How Much Does a CNA Make in Nashville, TN in 2026?
Typical pay for CNAs in Nashville, from federal wage data (May 2025), with the ten-year trend and how the city compares across Tennessee.
BLS OES May 2025 · Nashville · Davidson · · Murfreesboro · · Franklin metro area
A typical CNA in Nashville, Tennessee earns $18.99 per hour, or $39,510 per year, according to the latest government wage data for the area (May 2025). Calculated from the annual figure, that is roughly $3,293 a month. Entry-level positions typically offer around $34,250, and the top 10% of earners make over $49,870.
That pay is 4% above the Tennessee figure of $37,990 and 7% below the national figure of $42,260. Nashville ranks 1st of 10 metro areas in Tennessee for CNA pay. About 7,420 CNAs work in the Nashville · Davidson · · Murfreesboro · · Franklin area. Nashville is part of the Nashville · Davidson · · Murfreesboro · · Franklin metro area, and BLS reports pay for the metro as a whole, so Franklin, Murfreesboro, Davidson share these figures.
CNA pay in Nashville at a glance
- Typical pay is $18.99 an hour, or $39,510 a year.
- That is 4% above the Tennessee figure, ranking 1st of 10 metro areas in the state.
- Entry-level positions typically offer around $34,250; the top 10% make over $49,870.
- Typical pay rose +79% from 2015 to 2025, against +70% for Tennessee as a whole.
BLS OES May 2025
How much does a CNA make in Nashville?
Pay in Nashville runs from entry-level positions at around $16.47 an hour to more than $23.98 for the top 10% of earners. The table sets each career stage against the Tennessee and national figures.
CNA pay by career stage in Nashville
| Career stage | Nashville | Tennessee | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starting out | $34,250$16.47 an hour | $31,110$14.96 an hour | $33,940$16.32 an hour |
| First years | $37,120$17.85 an hour | $35,560$17.09 an hour | $37,260$17.91 an hour |
| Typical CNA | $39,510$18.99 an hour | $37,990$18.27 an hour | $42,260$20.32 an hour |
| Experienced | $44,540$21.42 an hour | $40,880$19.66 an hour | $47,220$22.70 an hour |
| Top 10% | $49,870$23.98 an hour | $44,660$21.47 an hour | $51,980$24.99 an hour |
BLS OES May 2025 · city figures cover the Nashville · Davidson · · Murfreesboro · · Franklin area as BLS defines it
CNA pay growth in Nashville
Typical (median) annual wage for CNAs in the Nashville · Davidson · · Murfreesboro · · Franklin area · BLS OES May estimates, 2015 to 2025 · hover a bar for the year-over-year change
In 2015, typical CNA pay in Nashville was $22,050 a year. By 2025 it had reached $39,510, a change of +79%, compared with +70% for Tennessee over the same years.
How Nashville compares with other Tennessee cities
Nashville pays CNAs the most of any metro area in Tennessee. The lowest-paying area in the state is Jackson at $36,900.
| # | City | Typical pay | Hourly | Vs Nashville | CNAs employed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nashville | $39,510 | $18.99 | this city | 7,420 |
| 2 | Chattanooga | $38,790 | $18.65 | -2% | 2,420 |
| 3 | Memphis | $38,010 | $18.27 | -4% | 4,930 |
| 4 | Knoxville | $38,000 | $18.27 | -4% | 3,860 |
| 5 | Morristown | $37,620 | $18.09 | -5% | 350 |
| 6 | Kingsport metro incl. Bristol | $37,550 | $18.05 | -5% | 1,400 |
| 7 | Clarksville | $37,320 | $17.94 | -6% | 620 |
| 8 | Johnson City | $37,310 | $17.94 | -6% | 1,390 |
| 9 | Cleveland | $37,130 | $17.85 | -6% | 440 |
| 10 | Jackson | $36,900 | $17.74 | -7% | 1,080 |
Every metro area in Tennessee with CNA wage data · BLS OES May 2025 · Tennessee typical pay $37,990
Is Nashville a good place to work as a CNA?
CNAs in Nashville earn less than the national figure: typical pay is $39,510 a year, 7% below the national rate. For every 1,000 jobs in the Nashville · Davidson · · Murfreesboro · · Franklin area, about 6.8 are CNA positions; nationally, the figure is closer to 9.4. 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 Nashville, TN?
- A typical CNA in Nashville earns $39,510 a year, or $18.99 an hour, according to BLS wage data for May 2025. Entry-level pay runs about $34,250 and the top 10% earn over $49,870.
- How much does a CNA make an hour in Nashville?
- Typical hourly pay for CNAs in Nashville is $18.99. Entry-level hourly pay runs about $16.47, and the top 10% earn over $23.98 an hour.
- What is the starting pay for a CNA in Nashville?
- Entry-level CNA positions in Nashville typically offer around $16.47 an hour, or $34,250 a year.
- Is CNA pay in Nashville higher than in the rest of Tennessee?
- Nashville pay is 4% above the Tennessee figure of $37,990 a year, ranking 1st of 10 metro areas in the state.