Your next chapter · Career Growth Guide
Where could this career take you? Explore the pay, the preparation and the choices that can open your next step.
Explore careers Compare my future Resource hub Evidence & guide Care for people Health sciences Understand business Business & entrepreneurship Work with technology Digital workplace skills Three existing course pathways · Nine selected occupations · U.S. wage benchmarks, May 2025 · Checked September 13, 2026
Choose a destination
01 Nursing assistant National median · $42,260/yr 02 Licensed practical nurse National median · $64,400/yr 03 Registered nurse National median · $97,550/yr
Explore one possible nursing route. You may enter an approved RN program directly; CNA and LPN are not universal prerequisites.
Connect to your CTE courses → Occupation snapshot · U.S. data
Nursing assistant $42,260/yr National median pay — half earn less, half earn more.
$33,940/yr 10th-percentile threshold
$51,980/yr 90th-percentile threshold
+3% Jobs projected, 2025–2035
These wage percentiles are not starting, mid-career or senior salary bands. They describe different workers today.
How do I enter? State-approved training and a competency exam are commonly required. Confirm your state’s rules before enrolling.
What would my work be like? Help patients with daily activities and basic care. Work can be physically demanding and include nights or weekends.
What could help me progress? Nursing school and licensure are separate requirements for becoming an LPN or RN. Working as an assistant does not automatically qualify you.
BLS pay, training & outlook ↗ · SOC 31-1131 · Job growth shown for the BLS nursing-assistants-and-orderlies group.
Ask the Career Growth Guide
Make the next step clearer. Choose a question for guidance based on the selected career and reviewed sources.
I want to understand… What might my first paycheck look like? How could I move ahead? How do my CTE courses connect? What changes in my state? Your first offer needs a local check. For nursing assistant, the national median is $42,260/yr. It includes workers at different experience levels. A verified starting wage is not yet available in this guide.
Compare an employer’s entry-level offer or a published trainee pay schedule with local wage data. Check hours, benefits and any required license.
Look up local pay ↗ Try a starting-pay scenario →