How much does a personal care worker make?
a year · about $20 an hour
A typical personal care worker in the United States makes $41,600 a year, about $20 an hour, about the same as a typical US worker (median, May 2025, US Bureau of Labor Statistics).
What do they do?
This catch-all has no single routine; a doula, for example, may coach breathing and movement during labor. After the baby arrives, a postpartum doula may help care for the baby, prepare food, or do laundry.
Did you know? Surprise: In the wider U.S. personal care and service group, over 8 in 10 workers need on-the-job training.
Is that a lot?
Compared with jobs you knowIf 100 people had this job
Most earn between $27,480 and $48,910How do you become one?
In the U.S., this catch-all usually calls for a high school diploma or equivalent and short on-the-job training, but has no single route. Choose a specific job and check state and employer rules; some need a course or credential, others do not.
Why does pay differ?
In the U.S., pay in this catch-all varies with the specific job, experience, useful training or credentials, employer, location, duties, and hours or shifts. Some roles need special credentials, so the same broad job label can cover very different pay situations.
Where does it pay most?
Highest in Oregon ($41,600), lowest in Georgia ($25,130).
See every state
Top 5 and bottom 3 states, typical (median) yearly pay.
Jobs like this
In Japan, a personal care aide averages $24,157. Personal care worker salary in Japan
Data table and sources
| Lower earner (10th from bottom) | Typical person (median) | Higher earner (10th from top) | People in this job |
|---|---|---|---|
| $27,480 | $41,600 | $48,910 | about 60,000 |
| State | Typical person (median) | People in this job |
|---|---|---|
| Oregon | $41,600 | about 23,000 |
| Washington | $41,020 | about 670 |
| New York | $40,720 | about 1,000 |
| California | $39,860 | about 5,000 |
| Colorado | $37,930 | about 1,000 |
Official definition: All personal care and service workers not listed separately.
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/emp/tables/education-and-training-by-occupation.htm
- www.onetonline.org/link/summary/39-9099.00
- www.bls.gov/ors/factsheet/personal-care-and-service-occupations.htm
- www.bls.gov/careeroutlook/2015/article/wage-differences.htm
- my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/23075-doula
- healthlaw.org/doula-medicaid-training-and-certification-requirements-summary-of-
Data: US BLS OEWS, May 2025 · 1 USD = 150 JPY