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

Nursing Assistant Salary in Asheville, NC

Nursing Assistants in the Asheville, NC metro area earn a median $40,170 a year — 5% less than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $33,363 take-home, or $2,780 a month.

Median salary
$40,170
$19.31 per hour
Typical range
$33,670 – $49,030
10th to 90th percentile
Jobs in Asheville, NC
2,590
1.54× national concentration
▲3.7%
Pay trend: The median for nursing assistants in Asheville, NC rose from $38,740 (May 2024) to $40,170 (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 Asheville, NC. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.

Nursing Assistant in Asheville, NC
Deductions, kids & local tax

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

Your take-home pay
$33,363
per year · effective tax rate 16.9%
$2,780Monthly
$1,390Twice a month
$1,283Every 2 weeks
$16.04Hourly
  • Federal income tax$2,640
  • Social Security (6.2%)$2,491
  • Medicare (1.45%)$582
  • North Carolina income tax$1,094
  • Take-home pay$33,363

Marginal rate: 12% federal + 3.99% state

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

Nursing Assistant pay by experience in Asheville, NC

PercentileSalaryHourlyTake-home / yrPer month
10th percentile (entry level)$33,670$16.19$28,399$2,367
25th percentile$37,710$18.13$31,484$2,624
Median (50th)$40,170$19.31$33,363$2,780
75th percentile$45,500$21.88$37,433$3,119
90th percentile (top earners)$49,030$23.57$40,128$3,344

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

What $40,170 buys in Asheville, NC

Prices in Asheville, NC are 3.5% lower than the U.S. average (housing costs are 7% below the national average). Adjusted for local prices, a median nursing assistant's $33,363 take-home pay has the buying power of $34,570 in a typical American city.

1-bedroom rent
$1,429
51% of monthly take-home
2-bedroom rent
$1,567
56% of monthly take-home
Left after 1-BR rent
$1,351
per month for everything else

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

Asheville, NC has 1.5× 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

Asheville, NC ranks #62 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
62Asheville, NC$40,170$33,363$34,570

*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 North Carolina

Frequently asked questions

How much does a nursing assistant make in Asheville, NC?

The median nursing assistant salary in the Asheville, NC metro area is $40,170 a year, or about $19.31 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $37,710 and $45,500.

What is a nursing assistant’s take-home pay in Asheville, NC?

On the median $40,170 salary, a single filer living in North Carolina takes home about $33,363 a year ($2,780 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and $1,094 in North Carolina taxes in 2026.

Is Asheville, NC a good place to work as a nursing assistant?

Pay here is 5% below the national median of $42,260. Local prices are 3.5% below the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $34,570 would in a typical U.S. city. Asheville, NC ranks #62 of 113 metro areas for cost-of-living-adjusted pay in this job.

Can a nursing assistant afford rent in Asheville, NC?

HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in Asheville, NC is $1,429 a month ($1,567 for two bedrooms) — 51% of a median nursing assistant’s monthly take-home pay. Financial planners usually suggest keeping rent under about 30%.

Cost of living & all salaries in Asheville, NC →