Starting Pay for CNA

Shanty3710 · May 18, 2016

I have successfully completed block 1 at GWCC, and am awaiting my time to take the CNA exam. What is the average starting wage for a CNA with Banner, Abrazo, or Dignity?

I am finishing my CNA at AMTI as well. I'll be done in about 2-3 weeks. A few in my class have already gotten jobs already, and they also post positions on our board at the school. I'm noticing quite a bigger range than I originally thought. I think the lowest that I have seen is $9/ hour (by word of mouth & our job postings at school). Most lie somewhere around $11.50-$12 to start. But some of my classmates have mentioned they work at places that start at $14-$15/hr. If I'm able to get more concrete information for you, I will do that soon. In the meantime, maybe you could check out glassdoor. I have that app downloaded, and it's easy me to look up a company, some of the CNA wages there, and recent interview questions that some CNA's were asked. Hope this helps!

rac1, ASN, BSN, RN · May 18, 2016

I am finishing my CNA at AMTI as well. I'll be done in about 2-3 weeks. A few in my class have already gotten jobs already, and they also post positions on our board at the school. I'm noticing quite a bigger range than I originally thought. I think the lowest that I have seen is $9/ hour (by word of mouth & our job postings at school). Most lie somewhere around $11.50-$12 to start. But some of my classmates have mentioned they work at places that start at $14-$15/hr. If I'm able to get more concrete information for you, I will do that soon. In the meantime, maybe you could check out glassdoor. I have that app downloaded, and it's easy me to look up a company, some of the CNA wages there, and recent interview questions that some CNA's were asked. Hope this helps!

This is amazing for me to read! I have been at home since having children 15 years ago. But when I left - I was working admin positions (aka secretarial work) and when I left to stay at home with my kids I was making $14/hour! 15 years ago! No college, no formal skills training. So it is crazy to me to hear that after a semester of training a CNA is only making 14-15/hour!

Shanty3710 · May 19, 2016

This is amazing for me to read! I have been at home since having children 15 years ago. But when I left - I was working admin positions (aka secretarial work) and when I left to stay at home with my kids I was making $14/hour! 15 years ago! No college, no formal skills training. So it is crazy to me to hear that after a semester of training a CNA is only making 14-15/hour!

Isn't it kind of sad! And that's on the Higher end of pay for a CNA! It is kind of robbery lol. Many places pay their CNA's much less than that though[emoji17]. I'm hoping that even without CNA experience, I can still make money in that bracket. I have 2 other Bachelors, and behavioral health experience/ in home care, so I'd hope that would help put me into a higher salary bracket. But yes, unfortunately, unless you're LPN or above, we're probably not going to be seeing the pay that we were seeing before in our other fields :/ Sad day. CNA's work really hard!

ashleyg037 · May 28, 2016

Banner starts at $11 with an extra dollar for each year of experience.

mrsboots87 · May 29, 2016

I work in a LTC that pays $13.25 for new CNAs and it goes up $0.50 for every year of experience.

AZBlueBell · Jun 14, 2016

I have successfully completed block 1 at GWCC, and am awaiting my time to take the CNA exam. What is the average starting wage for a CNA with Banner, Abrazo, or Dignity?

Have you taken the CNA exam yet? I'm curious to know how it went and if you felt like Block 1 prepared you for that exam! Thinking about taking it too.

rachaelofcourse · Jun 14, 2016

Have you taken the CNA exam yet? I'm curious to know how it went and if you felt like Block 1 prepared you for that exam! Thinking about taking it too.

I have not, because of some confusion in the process. You have to submit your application and waiver to the board of nursing, wait for them to process, then submit the application for the test and education waiver to HD Master. I did it backwards :facepalm:

From reading the study materials, I think block one more than prepares you.

Shanty3710 · Jun 18, 2016

Have you taken the CNA exam yet? I'm curious to know how it went and if you felt like Block 1 prepared you for that exam! Thinking about taking it too.

I just graduated from my 5 wk course at AMTI on Mon, and took my CNA state board yesterday (Thursday). It was totally do-able, and I felt more than prepared. You can miss up to 18 questions for a minimum score of 75 (which is passing), and I scored 89%, and didn't miss anything on the skills. On the skills I got: peri care female, BP, pivot transfer from w/c to bed, and isolation gown & glove. Anything else you'd like to know, I don't mind answering! Oh, and just doing the Qotd on hdmaster's site, or their free 10 question test was good for me. But u can purchase practice tests which prepare you plenty apparently. I didn't take a full length one. Now I'm on to applying to Gateway's LPN program! Best of luck ladies!

Shanty3710 · Jun 18, 2016

I have not, because of some confusion in the process. You have to submit your application and waiver to the board of nursing, wait for them to process, then submit the application for the test and education waiver to HD Master. I did it backwards
From reading the study materials, I think block one more than prepares you.

I'm curious about the workload in the fast track LPN, which I'm in the process of applying to now btw. At AMTI, we had 3 weeks of lecture. We had tests twice a week, and 4 tests during the last week altogether. We had to complete many assignments and quizzes in between those exams as well. We had to score 80% or higher on each exam. You get below 80% on 2 tests, you fail the program, and have to completely re-do it. We covered 10 chapters a week of information. I'm just curious, with that workload in mind, how does Gateway's LPN program compare? What does your workload kind of look like?

Thx!

rachaelofcourse · Jun 18, 2016

I'm curious about the workload in the fast track LPN, which I'm in the process of applying to now btw. At AMTI, we had 3 weeks of lecture. We had tests twice a week, and 4 tests during the last week altogether. We had to complete many assignments and quizzes in between those exams as well. We had to score 80% or higher on each exam. You get below 80% on 2 tests, you fail the program, and have to completely re-do it. We covered 10 chapters a week of information. I'm just curious, with that workload in mind, how does Gateway's LPN program compare? What does your workload kind of look like?
Thx!

I can't answer this because I'm in the RN program. :/

KittenEars · Jun 29, 2016

I am finishing my CNA at AMTI as well. I'll be done in about 2-3 weeks. A few in my class have already gotten jobs already, and they also post positions on our board at the school. I'm noticing quite a bigger range than I originally thought. I think the lowest that I have seen is $9/ hour (by word of mouth & our job postings at school). Most lie somewhere around $11.50-$12 to start. But some of my classmates have mentioned they work at places that start at $14-$15/hr. If I'm able to get more concrete information for you, I will do that soon. In the meantime, maybe you could check out glassdoor. I have that app downloaded, and it's easy me to look up a company, some of the CNA wages there, and recent interview questions that some CNA's were asked. Hope this helps!

Shanty,

Can you share some more about your expierence at AMTI. I am considering doing the weekend course for CNA there as the Community college CNA programs don't fit well with my fall schedule and work.

Specifically:

What are clinicals like there? Do you still travel to facilities or is all of the clinicals done in house?

If you do travel to facilities, did the school give you advance notice of when and where? Did your clinicals always fall within the predetermined time of classes.

Any additional information is appreciated!