Can You Live Off A CNA's Pay? Do you?

Ev1987 · May 27, 2010

I think that even if someone were to get paid $8.00 an hour, they still wouldn't be bringing home $1,792 a month unless they worked KILLER amount of hours. (tax included)

Being a new cna, if I worked 5 days a week, 8 hours a day, I'd bring home a $600 bi-weekly paycheck. $1,200 a month. Could I live off that? It depends on my lifestyle. It would be cheaper for me to catch public transportation instead of paying gas and car insurance...(or a monthly car payment). I could rent a room w' utilities included instead of renting an apartment. I could shop at thrifty grocery and clothing stores. But that's if I were single with no kids, and that's not my lifestyle anymore. Are you single? Married? What is the household income? Do you receive financial aid from the federal government? Some people can do it, and some people cannot.

caliotter3 · May 27, 2010

I was unable to live off CNA pay without additional income, even when I was renting a room instead of an apartment.

D85619 · May 27, 2010

CNAs get paid 8 an hr?? i know CNAs that get paid 12 and more now i could live off that right now.

StangSally · May 27, 2010

i'm not sure where you are located or interested in working, but $8.00 an hour seems really low to me. I'm just starting out as a CNA (I got my certification in April) but all the places I know of around here start out at atleast $11.00 an hour, not to mention differential pay for the late shifts, holidays and weekends. I know that if you look into some of the hospitals, they start out at atleast $20 an hour. I know plenty of people who are CNA's and are able to live off of their income. If your worried about not having enough, you could easily work full time at a facility and then pick up a few home-care patients on the side. There are higher payed positions out there you just have to look around a bit. If you are really interested in nursing though, I would reccomend going right for your RN. I made the switch to nursing two years after I graduated high school so my CNA is just a stepping stone to my RN for me. :cool:

bronxbella66 · May 27, 2010

I just started working as a CNA last month and in NY night shifts I make $17.00 an hour at a nursing home. Every state pays differently. I am working towards being a LPN. Good Luck to you :)

Ev1987 · May 27, 2010

I was unable to live off CNA pay without additional income, even when I was renting a room instead of an apartment.

I rented a room with utilities included a year back for only $400/month. Much cheaper than the $780/month minus utilities that I'm paying now. Some people can live off cna pay, and some cannot.

TheCommuter, BSN, RN · May 27, 2010

CNAs get paid 8 an hr??

Yes, CNAs are paid $8 hourly in some states. When I was attending school in Oklahoma last year, the average CNA earned between $8 and $9 per hour. Rural areas tend to offer lower pay rates than urban cities due to differences in the cost of living.

KimberlyRN89, BSN, RN · May 27, 2010

Many of my CNA co-workers (and LPN's too for that matter) work another job in order to make ends meet. Its not common for them to leave one job & head to another.

NM nurse to be · May 27, 2010

Typical pay where I am (New Mexico) is very low. I applied a few weeks ago to a place literally down the block from my apartment. They maxed out at $8.50. I make quite a bit more than that where I am but that has it's total downsides, in that the facility has MAJOR (mis)management issues. There is just me, my apartment is very small and I have a small car payment. Public transport to work is not an option.

I was sort of making it on just that, when I was full time. I barely had two bucks left to rub together at the end of the month. If I had a family and was the only earner, no way could I do that on what I make now! I had to drop my hours drastically because of school. So now I'm part time, depending on student grants, loans and the Bank of Dad. I hated to ask that last one and people at work laughed at me for it but you know, if the option is there to not kill myself and flunk out of school... I'd be stupid not to take it, just out of pride.

If you are young (and I expect so from your user name) and possibly living at home, you could do it. If you're on your own, a roommate might be a good plan. Or a second job. It's a tough field, financially. Hope this helps!

Poi Dog · May 28, 2010

I work 3 jobs in order to make ends meet. It's not how I wanted my life to be but it's doable and not forever. :redbeathe

fuzzywuzzy, CNA · May 28, 2010

I don't have kids and I live with my boyfriend in a very cheap apartment (it's a dump), and my car is paid off, so I manage. There's no public transportation around here so when my car kicks the bucket things are going to get tighter but I've been saving for that. My parents have no money so I don't have that to fall back on (not that I would want to), but my boyfriend is spoiled and coddled. That annoys me to no end but I guess if we were in a really bad situation his Mommy and Daddy could help :icon_roll .