CNA Jobs in Everett, WA: Employers, Settings, and Starting Pay

Everett is the largest hospital city in Snohomish County and one of the better-paying markets in Washington for a new Nursing Assistant-Certified (NA-C). Job-posting data from Indeed (August 2026) puts Everett nursing assistant pay at about $24.89 per hour, above the statewide average of about $23.62 and above Seattle's roughly $23.80; all three figures are approximate. The anchor employer is Providence Regional Medical Center Everett, whose downtown Colby campus has 448 beds and whose Pacific campus has 123 according to Providence's published figures, followed by Kaiser Permanente's Everett Medical Center, skilled nursing facilities across the city and Marysville, assisted living and memory care, and licensed adult family homes. Most first jobs come from the facility tier, and most hospital hires follow 6 to 12 months of experience (a typical range employers list as a preference).

Why Everett pays above the state average

Three things push Everett's posted wage up. Providence Everett is a regional referral hospital that draws patients from Snohomish, Skagit, Whatcom, Island, and San Juan counties, so it staffs a large number of inpatient units and competes for nursing assistants with Seattle hospitals a Sounder ride away. Second, Snohomish County's nursing facilities compete with that hospital for the same graduates. Third, since the 1 Line reached Lynnwood in 2024 and Community Transit's Swift Blue Line connected Everett Station to Shoreline North/185th, an Everett NA-C can reach Seattle employers without driving, which forces local employers to match. The statewide wage picture by setting is in CNA salary in Washington State.

Employers by setting

The Puget Sound VA and the Washington State Veterans Homes are also within commuting range for some Everett residents, and both hire nursing assistants through federal or state processes that take longer than a facility interview.

What a first year typically looks like

1. Weeks 3 and 4 of training: apply to skilled nursing facilities in Everett and Marysville with your Certificate of Completion and NAR status. These employers move fastest.
2. Skills pass recorded ($100): register for the $55 Credentia knowledge test the same day.
3. Knowledge pass: submit the DOH application; the credential appears on the Provider Credential Search once the name-based background check clears.
4. Months 1 to 6: work facility shifts, take the evening or night differential (roughly $1.50 to $4 per hour, approximate) if you can, and keep every competency record.
5. Months 6 to 12: apply to Providence Everett and Kaiser Permanente units that listed an experience preference, and to Seattle hospitals if you are willing to commute.

The rules for working as a NAR before certification, including the 4-month clock, are in the NAR four-month rule in Washington.

Pay reference points

Treat the $24.89 figure as a posting average, not a first offer. A new NA-C at a skilled nursing facility usually starts under the average; a hospital nursing assistant with night differentials can exceed it. Adult family home and agency roles tend to sit nearest the $17.13 floor.

Getting to work in Everett

Times are approximate and based on Community Transit and Sound Transit published information as of September 2026.

• Downtown hospitals: Providence's Colby and Pacific campuses are both in downtown Everett, a short bus ride or walk from Everett Station.
• Swift Blue Line: runs 16.7 miles along the SR 99 corridor from Everett Station to Shoreline North/185th every 10 minutes on weekdays between 6 a.m. and 7 p.m., passing many of the facilities on Evergreen Way and Highway 99.
• Lynnwood and the 1 Line: Sound Transit's 512 and Community Transit's 201 and 202 reach Lynnwood City Center Station, where the 1 Line continues to Seattle hospitals.
• Sounder N Line: weekday peak trains only, southbound from 6:15 to 7:45 a.m. and northbound from 3:45 to 5:45 p.m., which fits a Seattle day shift but not nights or weekends.
• Car: Everett to downtown Seattle is under an hour off peak on I-5 and considerably longer at rush hour.

A car matters less in Everett than in most Washington cities of its size, because the hospitals sit downtown and Swift covers the main facility corridor.

What Everett employers check

• An active NA-C, or NAR status for nursing facility work, on the DOH Provider Credential Search.
• A background check of their own, on top of the DOH name-based check that ran at application.
• BLS CPR, required by hospitals and most facilities; see CPR for CNAs in Washington.
• TB test and immunization records, usually the same set you assembled for clinicals.
• Government photo ID matching the credential name.

Employers do not ask where you trained. A graduate of a Snohomish County program and a graduate of the 4-week CNA Traditional program at Huduma CNA Programs in Federal Way hold the same credential; the only question on an Everett application is whether it is active.

Frequently asked questions

How much do CNAs make in Everett, WA? About $24.89 per hour in August 2026 Indeed posting data, approximate and above the state average of about $23.62. First facility jobs usually start lower; hospital roles with differentials can go higher.

Which Everett employer hires the most nursing assistants? Providence Regional Medical Center Everett, with 448 beds at the Colby campus and 123 at the Pacific campus. Skilled nursing facilities hire more new graduates, though, because they accept a Certificate of Completion plus NAR status.

Can I work at Providence Everett straight out of training? Some postings accept new NA-Cs; many list 6 to 12 months of experience as a preference. Most graduates start in a facility and apply to the hospital later.

Is Seattle worth the commute from Everett? Usually not for pay alone, since Everett's posted average is slightly higher. It can be worth it for a specific unit or a hospital float pool.

Does an HCA in Everett get paid the same as an NA-C? No. Assisted living and home care often pay HCA rates for personal-care roles; the NA-C credential opens hospital and nursing facility positions. An active HCA can upgrade through the HCA to CNA bridge in 40 hours.

For openings across the state, read CNA jobs in Washington. If you have not trained yet, the training options for Everett residents are compared in CNA classes near Everett, WA.