Nursing Assistants Salary
In Anchorage, AK, nursing assistants earn $45,370 at the median, or about $21.81 an hour. The range runs from $39K at the entry level to $57K for experienced workers. Prices run high here (RPP 105.42), so that salary is closer to $43,037 in real purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,376/month, about 42.1% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $45K get you in Anchorage?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Anchorage’s Regional Price Parity (105.42). 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 Anchorage
Nursing assistants pay in Anchorage tracks closely to the national median, $45K locally vs. $42K nationwide, a 7% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,376/month, which is 42.9% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost-of-living overall is 5% above the national average (BEA RPP 105.42), so groceries and services cost more too. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Anchorage, AK
Entry-level nursing assistants (10th percentile) start around $39K. Mid-career wages sit at $45K. Top earners bring in $57K 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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Frequently asked questions
Can a nursing assistant afford a 2BR apartment alone in Anchorage?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $45K, rent takes 42.9% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,376/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,000/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for nursing assistants in Anchorage?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new nursing assistants typically earn — is $39K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,367/month. At HUD’s $1,376/month FMR, rent would take 58% 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 Anchorage?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $45K locally vs. $42K nationally, a 7% difference.
How does Anchorage compare to the national average for nursing assistants?
Anchorage pays $45K median vs. the U.S. average of $42K — that’s +7%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 105.42), the purchasing-power equivalent is $43K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do nursing assistants make in Anchorage, AK?
The median is $45,370 a year, that works out to about $22 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $39,450, and experienced nursing assistants can clear $57,340. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $45K enough to live in Anchorage?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,208/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,376/month, which eats 42.9% 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 Anchorage?
Anchorage has a Regional Price Parity of 105.42 (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 $43,037 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.