How Much Does a CNA Make in Athens, GA in 2026?
Typical pay for CNAs in Athens, from federal wage data (May 2025), with the ten-year trend and how the city compares across Georgia.
BLS OES May 2025 · Athens · Clarke County metro area
A typical CNA in Athens, Georgia earns $17.47 per hour, or $36,330 per year, according to the latest government wage data for the area (May 2025). Calculated from the annual figure, that is roughly $3,028 a month. Entry-level positions typically offer around $29,880, and the top 10% of earners make over $45,860.
That pay is 4% below the Georgia figure of $37,680 and 14% below the national figure of $42,260. Athens ranks 8th of 13 metro areas in Georgia for CNA pay. About 1,110 CNAs work in the Athens · Clarke County area. Athens is part of the Athens · Clarke County metro area, and BLS reports pay for the metro as a whole, so Clarke County share these figures.
CNA pay in Athens at a glance
- Typical pay is $17.47 an hour, or $36,330 a year.
- That is 4% below the Georgia figure, ranking 8th of 13 metro areas in the state.
- Entry-level positions typically offer around $29,880; the top 10% make over $45,860.
- Typical pay rose +66% from 2015 to 2025, against +71% for Georgia as a whole.
BLS OES May 2025
How much does a CNA make in Athens?
Pay in Athens runs from entry-level positions at around $14.37 an hour to more than $22.05 for the top 10% of earners. The table sets each career stage against the Georgia and national figures.
CNA pay by career stage in Athens
| Career stage | Athens | Georgia | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starting out | $29,880$14.37 an hour | $30,300$14.57 an hour | $33,940$16.32 an hour |
| First years | $34,000$16.35 an hour | $35,490$17.06 an hour | $37,260$17.91 an hour |
| Typical CNA | $36,330$17.47 an hour | $37,680$18.12 an hour | $42,260$20.32 an hour |
| Experienced | $39,700$19.09 an hour | $42,980$20.66 an hour | $47,220$22.70 an hour |
| Top 10% | $45,860$22.05 an hour | $47,310$22.74 an hour | $51,980$24.99 an hour |
BLS OES May 2025 · city figures cover the Athens · Clarke County area as BLS defines it
CNA pay growth in Athens
Typical (median) annual wage for CNAs in the Athens · Clarke County area · BLS OES May estimates, 2015 to 2025 · hover a bar for the year-over-year change
In 2015, typical CNA pay in Athens was $21,880 a year. By 2025 it had reached $36,330, a change of +66%, compared with +71% for Georgia over the same years.
How Athens compares with other Georgia cities
Gainesville pays CNAs the most in Georgia at $41,390 a year, $5,060 more than Athens. The lowest-paying area in the state is Valdosta at $34,040.
| # | City | Typical pay | Hourly | Vs Athens | CNAs employed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Gainesville | $41,390 | $19.90 | +14% | 1,050 |
| 2 | Sandy Springs | $39,350 | $18.92 | +8% | 23,260 |
| 3 | Savannah | $38,450 | $18.48 | +6% | 1,710 |
| 4 | Warner Robins | $37,500 | $18.03 | +3% | 380 |
| 5 | Rome | $37,220 | $17.90 | +2% | 890 |
| 6 | Augusta metro incl. Richmond County | $37,140 | $17.86 | +2% | 2,560 |
| 7 | Macon metro incl. Bibb County | $36,540 | $17.57 | +1% | 1,450 |
| 8 | Athens metro incl. Clarke County | $36,330 | $17.47 | this city | 1,110 |
| 9 | Dalton | $36,110 | $17.36 | -1% | 390 |
| 10 | St. Simons metro incl. Brunswick | $35,940 | $17.28 | -1% | 590 |
| 11 | Albany | $35,260 | $16.95 | -3% | 770 |
| 12 | Columbus | $34,970 | $16.81 | -4% | 1,130 |
| 13 | Valdosta | $34,040 | $16.36 | -6% | 470 |
Every metro area in Georgia with CNA wage data · BLS OES May 2025 · Georgia typical pay $37,680
Is Athens a good place to work as a CNA?
CNAs in Athens earn less than the national figure: typical pay is $36,330 a year, 14% below the national rate. For every 1,000 jobs in the Athens · Clarke County area, about 12 are CNA positions; nationally, the figure is closer to 9.3. That makes the local economy more reliant on CNAs than most places, and turnover keeps positions opening through the year.
Frequently asked questions
- How much does a CNA make in Athens, GA?
- A typical CNA in Athens earns $36,330 a year, or $17.47 an hour, according to BLS wage data for May 2025. Entry-level pay runs about $29,880 and the top 10% earn over $45,860.
- How much does a CNA make an hour in Athens?
- Typical hourly pay for CNAs in Athens is $17.47. Entry-level hourly pay runs about $14.37, and the top 10% earn over $22.05 an hour.
- What is the starting pay for a CNA in Athens?
- Entry-level CNA positions in Athens typically offer around $14.37 an hour, or $29,880 a year.
- Is CNA pay in Athens higher than in the rest of Georgia?
- Athens pay is 4% below the Georgia figure of $37,680 a year, ranking 8th of 13 metro areas in the state. Gainesville pays the most in Georgia at $41,390.