How Much Does a CNA Make in Dalton, GA in 2026?
Typical pay for CNAs in Dalton, from federal wage data (May 2025), with the ten-year trend and how the city compares across Georgia.
BLS OES May 2025 · Dalton metro area
A typical CNA in Dalton, Georgia earns $17.36 per hour, or $36,110 per year, according to the latest government wage data for the area (May 2025). Calculated from the annual figure, that is roughly $3,009 a month. Entry-level positions typically offer around $29,130, and the top 10% of earners make over $44,260.
That pay is 4% below the Georgia figure of $37,680 and 15% below the national figure of $42,260. Dalton ranks 9th of 13 metro areas in Georgia for CNA pay. About 390 CNAs work in the Dalton area.
CNA pay in Dalton at a glance
- Typical pay is $17.36 an hour, or $36,110 a year.
- That is 4% below the Georgia figure, ranking 9th of 13 metro areas in the state.
- Entry-level positions typically offer around $29,130; the top 10% make over $44,260.
- Typical pay rose +77% from 2015 to 2025, against +71% for Georgia as a whole.
BLS OES May 2025
How much does a CNA make in Dalton?
Pay in Dalton runs from entry-level positions at around $14.01 an hour to more than $21.28 for the top 10% of earners. The table sets each career stage against the Georgia and national figures.
CNA pay by career stage in Dalton
| Career stage | Dalton | Georgia | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starting out | $29,130$14.01 an hour | $30,300$14.57 an hour | $33,940$16.32 an hour |
| First years | $29,190$14.04 an hour | $35,490$17.06 an hour | $37,260$17.91 an hour |
| Typical CNA | $36,110$17.36 an hour | $37,680$18.12 an hour | $42,260$20.32 an hour |
| Experienced | $37,880$18.21 an hour | $42,980$20.66 an hour | $47,220$22.70 an hour |
| Top 10% | $44,260$21.28 an hour | $47,310$22.74 an hour | $51,980$24.99 an hour |
BLS OES May 2025 · city figures cover the Dalton area as BLS defines it
CNA pay growth in Dalton
Typical (median) annual wage for CNAs in the Dalton area · BLS OES May estimates, 2015 to 2025 · hover a bar for the year-over-year change
In 2015, typical CNA pay in Dalton was $20,430 a year. By 2025 it had reached $36,110, a change of +77%, compared with +71% for Georgia over the same years.
How Dalton compares with other Georgia cities
Gainesville pays CNAs the most in Georgia at $41,390 a year, $5,280 more than Dalton. The lowest-paying area in the state is Valdosta at $34,040.
| # | City | Typical pay | Hourly | Vs Dalton | CNAs employed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Gainesville | $41,390 | $19.90 | +15% | 1,050 |
| 2 | Sandy Springs | $39,350 | $18.92 | +9% | 23,260 |
| 3 | Savannah | $38,450 | $18.48 | +6% | 1,710 |
| 4 | Warner Robins | $37,500 | $18.03 | +4% | 380 |
| 5 | Rome | $37,220 | $17.90 | +3% | 890 |
| 6 | Augusta metro incl. Richmond County | $37,140 | $17.86 | +3% | 2,560 |
| 7 | Macon metro incl. Bibb County | $36,540 | $17.57 | +1% | 1,450 |
| 8 | Clarke County metro incl. Athens | $36,330 | $17.47 | +1% | 1,110 |
| 9 | Dalton | $36,110 | $17.36 | this city | 390 |
| 10 | St. Simons metro incl. Brunswick | $35,940 | $17.28 | 0% | 590 |
| 11 | Albany | $35,260 | $16.95 | -2% | 770 |
| 12 | Columbus | $34,970 | $16.81 | -3% | 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 Dalton a good place to work as a CNA?
CNAs in Dalton earn less than the national figure: typical pay is $36,110 a year, 15% below the national rate. For every 1,000 jobs in the Dalton area, about 6.0 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 Dalton, GA?
- A typical CNA in Dalton earns $36,110 a year, or $17.36 an hour, according to BLS wage data for May 2025. Entry-level pay runs about $29,130 and the top 10% earn over $44,260.
- How much does a CNA make an hour in Dalton?
- Typical hourly pay for CNAs in Dalton is $17.36. Entry-level hourly pay runs about $14.01, and the top 10% earn over $21.28 an hour.
- What is the starting pay for a CNA in Dalton?
- Entry-level CNA positions in Dalton typically offer around $14.01 an hour, or $29,130 a year.
- Is CNA pay in Dalton higher than in the rest of Georgia?
- Dalton pay is 4% below the Georgia figure of $37,680 a year, ranking 9th of 13 metro areas in the state. Gainesville pays the most in Georgia at $41,390.