How Much Does a CNA Make in Detroit, MI in 2026?
Typical pay for CNAs in Detroit, from federal wage data (May 2025), with the ten-year trend and how the city compares across Michigan.
BLS OES May 2025 · Detroit · Warren · Dearborn metro area
A typical CNA in Detroit, Michigan earns $19.18 per hour, or $39,900 per year, according to the latest government wage data for the area (May 2025). Calculated from the annual figure, that is roughly $3,325 a month. Entry-level positions typically offer around $37,900, and the top 10% of earners make over $47,620.
That pay is 1% above the Michigan figure of $39,570 and 6% below the national figure of $42,260. Detroit ranks 6th of 16 metro areas in Michigan for CNA pay. About 17,300 CNAs work in the Detroit · Warren · Dearborn area. Detroit is part of the Detroit · Warren · Dearborn metro area, and BLS reports pay for the metro as a whole, so Dearborn and Warren share these figures.
CNA pay in Detroit at a glance
- Typical pay is $19.18 an hour, or $39,900 a year.
- That is 1% above the Michigan figure, ranking 6th of 16 metro areas in the state.
- Entry-level positions typically offer around $37,900; the top 10% make over $47,620.
- Typical pay rose +42% from 2015 to 2025, against +42% for Michigan as a whole.
BLS OES May 2025
How much does a CNA make in Detroit?
Pay in Detroit runs from entry-level positions at around $18.22 an hour to more than $22.89 for the top 10% of earners. The table sets each career stage against the Michigan and national figures.
CNA pay by career stage in Detroit
| Career stage | Detroit | Michigan | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starting out | $37,900$18.22 an hour | $36,830$17.71 an hour | $33,940$16.32 an hour |
| First years | $38,650$18.58 an hour | $38,160$18.35 an hour | $37,260$17.91 an hour |
| Typical CNA | $39,900$19.18 an hour | $39,570$19.03 an hour | $42,260$20.32 an hour |
| Experienced | $45,060$21.67 an hour | $44,910$21.59 an hour | $47,220$22.70 an hour |
| Top 10% | $47,620$22.89 an hour | $46,740$22.47 an hour | $51,980$24.99 an hour |
BLS OES May 2025 · city figures cover the Detroit · Warren · Dearborn area as BLS defines it
CNA pay growth in Detroit
Typical (median) annual wage for CNAs in the Detroit · Warren · Dearborn area · BLS OES May estimates, 2015 to 2025 · hover a bar for the year-over-year change
In 2015, typical CNA pay in Detroit was $28,170 a year. By 2025 it had reached $39,900, a change of +42%, compared with +42% for Michigan over the same years.
How Detroit compares with other Michigan cities
Battle Creek pays CNAs the most in Michigan at $45,470 a year, $5,570 more than Detroit. The lowest-paying area in the state is Bay City at $38,260.
| # | City | Typical pay | Hourly | Vs Detroit | CNAs employed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Battle Creek | $45,470 | $21.86 | +14% | 690 |
| 2 | Ann Arbor | $44,570 | $21.43 | +12% | 3,430 |
| 3 | Traverse City | $41,900 | $20.14 | +5% | 700 |
| 4 | Niles | $41,070 | $19.74 | +3% | 590 |
| 5 | Jackson | $40,080 | $19.27 | 0% | 690 |
| 6 | Detroit | $39,900 | $19.18 | this city | 17,300 |
| 7 | Kalamazoo metro incl. Portage | $39,500 | $18.99 | -1% | 1,260 |
| 8 | Saginaw | $39,400 | $18.94 | -1% | 1,100 |
| 9 | Midland | $39,340 | $18.91 | -1% | 600 |
| 10 | Flint | $39,190 | $18.84 | -2% | 1,460 |
| 11 | Norton Shores metro incl. Muskegon | $38,760 | $18.64 | -3% | 670 |
| 12 | Lansing metro incl. East Lansing | $38,550 | $18.53 | -3% | 1,650 |
| 13 | Mishawaka | $38,550 | $18.54 | -3% | 1,520 |
| 14 | Monroe | $38,420 | $18.47 | -4% | 430 |
| 15 | Kentwood metro incl. Grand Rapids · Wyoming | $38,340 | $18.43 | -4% | 5,870 |
| 16 | Bay City | $38,260 | $18.39 | -4% | 490 |
Every metro area in Michigan with CNA wage data · BLS OES May 2025 · Michigan typical pay $39,570
Is Detroit a good place to work as a CNA?
CNAs in Detroit earn less than the national figure: typical pay is $39,900 a year, 6% below the national rate. For every 1,000 jobs in the Detroit · Warren · Dearborn area, about 9.1 are CNA positions; nationally, the figure is closer to 9.3. 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 Detroit, MI?
- A typical CNA in Detroit earns $39,900 a year, or $19.18 an hour, according to BLS wage data for May 2025. Entry-level pay runs about $37,900 and the top 10% earn over $47,620.
- How much does a CNA make an hour in Detroit?
- Typical hourly pay for CNAs in Detroit is $19.18. Entry-level hourly pay runs about $18.22, and the top 10% earn over $22.89 an hour.
- What is the starting pay for a CNA in Detroit?
- Entry-level CNA positions in Detroit typically offer around $18.22 an hour, or $37,900 a year.
- Is CNA pay in Detroit higher than in the rest of Michigan?
- Detroit pay is 1% above the Michigan figure of $39,570 a year, ranking 6th of 16 metro areas in the state. Battle Creek pays the most in Michigan at $45,470.