How to ask for a raise as a CNA or caregiver
You can ask for a raise, and the ask goes better with three things ready: the pay rate for your job in your area, a list of what you do beyond your basic duties, and a clear number. Many aides never ask, so a calm, prepared ask stands out.
Below are the steps, a short script you can use word for word, and what to do if the answer is no. Carmen can help you practice the talk out loud before you have it with your supervisor.
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$35,800 a year ($17.21 an hour)
Median pay, home health and personal care aides, May 2025
BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook$42,260 a year ($20.13 an hour)
Median pay, nursing assistants, May 2025
BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook$42,310 in hospitals, $38,040 in home health care
Median pay, nursing assistants, by workplace, May 2025
BLS Occupational Outlook HandbookHow to get paid more as a CNA or aide
Know the pay rate for your job
Start with the national numbers, then look at your own area. Pay changes a lot by state, city and type of workplace. Local job ads show you what other employers near you pay today, and that is the number your employer competes with.
- Pay
- Median $17.21 an hour for home health and personal care aides, and $20.13 an hour for nursing assistants (BLS, May 2025).
- First step
- Find five job ads for your job within 30 minutes of your home and write down the hourly pay in each one.
Keep a list of what you do beyond the job
Supervisors forget the extra things you do. Write them down: shifts you covered, new aides you trained, clients or families who asked for you, and problems you caught early. A short list with dates is easier to say yes to than a general feeling.
- First step
- Start a note on your phone today and add one thing each week, with the date.
Add a certification that pays more
A new skill gives your employer a clear reason to pay you more. In some states, CNAs can train as a medication aide and give certain medicines. Other options include dementia care training or moving from home health aide to CNA.
- What it takes
- Depends on your state and the program. Ask if your employer will pay for it before you sign up.
- First step
- Ask your supervisor which certifications would move you to a higher pay rate at your workplace.
Ask about shift differentials and extra duties
Many employers pay more per hour for nights, weekends or holidays. Some also pay more for extra duties, like training new staff or taking harder cases. If a straight raise is not possible, one of these may be.
- First step
- Ask HR for the written pay rates for each shift and each role, so you know what exists.
Ask the right way, with a short script
Ask for a private talk in a quiet place. Say what you do, say what the pay is for this job in your area, and name one number. Then stop talking and let your supervisor answer. You can start like this: "Hi Maria, do you have 15 minutes this week? I want to talk about my pay. I have worked here two years, I cover extra shifts, and I trained the last three new aides. Job ads near here pay [your number] an hour for this job, and I would like to talk about moving up to that."
- First step
- Write your own version of the script, with your real facts and your number, and say it out loud three times.
Pick a good time to ask
Good times are your yearly review, right after good feedback, or when your employer is short on staff and needs to keep you. A bad time is in the middle of a hard shift. If there is a yearly pay review, ask a few weeks before it, while there is still room in the budget.
- First step
- Find out when your employer does pay reviews and put a reminder in your phone three weeks before.
If the answer is no
Ask: "What would I need to do to get a raise, and when can we talk again?" Ask for the answer in writing. If nothing changes by that date, look at other employers. Pay for the same work can differ by workplace, so another agency, a nursing home or a hospital may pay more.
- Pay
- Median for nursing assistants: $42,310 a year in hospitals and $38,040 in home health care (BLS, May 2025).
- First step
- Apply to one other employer this month, even if you plan to stay, so you know what you are worth.
Sample conversation
How a conversation with Carmen starts
Carmen asks before she suggests. An illustrative example, not a real person.
I've been a CNA at the same place for three years and I still make the same as new hires.
That is a good reason to ask. Do you know what other places near you pay for the same job?
Not really. I think a bit more.
Let's find out first, so you can ask for a real number. Then we can practice what you will say to your supervisor.
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Questions & answers
- How much of a raise should a CNA ask for?
- Base your number on what other employers near you pay for the same job. Look at local job ads, then ask for a specific hourly rate that matches them.
- What do I say when I ask for a raise as a caregiver?
- Keep it short: ask for a private talk, say what you do beyond your basic duties, say what the job pays in your area, and name one number. Then wait for the answer.
- What if my agency says there is no money for raises?
- Ask what you would need to do to get a raise and when you can talk again. Also ask about shift differentials, extra duties or paid training. If nothing changes, look at other employers.
- Is it OK to ask for a raise if I have only worked there a short time?
- Yes, if your pay is below the local rate or you took on more work. It is usually easier after six months to a year, or after you finish a new certification.
More for home health aides and cnas
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Sources
- BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook: Home Health and Personal Care Aides
- BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook: Nursing Assistants and Orderlies
Last checked September 29, 2026.