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Salary comparison

Home Health and Personal Care Aides vs. Nursing Assistants: Who Earns More?

Nursing Assistantss out-earn Home Health and Personal Care Aidess by $6K a year at the national median, per BLS OEWS May 2025. Home Health and Personal Care Aidess land at $35,800 and Nursing Assistantss at $42,260. The education gap is real: home health and personal care aide programs typically require high school diploma or equivalent, while nursing assistant programs require postsecondary nondegree award. Top-paying state for Home Health and Personal Care Aidess is Washington ($47,730); for Nursing Assistantss it's Oregon ($49,830).

Home Health and Personal Care Aides
Nursing Assistants
Median salary
$35,800
$42,260
Hourly rate
$17.21/hr
$20.32/hr
Entry level (10th %)
$27,040
$33,940
Senior level (90th %)
$45,040
$51,980
Education required
High school diploma or equivalent
Postsecondary nondegree award
U.S. employment
4,305,810
1,448,910
Job growth (10-year)
17%
N/A
Category
Healthcare Support
Healthcare Support
Top-paying state
Washington
Oregon

Pay by state

States where both occupations have BLS data, sorted by Home Health and Personal Care Aides median pay.

State
Home Health and Personal Care Aides
Nursing Assistants
Washington
$47,730
$49,180
Oregon
$44,410
$49,830
Rhode Island
$43,680
$46,440
District of Columbia
$42,700
$47,700
Vermont
$41,600
$47,130
Massachusetts
$40,910
$46,680
Alaska
$39,740
$46,370
New York
$39,620
$48,590
New Hampshire
$38,760
$47,870
Maine
$38,580
$47,070
Colorado
$38,540
$47,380
Minnesota
$38,370
$46,680
Illinois
$38,060
$45,960
New Jersey
$37,090
$46,830
California
$34,320
$47,630

Source: BLS OEWS May 2025. Highlighted value is higher in each row.

Common questions

Who earns more, Home Health and Personal Care Aidess or Nursing Assistantss?

Nursing Assistantss earn more nationally. The median is $35,800 for Home Health and Personal Care Aidess versus $42,260 for Nursing Assistantss, a difference of $6K. Per BLS OEWS May 2025.

Which has better job growth, Home Health and Personal Care Aides or Nursing Assistants?

BLS Employment Projections data is not available for one or both occupations. Check the individual career pages for current outlook figures.

Which requires more education, Home Health and Personal Care Aides or Nursing Assistants?

Home Health and Personal Care Aides typically requires high school diploma or equivalent. Nursing Assistants requires postsecondary nondegree award. Education requirements vary by employer and state licensing board.

Where do Home Health and Personal Care Aidess get paid the most?

Washington is the top-paying state for Home Health and Personal Care Aidess at $47,730/year, per BLS OEWS May 2025. Major metro areas within that state typically pay even more than the state average.

How does Home Health and Personal Care Aides vs. Nursing Assistants pay differ by state?

The gap varies significantly by state. In Washington, Home Health and Personal Care Aidess earn $47,730 vs. $49,180 for Nursing Assistantss. See the state comparison table on this page for the full picture.

Full Home Health and Personal Care Aides salary breakdownView →Full Nursing Assistants salary breakdownView →Best cities for Home Health and Personal Care Aidess by take-home payExplore →Best cities for Nursing Assistantss by take-home payExplore →How to become a home health and personal care aidesGuide →How to become a nursing assistantsGuide →