How Much Does a CNA Make in Phoenix, AZ in 2026?
Typical pay for CNAs in Phoenix, from federal wage data (May 2025), with the ten-year trend and how the city compares across Arizona.
BLS OES May 2025 · Phoenix · Mesa · Chandler metro area
A typical CNA in Phoenix, Arizona earns $21.77 per hour, or $45,290 per year, according to the latest government wage data for the area (May 2025). Calculated from the annual figure, that is roughly $3,774 a month. Entry-level positions typically offer around $37,280, and the top 10% of earners make over $59,040.
That pay is 1% above the Arizona figure of $44,780 and 7% above the national figure of $42,260. Phoenix ranks 1st of 7 metro areas in Arizona for CNA pay. About 13,550 CNAs work in the Phoenix · Mesa · Chandler area. Phoenix is part of the Phoenix · Mesa · Chandler metro area, and BLS reports pay for the metro as a whole, so Chandler and Mesa share these figures.
CNA pay in Phoenix at a glance
- Typical pay is $21.77 an hour, or $45,290 a year.
- That is 1% above the Arizona figure, ranking 1st of 7 metro areas in the state.
- Entry-level positions typically offer around $37,280; the top 10% make over $59,040.
- Typical pay rose +56% from 2015 to 2025, against +58% for Arizona as a whole.
BLS OES May 2025
How much does a CNA make in Phoenix?
Pay in Phoenix runs from entry-level positions at around $17.92 an hour to more than $28.39 for the top 10% of earners. The table sets each career stage against the Arizona and national figures.
CNA pay by career stage in Phoenix
| Career stage | Phoenix | Arizona | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starting out | $37,280$17.92 an hour | $37,100$17.84 an hour | $33,940$16.32 an hour |
| First years | $39,050$18.78 an hour | $38,320$18.43 an hour | $37,260$17.91 an hour |
| Typical CNA | $45,290$21.77 an hour | $44,780$21.53 an hour | $42,260$20.32 an hour |
| Experienced | $46,660$22.43 an hour | $46,630$22.42 an hour | $47,220$22.70 an hour |
| Top 10% | $59,040$28.39 an hour | $57,820$27.80 an hour | $51,980$24.99 an hour |
BLS OES May 2025 · city figures cover the Phoenix · Mesa · Chandler area as BLS defines it
CNA pay growth in Phoenix
Typical (median) annual wage for CNAs in the Phoenix · Mesa · Chandler area · BLS OES May estimates, 2015 to 2025 · hover a bar for the year-over-year change
In 2015, typical CNA pay in Phoenix was $28,940 a year. By 2025 it had reached $45,290, a change of +56%, compared with +58% for Arizona over the same years.
How Phoenix compares with other Arizona cities
Phoenix pays CNAs the most of any metro area in Arizona. The lowest-paying area in the state is Yuma at $37,860.
| # | City | Typical pay | Hourly | Vs Phoenix | CNAs employed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Phoenix | $45,290 | $21.77 | this city | 13,550 |
| 2 | Prescott metro incl. Prescott Valley | $45,180 | $21.72 | 0% | 690 |
| 3 | Flagstaff | $44,580 | $21.44 | -2% | 500 |
| 4 | Kingman metro incl. Lake Havasu City | $43,140 | $20.74 | -5% | 490 |
| 5 | Tucson | $42,560 | $20.46 | -6% | 3,500 |
| 6 | Sierra Vista metro incl. Douglas | $39,260 | $18.88 | -13% | 220 |
| 7 | Yuma | $37,860 | $18.20 | -16% | 500 |
Every metro area in Arizona with CNA wage data · BLS OES May 2025 · Arizona typical pay $44,780
Is Phoenix a good place to work as a CNA?
CNAs in Phoenix earn a strong wage by national standards: typical pay is $45,290 a year, 7% above the national figure. For every 1,000 jobs in the Phoenix · Mesa · Chandler area, about 5.7 are CNA positions; nationally, the figure is closer to 9.3. That makes CNAs a smaller part of the local job market than usual, so employers draw from a smaller pool of qualified candidates.
Frequently asked questions
- How much does a CNA make in Phoenix, AZ?
- A typical CNA in Phoenix earns $45,290 a year, or $21.77 an hour, according to BLS wage data for May 2025. Entry-level pay runs about $37,280 and the top 10% earn over $59,040.
- How much does a CNA make an hour in Phoenix?
- Typical hourly pay for CNAs in Phoenix is $21.77. Entry-level hourly pay runs about $17.92, and the top 10% earn over $28.39 an hour.
- What is the starting pay for a CNA in Phoenix?
- Entry-level CNA positions in Phoenix typically offer around $17.92 an hour, or $37,280 a year.
- Is CNA pay in Phoenix higher than in the rest of Arizona?
- Phoenix pay is 1% above the Arizona figure of $44,780 a year, ranking 1st of 7 metro areas in the state.