The Bronx serves a large population with high rates of chronic illness and one of the fastest-growing senior communities in New York City. For residents looking to enter healthcare, CNA classes in the Bronx offer one of the fastest and most practical paths into that workforce. That creates year-round demand for direct patient care staff at every level of the healthcare system.

Key employers hiring CNAs across the borough include:

• Montefiore Medical Center, one of the largest academic medical centers in the country, with campuses at Moses, Einstein, and Wakefield
• BronxCare Health System, a safety-net provider in the South Bronx offering inpatient, outpatient, and long-term care
• NYC Health + Hospitals/Jacobi, a Level I Trauma Center in the northeastern Bronx
• NYC Health + Hospitals/North Central Bronx, serving Norwood, Kingsbridge, and nearby communities
• Skilled nursing facilities, rehabilitation centers, and home care agencies throughout Mott Haven, Fordham, Tremont, Co-op City, and Pelham Bay

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, nursing assistant employment is projected to generate roughly 211,800 job openings per year through 2034. Most of those openings come from the need to replace workers who retire or move on.

The median annual wage for nursing assistants reached $39,530 in May 2024. That makes it one of the most reachable entry points into stable, full-time healthcare work without a four-year degree.

According to NYC Health + Hospitals/Lincoln, the hospital runs 665 beds, handles 461,000 clinic visits, and sees over 150,000 emergency room visits each year. It is one of the busiest trauma centers in the country and a major source of CNA employment in the South Bronx.

Neighborhoods like Co-op City, Riverdale, and Pelham Bay have large aging populations. That drives demand for CNAs in long-term care and home care settings across the borough.

For a look at where the CNA role can lead after certification, read our blog on CNA to LPN in NYC.