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Nursing Assistants

Typical education: Certificate or apprenticeshipHigh pressure Bright Outlook

What they do

Provide or assist with basic care or support under the direction of onsite licensed nursing staff. Perform duties such as monitoring of health status, feeding, bathing, dressing, grooming, toileting, or ambulation of patients in a health or nursing facility. May include medication administration and other health-related tasks. Includes nursing care attendants, nursing aides, and nursing attendants.

Kinds of work

  • Social: Helping, teaching, caring for and supporting other people.
  • Realistic: Hands-on work with tools, machines, plants or animals, often outdoors.
  • Conventional: Organizing information, following clear procedures and working with data and details.

High pressure: How much pressure workers in this job report: deadlines, conflict, dealing with upset people, the cost of mistakes, responsibility for others' safety, competition and long hours. It varies a lot from one employer to the next. Source: U.S. Department of Labor worker surveys.

Pay, tasks and more

Salary

United States $42,260 Median per year · $20.32/hr Most earn $33,940–$51,980

BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, 2025.

What you might do

  • Answer patient call signals, signal lights, bells, or intercom systems to determine patients' needs.
  • Assist nurses or physicians in the operation of medical equipment or provision of patient care.
  • Assist nurses or physicians in the operation of medical equipment or provision of patient care.
  • Exercise patients who are comatose, paralyzed, or have restricted mobility.
  • Document or otherwise report observations of patient behavior, complaints, or physical symptoms to nurses.
  • Answer patient call signals, signal lights, bells, or intercom systems to determine patients' needs.

Job outlook

Bright Outlook Numerous Job Openings

United States
3% more jobs by 2035, about as fast as average · about 196,200 openings a year

Openings include new jobs and jobs left by workers who retire or change careers. Projections: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. "Bright Outlook": U.S. Department of Labor.

Where they work

  • Nursing care facilities (skilled nursing facilities)35.9%
  • General medical and surgical hospitals29.6%
  • Continuing care retirement communities and assisted living facilities for the elderly10.7%
  • Home healthcare services4.8%
  • Temporary help services2.5%

Share of all workers in this career. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, National Employment Matrix.

Experience before this job: 1 to 3 months

Some people start through an apprenticeship: paid training on the job, often with classes. Search apprenticeships on Apprenticeship.gov (opens in a new tab) ↗

Career path

How people usually get into this career, from school to their first job and beyond.

Typical education: Certificate or apprenticeshipExperience before this job: 1 to 3 monthsEntry-level

Nursing Assistant is an entry-level job. Most people finish a short state-approved training program, pass a certification exam, and can start working within a few months after high school.

  1. High school diploma or equivalent

    4 years

    Finishing high school gives you the basic requirement for nursing assistant training programs and builds reading, math, and science skills you will use on the job.

  2. State-approved nursing assistant training program and certification exam

    1-3 months

    You learn basic patient care, safety, and infection control, then pass your state's competency exam to earn certification. This certification is what lets you work as a nursing assistant.

  3. Nursing Assistant

    Entry-level job; typical experience before starting is 1-3 months

    You work under the direction of licensed nurses to help patients with daily care like bathing, dressing, eating, and moving around, and you watch and report changes in their health.

Where it can lead

  1. Licensed Practical Nurse

    6 months to 1 year of experience first

    Working as a nursing assistant gives you hands-on patient care experience. To move up, you complete a practical nursing program and pass the licensing exam, which lets you take on more medical tasks.

  2. Registered Nurse

    1 to 2 years of experience first

    Many nursing assistants go on to earn a nursing degree and pass the RN licensing exam. This step usually requires more schooling and gives you wider responsibilities, such as planning patient care.

What you can do now

Ideas for high school and college students.

In high school

  • Take biology and health science classesThese classes teach the body basics and medical vocabulary you will use every day as a nursing assistant.
  • Get CPR and first aid certifiedMany schools and community centers offer these courses, and the skills show employers you can respond calmly in emergencies.
  • Volunteer at a nursing home or hospitalVolunteering shows you what the work is really like and helps you find out if you enjoy caring for people.
  • Join a health occupations or science clubClubs at many schools let you learn about health careers, practice skills, and meet adults who work in healthcare.
  • Look for a part-time job helping othersBabysitting, tutoring, or helping elderly neighbors builds the reliability and caregiving skills that nursing assistant employers value.

In college

  • Take anatomy, physiology, and medical terminologyThese courses give you a strong base for patient care training and for any later move into nursing.
  • Complete a nursing assistant training programMany community colleges and vocational schools offer state-approved programs, so you can earn certification while you are a student.
  • Work or volunteer in a care settingHands-on experience in a nursing home, hospital, or home care setting builds real skills and helps your resume stand out.
  • Build communication and teamwork skillsNursing assistants talk with patients, families, and nurses every shift, so classes or activities that build these skills matter.
  • Plan your next step toward nursingTalk with an academic advisor about prerequisite courses if you want to become a licensed practical or registered nurse later.

Tips for getting started

  • Check your state's requirements for nursing assistant training and the certification exam early, since programs and rules vary by state.
  • Ask nursing homes, hospitals, or home care agencies in your area whether they offer training or hire people before they are certified. Some do.
  • Build patience, communication, and comfort with physical care now, such as by helping a family member or volunteering. Employers and instructors look for these qualities.

Related jobs a step up

Education, experience and related careers: U.S. Department of Labor. The step-by-step path, where it can lead and what you can do now were written by AI as typical examples; many people take other ways.

College majors that lead here

Majors: U.S. Department of Education and BLS (CIP–SOC crosswalk). Earnings and debt: College Scorecard, typical across U.S. colleges.

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