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Salary comparison

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

Orderlies out-earn Home Health and Personal Care Aides by $2K a year at the national median, per BLS OEWS May 2025. Orderlies land at $38,290 and Home Health and Personal Care Aides at $35,800. The education gap is real: orderly programs typically require postsecondary nondegree award, while home health and personal care aide programs require high school diploma or equivalent. Top-paying state for Orderlies is California ($49,920); for Home Health and Personal Care Aides it's Washington ($47,730).

Orderlies
Home Health and Personal Care Aides
Median salary
$38,290
$35,800
Hourly rate
$18.41/hr
$17.21/hr
Entry level (10th %)
$32,240
$27,040
Senior level (90th %)
$50,600
$45,040
Education required
Postsecondary nondegree award
High school diploma or equivalent
U.S. employment
52,440
4,305,810
Job growth (10-year)
3.3%
17%
Category
Healthcare Support
Healthcare Support
Top-paying state
California
Washington

Pay by state

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

State
Orderlies
Home Health and Personal Care Aides
Washington
$48,690
$47,730
Vermont
$48,120
$41,600
Hawaii
$47,130
$38,110
New York
$46,600
$39,620
Oregon
$45,120
$44,410
Minnesota
$44,550
$38,370
Colorado
$43,570
$38,540
Maine
$42,530
$38,580
New Hampshire
$40,850
$38,760
Rhode Island
$39,830
$43,680
Alaska
$39,410
$39,740
District of Columbia
$39,250
$42,700
Massachusetts
$38,970
$40,910
North Dakota
$38,240
$39,440
Connecticut
$37,550
$38,990

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

Common questions

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

Orderlies earn more nationally. The median is $38,290 for Orderlies versus $35,800 for Home Health and Personal Care Aides, a difference of $2K. Per BLS OEWS May 2025.

Which has better job growth, Orderlies 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 3.3% for the other field. Both are from BLS Employment Projections.

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

Orderlies 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 Orderlies get paid the most?

California is the top-paying state for Orderlies at $49,920/year, per BLS OEWS May 2025. Major metro areas within that state typically pay even more than the state average.

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

The gap varies significantly by state. In Washington, Orderlies earn $48,690 vs. $47,730 for Home Health and Personal Care Aides. See the state comparison table on this page for the full picture.

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