Nursing Assistants Salary
In Georgia, nursing assistants earn $37,680 at the median, or about $18.12 an hour. The range runs from $30K at the entry level to $47K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 91.89), which stretches that salary to about $41,006 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,434/month, about 55.8% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Georgia. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $38K get you in Georgia?
About nursing assistants
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What this looks like in Georgia
Pay for nursing assistants in Georgia runs about 11% below the U.S. median of $42K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,434/month, which is 56.1% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 91.89 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 8% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. That combination, below-market pay with high housing costs, makes this a financially demanding market for nursing assistantss.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Georgia
Entry-level nursing assistants (10th percentile) start around $30K. Mid-career wages sit at $38K. Top earners bring in $47K or more, a $17K spread from bottom to top.
Nursing Assistants salary by metro in Georgia
13 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gainesville | $41K | +10% | 1,050 |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell | $39K | +4% | 23,260 |
| Savannah | $38K | +2% | 1,710 |
| Warner Robins | $38K | -0% | 380 |
| Rome | $37K | -1% | 890 |
| Augusta-Richmond County | $37K | -1% | 2,560 |
| Macon-Bibb County | $37K | -3% | 1,450 |
| Athens-Clarke County | $36K | -4% | 1,110 |
| Dalton | $36K | -4% | 390 |
| Brunswick-St. Simons | $36K | -5% | 590 |
| Albany | $35K | -6% | 770 |
| Columbus | $35K | -7% | 1,130 |
| Valdosta | $34K | -10% | 470 |
Showing 1–10 of 13 metros
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BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Georgia numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a nursing assistant afford a 2BR apartment alone in Georgia?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $38K, rent takes 56.1% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,434/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $800/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for nursing assistants in Georgia?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new nursing assistants typically earn — is $30K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,818/month. At HUD’s $1,434/month FMR, rent would take 79% 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 Georgia?
Local pay runs 11% below the national median — $38K here vs. $42K nationally. Cost of living is 8% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Georgia compare to the national average for nursing assistants?
Georgia pays $38K median vs. the U.S. average of $42K — that’s -11%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 91.89), the purchasing-power equivalent is $41K — below the national median.
How much do nursing assistants make in Georgia?
The median is $37,680 a year, that works out to about $18 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $30,300, and experienced nursing assistants can clear $47,310. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $38K enough to live in Georgia?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,558/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,434/month, which eats 56.1% 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 Georgia?
Georgia has a Regional Price Parity of 91.89 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median nursing assistants salary is worth about $41,006 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.