Home health and personal care aides salary
| Measure | Annual | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $27,040 | $13.00 |
| Median (50th percentile) | $35,800 | $17.21 |
| Mean (average) | $36,120 | $17.36 |
| 90th percentile | $45,040 | $21.65 |
These wages describe everyone employed in the occupation, from new entrants to experienced workers. They are not starting salaries and not earnings of graduates from any particular program. Verified data
Home health and personal care aides pay by state and metro area
Table: median wage and employment for all 54 states and territories
| State | Median | 10th pct | 90th pct | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $27,840 | $22,470 | $35,900 | 20,930 | 0.36 |
| Alaska | $39,740 | $30,710 | $46,740 | 6,530 | 0.72 |
| Arizona | $36,420 | $30,990 | $40,660 | 74,540 | 0.83 |
| Arkansas | $27,660 | $23,940 | $31,680 | 19,840 | 0.55 |
| California | $34,320 | $34,320 | $39,260 | 970,150 | 1.92 |
| Colorado | $38,540 | $35,420 | $46,630 | 44,650 | 0.56 |
| Connecticut | $38,990 | $34,010 | $45,150 | 49,510 | 1.05 |
| Delaware | $34,320 | $31,200 | $40,430 | 11,820 | 0.88 |
| District of Columbia | $42,700 | $38,290 | $45,840 | 12,810 | 0.66 |
| Florida | $33,800 | $30,660 | $38,310 | 90,170 | 0.33 |
| Georgia | $29,270 | $23,720 | $39,710 | 50,870 | 0.38 |
| Guam | $26,500 | $21,330 | $36,130 | 100 | 0.06 |
| Hawaii | $38,110 | $31,200 | $45,720 | 6,150 | 0.35 |
| Idaho | $34,790 | $28,010 | $41,600 | 20,770 | 0.87 |
| Illinois | $38,060 | $34,200 | $42,500 | 134,100 | 0.79 |
| Indiana | $35,060 | $29,390 | $39,480 | 57,050 | 0.64 |
| Iowa | $36,080 | $30,420 | $45,490 | 25,800 | 0.6 |
| Kansas | $31,260 | $27,090 | $38,350 | 25,350 | 0.64 |
| Kentucky | $36,440 | $28,110 | $49,080 | 31,260 | 0.56 |
| Louisiana | $22,520 | $19,190 | $32,130 | 45,060 | 0.84 |
| Maine | $38,580 | $35,130 | $46,860 | 18,630 | 1.05 |
| Maryland | $38,040 | $31,540 | $46,880 | 46,560 | 0.61 |
| Massachusetts | $40,910 | $36,960 | $46,700 | 117,940 | 1.17 |
| Michigan | $35,000 | $27,880 | $42,790 | 95,020 | 0.78 |
| Minnesota | $38,370 | $33,000 | $46,650 | 128,680 | 1.58 |
| Mississippi | $23,860 | $21,870 | $29,620 | 21,800 | 0.68 |
| Missouri | $33,080 | $28,600 | $43,410 | 94,810 | 1.17 |
| Montana | $36,630 | $29,370 | $44,740 | 10,400 | 0.73 |
| Nebraska | $36,150 | $30,670 | $43,680 | 13,660 | 0.48 |
| Nevada | $33,670 | $26,400 | $36,600 | 17,940 | 0.42 |
| New Hampshire | $38,760 | $31,950 | $47,770 | 9,440 | 0.5 |
| New Jersey | $37,090 | $32,220 | $48,180 | 117,080 | 0.99 |
| New Mexico | $28,520 | $26,400 | $36,440 | 38,910 | 1.61 |
| New York | $39,620 | $36,960 | $46,690 | 663,140 | 2.47 |
| North Carolina | $31,240 | $24,690 | $38,680 | 58,880 | 0.43 |
| North Dakota | $39,440 | $36,220 | $49,190 | 7,730 | 0.65 |
| Ohio | $34,460 | $28,370 | $39,530 | 106,940 | 0.7 |
| Oklahoma | $27,710 | $22,940 | $35,150 | 20,310 | 0.43 |
| Oregon | $44,410 | $37,650 | $53,120 | 42,330 | 0.78 |
| Pennsylvania | $29,420 | $26,510 | $37,960 | 257,370 | 1.53 |
| Puerto Rico | $21,840 | $21,840 | $23,130 | 10,170 | 0.39 |
| Rhode Island | $43,680 | $31,860 | $46,700 | 7,490 | 0.54 |
| South Carolina | $30,110 | $23,600 | $35,590 | 40,750 | 0.64 |
| South Dakota | $37,740 | $32,500 | $47,320 | 4,210 | 0.33 |
| Tennessee | $32,130 | $28,090 | $38,150 | 35,950 | 0.4 |
| Texas | $24,230 | $21,980 | $31,560 | 329,590 | 0.85 |
| Utah | $35,880 | $30,730 | $45,250 | 17,130 | 0.36 |
| Vermont | $41,600 | $31,310 | $48,040 | 7,700 | 0.92 |
| Virgin Islands | $29,860 | $27,560 | $35,600 | 110 | 0.13 |
| Virginia | $30,300 | $26,980 | $40,650 | 70,070 | 0.62 |
| Washington | $47,730 | $40,130 | $54,980 | 103,260 | 1.05 |
| West Virginia | $28,010 | $22,430 | $32,590 | 18,890 | 0.97 |
| Wisconsin | $36,340 | $28,030 | $42,820 | 82,430 | 1.01 |
| Wyoming | $33,190 | $27,700 | $47,000 | 3,410 | 0.44 |
A location quotient above 1 means the occupation is more concentrated in that state than in the nation overall.
Metro areas with the most jobs
Highest paying metro areas
Job outlook for home health and personal care aides
- Average annual openings, 2025 to 2035: 760,500. Openings include new jobs plus replacement needs when workers retire or leave the occupation. Official projection
- Share of workers who are self-employed (2025): 3%.
- Read the official BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook profile.
These are official BLS projections. ConnectPrep does not alter them or present its own forecasts as official statistics.
Education and training for home health and personal care aides
- Typical entry education
- High school diploma or equivalent
- Related work experience
- None
- On-the-job training
- Short-term on-the-job training
- O*NET Job Zone
- Job Zone 1-2: Very Little to Some Preparation Needed
Highest education of people working in this occupation
O*NET describes this preparation level as: Usually requires a high school diploma or GED, though some occupations may not.
Degrees and programs that lead to this career
Data unavailable No academic program is mapped to this occupation in the official crosswalk. Entry is usually through work experience, training, or apprenticeship.
Skills, knowledge, and daily work
BLS groups this occupation differently from O*NET. Skills and tasks below come from the closest O*NET occupation, Personal Care Aides (31-1122.00).
Most important skills
Most important knowledge areas
Typical tasks
- Prepare and maintain records of client progress and services performed, reporting changes in client condition to manager or supervisor.
- Administer bedside or personal care, such as ambulation or personal hygiene assistance.
- Perform healthcare-related tasks, such as monitoring vital signs and medication, under the direction of registered nurses or physiotherapists.
- Participate in case reviews, consulting with the team caring for the client, to evaluate the client's needs and plan for continuing services.
- Instruct or advise clients on issues, such as household cleanliness, utilities, hygiene, nutrition, or infant care.
- Care for individuals or families during periods of incapacitation, family disruption, or convalescence, providing companionship, personal care, or help in adjusting to new lifestyles.
- Perform housekeeping duties, such as cooking, cleaning, washing clothes or dishes, or running errands.
- Provide clients with communication assistance, typing their correspondence or obtaining information for them.
Technology skills
- MEDITECH software (hot technology)
- Appletree
- August Systems Visit Wizard
- Computer reading software
- Email software
- FaceTime
- Mi-Co Mi-Forms
- Voltage SecureMail
Transferable skills for career changers: Service Orientation, Social Perceptiveness, Coordination, Instructing, Time Management, Complex Problem Solving.
Common job titles: Care Provider, Caregiver, Direct Care Worker, Home Care Aide, Medication Aide, Personal Care Aide, Personal Care Assistant (PCA), Personal Care Attendant (PCA), Resident Assistant, Resident Care Assistant (RCA).
Is it worth it? Model the cost of getting there
Use the ROI calculator to compare the cost of the education this career usually requires against staying on your current path. It starts from the official wage distribution above, and you can change every assumption.
Frequently asked questions
How much do home health and personal care aides make?
The national median annual wage for home health and personal care aides was $35,800 in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program. The lowest paid 10 percent earned less than $27,040 and the highest paid 10 percent earned more than $45,040. These figures cover all workers in the occupation, not only new entrants.
What education do home health and personal care aides need?
BLS lists high school diploma or equivalent as the typical education needed to enter this occupation, with none of related work experience and short-term on-the-job training on-the-job training typically needed to become competent.
Is home health and personal care aides a growing career?
BLS projects employment of home health and personal care aides to change +18.1% from 2025 to 2035, compared with +3.5% for all occupations. About 760,500 openings are projected each year on average, including openings from workers who retire or change occupations.
Which states pay home health and personal care aides the most?
By median annual wage in May 2025, the highest paying states were Washington ($47,730), Oregon ($44,410), Rhode Island ($43,680). Pay differences partly reflect differences in living costs.