Health Aides/Attendants/Orderlies: earnings, debt, and careers
CIP 51.26. Official graduate outcomes from the U.S. Department of Education across 147 programs, and the careers this field is linked to.
Graduate earnings by credential level
| Credential | Programs | Graduates (recent year) | Median earnings, 1 yr | Median earnings, 4 yrs | Typical program median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Undergraduate certificate | 139 | 2,874 | $26,824 | $27,180 | $9,500 11 programs |
| Associate's degree | 8 | 19 | $33,706 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
National earnings are published by the Department of Education for each field and credential level Verified data. Typical program median debt is ConnectPrep's calculation: the median across programs of each program's median federal debt Calculated estimate. It covers federal loans only.
Source: U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard, Most Recent Field of Study Data. Varies by measure; see measure definitions. Published October 15, 2026. Retrieved October 18, 2026. Methodology.
Undergraduate certificate programs with the highest early earnings
| School | Median earnings, 1 yr | Median earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ivy Tech Community College IN · Public · 21 graduates measured | $42,075 | Data unavailable | $11,369 |
| Piedmont Technical College SC · Public · 16 graduates measured | $35,288 | $48,358 | $21,750 |
| Stautzenberger College-Maumee OH · Private, for-profit · 20 graduates measured | $34,239 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| Carrington College-Phoenix North AZ · Private, for-profit · 32 graduates measured | $30,467 | $34,955 | $9,500 |
| Carrington College-Mesa AZ · Private, for-profit · 32 graduates measured | $30,467 | $34,955 | $9,500 |
| Carrington College-Tucson AZ · Private, for-profit · 32 graduates measured | $30,467 | $34,955 | $9,500 |
| New Community Career & Technical Institute NJ · Private, nonprofit · 27 graduates measured | $26,830 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| The College of Health Care Professions-Northwest TX · Private, for-profit · 19 graduates measured | $24,144 | Data unavailable | $9,500 |
| The College of Health Care Professions-Southwest Houston TX · Private, for-profit · 19 graduates measured | $24,144 | Data unavailable | $9,500 |
| Louisiana Delta Community College LA · Public · 18 graduates measured | $24,088 | $22,738 | $9,500 |
| Northwest Louisiana Technical Community College LA · Public · 18 graduates measured | $21,845 | $23,162 | Data unavailable |
| Central Louisiana Technical Community College LA · Public · 50 graduates measured | $21,709 | $27,344 | $14,431 |
| NUC University PR · Private, for-profit · 51 graduates measured | $12,735 | $16,895 | $10,812 |
Ranked by published median earnings one year after completion. Programs with suppressed earnings do not appear, so this is not a ranking of program quality.
Careers linked to Health Aides/Attendants/Orderlies
| Occupation | Median wage, all workers | Change 2025 to 2035 | Typical entry education |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nursing assistants | $42,260 | +2.6% | Postsecondary nondegree award |
| Psychiatric aides | $44,910 | +1.9% | High school diploma or equivalent |
| Occupational therapy aides | $39,160 | +3.6% | High school diploma or equivalent |
| Physical therapist aides | $35,240 | +4.0% | High school diploma or equivalent |
| Healthcare support workers, all other | $48,430 | +4.8% | High school diploma or equivalent |
Occupations mapped to this field in the NCES and BLS CIP to SOC crosswalk. Occupation wages describe all workers, not recent graduates.
Source: National Center for Education Statistics and U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 Crosswalk. CIP 2020 and SOC 2018 taxonomies. Published April 30, 2020. Retrieved October 18, 2026. Methodology.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, National. May 2025 reference period. Published April 30, 2026. Retrieved October 18, 2026. Methodology.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections, Table 1.2: Occupational projections, 2025-35, and worker characteristics, 2025. Base year 2025, projected year 2035. Published August 27, 2026. Retrieved October 18, 2026. Methodology.
Detailed CIP codes in this field (6)
- 51.2601 Health Aide
- 51.2602 Home Health Aide/Home Attendant
- 51.2603 Medication Aide
- 51.2604 Rehabilitation Aide
- 51.2605 Physical Therapy Technician/Aide
- 51.2699 Health Aides/Attendants/Orderlies, Other