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Salary comparison

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

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

Nursing Assistants
Home Health and Personal Care Aides
Median salary
$42,260
$35,800
Hourly rate
$20.32/hr
$17.21/hr
Entry level (10th %)
$33,940
$27,040
Senior level (90th %)
$51,980
$45,040
Education required
Postsecondary nondegree award
High school diploma or equivalent
U.S. employment
1,448,910
4,305,810
Job growth (10-year)
2.3%
17%
Category
Healthcare Support
Healthcare Support
Top-paying state
Oregon
Washington

Pay by state

States where both occupations have BLS data, sorted by Nursing Assistants median pay.

State
Nursing Assistants
Home Health and Personal Care Aides
Oregon
$49,830
$44,410
Washington
$49,180
$47,730
New York
$48,590
$39,620
New Hampshire
$47,870
$38,760
District of Columbia
$47,700
$42,700
Colorado
$47,380
$38,540
Vermont
$47,130
$41,600
Maine
$47,070
$38,580
Massachusetts
$46,680
$40,910
Minnesota
$46,680
$38,370
Rhode Island
$46,440
$43,680
Alaska
$46,370
$39,740
North Dakota
$45,820
$39,440
Hawaii
$45,350
$38,110
Connecticut
$44,790
$38,990

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

Common questions

Who earns more, Nursing Assistants or Home Health and Personal Care Aides?

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

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

Home Health and Personal Care Aides has the better 10-year outlook at 17% projected growth, compared to 2.3% for the other field. Both are from BLS Employment Projections.

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

Nursing Assistants 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 Nursing Assistants get paid the most?

Oregon is the top-paying state for Nursing Assistants at $49,830/year, per BLS OEWS May 2025. Major metro areas within that state typically pay even more than the state average.

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

The gap varies significantly by state. In Oregon, Nursing Assistants earn $49,830 vs. $44,410 for Home Health and Personal Care Aides. See the state comparison table on this page for the full picture.

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