Average Senior Care Salaries by State: The Ultimate Guide

Written by Will Downey | Jul 23, 2024 12:52:37 PM

With so many employees leaving their jobs in the wake of the Great Resignation, it's essential to offer a competitive salary to attract and retain talent. However, salaries can vary widely based on a number of factors. How can you be sure that your senior living or assisted living community is offering an attractive enough compensation package to potential candidates? Regardless of your location in the U.S., we have all the information you need to determine the appropriate compensation that will make your community the top choice for top talent.

Common Roles in Senior Living and Assisted Living Communities

Before we look at the numbers, let’s first understand the typical job roles required in the senior care or assisted living community:

Senior living administrator: Oversees staff members, budget, and scheduling and is responsible for the safety and well-being of residents. The official title could be executive director, CEO, or president.
Assisted living manager: Oversees daily operations, supervises employees, supports resident care, manages vendor relationships, and more. Could also be known as operations director or operations manager.
Marketing director: Markets and promotes the senior housing community to prospective residents and families, manages public relations, and schedules advertising.
Activities director: Responsible for scheduling and managing recreational or enriching activities for residents (and occasionally loved ones). An activities director is sometimes called an enrichment director.
Activities coordinator: Responsible for implementing the plan and schedule of the activities director.
Director of nursing: Leads the team of caregivers in a senior living or assisted living community. Also known as a DON.
Registered nurse: Works exclusively with residents as a licensed caregiver to ensure continuity of care. Also known as an RN.
Licensed practical nurse: Offers basic medical care, takes vital signs, and helps with bathing or feeding. Also known as an LPN, a licensed practical nurse often reports to an RN.
Certified nursing assistant: Provides aid to RNs and LPNs by assisting in patient care. Also known as a CNA, this entry-level support role can help with resident transport, wound care, answering resident questions, and more.
Maintenance director: Responsible for the maintenance staff and has a duty to keep the community clean, safe, and running smoothly. A senior living maintenance director is sometimes referred to as an assisted living director.
Dietary director: Responsible for managing the food service staff and creating healthy and nutritious dining options for residents. A dietary director is also known as a dietary manager or director of food service.

National Average Salaries for Senior Care Roles

Balancing your budget and managing your community’s finances is critical, but you also want to make sure you’re bringing in top-notch talent for your team. To help you make the best hiring decisions and find high-quality care, we’ve compiled the national U.S. average for each above role as of 2023. These numbers are from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the nation's largest source of employee data. Take a look:

SENIOR CARE JOBS: NATIONAL AVERAGE SALARY

ROLE	U.S. NATIONAL AVG.
Senior Living Administrator	$102,900
Assisted Living Manager	$99,180
Marketing Director	$89,010
Activities Director	$60,400
Activities Coordinator	$34,670
Director of Nursing (DON)	$91,890
Registered Nurse (RN)	$77,180
Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN)	$61,390
Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA)	$37,650
Maintenance Director	$85,900
Dietary Director	$81,060

State-by-State Salary Comparison

With the national averages in mind, let’s get a better idea of the specific salaries in your area. We’ve gathered data from ZipRecruiter and Zippia to break down each senior care role in all 50 states:

STATE-BY-STATE AVERAGE SALARY: SENIOR LIVING ADMINISTRATOR

STATE	AVERAGE SALARY
Alabama	$66,170
Alaska	$75,356
Arizona	$68,031
Arkansas	$68,723
California	$75,373
Colorado	$86,844
Connecticut	$67,144
Delaware	$81,359
Florida	$54,553
Georgia	$61,642
Hawaii	$72,864
Idaho	$72,175
Illinois	$80,539
Indiana	$69,468
Iowa	$66,684
Kansas	$62,725
Kentucky	$72,868
Louisiana	$60,962
Maine	$73,516
Maryland	$78,765
Massachusetts	$92,417
Michigan	$71,868
Minnesota	$69,822
Mississippi	$66,619
Missouri	$76,739
Montana	$67,007
Nebraska	$77,003
Nevada	$71,253
New Hampshire	$71,697
New Jersey	$73,190
New Mexico	$69,538
New York	$80,429
North Carolina	$74,550
North Dakota	$74,242
Ohio	$67,899
Oklahoma	$74,571
Oregon	$74,256
Pennsylvania	$73,674
Rhode Island	$68,779
South Carolina	$76,121
South Dakota	$70,167
Tennessee	$64,824
Texas	$71,754
Utah	$64,824
Vermont	$78,653
Virginia	$80,068
Washington	$87,764
West Virginia	$56,899
Wisconsin	$72,395
Wyoming	$70,467

STATE-BY-STATE AVERAGE SALARY: ASSISTED LIVING/OPERATIONS MANAGER

STATE	AVERAGE SALARY
Alabama	$53,539
Alaska	$74,156
Arizona	$55,045
Arkansas	$54,503
California	$60,547
Colorado	$68,937
Connecticut	$54,632
Delaware	$64,736
Florida	$44,140
Georgia	$49,876
Hawaii	$59,349
Idaho	$57,939
Illinois	$63,874
Indiana	$56,208
Iowa	$54,203
Kansas	$51,065
Kentucky	$57,711
Louisiana	$49,518
Maine	$59,110
Maryland	$62,687
Massachusetts	$73,103
Michigan	$57,063
Minnesota	$56,716
Mississippi	$54,234
Missouri	$61,002
Montana	$54,216
Nebraska	$61,329
Nevada	$70,115
New Hampshire	$57,920
New Jersey	$59,341
New Mexico	$56,424
New York	$65,002
North Carolina	$59,238
North Dakota	$60,467
Ohio	$55,137
Oklahoma	$59,392
Oregon	$60,467
Pennsylvania	$59,546
Rhode Island	$56,008
South Carolina	$60,486
South Dakota	$57,147
Tennessee	$52,640
Texas	$57,564
Utah	$52,666
Vermont	$63,503
Virginia	$63,771
Washington	$70,341
West Virginia	$45,988
Wisconsin	$58,746
Wyoming	$56,977

STATE-BY-STATE AVERAGE SALARY: MARKETING MANAGER/DIRECTOR

STATE	AVERAGE SALARY
Alabama	$82,116
Alaska	$86,205
Arizona	$84,427
Arkansas	$64,939
California	$75,190
Colorado	$82,387
Connecticut	$78,169
Delaware	$77,965
Florida	$67,697
Georgia	$76,496
Hawaii	$83,741
Idaho	$71,795
Illinois	$76,101
Indiana	$86,209
Iowa	$78,530
Kansas	$72,501
Kentucky	$68,446
Louisiana	$72,370
Maine	$73,616
Maryland	$75,559
Massachusetts	$86,341
Michigan	$68,250
Minnesota	$82,890
Mississippi	$77,026
Missouri	$73,240
Montana	$83,154
Nebraska	$74,098
Nevada	$81,510
New Hampshire	$73,196
New Jersey	$88,753
New Mexico	$83,588
New York	$82,264
North Carolina	$71,029
North Dakota	$85,410
Ohio	$80,889
Oklahoma	$71,758
Oregon	$85,587
Pennsylvania	$75,368
Rhode Island	$79,274
South Carolina	$72,526
South Dakota	$80,721
Tennessee	$77,231
Texas	$71,189
Utah	$76,780
Vermont	$80,119
Virginia	$77,048
Washington	$86,730
West Virginia	$58,207
Wisconsin	$86,948
Wyoming	$88,109

STATE-BY-STATE AVERAGE SALARY: DIRECTOR OF NURSING (DON)

STATE	AVERAGE SALARY
Alabama	$91,692
Alaska	$127,000
Arizona	$94,271
Arkansas	$93,343
California	$103,694
Colorado	$118,063
Connecticut	$93,563
Delaware	$110,866
Florida	$75,595
Georgia	$85,419
Hawaii	$101,642
Idaho	$99,225
Illinois	$109,391
Indiana	$96,262
Iowa	$92,830
Kansas	$87,456
Kentucky	$98,838
Louisiana	$84,805
Maine	$101,232
Maryland	$107,358
Massachusetts	$125,197
Michigan	$97,728
Minnesota	$97,132
Mississippi	$92,883
Missouri	$104,473
Montana	$92,851
Nebraska	$105,033
Nevada	$120,079
New Hampshire	$99,194
New Jersey	$101,628
New Mexico	$96,631
New York	$111,324
North Carolina	$101,451
North Dakota	$103,555
Ohio	$94,427
Oklahoma	$101,716
Oregon	$103,558
Pennsylvania	$101,979
Rhode Island	$95,920
South Carolina	$103,590
South Dakota	$97,871
Tennessee	$90,151
Texas	$98,586
Utah	$90,196
Vermont	$108,757
Virginia	$109,214
Washington	$120,467
West Virginia	$78,760
Wisconsin	$100,610
Wyoming	$97,580

STATE-BY-STATE AVERAGE SALARY: REGISTERED NURSE (RN)

STATE	AVERAGE SALARY
Alabama	$76,359
Alaska	$86,057
Arizona	$78,508
Arkansas	$65,561
California	$87,901
Colorado	$83,291
Connecticut	$76,846
Delaware	$96,183
Florida	$62,954
Georgia	$71,134
Hawaii	$83,258
Idaho	$84,254
Illinois	$76,830
Indiana	$80,165
Iowa	$76,430
Kansas	$71,723
Kentucky	$68,959
Louisiana	$69,943
Maine	$85,622
Maryland	$93,085
Massachusetts	$86,826
Michigan	$69,023
Minnesota	$80,110
Mississippi	$76,179
Missouri	$74,196
Montana	$77,325
Nebraska	$90,909
Nevada	$81,370
New Hampshire	$82,932
New Jersey	$84,203
New Mexico	$79,910
New York	$92,968
North Carolina	$71,914
North Dakota	$84,843
Ohio	$77,937
Oklahoma	$88,039
Oregon	$84,878
Pennsylvania	$85,157
Rhode Island	$78,618
South Carolina	$73,430
South Dakota	$80,186
Tennessee	$74,408
Texas	$83,839
Utah	$74,352
Vermont	$91,051
Virginia	$94,528
Washington	$102,686
West Virginia	$65,767
Wisconsin	$83,184
Wyoming	$81,400

STATE-BY-STATE AVERAGE SALARY: LICENSED PRACTICAL NURSE (LPN)

STATE	AVERAGE SALARY
Alabama	$55,197
Alaska	$61,414
Arizona	$56,750
Arkansas	$46,696
California	$64,348
Colorado	$59,310
Connecticut	$54,990
Delaware	$56,287
Florida	$45,507
Georgia	$51,420
Hawaii	$59,459
Idaho	$61,751
Illinois	$54,722
Indiana	$57,948
Iowa	$54,790
Kansas	$51,266
Kentucky	$49,134
Louisiana	$50,203
Maine	$62,582
Maryland	$54,565
Massachusetts	$61,884
Michigan	$49,147
Minnesota	$57,501
Mississippi	$54,454
Missouri	$52,815
Montana	$55,895
Nebraska	$53,556
Nevada	$58,070
New Hampshire	$60,119
New Jersey	$60,643
New Mexico	$57,471
New York	$67,339
North Carolina	$51,195
North Dakota	$60,601
Ohio	$55,972
Oklahoma	$51,865
Oregon	$60,644
Pennsylvania	$61,677
Rhode Island	$56,170
South Carolina	$52,274
South Dakota	$57,274
Tennessee	$53,438
Texas	$61,513
Utah	$53,349
Vermont	$66,068
Virginia	$55,689
Washington	$75,462
West Virginia	$47,634
Wisconsin	$59,817
Wyoming	$58,912

STATE-BY-STATE AVERAGE SALARY: CERTIFIED NURSING ASSISTANT (CNA)

State	Annual Salary
Alabama	$37,071
Alaska	$41,247
Arizona	$38,115
Arkansas	$31,361
California	$43,217
Colorado	$39,833
Connecticut	$36,932
Delaware	$37,803
Florida	$30,563
Georgia	$34,535
Hawaii	$39,934
Idaho	$41,473
Illinois	$36,752
Indiana	$38,919
Iowa	$36,798
Kansas	$34,432
Kentucky	$32,999
Louisiana	$33,717
Maine	$42,031
Maryland	$36,647
Massachusetts	$41,562
Michigan	$33,007
Minnesota	$38,618
Mississippi	$36,572
Missouri	$35,471
Montana	$37,540
Nebraska	$35,969
Nevada	$39,000
New Hampshire	$40,377
New Jersey	$40,728
New Mexico	$38,599
New York	$45,226
North Carolina	$34,383
North Dakota	$40,700
Ohio	$37,592
Oklahoma	$34,833
Oregon	$40,729
Pennsylvania	$41,424
Rhode Island	$37,725
South Carolina	$35,109
South Dakota	$38,466
Tennessee	$35,890
Texas	$41,313
Utah	$35,830
Vermont	$44,372
Virginia	$37,401
Washington	$50,681
West Virginia	$31,991
Wisconsin	$40,175
Wyoming	$39,567

STATE-BY-STATE AVERAGE SALARY: MAINTENANCE DIRECTOR

STATE	AVERAGE SALARY
Alabama	$62,279
Alaska	$68,875
Arizona	$66,275
Arkansas	$54,949
California	$86,601
Colorado	$50,941
Connecticut	$80,764
Delaware	$83,191
District of Columbia	$74,802
Florida	$57,314
Georgia	$55,886
Hawaii	$78,846
Idaho	$56,843
Illinois	$65,000
Indiana	$76,785
Iowa	$51,162
Kansas	$62,242
Kentucky	$62,871
Louisiana	$58,902
Maine	$85,328
Maryland	$73,554
Massachusetts	$82,770
Michigan	$78,730
Minnesota	$61,848
Mississippi	$54,949
Missouri	$55,677
Montana	$52,598
Nebraska	$52,208
Nevada	$77,228
New Hampshire	$75,370
New Jersey	$91,826
New Mexico	$59,841
New York	$92,005
North Carolina	$58,337
North Dakota	$67,373
Ohio	$64,399
Oklahoma	$63,246
Oregon	$61,739
Pennsylvania	$90,163
Rhode Island	$87,338
South Carolina	$54,299
South Dakota	$48,303
Tennessee	$65,817
Texas	$70,762
Utah	$65,139
Vermont	$88,061
Virginia	$69,227
Washington	$73,945
West Virginia	$71,408
Wisconsin	$65,643
Wyoming	$54,572

STATE-BY-STATE AVERAGE SALARY: FOOD SERVICE DIRECTOR

STATE	AVERAGE SALARY
Alabama	$99,479
Alaska	$88,088
Arizona	$84,979
Arkansas	$78,826
California	$121,156
Colorado	$85,381
Connecticut	$114,712
Delaware	$110,747
District of Columbia	$112,280
Florida	$76,606
Georgia	$103,728
Hawaii	$81,086
Idaho	$96,606
Illinois	$101,830
Indiana	$107,666
Iowa	$87,185
Kansas	$72,337
Kentucky	$87,478
Louisiana	$95,043
Maine	$121,290
Maryland	$99,160
Massachusetts	$117,537
Michigan	$98,420
Minnesota	$76,246
Mississippi	$83,635
Missouri	$88,994
Montana	$78,313
Nebraska	$82,139
Nevada	$110,379
New Hampshire	$124,892
New Jersey	$125,694
New Mexico	$94,269
New York	$112,854
North Carolina	$110,414
North Dakota	$77,166
Ohio	$99,665
Oklahoma	$77,730
Oregon	$97,142
Pennsylvania	$107,822
Rhode Island	$125,294
South Carolina	$90,163
South Dakota	$73,066
Tennessee	$77,628
Texas	$89,137
Utah	$112,575
Vermont	$111,602
Virginia	$111,585
Washington	$109,206
West Virginia	$104,665
Wisconsin	$106,058
Wyoming	$86,287

The Highest and Lowest Paying States for Senior Care Workers

Those seeking jobs in senior care should be aware of the best and worst states to seek employment, especially when it comes to salary. Here, we’ve outlined the data on the highest and lowest-paying states for each role mentioned above:

5 HIGHEST-PAYING STATES: SENIOR LIVING ADMINISTRATOR

Massachusetts	$92,417
Washington	$87,764
Colorado	$86,844
Delaware	$81,359
Illinois	$80,539

5 LOWEST-PAYING STATES: SENIOR LIVING ADMINISTRATOR

Florida	$54,553
West Virginia	$56,899
Louisiana	$60,962
Georgia	$61,642
Kansas	$62,725

5 HIGHEST-PAYING STATES: ASSISTED LIVING OPERATIONS MANAGER

Alaska	$74,156
Massachusetts	$73,103
Washington	$70,341
Nevada	$70,115
Colorado	$68,937

5 LOWEST-PAYING STATES: ASSISTED LIVING OPERATIONS MANAGER

Florida	$44,140
West Virginia	$45,988
Louisiana	$49,518
Georgia	$49,876
Kansas	$51,065

5 HIGHEST-PAYING STATES: MARKETING MANAGER OR MARKETING DIRECTOR

New Jersey	$88,753
Wyoming	$88,109
Wisconsin	$86,948
Washington	$86,730
Massachusetts	$86,341

5 LOWEST-PAYING STATES: MARKETING MANAGER OR MARKETING DIRECTOR

West Virginia	$58,207
Arkansas	$64,939
Florida	$67,697
Michigan	$68,250
Kentucky	$68,446

5 HIGHEST-PAYING STATES: DIRECTOR OF NURSING

Alaska	$127,000
Massachusetts	$125,197
Washington	$120,467
Nevada	$120,079
Colorado	$118,063

5 LOWEST-PAYING STATES: DIRECTOR OF NURSING

Florida	$75,595
West Virginia	$78,760
Louisiana	$84,805
Georgia	$85,419
Kansas	$87,456

5 HIGHEST-PAYING STATES: REGISTERED NURSE

Washington	$102,686
Delaware	$96,183
Virginia	$94,528
Maryland	$93,085
New York	$92,968

5 LOWEST-PAYING STATES: REGISTERED NURSE

Florida	$62,954
Arkansas	$65,561
West Virginia	$65,767
Kentucky	$68,959
Michigan	$69,023

5 HIGHEST-PAYING STATES: LICENSED PRACTICAL NURSE

Washington	$75,462
New York	$67,339
Vermont	$66,068
California	$64,348
Maine	$62,582

5 LOWEST-PAYING STATES: LICENSED PRACTICAL NURSE

Florida	$45,507
Arkansas	$46,696
West Virginia	$47,634
Kentucky	$49,134
Michigan	$49,147

5 HIGHEST-PAYING STATES: CERTIFIED NURSING ASSISTANT

Washington	$50,681
New York	$45,226
Vermont	$44,372
California	$43,217
Maine	$42,031

5 LOWEST-PAYING STATES: CERTIFIED NURSING ASSISTANT

Florida	$30,563
Arkansas	$31,361
West Virginia	$31,991
Kentucky	$32,999
Michigan	$33,007

5 HIGHEST-PAYING STATES: MAINTENANCE DIRECTOR

New York	$92,005
New Jersey	$91,826
Pennsylvania	$90,163
Vermont	$88,061
Rhode Island	$87,338

5 LOWEST-PAYING STATES: MAINTENANCE DIRECTOR

South Dakota	$48,303
Colorado	$50,941
Iowa	$51,162
Nebraska	$52,208
Montana	$52,598

5 HIGHEST-PAYING STATES: DIETARY/FOOD SERVICE DIRECTOR

New Jersey	$125,694
Rhode Island	$125,294
New Hampshire	$124,892
Maine	$121,290
California	$121,156

5 LOWEST-PAYING STATES: DIETARY/FOOD SERVICE DIRECTOR

Kansas	$72,337
South Dakota	$73,066
Minnesota	$76,246
Florida	$76,606
North Dakota	$77,166

5 Factors That Influence Salaries in Senior Care

The data reveals that salaries for senior care can vary significantly from state to state. This raises the question: Why is this the case? To gain a comprehensive understanding of senior living staffing challenges and learn how to improve retention, let's examine the five key factors that determine salary levels:

Cost of Living

The cost of living in a given area is directly tied to inflation, but it doesn’t always impact an entire state. Cities and densely populated urban areas are often most susceptible to high living costs. Many employers in these areas offer a COLA (cost of living adjustment) to compensate for high prices with additional benefits or bonuses.

Demand for Senior Care

The demand for senior living employees is often concentrated in specific areas with larger populations of aging adults who need varying levels of care. This can lead to higher salaries but also greater competition among job candidates, especially if the demand exceeds the supply of qualified prospects, leading to staffing shortages.

Organization Type and Size

Higher-level or leadership roles tend to be paid more on average in larger senior living communities. However, these communities also have a greater need for lower-paying positions, such as LPNs, CNAs, and coordinators. Plus, assisted living communities and nursing homes typically require more skilled nursing providers like RNs, so salaries may be higher in those long-term care organizations.

Experience and Education

Of course, a candidate’s education and experience significantly impact their chances of getting a job offer and their initial salary offer. Generally speaking, when comparing two somewhat equal resumes, the candidate with more experience tends to receive a higher offer than one with a “better” education or a degree from a top school.

Unionization

Similar to other industries, unionized healthcare workers in the senior living industry enjoy higher pay and more benefits than non-unionized healthcare workers. However, a recent study reveals that unionization in healthcare has remained relatively low over the last decade despite the clear link to higher wages.

Calculate Your Annual Employee Staffing Costs

When it comes to salary, calculating the magic number for each healthcare worker is no easy feat. In reality, there probably isn't a "right" number, but it's helpful to understand how location and other factors impact average salaries for the job candidates you'll be considering as assisted living providers. Need more help? Eldermark has you covered. Check out our Employee Cost Calculator to get a more precise estimate of the salaries you should be offering your employees, and then plan your community’s finances around those figures.

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