Idea of CNA wages in Sacramento

[Taylor1432]

Hi, I was wondering if anyone could give me an idea of average CNA wages in Sacramento, CA. I currently live in Montana but will be moving back to my hometown of Sacramento in a little over a year. I already have 3 years of cna experience in a skilled nursing facility and 6 months of home health experience. I don't trust salary websites because they are all different and they don't match what I make in MT. I have heard that hospital CNA's make the most there. Averaging $15/hr? Is it very competitive to get in? Would my experience help me at all? I'm very confident I could get a nursing home job so what is the hourly rate for that looking like? I've heard $11/hr which seems crazy because that is less than what I make in MT where the cost of living is literally half of what it is in CA. Home health? Travel CNA? My husband will be making $1700/mo (gi bill pay while he's in school) and our baby will be a little over 1 when we move there so I'm a little worried about making enough to support ourselves.

Since we have a year left here, I have the opportunity to get through a quick certification program for free such as pharmacy tech, billing and coding, med transcription, phlebotomy, etc. would I be able to support my family better with one of those certifications? Or should I use my time working as a CNA? Trying to learn Spanish? Lol I will be going to nursing school once my husband graduates so this is all temporary.

Any advice and ideas of hourly rates near the Sacramento area would be very much appreciated!!!

Also, I've heard a little bit about challenging the nclex-pn in CA. With my experience and a little education would that be possible?

[vintagemother, BSN, CNA, LVN, RN]

As a new CNA one and a half years ago, I received job offers for $9-$10 per hour in the Sac area. After a few months, I was offered less than $12 per hour. Keep in mind I had very little experience, though I am an intelligent, compassionate and professional worker, who was in school to become a nurse. Keep in mind I also worked nights, though.

If you negotiate well and shop around, $12 ish or a little more per hour should be possible, as I have friends who earn this amount as newish CNAs.

I don't think the job market is that hard to break into. Working for a registry should get you paid about 20 or more per hour, as will working for a hospital. I think finding placement through a registry is easier than getting on at a hospital directly, though anything is possible!

HTH!

[WinterSoldier]

Based on my experience, I would get a phlebotomy certification/CA phlebotomy license (the license is separate from the national cert and mandatory for CPTs in CA). I make $18/hr as a phlebotomist/lab assistant in Northern CA and the experience helped me get accepted to a few direct-entry MSN programs beginning this fall!

http://www.cdph.ca.gov/programs/lfs/Documents/PhlebHowToTable.pdf

Phlebotomist

At the facility where I work, coders/billers also make more than the CNAs.

Best of luck to you!!!

[WinterSoldier]

Oh, but, if you really want to keep working as a CNA, a hospital will probably pay the most--especially if you work evenings or nights and get the shift differential. It's an extra $2 per hour at my facility.