Free guide · official May 2025 data
Caregiver pay rates by state
What home health aides, personal care aides and CNAs earn in every state, from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Use it to set pay that gets applicants — and to see where you stand.
Across the United States
Home health & personal care aides
$17.21 / hour median
Most earn $13.00–$21.65. 4,305,810 people work in this role nationwide.
Nursing assistants (CNAs)
$20.32 / hour median
Most earn $16.32–$24.99. 1,448,910 people work in this role nationwide.
How to use this data to set caregiver pay
Caregivers compare hourly pay first, and they compare it with what agencies near them offer. The median for your state is the middle of the market: half of aides earn more and half earn less. Pay at or above the median and your job post competes; pay near the top 10% and it stands out.
Pay more for what's harder to fill
Weekends, overnights, live-in work, dementia care and rural travel are harder to staff. Many agencies add a differential for these shifts rather than raising every rate — say so in the job post.
Budget for certified staff
If a role needs a CNA certification, compare against the CNA figures, which are higher in every state. Posting a CNA role at aide pay is a common reason for few applicants.
Check the floor
These are May 2025 figures. Minimum wages in several states and cities have risen since, and some places set higher rates for home care workers — check the current rules where you hire.
Caregiver pay in every state
Hourly wages, May 2025. Choose a state for the full breakdown.
| State | Aide median | Aide range (10th–90th) | CNA median |
|---|---|---|---|
| United States | $17.21 | $13.00–$21.65 | $20.32 |
| Alabama | $13.39 | $10.81–$17.26 | $16.41 |
| Alaska | $19.11 | $14.77–$22.47 | $22.29 |
| Arizona | $17.51 | $14.90–$19.55 | $21.53 |
| Arkansas | $13.30 | $11.51–$15.23 | $16.55 |
| California | $16.50 | $16.50–$18.87 | $22.90 |
| Colorado | $18.53 | $17.03–$22.42 | $22.78 |
| Connecticut | $18.75 | $16.35–$21.71 | $21.53 |
| Delaware | $16.50 | $15.00–$19.44 | $20.21 |
| District of Columbia | $20.53 | $18.41–$22.04 | $22.93 |
| Florida | $16.25 | $14.74–$18.42 | $18.03 |
| Georgia | $14.07 | $11.40–$19.09 | $18.12 |
| Hawaii | $18.32 | $15.00–$21.98 | $21.80 |
| Idaho | $16.72 | $13.47–$20.00 | $18.58 |
| Illinois | $18.30 | $16.44–$20.43 | $22.10 |
| Indiana | $16.86 | $14.13–$18.98 | $18.43 |
| Iowa | $17.34 | $14.63–$21.87 | $18.92 |
| Kansas | $15.03 | $13.02–$18.44 | $18.27 |
| Kentucky | $17.52 | $13.52–$23.60 | $18.45 |
| Louisiana | $10.83 | $9.22–$15.45 | $14.67 |
| Maine | $18.55 | $16.89–$22.53 | $22.63 |
| Maryland | $18.29 | $15.16–$22.54 | $20.79 |
| Massachusetts | $19.67 | $17.77–$22.45 | $22.44 |
| Michigan | $16.83 | $13.40–$20.57 | $19.03 |
| Minnesota | $18.45 | $15.87–$22.43 | $22.44 |
| Mississippi | $11.47 | $10.52–$14.24 | $15.15 |
| Missouri | $15.90 | $13.75–$20.87 | $18.11 |
| Montana | $17.61 | $14.12–$21.51 | $19.67 |
| Nebraska | $17.38 | $14.74–$21.00 | $19.23 |
| Nevada | $16.19 | $12.69–$17.59 | $21.87 |
| New Hampshire | $18.64 | $15.36–$22.97 | $23.02 |
| New Jersey | $17.83 | $15.49–$23.16 | $22.52 |
| New Mexico | $13.71 | $12.69–$17.52 | $18.94 |
| New York | $19.05 | $17.77–$22.45 | $23.36 |
| North Carolina | $15.02 | $11.87–$18.60 | $18.49 |
| North Dakota | $18.96 | $17.41–$23.65 | $22.03 |
| Ohio | $16.57 | $13.64–$19.01 | $18.76 |
| Oklahoma | $13.32 | $11.03–$16.90 | $17.27 |
| Oregon | $21.35 | $18.10–$25.54 | $23.96 |
| Pennsylvania | $14.14 | $12.75–$18.25 | $21.44 |
| Rhode Island | $21.00 | $15.32–$22.45 | $22.33 |
| South Carolina | $14.48 | $11.35–$17.11 | $17.90 |
| South Dakota | $18.15 | $15.62–$22.75 | $18.65 |
| Tennessee | $15.45 | $13.50–$18.34 | $18.27 |
| Texas | $11.65 | $10.57–$15.17 | $18.03 |
| Utah | $17.25 | $14.78–$21.76 | $19.15 |
| Vermont | $20.00 | $15.05–$23.10 | $22.66 |
| Virginia | $14.57 | $12.97–$19.55 | $20.77 |
| Washington | $22.95 | $19.29–$26.43 | $23.65 |
| West Virginia | $13.47 | $10.78–$15.67 | $17.66 |
| Wisconsin | $17.47 | $13.47–$20.59 | $21.70 |
| Wyoming | $15.96 | $13.32–$22.60 | $18.83 |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 estimates (bls.gov/oes). “Home health & personal care aides” is the federal category that covers most in-home caregivers. Figures include all employers, not only home-care agencies, and are hourly wages before benefits. Wages may have risen since May 2025 — always check your current state and city minimum wage.
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Common questions
How much do caregivers make an hour in the US?
Home health and personal care aides — the federal category that covers most in-home caregivers — earned a median $17.21 an hour in May 2025, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Most earned between $13.00 and $21.65.
How much do CNAs make compared with caregivers?
Nursing assistants (CNAs) earned a median $20.32 an hour nationally, about $3.11 more than home health and personal care aides.
Which states pay caregivers the most?
In May 2025, the highest median pay for home health and personal care aides was in Washington ($22.95), Oregon ($21.35), Rhode Island ($21.00).
Where does this data come from?
From the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics' Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey, May 2025 estimates, fetched from the official BLS API. The figures cover all employers in each occupation, not only home-care agencies.