Nursing Assistants Salary
In Amherst Town-Northampton, MA, nursing assistants earn $46,110 at the median, or about $22.17 an hour. The range runs from $38K at the entry level to $56K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 100.24), that's roughly $46,000 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $2,004/month, about 63.7% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $46K get you in Amherst Town-Northampton?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Amherst Town-Northampton’s Regional Price Parity (100.24). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
About nursing assistants
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What this looks like in Amherst Town-Northampton
Nursing assistants pay in Amherst Town-Northampton tracks closely to the national median, $46K locally vs. $42K nationwide, a 9% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $2,004/month, which is 65.4% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost of living (RPP 100.24) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for nursing assistants in metros near Amherst Town-Northampton, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton | $48K | $44K |
| Worcester | $46K | $45K |
| Springfield | $45K | $47K |
| Barnstable Town | $49K | $49K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Amherst Town-Northampton, MA
Entry-level nursing assistants (10th percentile) start around $38K. Mid-career wages sit at $46K. Top earners bring in $56K or more, a $18K spread from bottom to top.
Nursing Assistants pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Nursing Assistants salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oregon | $50K | +18% | 14,800 |
| Washington | $49K | +16% | 30,270 |
| New York | $49K | +15% | 87,990 |
| New Hampshire | $48K | +13% | 7,810 |
| District of Columbia | $48K | +13% | 3,490 |
| California | $48K | +13% | 110,060 |
| Colorado | $47K | +12% | 22,240 |
| Vermont | $47K | +12% | 3,030 |
| Maine | $47K | +11% | 8,540 |
| New Jersey | $47K | +11% | 32,400 |
| Minnesota | $47K | +10% | 29,120 |
| Massachusetts | $47K | +10% | 38,130 |
| Rhode Island | $46K | +10% | 10,220 |
| Alaska | $46K | +10% | 2,060 |
| Illinois | $46K | +9% | 68,640 |
| North Dakota | $46K | +8% | 6,840 |
| Nevada | $45K | +8% | 8,100 |
| Hawaii | $45K | +7% | 5,050 |
| Wisconsin | $45K | +7% | 28,370 |
| Connecticut | $45K | +6% | 21,380 |
| Arizona | $45K | +6% | 20,320 |
| Pennsylvania | $45K | +6% | 67,740 |
| Maryland | $43K | +2% | 27,720 |
| Virginia | $43K | +2% | 40,580 |
| Delaware | $42K | -1% | 5,530 |
| Montana | $41K | -3% | 4,390 |
| Nebraska | $40K | -5% | 16,450 |
| Utah | $40K | -6% | 12,260 |
| Michigan | $40K | -6% | 43,290 |
| New Mexico | $39K | -7% | 4,750 |
| Iowa | $39K | -7% | 22,670 |
| Wyoming | $39K | -7% | 2,830 |
| Ohio | $39K | -8% | 63,280 |
| South Dakota | $39K | -8% | 6,860 |
| Idaho | $39K | -9% | 7,910 |
| North Carolina | $38K | -9% | 64,010 |
| Kentucky | $38K | -9% | 23,410 |
| Indiana | $38K | -9% | 33,640 |
| Kansas | $38K | -10% | 24,610 |
| Tennessee | $38K | -10% | 27,040 |
| Missouri | $38K | -11% | 34,050 |
| Georgia | $38K | -11% | 43,440 |
| Florida | $38K | -11% | 96,960 |
| Texas | $38K | -11% | 88,680 |
| South Carolina | $37K | -12% | 21,760 |
| West Virginia | $37K | -13% | 9,390 |
| Oklahoma | $36K | -15% | 19,410 |
| Arkansas | $34K | -19% | 17,260 |
| Alabama | $34K | -19% | 25,250 |
| Mississippi | $32K | -25% | 14,200 |
| Louisiana | $31K | -28% | 20,690 |
Showing 1–10 of 51 (all 50 states + DC)
Track nursing assistants salary changes
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Related careers in Healthcare Support
Frequently asked questions
Can a nursing assistant afford a 2BR apartment alone in Amherst Town-Northampton?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $46K, rent takes 65.4% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $2,004/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $900/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for nursing assistants in Amherst Town-Northampton?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new nursing assistants typically earn — is $38K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,281/month. At HUD’s $2,004/month FMR, rent would take 88% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is nursing assistant a high-paying job in Amherst Town-Northampton?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $46K locally vs. $42K nationally, a 9% difference.
How does Amherst Town-Northampton compare to the national average for nursing assistants?
Amherst Town-Northampton pays $46K median vs. the U.S. average of $42K — that’s +9%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 100.24), the purchasing-power equivalent is $46K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do nursing assistants make in Amherst Town-Northampton, MA?
The median is $46,110 a year, that works out to about $22 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $38,020, and experienced nursing assistants can clear $56,340. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $46K enough to live in Amherst Town-Northampton?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,065/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $2,004/month, which eats 65.4% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.
How far does a nursing assistants salary go in Amherst Town-Northampton?
Amherst Town-Northampton has a Regional Price Parity of 100.24 (100 is the national average). Prices are above average here, so your dollar buys less than the same salary would in a cheaper metro. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median nursing assistants salary is worth about $46,000 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do nursing assistants get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.