How much does a home care aide make?
Answer: A typical home care aide in the United States makes $35,800 a year (median, May 2025, US Bureau of Labor Statistics).
Line up 100 people; this is the one in the middle (median). about 4.3 million people work in this job. Below the US-wide typical pay ($50,980).
If 100 people had this job
Lowest at bottom-left, highest at top-rightHover over a person to see their yearly pay
Home care aide pay in the United States (May 2025, median and spread)
| Lower earner (10th from bottom) | Typical person (median) | Higher earner (10th from top) | People in this job |
|---|---|---|---|
| $27,040 | $35,800 | $45,040 | about 4.3 million |
| State | Typical person (median) | People in this job |
|---|---|---|
| Washington | $47,730 | about 103,000 |
| Oregon | $44,410 | about 42,000 |
| Rhode Island | $43,680 | about 7,000 |
| District of Columbia | $42,700 | about 13,000 |
| Vermont | $41,600 | about 8,000 |
Why does pay differ?
In the United States, experience, extra training or state-required credentials can affect pay, as can the employer and location. More hours can raise total earnings, while more complex care duties may pay differently.
What if you lived in a different state?
Pay varies a lot by state in the USTop 5 and bottom 3 states, typical (median) yearly pay.
What does a home care aide do?
What's a typical day like?
An aide may help a client dress, cook a meal, and tidy up, then accompany them to an appointment or outing. They record care and health changes and tell a supervisor or nurse.
How to get this job
In the U.S., aides usually need high school or equivalent, though some jobs do not, and get short on-the-job training. State or employer rules vary; Washington allows qualified 16- and 17-year-olds in some settings.
Did you know?
Surprisingly, driving is required in 45% of personal-care-aide jobs in the United States.
What about Japan?
Nearly the same jobThe US figure is the median and the Japan figure is the average, so it's not a perfect comparison. Prices differ too.
Earn more in the same field
Healthcare Support jobs that pay a bit moreSources and data
Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025 (bls.gov); descriptions and related jobs from O*NET 31.0. Figures as of May 2025, full-time yearly pay (hourly × 2,080 hours). bls.gov/oes · O*NET OnLine
Pages used for the text
- www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/home-health-aides-and-personal-care-aides.htm
- www.bls.gov/careeroutlook/2015/article/wage-differences.htm
- www.bls.gov/ors/factsheet/pdf/personal-care-aides.pdf
- www.onetonline.org/link/summary/31-1122.00
- www.dshs.wa.gov/altsa/home-and-community-services/hiring-minors-paid-caregivers
Data: US BLS OEWS, May 2025 · 1 USD = 150 JPY