CNA vs Medical assistant: Pay, Training, and What Each Does
A medical assistant earns a median of $45,690 a year and a certified nursing assistant $42,260, a difference of $3,430, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). A certified nursing assistant needs a state-approved education program, and a medical assistant “Postsecondary nondegree award”, the typical entry-level education the BLS lists.
CNA and medical assistant side by side
| Measure | CNA | Medical assistant |
|---|---|---|
| Typical pay a year | $42,260 | $45,690 |
| Typical pay an hour | $20.32 | $21.97 |
| Pay range (10th to 90th percentile) | $33,940 to $51,980 | $36,050 to $59,310 |
| Jobs | 1,448,910 | 817,870 |
| Projected growth, 2025 to 2035 | 2.6% | 12.9% |
| Openings a year | 196,200 | 109,700 |
| Typical entry-level education | State-approved education program | Postsecondary nondegree award |
| License or exam | State nurse aide competency exam (written and skills) | Optional certification, for example CMA (AAMA), RMA (AMT), or CCMA (NHA) |
| Largest employer industry | Nursing Care Facilities (Skilled Nursing Facilities) | Offices of Physicians |
Pay and jobs: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Projections: BLS Employment Projections. Education: BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook.
What each does
CNA
“Nursing assistants, sometimes called nursing aides, provide basic care and help patients with activities of daily living.”
Training: “Nursing assistants often need to complete a state-approved education program that includes both instruction on the principles of nursing and supervised clinical work.”
License: “Specific requirements for nursing assistants vary by state.”
Quoted from the BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook.
Medical assistant
“Medical assistants complete administrative and clinical tasks, such as scheduling appointments and taking patients’ vital signs.”
Training: “Medical assistants typically complete a postsecondary program, such as for a medical assistant certificate or an associate’s degree.”
License: “Some states require that medical assistants graduate from an accredited program, be licensed or certified, or meet other prerequisites in order to practice.”
Quoted from the BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook.
The key differences, in the BLS's words
- “No OOH sentence directly contrasts nursing assistants with medical assistants. Contrast must be built from each page's own duties/settings text (CNA: nursing care facilities 36% + hospitals 32%, activities of daily living; MA: offices of physicians 56%, administrative + clinical tasks).”
Quoted from the BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook pages for both occupations.
CNA vs medical assistant pay by state
The pay difference is widest in Washington (Medical assistant +$10,110), Nebraska (Medical assistant +$7,370), Indiana (Medical assistant +$6,780).
| State | CNA | Medical assistant | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Washington | $49,180 | $59,290 | Medical assistant +$10,110 |
| Nebraska | $40,000 | $47,370 | Medical assistant +$7,370 |
| Indiana | $38,330 | $45,110 | Medical assistant +$6,780 |
| North Carolina | $38,460 | $45,140 | Medical assistant +$6,680 |
| Alaska | $46,370 | $52,560 | Medical assistant +$6,190 |
| Florida | $37,510 | $43,680 | Medical assistant +$6,170 |
| Iowa | $39,350 | $45,480 | Medical assistant +$6,130 |
| Idaho | $38,650 | $44,700 | Medical assistant +$6,050 |
| Montana | $40,900 | $46,820 | Medical assistant +$5,920 |
| Louisiana | $30,510 | $36,320 | Medical assistant +$5,810 |
| Utah | $39,840 | $45,360 | Medical assistant +$5,520 |
| South Carolina | $37,220 | $41,160 | Medical assistant +$3,940 |
| Georgia | $37,680 | $41,600 | Medical assistant +$3,920 |
| Mississippi | $31,520 | $35,360 | Medical assistant +$3,840 |
| Minnesota | $46,680 | $50,480 | Medical assistant +$3,800 |
| Ohio | $39,010 | $42,810 | Medical assistant +$3,800 |
| Wisconsin | $45,130 | $48,680 | Medical assistant +$3,550 |
| District of Columbia | $47,700 | $51,050 | Medical assistant +$3,350 |
| Arkansas | $34,430 | $37,760 | Medical assistant +$3,330 |
| Maryland | $43,240 | $46,410 | Medical assistant +$3,170 |
| South Dakota | $38,800 | $41,870 | Medical assistant +$3,070 |
| Hawaii | $45,350 | $48,410 | Medical assistant +$3,060 |
| Oklahoma | $35,930 | $38,750 | Medical assistant +$2,820 |
| Massachusetts | $46,680 | $49,460 | Medical assistant +$2,780 |
| Missouri | $37,680 | $40,440 | Medical assistant +$2,760 |
| Connecticut | $44,790 | $47,430 | Medical assistant +$2,640 |
| Delaware | $42,030 | $44,490 | Medical assistant +$2,460 |
| California | $47,630 | $49,660 | Medical assistant +$2,030 |
| Texas | $37,500 | $39,520 | Medical assistant +$2,020 |
| Alabama | $34,140 | $36,100 | Medical assistant +$1,960 |
| Wyoming | $39,160 | $40,920 | Medical assistant +$1,760 |
| Tennessee | $37,990 | $39,570 | Medical assistant +$1,580 |
| Virginia | $43,200 | $44,740 | Medical assistant +$1,540 |
| Kansas | $38,010 | $39,510 | Medical assistant +$1,500 |
| Arizona | $44,780 | $45,940 | Medical assistant +$1,160 |
| Colorado | $47,380 | $48,400 | Medical assistant +$1,020 |
| Kentucky | $38,370 | $39,270 | Medical assistant +$900 |
| Rhode Island | $46,440 | $47,190 | Medical assistant +$750 |
| Pennsylvania | $44,590 | $43,920 | CNA +$670 |
| New York | $48,590 | $48,000 | CNA +$590 |
| Oregon | $49,830 | $50,410 | Medical assistant +$580 |
| Maine | $47,070 | $47,580 | Medical assistant +$510 |
| West Virginia | $36,720 | $37,180 | Medical assistant +$460 |
| New Jersey | $46,830 | $47,210 | Medical assistant +$380 |
| Michigan | $39,570 | $39,870 | Medical assistant +$300 |
| Nevada | $45,490 | $45,200 | CNA +$290 |
| New Mexico | $39,390 | $39,230 | CNA +$160 |
| North Dakota | $45,820 | $45,980 | Medical assistant +$160 |
| New Hampshire | $47,870 | $48,020 | Medical assistant +$150 |
| Illinois | $45,960 | $46,090 | Medical assistant +$130 |
| Vermont | $47,130 | $47,250 | Medical assistant +$120 |
Typical (median) annual pay, BLS OEWS May 2025. The difference column names the higher-paid job. Sorted by the size of the difference.
CNA vs Medical assistant: questions
- Who makes more, a CNA or a Medical assistant?
- A Medical assistant earns more: $45,690 a year at the median, against $42,260 for a CNA, a difference of $3,430, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025).
- What education does each need?
- A certified nursing assistant needs a state-approved education program, and a medical assistant “Postsecondary nondegree award”, the typical entry-level education the BLS lists.
- Which has more job openings?
- The BLS projects about 196,200 openings a year for certified nursing assistants and 109,700 for medical assistants over 2025 to 2035.