How Much Does a CNA Make in Rochester, NY in 2026?
Typical pay for CNAs in Rochester, from federal wage data (May 2025), with the ten-year trend and how the city compares across New York.
BLS OES May 2025 · Rochester metro area
A typical CNA in Rochester, New York earns $19.26 per hour, or $40,050 per year, according to the latest government wage data for the area (May 2025). Calculated from the annual figure, that is roughly $3,338 a month. Entry-level positions typically offer around $38,070, and the top 10% of earners make over $47,800.
That pay is 18% below the New York figure of $48,590 and 5% below the national figure of $42,260. Rochester ranks 9th of 12 metro areas in New York for CNA pay. About 5,130 CNAs work in the Rochester area.
CNA pay in Rochester at a glance
- Typical pay is $19.26 an hour, or $40,050 a year.
- That is 18% below the New York figure, ranking 9th of 12 metro areas in the state.
- Entry-level positions typically offer around $38,070; the top 10% make over $47,800.
- Typical pay rose +48% from 2015 to 2025, against +44% for New York as a whole.
BLS OES May 2025
How much does a CNA make in Rochester?
Pay in Rochester runs from entry-level positions at around $18.30 an hour to more than $22.98 for the top 10% of earners. The table sets each career stage against the New York and national figures.
CNA pay by career stage in Rochester
| Career stage | Rochester | New York | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starting out | $38,070$18.30 an hour | $38,450$18.49 an hour | $33,940$16.32 an hour |
| First years | $39,340$18.91 an hour | $43,760$21.04 an hour | $37,260$17.91 an hour |
| Typical CNA | $40,050$19.26 an hour | $48,590$23.36 an hour | $42,260$20.32 an hour |
| Experienced | $45,070$21.67 an hour | $51,980$24.99 an hour | $47,220$22.70 an hour |
| Top 10% | $47,800$22.98 an hour | $59,890$28.79 an hour | $51,980$24.99 an hour |
BLS OES May 2025 · city figures cover the Rochester area as BLS defines it
CNA pay growth in Rochester
Typical (median) annual wage for CNAs in the Rochester area · BLS OES May estimates, 2015 to 2025 · hover a bar for the year-over-year change
In 2015, typical CNA pay in Rochester was $27,110 a year. By 2025 it had reached $40,050, a change of +48%, compared with +44% for New York over the same years.
How Rochester compares with other New York cities
New York pays CNAs the most in New York at $49,270 a year, $9,220 more than Rochester. The lowest-paying area in the state is Elmira at $37,960.
| # | City | Typical pay | Hourly | Vs Rochester | CNAs employed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New York | $49,270 | $23.69 | +23% | 79,480 |
| 2 | Newburgh metro incl. Poughkeepsie · Kiryas Joel | $45,730 | $21.99 | +14% | 2,380 |
| 3 | Ithaca | $45,640 | $21.94 | +14% | 470 |
| 4 | Kingston | $44,710 | $21.50 | +12% | 540 |
| 5 | Binghamton | $44,410 | $21.35 | +11% | 1,310 |
| 6 | Rome metro incl. Utica | $43,560 | $20.94 | +9% | 1,590 |
| 7 | Syracuse | $42,940 | $20.65 | +7% | 3,120 |
| 8 | Albany metro incl. Schenectady · Troy | $40,160 | $19.31 | 0% | 4,200 |
| 9 | Rochester | $40,050 | $19.26 | this city | 5,130 |
| 10 | Cheektowaga metro incl. Buffalo | $39,790 | $19.13 | -1% | 5,230 |
| 11 | Watertown metro incl. Fort Drum | $38,320 | $18.43 | -4% | 470 |
| 12 | Elmira | $37,960 | $18.25 | -5% | 440 |
Every metro area in New York with CNA wage data · BLS OES May 2025 · New York typical pay $48,590
Is Rochester a good place to work as a CNA?
CNAs in Rochester earn less than the national figure: typical pay is $40,050 a year, 5% below the national rate. For every 1,000 jobs in the Rochester area, about 10 are CNA positions; nationally, the figure is closer to 9.4. 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 Rochester, NY?
- A typical CNA in Rochester earns $40,050 a year, or $19.26 an hour, according to BLS wage data for May 2025. Entry-level pay runs about $38,070 and the top 10% earn over $47,800.
- How much does a CNA make an hour in Rochester?
- Typical hourly pay for CNAs in Rochester is $19.26. Entry-level hourly pay runs about $18.30, and the top 10% earn over $22.98 an hour.
- What is the starting pay for a CNA in Rochester?
- Entry-level CNA positions in Rochester typically offer around $18.30 an hour, or $38,070 a year.
- Is CNA pay in Rochester higher than in the rest of New York?
- Rochester pay is 18% below the New York figure of $48,590 a year, ranking 9th of 12 metro areas in the state. New York pays the most in New York at $49,270.