Updated · 2026 tax rules · Data: IRS, BLS, BEA, HUD · How we calculate

Nursing Assistant Salary in Worcester, MA

Nursing Assistants in the Worcester, MA metro area earn a median $45,710 a year — 8% more than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $36,842 take-home, or $3,070 a month.

Median salary
$45,710
$21.98 per hour
Typical range
$38,420 – $55,640
10th to 90th percentile
Jobs in Worcester, MA
5,250
1.61× national concentration
▲3.7%
Pay trend: The median for nursing assistants in Worcester, MA rose from $44,080 (May 2024) to $45,710 (May 2025). That beat inflation (2.4%), a real raise of about 1.3%.

Take-home pay calculator

Pre-filled with the median nursing assistant salary in Worcester, MA. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.

Nursing Assistant in Worcester, MA
Deductions, kids & local tax

2026 tax year. Federal brackets from IRS Rev. Proc. 2025-32.

Your take-home pay
$36,842
per year · effective tax rate 19.4%
$3,070Monthly
$1,535Twice a month
$1,417Every 2 weeks
$17.71Hourly
  • Federal income tax$3,305
  • Social Security (6.2%)$2,834
  • Medicare (1.45%)$663
  • Massachusetts income tax$2,066
  • Take-home pay$36,842

Marginal rate: 12% federal + 5.00% state

Got an offer somewhere else? Compare it with this one after taxes and rent →

Nursing Assistant pay by experience in Worcester, MA

PercentileSalaryHourlyTake-home / yrPer month
10th percentile (entry level)$38,420$18.47$31,349$2,612
25th percentile$44,170$21.24$35,682$2,974
Median (50th)$45,710$21.98$36,842$3,070
75th percentile$47,520$22.85$38,206$3,184
90th percentile (top earners)$55,640$26.75$44,325$3,694

Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, Massachusetts resident, 2026 tax rules.

What $45,710 buys in Worcester, MA

Prices in Worcester, MA are 2.5% higher than the U.S. average (housing costs are 1.13× the national average). Adjusted for local prices, a median nursing assistant's $36,842 take-home pay has the buying power of $35,936 in a typical American city.

1-bedroom rent
$1,558
51% of monthly take-home
2-bedroom rent
$1,997
65% of monthly take-home
Left after 1-BR rent
$1,512
per month for everything else

Rents: HUD Fair Market Rents, FY2026 (40th-percentile gross rent incl. utilities). Price levels: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.

Worcester, MA has 1.6× the national concentration of nursing assistant jobs — a strong local market for this occupation.

Best-paying cities for nursing assistants, adjusted for cost of living

Worcester, MA ranks #42 of 113 metro areas once taxes and local prices are taken into account.

#Metro areaMedian salaryTake-homeReal value*
1San Jose, CA $56,840$45,652$41,343
2Spokane, WA $47,240$40,137$39,999
3Des Moines, IA $43,940$36,468$39,768
4Seattle, WA $51,990$43,954$39,551
5San Francisco, CA $56,080$45,097$39,007
6Milwaukee, WI $45,690$37,663$38,853
7Scranton, PA $43,980$36,168$38,659
8Las Vegas, NV $45,350$38,619$38,536
42Worcester, MA$45,710$36,842$35,936

*Take-home pay divided by the BEA price level, so every city is measured in U.S.-average dollars. See all 113 metros →

About the job: nursing assistants

Provide or assist with basic care or support under the direction of onsite licensed nursing staff. Perform duties such as monitoring of health status, feeding, bathing, dressing, grooming, toileting, or ambulation of patients in a health or nursing facility. May include medication administration and other health-related tasks.

Typical education
Postsecondary nondegree award
Work experience
None required
On-the-job training
None
Job outlook, 2025–35
+2.6% (about average)

Source: BLS Standard Occupational Classification and Employment Projections, 2025–35.

Nursing Assistant salaries elsewhere in Massachusetts

Frequently asked questions

How much does a nursing assistant make in Worcester, MA?

The median nursing assistant salary in the Worcester, MA metro area is $45,710 a year, or about $21.98 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $44,170 and $47,520.

What is a nursing assistant’s take-home pay in Worcester, MA?

On the median $45,710 salary, a single filer living in Massachusetts takes home about $36,842 a year ($3,070 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and $2,066 in Massachusetts taxes in 2026.

Is Worcester, MA a good place to work as a nursing assistant?

Pay here is 8% above the national median of $42,260. Local prices are 2.5% above the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $35,936 would in a typical U.S. city. Worcester, MA ranks #42 of 113 metro areas for cost-of-living-adjusted pay in this job.

Can a nursing assistant afford rent in Worcester, MA?

HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in Worcester, MA is $1,558 a month ($1,997 for two bedrooms) — 51% of a median nursing assistant’s monthly take-home pay. Financial planners usually suggest keeping rent under about 30%.

Related jobs in Worcester, MA

Cost of living & all salaries in Worcester, MA →