How Much Does a CNA Make in Opelika, AL in 2026?
Typical pay for CNAs in Opelika, from federal wage data (May 2025), with the ten-year trend and how the city compares across Alabama.
BLS OES May 2025 · Auburn · Opelika metro area
A typical CNA in Opelika, Alabama earns $17.08 per hour, or $35,530 per year, according to the latest government wage data for the area (May 2025). Calculated from the annual figure, that is roughly $2,961 a month. Entry-level positions typically offer around $27,860, and the top 10% of earners make over $46,400.
That pay is 4% above the Alabama figure of $34,140 and 16% below the national figure of $42,260. Opelika ranks 2nd of 12 metro areas in Alabama for CNA pay. About 620 CNAs work in the Auburn · Opelika area. Opelika is part of the Auburn · Opelika metro area, and BLS reports pay for the metro as a whole, so Auburn share these figures.
CNA pay in Opelika at a glance
- Typical pay is $17.08 an hour, or $35,530 a year.
- That is 4% above the Alabama figure, ranking 2nd of 12 metro areas in the state.
- Entry-level positions typically offer around $27,860; the top 10% make over $46,400.
- Typical pay rose +81% from 2015 to 2025, against +58% for Alabama as a whole.
BLS OES May 2025
How much does a CNA make in Opelika?
Pay in Opelika runs from entry-level positions at around $13.40 an hour to more than $22.31 for the top 10% of earners. The table sets each career stage against the Alabama and national figures.
CNA pay by career stage in Opelika
| Career stage | Opelika | Alabama | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starting out | $27,860$13.40 an hour | $28,330$13.62 an hour | $33,940$16.32 an hour |
| First years | $31,450$15.12 an hour | $30,060$14.45 an hour | $37,260$17.91 an hour |
| Typical CNA | $35,530$17.08 an hour | $34,140$16.41 an hour | $42,260$20.32 an hour |
| Experienced | $43,600$20.96 an hour | $36,390$17.49 an hour | $47,220$22.70 an hour |
| Top 10% | $46,400$22.31 an hour | $38,680$18.59 an hour | $51,980$24.99 an hour |
BLS OES May 2025 · city figures cover the Auburn · Opelika area as BLS defines it
CNA pay growth in Opelika
Typical (median) annual wage for CNAs in the Auburn · Opelika area · BLS OES May estimates, 2015 to 2025 · hover a bar for the year-over-year change
In 2015, typical CNA pay in Opelika was $19,670 a year. By 2025 it had reached $35,530, a change of +81%, compared with +58% for Alabama over the same years.
How Opelika compares with other Alabama cities
Decatur pays CNAs the most in Alabama at $36,280 a year, $750 more than Opelika. The lowest-paying area in the state is Dothan at $29,830.
| # | City | Typical pay | Hourly | Vs Opelika | CNAs employed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Decatur | $36,280 | $17.44 | +2% | 500 |
| 2 | Opelika metro incl. Auburn | $35,530 | $17.08 | this city | 620 |
| 3 | Birmingham | $35,470 | $17.05 | 0% | 6,380 |
| 4 | Huntsville | $35,210 | $16.93 | -1% | 2,660 |
| 5 | Montgomery | $35,210 | $16.93 | -1% | 1,940 |
| 6 | Daphne | $34,150 | $16.42 | -4% | 860 |
| 7 | Tuscaloosa | $32,860 | $15.80 | -8% | 1,390 |
| 8 | Muscle Shoals metro incl. Florence | $31,940 | $15.36 | -10% | 700 |
| 9 | Anniston metro incl. Oxford | $31,920 | $15.35 | -10% | 660 |
| 10 | Mobile | $30,880 | $14.85 | -13% | 2,100 |
| 11 | Gadsden | $30,440 | $14.64 | -14% | 540 |
| 12 | Dothan | $29,830 | $14.34 | -16% | 930 |
Every metro area in Alabama with CNA wage data · BLS OES May 2025 · Alabama typical pay $34,140
Is Opelika a good place to work as a CNA?
CNAs in Opelika earn less than the national figure: typical pay is $35,530 a year, 16% below the national rate. For every 1,000 jobs in the Auburn · Opelika area, about 8.5 are CNA positions; nationally, the figure is closer to 9.4. CNA jobs make up about the same share of the job market as they do across the country.
Frequently asked questions
- How much does a CNA make in Opelika, AL?
- A typical CNA in Opelika earns $35,530 a year, or $17.08 an hour, according to BLS wage data for May 2025. Entry-level pay runs about $27,860 and the top 10% earn over $46,400.
- How much does a CNA make an hour in Opelika?
- Typical hourly pay for CNAs in Opelika is $17.08. Entry-level hourly pay runs about $13.40, and the top 10% earn over $22.31 an hour.
- What is the starting pay for a CNA in Opelika?
- Entry-level CNA positions in Opelika typically offer around $13.40 an hour, or $27,860 a year.
- Is CNA pay in Opelika higher than in the rest of Alabama?
- Opelika pay is 4% above the Alabama figure of $34,140 a year, ranking 2nd of 12 metro areas in the state. Decatur pays the most in Alabama at $36,280.