 | 8,100 |
| New Hampshire | $47,870 | $44,890 to $54,400 | 7,810 |
| New Jersey | $46,830 | $43,950 to $48,760 | 32,400 |
| New Mexico | $39,390 | $37,310 to $45,410 | 4,750 |
| New York | $48,590 | $43,760 to $51,980 | 87,990 |
| North Carolina | $38,460 | $35,950 to $43,850 | 64,010 |
| North Dakota | $45,820 | $36,410 to $47,950 | 6,840 |
| Ohio | $39,010 | $37,300 to $44,590 | 63,280 |
| Oklahoma | $35,930 | $32,900 to $38,250 | 19,410 |
| Oregon | $49,830 | $47,480 to $59,080 | 14,800 |
| Pennsylvania | $44,590 | $39,270 to $46,850 | 67,740 |
| Puerto Rico | $22,850 | $21,840 to $37,310 | 430 |
| Rhode Island | $46,440 | $44,760 to $47,460 | 10,220 |
| South Carolina | $37,220 | $34,960 to $39,690 | 21,760 |
| South Dakota | $38,800 | $36,830 to $43,940 | 6,860 |
| Tennessee | $37,990 | $35,560 to $40,880 | 27,040 |
| Texas | $37,500 | $35,300 to $43,070 | 88,680 |
| Utah | $39,840 | $37,040 to $44,350 | 12,260 |
| Vermont | $47,130 | $40,850 to $48,940 | 3,030 |
| Virgin Islands | $37,240 | $37,240 to $40,090 | 110 |
| Virginia | $43,200 | $37,020 to $46,930 | 40,580 |
| Washington | $49,180 | $46,980 to $57,930 | 30,270 |
| West Virginia | $36,720 | $35,460 to $38,410 | 9,390 |
| Wisconsin | $45,130 | $39,580 to $47,320 | 28,370 |
| Wyoming | $39,160 | $37,180 to $47,340 | 2,830 |
Nationally: $42,260. Shades run from the lowest state median to the highest; a territory below that range takes the lightest. How to read this
How AI touches the work
What AI could speed up, task by task, and where people already use it.
AI could halve the time on 7 of its 33 tasks
| AI rating | Its main tasks | Share of Claude conversations May 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| Not much | Turn or reposition bedridden patients. | Not published |
| Not much | Provide physical support to assist patients to perform daily living activities, such as getting out of bed, bathing, dressing, using the toilet, standing, walking, or exercising. | Not published |
| AI + software | Document or otherwise report observations of patient behavior, complaints, or physical symptoms to nurses. | Not published |
| Not much | Feed patients or assist patients to eat or drink. | Not published |
| Not much | Answer patient call signals, signal lights, bells, or intercom systems to determine patients' needs. | Not published |
| AI + software | Communicate with patients to ascertain feelings or need for assistance or social and emotional support. | Not published |
See all 33 tasks
| Not much | Undress, wash, and dress patients who are unable to do so for themselves. | Not published |
| Not much | Observe or examine patients to detect symptoms that may require medical attention, such as bruises, open wounds, or blood in urine. | 0.01% |
| Not much | Change bed linens or make beds. | Not published |
| Not much | Prepare or serve food trays. | Not published |
| Not much | Lift or assist others to lift patients to move them on or off beds, examination tables, surgical tables, or stretchers. | Not published |
| Not much | Gather information from caregivers, nurses, or physicians about patient condition, treatment plans, or appropriate activities. | Not published |
| AI + software | Review patients' dietary restrictions, food allergies, and preferences to ensure patient receives appropriate diet. | under 0.01% |
| AI + software | Measure and record food and liquid intake or urinary and fecal output, reporting changes to medical or nursing staff. | Not published |
| Not much | Supply, collect, or empty bedpans. | Not published |
| Not much | Restock patient rooms with personal hygiene items, such as towels, washcloths, soap, or toilet paper. | Not published |
| AI + software | Record vital signs, such as temperature, blood pressure, pulse, or respiration rate, as directed by medical or nursing staff. | Not published |
| AI + software | Record height or weight of patients. | Not published |
| Not much | Wash, groom, shave, or drape patients to prepare them for surgery, treatment, or examination. | Not published |
| Not much | Exercise patients who are comatose, paralyzed, or have restricted mobility. | Not published |
| Not much | Clean and sanitize patient rooms, bathrooms, examination rooms, or other patient areas. | Not published |
| Not much | Remind patients to take medications or nutritional supplements. | Not published |
| Not much | Transport patients to treatment units, testing units, operating rooms, or other areas, using wheelchairs, stretchers, or moveable beds. | Not published |
| Not much | Assist nurses or physicians in the operation of medical equipment or provision of patient care. | Not published |
| Not much | Collect specimens, such as urine, feces, or sputum. | Not published |
| Not much | Apply clean dressings, slings, stockings, or support bandages, under direction of nurse or physician. | Not published |
| AI alone | Provide information, such as directions, visiting hours, or patient status information to visitors or callers. | 0.33% |
| Not much | Set up treating or testing equipment, such as oxygen tents, portable radiograph (x-ray) equipment, or overhead irrigation bottles, as directed by a physician or nurse. | Not published |
| Not much | Explain medical instructions to patients or family members. | 0.08% |
| Not much | Stock or issue medical supplies, such as dressing packs or treatment trays. | Not published |
| Not much | Administer medications or treatments, such as catheterizations, suppositories, irrigations, enemas, massages, or douches, as directed by a physician or nurse. | Not published |
| Not much | Position or hold patients in position for surgical preparation. | Not published |
| Not much | Transport specimens, laboratory items, or pharmacy items, ensuring proper documentation and delivery to authorized personnel. | Not published |
Ordered by how important O*NET's respondents rate each task (1 to 5) times the share who say it is part of their job. The ordering is ours. 4 of the 33 have a published share of Claude conversations; “not published” means too few conversations for Anthropic to publish a figure.
Where people already use AI
The tasks above say what AI could speed up. This shows what people are using it for. Its 33 tasks fall under 20 work activities that many occupations share, and Microsoft counted how often each one came up in 200,000 conversations with its Copilot assistant in 2024.
- #11 Provide information to guests, clients, or customers
| Work activity | This occupation's tasks under it | People asked AI for help in 10,000 conversations |
AI did it for them in 10,000 conversations |
|---|---|---|---|
| Assist individuals with special needs | |||
| Maintain health or medical records | |||
| Assist healthcare practitioners during medical procedures | |||
| Provide information to guests, clients, or customers | |||
| Clean tools, equipment, facilities, or work areas | |||
| Administer basic health care or medical treatments | |||
| Stock supplies or products | |||
| Explain medical information to patients or family members |
Show all 20 activities
| Analyze health or medical data | |||
| Interview people to obtain information | |||
| Monitor health conditions of humans or animals | |||
| Collect information about patients or clients | |||
| Dispose of waste or debris | |||
| Evaluate patient or client condition or treatment options | |||
| Administer therapeutic treatments | |||
| Move materials, equipment, or supplies | |||
| Collect environmental or biological samples | |||
| Operate medical equipment | |||
| Prepare medical equipment or work areas for use | |||
| Transport patients or clients |
How people in this work use Claude
What people in this work made with Claude % of conversations
- An explanation or answer75%
- Advice or a recommendation8%
- An analysis or summary4%
- A plan or strategy2%
- A document or report1%
How they worked with Claude
7% of these conversations were about work. Anthropic Economic Index, May 2026.
How to read this
Work activities come from O*NET, which links every task to the broader activities it involves. Microsoft's figures are for the activity across everyone who used Copilot, not for nursing assistants specifically. Copilot is a general chat assistant; dedicated coding tools are not included, so programming help is under-counted here. Activities are listed by how many of this occupation's tasks fall under them.
The task ratings say whether AI could halve the time a task takes: on its own (“AI alone”), or with software built on it (“AI + software”). They were made by people in 2023 (Eloundou et al.). Claude's share is the task's share of all Claude.ai conversations in May 2026; Anthropic doesn't publish a task with too few conversations. None of these add up to the BLS exposure group, which combines five research measures.
More in the Guide: task ratings · task order · work activities · Copilot figures · Claude
High exposure doesn't mean fewer jobs
BLS projects most occupations in its two most exposed groups to grow: 141 of 206 rated Very high and 165 of 206 rated High. Each dot is one of the 831 occupations BLS rates.
Career moves into and out of this occupation
From moves between occupations found in online resumes, 2002–2016. Career changes only: a first job after school isn't a move.
Where people moved next
of 378,844 moves out
- 1 Registered Nurses High +5.6% 7%
- 2 Customer Service Representatives Very high -5.3% 4%
- 3 Medical and Health Services Managers High +24.2% 3%
- 4 Home Health Aides 3%
- 5 Managers, All Other (2010 group) an older group BLS has since split; no exposure group today 3%
Where people moved in from
of 238,861 moves in
- 1 Customer Service Representatives Very high -5.3% 6%
- 2 Home Health Aides 5%
- 3 Cashiers High -6.5% 4%
- 4 Medical Assistants Moderate +12.9% 4%
- 5 Retail Salespersons Very high -0.3% 3%
Resumes over-represent younger, white-collar job-seekers and moves into management. Schubert, Stansbury and Taska (resume data).
Education and training for the occupation
O*NET survey of workers in this occupation
- 3% less than high school
- 39% high school
- 24% postsecondary certificate
- 12% some college
- 10% associate's
- 6% bachelor's
- 3% master's
- 4% professional doctorate
O*NET 31.0 survey of workers in this occupation · 29 people answered.
Census survey (American Community Survey)
- 9% less than high school
- 36% high school
- 32% some college
- 11% associate's
- 10% bachelor's
- 2% master's
Census ACS 2024, all workers in this occupation · 12,130 people surveyed.
Why the two can differ
O*NET asks about 20 people in each occupation, which makes its shares uncertain, but it reports the exact occupation and counts certificates. The Census survey reaches thousands, but it groups some occupations together and counts degrees only. More in the Guide
Median pay by highest degree full-time, year-round · Census ACS 2024, all workers in this occupation
3 programs: Health Aide, Nursing Assistant/Aide and Patient Care Assistant/Aide and Practical Nursing, Vocational Nursing and Nursing Assistants, Other.
Jobs that require a credential BLS Occupational Requirements Survey 2023
89.0% this occupation
45.3% all occupations
| By kind | This occupation | All occupations |
|---|---|---|
| a license | 67.3% | 19.1% |
| a certification | 12.9% | 5.8% |
| an educational certificate | 27.1% | 2.8% |
Share of jobs whose employer requires it. BLS doesn't say which credential. How to read this
Look up certifications, training and licenses U.S. Department of Labor
- Certification Finder ↗ certifications CareerOneStop lists for this occupation
- Training Finder ↗ schools and programs, nationwide; narrow the place there
- License Finder ↗ licenses by state
- Apprenticeship Finder ↗ DOL lists 3 registered apprenticeships in this occupation (Nurse Assistant; Nurse Assistant Certified (CB); Nurse Assistant Certified (Existing Title: Nurse Assistant)). Apprenticeship.gov can't be linked to one occupation, so search for “Nursing Assistants” there.
These open in a new tab and send only the occupation's public code. More in the Guide
BLS AI exposure categories (Aug 2026) · BLS Employment Projections 2025–35 · O*NET 31.0 · Task ratings: Eloundou et al., Science (2024) · Microsoft "Working with AI" v1.1 · Anthropic Economic Index (2026-06-26) · Schubert, Stansbury and Taska · NCES CIP–SOC · Census ACS 2024 · BLS JOLTS
See it online, and explore any career: https://www.pathmosaic.com/card/31-1131.00