Certified Nursing Assistant Jobs in Columbus, OH
Certified nursing assistants in Columbus earn a median of $20.66 an hour, with the most hiring at the hospitals around the OSU campus and Downtown and in senior living along Neil Avenue. Ohio renamed the STNA credential CNA in 2024. Here are the current openings, then who is hiring and how to get certified.
Current certified nursing assistant Openings in Columbus, OH
Listings marked External are sponsored openings provided by the Jobs2Careers network.
Certified Nursing Assistant Work in Columbus
Nursing assistant work in Columbus splits between the big hospital systems and long-term care. The hospitals use their own titles: Ohio State Wexner Medical Center calls the role patient care associate, OhioHealth calls it patient support assistant, and Nationwide Children's calls it patient care assistant, so search all three names, not just CNA. Senior living communities and rehab hospitals, such as Ohio Living Westminster-Thurber on Neil Avenue and the OhioHealth Rehabilitation Hospital on Dennison Avenue just west of the Short North, post the work under CNA or the older STNA title.
The title change matters when you read Columbus postings. Ohio Senate Bill 144 made State Tested Nurse Aides officially Certified Nursing Assistants effective October 24, 2024, with no change to duties or training, and plenty of local listings still say STNA. Columbus State says central Ohio needs about 9,000 more health care professionals by 2028, and nursing assistant jobs are a quick way into that pipeline.
Top Columbus Employers Hiring Certified Nursing Assistants
These Columbus-area employers hire CNAs and hospital nursing assistants:
- Ohio State Wexner Medical Center - hires patient care associates across University Hospital, the James, Ross Heart, Harding and East Hospital, and trains new PCAs after hire.
- OhioHealth - staffs patient support assistants, CNA preferred, at Riverside Methodist, Grant, Doctors and its suburban hospitals in Dublin, Grove City and Pickerington.
- OhioHealth Rehabilitation Hospital - the OhioHealth and Select Medical rehab hospital on Dennison Avenue hires STNA/CNA nursing assistants at $19 an hour plus night and weekend differentials, with a second site in Dublin.
- Nationwide Children's Hospital - hires patient care assistants on its Near South Side campus, where an active STNA/CNA is one of the ways to qualify.
- Ohio Living Westminster-Thurber - the senior living community at 717 Neil Ave hires STNAs, with sign-on bonuses offered for some positions.
Certified Nursing Assistant Salaries in Columbus
- Entry level: about $18 to $19 an hour for new CNAs and hospital assistants in training.
- Experienced: roughly $20 to $22 an hour with a year or more of patient care.
- Senior: $22 to $24 an hour or more for lead assistants and night or weekend shifts with differentials.
These are estimates based on BLS May 2025 wage data for the Columbus metro, where nursing assistants earn between about $18.03 and $22.71 an hour from the 10th to the 90th percentile, and on pay posted by local employers. Night and weekend differentials, hospital versus long-term care, and specialty units such as rehab or pediatrics move pay the most.
How to Become a Certified Nursing Assistant in Columbus
To work as a CNA in Ohio long-term care, you complete a nurse aide training program approved by the Ohio Department of Health and pass the state's written and skills tests, which puts you on the Ohio Department of Health Nurse Aide Registry. Columbus State Community College offers a one-class Nurse Aide Certificate (NURC 1001) that qualifies you to sit for the Ohio CNA exam. To stay active on the registry, you must log at least seven and a half consecutive hours, or eight hours within 48 hours, of paid nursing-related work in every 24-month period. Hospital roles can differ: Ohio State's patient care associate jobs ask for a high school diploma or equivalent and require its own PCA training course after hire, not a CNA.
What the Job Involves
CNAs help patients bathe, dress, eat, move and use the bathroom, take and record vital signs, turn and reposition patients who cannot move on their own, answer call lights, and report changes in condition to the nurse. In a hospital you may also admit patients to the unit and help nurses with procedures; in long-term care you follow the same residents shift after shift.
Skills Employers Look For
- Active Ohio CNA (STNA) registry status, or willingness to complete training
- Current BLS / CPR
- Accurate vital signs and charting
- Safe lifting, transfers and mobility assistance
- Patience and respect for patient dignity
- Reliability on 12-hour, night and weekend shifts
Career Path and Advancement
In Columbus, nursing assistant work is a common first step into nursing. Ohio State lists a ladder from patient care associate to patient care coordinator and beyond, and many CNAs use the hours to get into Columbus State's Licensed Practical Nurse certificate or its Associate of Applied Science in Nursing. From there the path runs to LPN, then RN at the same hospitals where you started.
Related Careers in Columbus
If nursing assistant work interests you, these related Columbus roles are close matches:
Frequently Asked Questions
Is an STNA the same as a CNA in Ohio?
Yes. Ohio Senate Bill 144 changed the title from State Tested Nurse Aide to Certified Nursing Assistant effective October 24, 2024, with no change to duties or qualifications. Many Columbus postings still use STNA, so search both terms.
How much do CNAs make in Columbus?
The Columbus metro median for nursing assistants is about $20.66 an hour, based on BLS May 2025 data. Most new CNAs start around $18 to $19, and night and weekend differentials can push experienced assistants past $22.
Do Columbus hospitals require a CNA certificate?
Not always. Ohio State Wexner Medical Center trains new patient care associates after hire, OhioHealth lists the CNA as preferred for patient support assistants, and Nationwide Children's accepts an active STNA/CNA as one of several ways to qualify.
Where can I take CNA classes in Columbus?
Columbus State Community College offers a one-class Nurse Aide Certificate that prepares you for the Ohio CNA exam. Training programs must be approved by the Ohio Department of Health, so confirm approval before you enroll anywhere else.
How do I keep my Ohio CNA active?
The Ohio Department of Health Nurse Aide Registry requires at least seven and a half consecutive hours, or eight hours within a 48-hour period, of paid nursing or nursing-related work in every 24-month period. If your status lapses, you must show recent work or complete training and the competency tests again.
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