What facility type offers best pay rate for Nursing Assistant?

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As a current prerequisite/then nursing school student, I have a question about the pay for Nursing Assistants. Are there higher rates of pay for Nursing Assistants in different types of facilities (not different areas of the country, but different types of facilities). I think it would be great experience, but I would not be able to pay my bills on $8 -$12 per hour. I need to make at least approx. $15/hour. It seems a good idea to be a nursing assistant while in nursing school, but what TYPES of nursing assistant jobs pay better?

Thanks- student in Virginia

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Specializes in Med-Surg/urology.

I guess it all depends on the area you're in. I know in Northern VA, the hospitals,LTC and agencies pay pretty well. I'm looking into the Hampton Roads area right now b/c that's where I'm going for nursing school. The agencies seem to pay pretty okay ($12/hr)..I haven't looked at LTC or ALF's yet. And then you have to factor in experiene. Starting out,newly licensed & everything, the pay isn't going to be all that great.

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There isn't really one type of job that always pays better than others.

I work in LTC and make slightly more than people at the hospitals in my area.

You will just have to look at a variety of jobs and select the one that is highest paying, because looking at only one type of facility won't get you that far.

You will probably not start out at the $15/hour you need with no CNA experience, regardless of the job you work. New CNAs just usually don't get paid that much. Higher pay comes with more experience.

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Specializes in Geriatrics.

You probably won't start out at $15 an hour, especially living in Virginia. I live in Southern NH/Mass, where the rate of pay is pretty decent, and some CNA's here make $15 or more an hour, but they usually either work in a hospital, work PRN/per-diem, or work nights.

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