Nursing Assistants Salary
In Ohio, nursing assistants earn $39,010 at the median, or about $18.76 an hour. The range runs from $35K at the entry level to $47K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 91.45), which stretches that salary to about $42,657 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,188/month, about 44.6% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Ohio. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $39K get you in Ohio?
About nursing assistants
Sponsored links, AffordMap may earn a commission at no cost to you. Learn more
What this looks like in Ohio
Nursing assistants pay in Ohio tracks closely to the national median, $39K locally vs. $42K nationwide, a 8% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,188/month, which is 43.2% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 91.45 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 9% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Ohio
Entry-level nursing assistants (10th percentile) start around $35K. Mid-career wages sit at $39K. Top earners bring in $47K or more, a $12K spread from bottom to top.
Nursing Assistants salary by metro in Ohio
12 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Columbus | $43K | +10% | 10,020 |
| Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek | $42K | +7% | 4,970 |
| Cincinnati | $40K | +3% | 11,390 |
| Toledo | $40K | +2% | 3,590 |
| Mansfield | $39K | +1% | 600 |
| Akron | $39K | +1% | 3,170 |
| Cleveland | $39K | +0% | 13,060 |
| Springfield | $38K | -3% | 720 |
| Sandusky | $38K | -3% | 560 |
| Canton-Massillon | $38K | -3% | 2,360 |
| Lima | $37K | -4% | 690 |
| Youngstown-Warren | $37K | -5% | 2,360 |
Showing 1–10 of 12 metros
Compare to other states
Track nursing assistants salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Ohio numbers change.
Related careers in Healthcare Support
Frequently asked questions
Can a nursing assistant afford a 2BR apartment alone in Ohio?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $39K, rent takes 43.2% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,188/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 Ohio?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new nursing assistants typically earn — is $35K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,104/month. At HUD’s $1,188/month FMR, rent would take 56% 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 Ohio?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $39K locally vs. $42K nationally, a 8% difference.
How does Ohio compare to the national average for nursing assistants?
Ohio pays $39K median vs. the U.S. average of $42K — that’s -8%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 91.45), the purchasing-power equivalent is $43K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do nursing assistants make in Ohio?
The median is $39,010 a year, that works out to about $19 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $35,060, and experienced nursing assistants can clear $46,570. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $39K enough to live in Ohio?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,752/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,188/month, which eats 43.2% 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 Ohio?
Ohio has a Regional Price Parity of 91.45 (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 $42,657 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.