How Much Does a CNA Make in Hickory, NC in 2026?
Typical pay for CNAs in Hickory, from federal wage data (May 2025), with the ten-year trend and how the city compares across North Carolina.
BLS OES May 2025 · Hickory · Lenoir · Morganton metro area
A typical CNA in Hickory, North Carolina earns $18.00 per hour, or $37,430 per year, according to the latest government wage data for the area (May 2025). Calculated from the annual figure, that is roughly $3,119 a month. Entry-level positions typically offer around $31,240, and the top 10% of earners make over $44,860.
That pay is 3% below the North Carolina figure of $38,460 and 11% below the national figure of $42,260. Hickory ranks 14th of 16 metro areas in North Carolina for CNA pay. About 2,780 CNAs work in the Hickory · Lenoir · Morganton area. Hickory is part of the Hickory · Lenoir · Morganton metro area, and BLS reports pay for the metro as a whole, so Lenoir and Morganton share these figures.
CNA pay in Hickory at a glance
- Typical pay is $18.00 an hour, or $37,430 a year.
- That is 3% below the North Carolina figure, ranking 14th of 16 metro areas in the state.
- Entry-level positions typically offer around $31,240; the top 10% make over $44,860.
- Typical pay rose +51% from 2015 to 2025, against +71% for North Carolina as a whole.
BLS OES May 2025
How much does a CNA make in Hickory?
Pay in Hickory runs from entry-level positions at around $15.02 an hour to more than $21.57 for the top 10% of earners. The table sets each career stage against the North Carolina and national figures.
CNA pay by career stage in Hickory
| Career stage | Hickory | North Carolina | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starting out | $31,240$15.02 an hour | $30,260$14.55 an hour | $33,940$16.32 an hour |
| First years | $36,530$17.56 an hour | $35,950$17.28 an hour | $37,260$17.91 an hour |
| Typical CNA | $37,430$18.00 an hour | $38,460$18.49 an hour | $42,260$20.32 an hour |
| Experienced | $39,820$19.14 an hour | $43,850$21.08 an hour | $47,220$22.70 an hour |
| Top 10% | $44,860$21.57 an hour | $47,080$22.64 an hour | $51,980$24.99 an hour |
BLS OES May 2025 · city figures cover the Hickory · Lenoir · Morganton area as BLS defines it
CNA pay growth in Hickory
Typical (median) annual wage for CNAs in the Hickory · Lenoir · Morganton area · BLS OES May estimates, 2015 to 2025 · hover a bar for the year-over-year change
In 2015, typical CNA pay in Hickory was $24,860 a year. By 2025 it had reached $37,430, a change of +51%, compared with +71% for North Carolina over the same years.
How Hickory compares with other North Carolina cities
Durham pays CNAs the most in North Carolina at $40,560 a year, $3,130 more than Hickory. The lowest-paying area in the state is Jacksonville at $35,880.
| # | City | Typical pay | Hourly | Vs Hickory | CNAs employed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Durham metro incl. Chapel Hill | $40,560 | $19.50 | +8% | 4,830 |
| 2 | Asheville | $40,170 | $19.31 | +7% | 2,590 |
| 3 | Raleigh metro incl. Cary | $39,710 | $19.09 | +6% | 6,420 |
| 4 | Greenville | $39,480 | $18.98 | +5% | 1,730 |
| 5 | Charlotte | $39,430 | $18.96 | +5% | 13,580 |
| 6 | Burlington | $39,090 | $18.79 | +4% | 1,020 |
| 7 | Norfolk metro incl. Chesapeake | $38,990 | $18.75 | +4% | 8,110 |
| 8 | Salem metro incl. Winston | $38,660 | $18.59 | +3% | 4,450 |
| 9 | Goldsboro | $38,540 | $18.53 | +3% | 600 |
| 10 | High Point metro incl. Greensboro | $38,260 | $18.39 | +2% | 5,280 |
| 11 | Wilmington | $37,710 | $18.13 | +1% | 2,390 |
| 12 | Rocky Mount | $37,650 | $18.10 | +1% | 940 |
| 13 | Fayetteville | $37,530 | $18.05 | 0% | 2,130 |
| 14 | Hickory | $37,430 | $18.00 | this city | 2,780 |
| 15 | Pinehurst metro incl. Southern Pines | $36,930 | $17.76 | -1% | 950 |
| 16 | Jacksonville | $35,880 | $17.25 | -4% | 530 |
Every metro area in North Carolina with CNA wage data · BLS OES May 2025 · North Carolina typical pay $38,460
Is Hickory a good place to work as a CNA?
CNAs in Hickory earn less than the national figure: typical pay is $37,430 a year, 11% below the national rate. For every 1,000 jobs in the Hickory · Lenoir · Morganton area, about 18 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 Hickory, NC?
- A typical CNA in Hickory earns $37,430 a year, or $18.00 an hour, according to BLS wage data for May 2025. Entry-level pay runs about $31,240 and the top 10% earn over $44,860.
- How much does a CNA make an hour in Hickory?
- Typical hourly pay for CNAs in Hickory is $18.00. Entry-level hourly pay runs about $15.02, and the top 10% earn over $21.57 an hour.
- What is the starting pay for a CNA in Hickory?
- Entry-level CNA positions in Hickory typically offer around $15.02 an hour, or $31,240 a year.
- Is CNA pay in Hickory higher than in the rest of North Carolina?
- Hickory pay is 3% below the North Carolina figure of $38,460 a year, ranking 14th of 16 metro areas in the state. Durham pays the most in North Carolina at $40,560.