What Home Health and Personal Care Aides do
The U.S. Department of Labor's O*NET database describes the work of Home Health Aides this way: "Monitor the health status of an individual with disabilities or illness, and address their health-related needs, such as changing bandages, dressing wounds, or administering medication. Work is performed under the direction of offsite or intermittent onsite licensed nursing staff. Provide assistance with routine healthcare tasks or activities of daily living, such as feeding, bathing, toileting, or ambulation. May also help with tasks such as preparing meals, doing light housekeeping, and doing laundry depending on the patient's abilities."
The core tasks O*NET records for this occupation include: "Maintain records of patient care, condition, progress, or problems to report and discuss observations with supervisor or case manager"; "Provide patients with help moving in and out of beds, baths, wheelchairs, or automobiles and with dressing and grooming"; "Provide patients and families with emotional support and instruction in areas such as caring for infants, preparing healthy meals, living independently, or adapting to disability or illness"; "Entertain, converse with, or read aloud to patients to keep them mentally healthy and alert"; "Plan, purchase, prepare, or serve meals to patients or other family members, according to prescribed diets".
BLS publishes one pay figure for a group of related occupations here. The group covers Home Health Aides and Personal Care Aides, so the wage numbers on this page describe all of them together.
Education, experience and training
According to the BLS Employment Projections, the typical education needed to enter this occupation is high school diploma or equivalent. Typical on-the-job training to reach competency is short-term on-the-job training.
Job outlook for Home Health and Personal Care Aides
The Bureau of Labor Statistics counted 4,677,100 jobs in this occupation in 2025 and projects 5,524,400 in 2035, an increase of 847,300 jobs (+18.1%). That is faster than the 3.5% projected for all occupations.
About 760,500 openings a year are projected on average, counting both new positions and positions vacated by workers who retire or switch occupations. Relative to today's employment that is 16.3% a year, against 10.3% for all occupations. BLS lists a national median annual wage of $35,800, compared with $50,980 for all occupations.
Where Home Health and Personal Care Aides earn the most
Across the 36 states with published data, the employment-weighted average of local median wages for this occupation ranges from $24,783 in Texas to $47,060 in Washington, a gap of $22,276 (1.90 times). 16 of those 36 states average above the BLS national median of $35,800 and 20 average at or below it.
California employs the most people in this occupation among the states covered, 961,430, which is 16.6% of the 5,796,450 counted across them. New Jersey follows with 826,280.
Highest-paying states
Washington ($47,060), Oregon ($44,986) and Massachusetts ($40,939) lead the ranking, while Texas ($24,783) and New Mexico ($28,862) are at the bottom. The table below lists every state with a link to its county-level detail.
Home Health and Personal Care Aides: pay against the cost of living
We compare 97 labor markets, each represented by its most populous county. After federal, Social Security, Medicare and state taxes and the four basics (a one-bedroom rental, food, home energy and gasoline), the largest yearly margin is in Spokane County, WA (Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA) at $19,096. The weakest market is Santa Clara County, CA, where the basics cost $11,093 more than take-home pay.
The median wage for this occupation covers all four basics in 69 of the 97 markets and falls short in 28. A one-bedroom apartment takes between 34.4% and 104.6% of take-home pay, depending on the market.
Occupations related to Home Health and Personal Care Aides
Other occupations in the same SOC minor group (31-1000) include Nursing Assistants.
Frequently asked questions about Home Health and Personal Care Aides
What is the national median wage for Home Health and Personal Care Aides?
BLS lists a national median annual wage of $35,800. Across the states covered here the average local median ranges from $24,783 to $47,060.
Which state pays Home Health and Personal Care Aides the most?
Washington, with an employment-weighted average local median wage of $47,060. Oregon is next at $44,986.
What is the job outlook for Home Health and Personal Care Aides?
BLS projects employment to grow by 18.1% between 2025 and 2035, compared with 3.5% for all occupations, with about 760,500 openings a year.
What education do Home Health and Personal Care Aides need?
The typical entry-level education is high school diploma or equivalent and short-term on-the-job training, according to BLS.
Where can Home Health and Personal Care Aides afford to live best?
Among the markets covered, Spokane County, WA leaves the largest yearly margin after taxes, rent, food, energy and gasoline: $19,096 on a median wage of $47,410.