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

Yakima's nursing assistant market is built around one large hospital and a ring of skilled nursing facilities. MultiCare Yakima Memorial Hospital describes itself as a 238-bed acute-care, not-for-profit community hospital serving the Yakima Valley since 1950, and it is the only full-service hospital inside the city. Six skilled nursing facilities operate in Yakima itself, on Summitview Avenue, Tieton Drive, North 16th Avenue, North 39th Avenue, North 40th Avenue, and South 10th Avenue, with more in Union Gap, Selah, and Wapato. Down the valley, Astria Health runs hospitals in Toppenish and Sunnyside. ZipRecruiter's Yakima figure for certified nursing assistants is about $20.11 per hour as of September 2026, below the Indeed Washington average of about $23.62 from August 2026, though an evening-shift posting in Yakima and Union Gap in the same data advertised about $23 to $26.70. All pay figures are approximate.

Where Yakima's NA-C jobs are

Skilled nursing is the volume employer and the first job for most graduates. Yakima Memorial is the second job for those who want hospital pay and benefits, and the lower valley hospitals absorb NA-Cs from Wapato, Toppenish, Zillah, and Sunnyside who would rather not drive into Yakima.

Why Yakima pay looks lower, and where it is not

1. The floor is the same statewide. Washington's 2026 minimum wage is $17.13 per hour in Yakima as in Seattle, which compresses the gap at the bottom of the market. Agency caregiver and adult family home roles sit closest to it.
2. The local average is below Puget Sound. ZipRecruiter's $20.11 for Yakima compares with about $23.80 for Seattle and $24.89 for Everett on Indeed. Housing costs in Yakima are also lower, which is the trade most local NA-Cs accept.
3. Differentials close some of the gap. Evening, night, and weekend differentials of roughly $1.50 to $4 per hour are common, and the Yakima and Union Gap evening posting at about $23 to $26.70 shows what a shift differential does to a base rate.
4. The hospital pays above the average. Yakima Memorial's nursing assistant roles sit at the top of the local range with a benefits package that most long-term care employers do not match.

How a paycheck is assembled from base rate, differentials, and per diem premiums is covered in CNA salary in Washington State.

What Yakima employers verify

• The NA-C on the DOH Provider Credential Search, or NAR status for a nursing facility hire, who then has 4 months to certify; the deadline mechanics are in the NAR four-month rule in Washington.
• BLS CPR, required by the hospital and nearly every skilled nursing facility.
• TB test and immunization records, the same set from clinicals.
• A DSHS background check at adult family homes, assisted living, and home care agencies, layered on top of the DOH name-based statewide check; recent arrivals from other states may be fingerprinted.
• The medication assistant endorsement for medication aide roles in assisted living, requiring 8 hours of medication-specific continuing education and 250 documented hours per renewal cycle.
• Spanish. Not a credential, but many Yakima Valley postings list bilingual ability as preferred, and it can move a candidate to the front of the line at facilities and clinics serving the lower valley.

A job-search order for Yakima

• Weeks 3 and 4 of training: apply to the skilled nursing facilities in Yakima and Union Gap with the Certificate of Completion and NAR confirmation.
• As soon as the $100 skills pass is on record: schedule the $55 Credentia knowledge test, which the state does not allow before the skills result.
• After the knowledge pass: submit the DOH application, then apply to Yakima Memorial per diem and float pool postings.
• When the NA-C is on the registry: tell your employer so scope and pay update, and consider Astria Toppenish or Sunnyside if you live in the lower valley.
• After 6 to 12 months: reapply to Yakima Memorial unit positions that listed an experience preference. The preference is a posting habit rather than a rule.

Getting to Yakima employers

Yakima Transit runs Routes 1 through 9 inside the city plus Route 11, a commuter route to Ellensburg, per its routes page; the system map shows which routes serve Summitview Avenue, Tieton Drive, and the hospital area. Most Yakima skilled nursing facilities are on or near those corridors. Toppenish and Sunnyside are 20 to 40 minutes down I-82 and are not practical by city bus, so a car is required for the lower valley hospitals and for adult family home or agency work spread across the county.

If you have not trained yet

Yakima Valley College offers a WABON-approved Nursing Assistant Certified certificate, listed on Career Bridge at 10 weeks and 9 credits, and it is the local default. The 4-week CNA Traditional program at Huduma CNA Programs in Federal Way, $1,100 tuition with the skills test on site, suits a Yakima resident who can stay on the west side for the course, and active Home Care Aides can complete the 40-hour HCA to CNA bridge for $800 in a single week away. The comparison, including the 150-mile distance, is in CNA classes near Yakima, WA.

Frequently asked questions

How much do CNAs make in Yakima? ZipRecruiter's Yakima average is about $20.11 per hour as of September 2026, with evening-shift postings in the Yakima and Union Gap area at about $23 to $26.70. Both are approximate.

Which hospital hires CNAs in Yakima? MultiCare Yakima Memorial Hospital, a 238-bed community hospital, is the city's full-service hospital; Astria Health's Toppenish and Sunnyside hospitals serve the lower valley.

Can I work in Yakima before passing the NA-C exam? Yes, at a skilled nursing facility as a Nursing Assistant-Registered, with 4 months from hire to complete training and pass both exam parts. Yakima Memorial generally waits for the NA-C.

Do I need to speak Spanish to get hired? No. It is not a credential requirement, but many Yakima Valley employers list bilingual ability as preferred and some pay a differential for it.

Is Yakima pay too low compared with Seattle? The local average runs about $3 to $4 per hour below Seattle and Everett on the job boards, while housing costs are substantially lower. Hospital roles and shift differentials narrow the gap.

Do I need a car for CNA work in Yakima? Not for facilities on Yakima Transit corridors inside the city. A car is needed for the lower valley hospitals and for adult family home or agency work across the county.

Statewide openings by setting are in CNA jobs in Washington, and the registry entry that employers check is explained in the Washington CNA registry.