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Salary comparison

Medical Equipment Preparers vs. Home Health and Personal Care Aides: Who Earns More?

Medical Equipment Preparerss out-earn Home Health and Personal Care Aidess by $12K a year at the national median, per BLS OEWS May 2025. Medical Equipment Preparerss land at $47,700 and Home Health and Personal Care Aidess at $35,800. The education gap is real: medical equipment preparer programs typically require postsecondary nondegree award, while home health and personal care aide programs require high school diploma or equivalent. Top-paying state for Medical Equipment Preparerss is California ($61,370); for Home Health and Personal Care Aidess it's Washington ($47,730).

Medical Equipment Preparers
Home Health and Personal Care Aides
Median salary
$47,700
$35,800
Hourly rate
$22.93/hr
$17.21/hr
Entry level (10th %)
$36,410
$27,040
Senior level (90th %)
$69,950
$45,040
Education required
Postsecondary nondegree award
High school diploma or equivalent
U.S. employment
77,420
4,305,810
Job growth (10-year)
N/A
17%
Category
Healthcare Support
Healthcare Support
Top-paying state
California
Washington

Pay by state

States where both occupations have BLS data, sorted by Medical Equipment Preparers median pay.

State
Medical Equipment Preparers
Home Health and Personal Care Aides
Washington
$58,830
$47,730
Massachusetts
$58,580
$40,910
New York
$57,320
$39,620
Hawaii
$51,630
$38,110
Rhode Island
$51,460
$43,680
Minnesota
$50,070
$38,370
Alaska
$49,920
$39,740
Vermont
$48,990
$41,600
New Hampshire
$48,900
$38,760
Oregon
$48,890
$44,410
District of Columbia
$48,670
$42,700
Connecticut
$47,980
$38,990
Colorado
$47,700
$38,540
Maine
$46,860
$38,580
North Dakota
$38,910
$39,440

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

Common questions

Who earns more, Medical Equipment Preparerss or Home Health and Personal Care Aidess?

Medical Equipment Preparerss earn more nationally. The median is $47,700 for Medical Equipment Preparerss versus $35,800 for Home Health and Personal Care Aidess, a difference of $12K. Per BLS OEWS May 2025.

Which has better job growth, Medical Equipment Preparers or Home Health and Personal Care Aides?

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, Medical Equipment Preparers or Home Health and Personal Care Aides?

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

Where do Medical Equipment Preparerss get paid the most?

California is the top-paying state for Medical Equipment Preparerss at $61,370/year, per BLS OEWS May 2025. Major metro areas within that state typically pay even more than the state average.

How does Medical Equipment Preparers vs. Home Health and Personal Care Aides pay differ by state?

The gap varies significantly by state. In Washington, Medical Equipment Preparerss earn $58,830 vs. $47,730 for Home Health and Personal Care Aidess. See the state comparison table on this page for the full picture.

Full Medical Equipment Preparers salary breakdownView →Full Home Health and Personal Care Aides salary breakdownView →Best cities for Medical Equipment Preparerss by take-home payExplore →Best cities for Home Health and Personal Care Aidess by take-home payExplore →How to become a medical equipment preparersGuide →How to become a home health and personal care aidesGuide →