How Much Does a CNA Make in San Diego, CA in 2026?
Typical pay for CNAs in San Diego, from federal wage data (May 2025), with the ten-year trend and how the city compares across California.
BLS OES May 2025 · San Diego · Chula Vista · Carlsbad metro area
A typical CNA in San Diego, California earns $23.11 per hour, or $48,070 per year, according to the latest government wage data for the area (May 2025). Calculated from the annual figure, that is roughly $4,006 a month. Entry-level positions typically offer around $40,420, and the top 10% of earners make over $60,510.
That pay is 1% above the California figure of $47,630 and 14% above the national figure of $42,260. San Diego ranks 7th of 25 metro areas in California for CNA pay. About 9,670 CNAs work in the San Diego · Chula Vista · Carlsbad area. San Diego is part of the San Diego · Chula Vista · Carlsbad metro area, and BLS reports pay for the metro as a whole, so Chula Vista and Carlsbad share these figures.
CNA pay in San Diego at a glance
- Typical pay is $23.11 an hour, or $48,070 a year.
- That is 1% above the California figure, ranking 7th of 25 metro areas in the state.
- Entry-level positions typically offer around $40,420; the top 10% make over $60,510.
- Typical pay rose +66% from 2015 to 2025, against +63% for California as a whole.
BLS OES May 2025
How much does a CNA make in San Diego?
Pay in San Diego runs from entry-level positions at around $19.43 an hour to more than $29.09 for the top 10% of earners. The table sets each career stage against the California and national figures.
CNA pay by career stage in San Diego
| Career stage | San Diego | California | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starting out | $40,420$19.43 an hour | $40,110$19.28 an hour | $33,940$16.32 an hour |
| First years | $46,710$22.46 an hour | $45,850$22.04 an hour | $37,260$17.91 an hour |
| Typical CNA | $48,070$23.11 an hour | $47,630$22.90 an hour | $42,260$20.32 an hour |
| Experienced | $51,600$24.81 an hour | $54,800$26.35 an hour | $47,220$22.70 an hour |
| Top 10% | $60,510$29.09 an hour | $61,100$29.38 an hour | $51,980$24.99 an hour |
BLS OES May 2025 · city figures cover the San Diego · Chula Vista · Carlsbad area as BLS defines it
CNA pay growth in San Diego
Typical (median) annual wage for CNAs in the San Diego · Chula Vista · Carlsbad area · BLS OES May estimates, 2015 to 2025 · hover a bar for the year-over-year change
In 2015, typical CNA pay in San Diego was $28,980 a year. By 2025 it had reached $48,070, a change of +66%, compared with +63% for California over the same years.
How San Diego compares with other California cities
Santa Clara pays CNAs the most in California at $56,840 a year, $8,770 more than San Diego. The lowest-paying area in the state is El Centro at $44,670.
| # | City | Typical pay | Hourly | Vs San Diego | CNAs employed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Santa Clara | $56,840 | $27.33 | +18% | 5,350 |
| 2 | San Francisco | $56,080 | $26.96 | +17% | 11,790 |
| 3 | Napa | $50,370 | $24.21 | +5% | 460 |
| 4 | Santa Rosa metro incl. Petaluma | $49,240 | $23.67 | +2% | 1,250 |
| 5 | Vallejo | $48,900 | $23.51 | +2% | 940 |
| 6 | Salinas | $48,870 | $23.50 | +2% | 1,070 |
| 7 | San Diego metro incl. Chula Vista · Carlsbad | $48,070 | $23.11 | this city | 9,670 |
| 8 | Santa Cruz metro incl. Watsonville | $47,940 | $23.05 | 0% | 440 |
| 9 | Sacramento | $47,510 | $22.84 | -1% | 5,650 |
| 10 | Long Beach metro incl. Los Angeles · Anaheim | $47,380 | $22.78 | -1% | 43,090 |
| 11 | Santa Maria metro incl. Santa Barbara | $47,130 | $22.66 | -2% | 1,090 |
| 12 | San Luis Obispo metro incl. Paso Robles | $46,840 | $22.52 | -3% | 610 |
| 13 | Visalia | $46,810 | $22.51 | -3% | 1,530 |
| 14 | Ventura metro incl. Oxnard · Thousand Oaks | $46,800 | $22.50 | -3% | 2,070 |
| 15 | Modesto | $46,550 | $22.38 | -3% | 1,500 |
| 16 | Lodi metro incl. Stockton | $46,530 | $22.37 | -3% | 2,560 |
| 17 | Ontario metro incl. San Bernardino · Riverside | $46,430 | $22.32 | -3% | 9,940 |
| 18 | Chico | $46,380 | $22.30 | -4% | 790 |
| 19 | Yuba City | $46,130 | $22.18 | -4% | 520 |
| 20 | Bakersfield metro incl. Delano | $46,130 | $22.18 | -4% | 1,720 |
| 21 | Hanford metro incl. Corcoran | $45,980 | $22.11 | -4% | 290 |
| 22 | Redding | $44,880 | $21.58 | -7% | 760 |
| 23 | Merced | $44,730 | $21.51 | -7% | 500 |
| 24 | Fresno | $44,710 | $21.50 | -7% | 3,880 |
| 25 | El Centro | $44,670 | $21.48 | -7% | 240 |
Every metro area in California with CNA wage data · BLS OES May 2025 · California typical pay $47,630
Is San Diego a good place to work as a CNA?
CNAs in San Diego earn a strong wage by national standards: typical pay is $48,070 a year, 14% above the national figure. For every 1,000 jobs in the San Diego · Chula Vista · Carlsbad area, about 6.3 are CNA positions; nationally, the figure is closer to 9.4. 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 San Diego, CA?
- A typical CNA in San Diego earns $48,070 a year, or $23.11 an hour, according to BLS wage data for May 2025. Entry-level pay runs about $40,420 and the top 10% earn over $60,510.
- How much does a CNA make an hour in San Diego?
- Typical hourly pay for CNAs in San Diego is $23.11. Entry-level hourly pay runs about $19.43, and the top 10% earn over $29.09 an hour.
- What is the starting pay for a CNA in San Diego?
- Entry-level CNA positions in San Diego typically offer around $19.43 an hour, or $40,420 a year.
- Is CNA pay in San Diego higher than in the rest of California?
- San Diego pay is 1% above the California figure of $47,630 a year, ranking 7th of 25 metro areas in the state. Santa Clara pays the most in California at $56,840.