Personal Care Aides
Provide personalized assistance to individuals with disabilities or illness who require help with personal care and activities of daily living support (e.g., feeding, bathing, dressing, grooming, toileting, and ambulation). May also provide help with tasks such as preparing meals, doing light housekeeping, and doing laundry. Work is performed in various settings depending on the needs of the care recipient and may include locations such as their home, place of work, out in the community, or at a daytime nonresidential facility.
- O*NET-SOC code
31-1122.00 - Preparation Job Zone 1-2: Very Little to Some Preparation Needed
Wages
BLS doesn't publish wages for Personal Care Aides separately. These are the figures for Home Health and Personal Care Aides (31-1120), a combined BLS occupation that includes it.
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $27,040 | $31,920 | $35,800 | $39,470 | $45,040 |
By state (51)
| State | Employment | Median annual | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | 20,930 | $27,840 | 0.36 |
| Alaska | 6,530 | $39,740 | 0.72 |
| Arizona | 74,540 | $36,420 | 0.83 |
| Arkansas | 19,840 | $27,660 | 0.55 |
| California | 970,150 | $34,320 | 1.92 |
| Colorado | 44,650 | $38,540 | 0.56 |
| Connecticut | 49,510 | $38,990 | 1.05 |
| Delaware | 11,820 | $34,320 | 0.88 |
| District of Columbia | 12,810 | $42,700 | 0.66 |
| Florida | 90,170 | $33,800 | 0.33 |
| Georgia | 50,870 | $29,270 | 0.38 |
| Hawaii | 6,150 | $38,110 | 0.35 |
| Idaho | 20,770 | $34,790 | 0.87 |
| Illinois | 134,100 | $38,060 | 0.79 |
| Indiana | 57,050 | $35,060 | 0.64 |
| Iowa | 25,800 | $36,080 | 0.60 |
| Kansas | 25,350 | $31,260 | 0.64 |
| Kentucky | 31,260 | $36,440 | 0.56 |
| Louisiana | 45,060 | $22,520 | 0.84 |
| Maine | 18,630 | $38,580 | 1.05 |
| Maryland | 46,560 | $38,040 | 0.61 |
| Massachusetts | 117,940 | $40,910 | 1.17 |
| Michigan | 95,020 | $35,000 | 0.78 |
| Minnesota | 128,680 | $38,370 | 1.58 |
| Mississippi | 21,800 | $23,860 | 0.68 |
| Missouri | 94,810 | $33,080 | 1.17 |
| Montana | 10,400 | $36,630 | 0.73 |
| Nebraska | 13,660 | $36,150 | 0.48 |
| Nevada | 17,940 | $33,670 | 0.42 |
| New Hampshire | 9,440 | $38,760 | 0.50 |
| New Jersey | 117,080 | $37,090 | 0.99 |
| New Mexico | 38,910 | $28,520 | 1.61 |
| New York | 663,140 | $39,620 | 2.47 |
| North Carolina | 58,880 | $31,240 | 0.43 |
| North Dakota | 7,730 | $39,440 | 0.65 |
| Ohio | 106,940 | $34,460 | 0.70 |
| Oklahoma | 20,310 | $27,710 | 0.43 |
| Oregon | 42,330 | $44,410 | 0.78 |
| Pennsylvania | 257,370 | $29,420 | 1.53 |
| Rhode Island | 7,490 | $43,680 | 0.54 |
| South Carolina | 40,750 | $30,110 | 0.64 |
| South Dakota | 4,210 | $37,740 | 0.33 |
| Tennessee | 35,950 | $32,130 | 0.40 |
| Texas | 329,590 | $24,230 | 0.85 |
| Utah | 17,130 | $35,880 | 0.36 |
| Vermont | 7,700 | $41,600 | 0.92 |
| Virginia | 70,070 | $30,300 | 0.62 |
| Washington | 103,260 | $47,730 | 1.05 |
| West Virginia | 18,890 | $28,010 | 0.97 |
| Wisconsin | 82,430 | $36,340 | 1.01 |
| Wyoming | 3,410 | $33,190 | 0.44 |
Similar occupations
Similarity is our measure: the cosine of importance x level over all 120 O*NET skills, knowledge areas and abilities. It is not an O*NET finding. More.
Circles are the 20 most similar occupations, coloured by Job Zone. Lines join pairs where one is among the other's 10 most similar; darker lines are pairs O*NET also lists as related. Drag a circle to move it out of the way; select one to open it.
| # | Occupation | Job Zone | Similarity |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nursing Assistants | 3 | 0.955 |
| 2 | Nannies | 1-2 | 0.952 |
| 3 | Psychiatric Aides | 1-2 | 0.951 |
| 4 | Psychiatric Technicians | 3 | 0.950 |
| 5 | Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses | 3 | 0.946 |
| 6 | Occupational Therapy Assistants | 3 | 0.943 |
| 7 | Physical Therapist Aides | 1-2 | 0.940 |
| 8 | Childcare Workers | 1-2 | 0.939 |
| 9 | Occupational Therapy Aides | 3 | 0.938 |
| 10 | Recreational Therapists | 4 | 0.937 |
One skill away
Among the 50 occupations most similar to Personal Care Aides, those at the same Job Zone or lower, where exactly one skill rated at least 3 in importance needs a level more than 0.75 points higher (on O*NET's 0-7 level scale). Our definition. Change the thresholds.
| Occupation | Skill to build | Level gap | Similarity |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nannies | Negotiation | 0.88 | 0.952 |
| Correctional Officers and Jailers | Negotiation | 0.88 | 0.918 |
| Animal Trainers | Learning Strategies | 1.13 | 0.916 |
| Ambulance Drivers and Attendants, Except Emergency Medical Technicians | Operation and Control | 1.38 | 0.912 |
Software to learn next
Software used by at least 3 of the 20 occupations most similar to Personal Care Aides, excluding software Personal Care Aides already lists and any you named. Ranked by how many of them use it, weighted by how much more common it is among them than across all occupations (lift). Our ranking.
| Software | Similar jobs using it | Lift |
|---|---|---|
| Scheduling software | 9 of 20 | 5.9x |
| PointClickCare healthcare software | 3 of 20 | 27.7x |
| Billing software | 4 of 20 | 8.4x |
| eClinicalWorks EHR software | 5 of 20 | 4.8x |
| Epic Systems | 5 of 20 | 3.7x |
| Medical condition coding software | 4 of 20 | 4.6x |
| Medical procedure coding software | 4 of 20 | 4.1x |
| GE Healthcare Centricity EMR | 3 of 20 | 6.3x |
| Microsoft Windows | 9 of 20 | 1.7x |
| Electronic medical record EMR software | 3 of 20 | 4.3x |
Skills
From O*NET data. Importance is rated 1 to 5 and level 0 to 7.
| Skill | Type | Importance | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| Service Orientation | Transferable skill | 4.00 | 3.88 |
| Social Perceptiveness | Transferable skill | 3.88 | 3.12 |
| Active Listening | Essential skill | 3.38 | 3.00 |
| Critical Thinking | Essential skill | 3.25 | 3.12 |
| Monitoring | Essential skill | 3.25 | 3.12 |
| Coordination | Transferable skill | 3.12 | 2.88 |
| Speaking | Essential skill | 3.00 | 3.00 |
| Time Management | Transferable skill | 3.00 | 2.75 |
| Instructing | Transferable skill | 3.00 | 2.50 |
| Reading Comprehension | Essential skill | 2.88 | 3.00 |
| Writing | Essential skill | 2.88 | 2.88 |
| Active Learning | Essential skill | 2.88 | 2.75 |
| Judgment and Decision Making | Transferable skill | 2.88 | 2.62 |
| Complex Problem Solving | Transferable skill | 2.88 | 2.38 |
| Learning Strategies | Essential skill | 2.75 | 2.75 |
| Persuasion | Transferable skill | 2.38 | 2.38 |
| Negotiation | Transferable skill | 2.38 | 2.12 |
| Operations Monitoring | Transferable skill | 2.38 | 1.88 |
| Management of Personnel Resources | Transferable skill | 2.25 | 2.00 |
| Systems Evaluation | Transferable skill | 2.25 | 1.75 |
| Systems Analysis | Transferable skill | 2.12 | 1.62 |
| Quality Control Analysis | Transferable skill | 2.00 | 1.88 |
| Mathematics | Essential skill | 2.00 | 1.75 |
| Operation and Control | Transferable skill | 2.00 | 1.50 |
| Troubleshooting | Transferable skill | 1.88 | 1.12 |
| Management of Material Resources | Transferable skill | 1.75 | 1.00 |
| Science | Essential skill | 1.75 | 0.75 |
| Management of Financial Resources | Transferable skill | 1.38 | 0.50 |
| Technology Design | Transferable skill | 1.25 | not rated |
| Operations Analysis | Transferable skill | 1.12 | not rated |
| Programming | Transferable skill | 1.12 | not rated |
| Equipment Maintenance | Transferable skill | 1.00 | not rated |
| Equipment Selection | Transferable skill | 1.00 | not rated |
| Installation | Transferable skill | 1.00 | not rated |
| Repairing | Transferable skill | 1.00 | not rated |
Knowledge (33) and abilities (52)
| Name | Importance | Level |
|---|---|---|
| English Language | 3.63 | 3.59 |
| Transportation | 3.44 | 3.25 |
| Customer and Personal Service | 3.42 | 4.44 |
| Psychology | 3.41 | 4.26 |
| Education and Training | 3.41 | 3.08 |
| Public Safety and Security | 3.19 | 1.65 |
| Food Production | 2.99 | 2.64 |
| Therapy and Counseling | 2.97 | 3.48 |
| Administration and Management | 2.94 | 2.21 |
| Personnel and Human Resources | 2.91 | 2.84 |
| Sociology and Anthropology | 2.79 | 1.82 |
| Foreign Language | 2.71 | not rated |
| Computers and Electronics | 2.56 | 2.86 |
| Medicine and Dentistry | 2.54 | 1.69 |
| Philosophy and Theology | 2.50 | 2.78 |
| Administrative | 2.41 | not rated |
| Design | 2.38 | not rated |
| Production and Processing | 2.30 | not rated |
| Mathematics | 2.30 | 1.19 |
| Building and Construction | 2.28 | not rated |
| Engineering and Technology | 2.15 | not rated |
| Sales and Marketing | 2.14 | not rated |
| Chemistry | 2.11 | 1.44 |
| Mechanical | 2.11 | 0.71 |
| Biology | 2.07 | 1.09 |
| Telecommunications | 1.99 | not rated |
| Economics and Accounting | 1.92 | not rated |
| Communications and Media | 1.88 | not rated |
| Law and Government | 1.84 | not rated |
| History and Archeology | 1.77 | not rated |
| Physics | 1.77 | not rated |
| Fine Arts | 1.70 | not rated |
| Geography | 1.34 | not rated |
| Name | Importance | Level |
|---|---|---|
| Oral Comprehension | 3.88 | 3.62 |
| Oral Expression | 3.88 | 3.25 |
| Problem Sensitivity | 3.75 | 3.00 |
| Deductive Reasoning | 3.25 | 3.00 |
| Written Comprehension | 3.25 | 3.00 |
| Speech Clarity | 3.12 | 3.12 |
| Speech Recognition | 3.12 | 3.12 |
| Near Vision | 3.12 | 3.00 |
| Information Ordering | 3.00 | 3.00 |
| Trunk Strength | 3.00 | 3.00 |
| Inductive Reasoning | 3.00 | 2.88 |
| Written Expression | 3.00 | 2.88 |
| Selective Attention | 3.00 | 2.50 |
| Far Vision | 2.88 | 2.88 |
| Category Flexibility | 2.88 | 2.75 |
| Static Strength | 2.88 | 2.50 |
| Time Sharing | 2.88 | 2.38 |
| Stamina | 2.75 | 2.25 |
| Arm-Hand Steadiness | 2.62 | 2.62 |
| Extent Flexibility | 2.50 | 2.50 |
| Auditory Attention | 2.50 | 2.25 |
| Multilimb Coordination | 2.50 | 2.12 |
| Flexibility of Closure | 2.38 | 2.12 |
| Fluency of Ideas | 2.38 | 2.12 |
| Hearing Sensitivity | 2.38 | 2.12 |
| Perceptual Speed | 2.38 | 2.12 |
| Finger Dexterity | 2.38 | 2.00 |
| Originality | 2.38 | 2.00 |
| Visualization | 2.25 | 2.25 |
| Gross Body Coordination | 2.25 | 2.12 |
| Memorization | 2.25 | 2.12 |
| Gross Body Equilibrium | 2.25 | 1.62 |
| Depth Perception | 2.12 | 2.12 |
| Speed of Closure | 2.12 | 2.00 |
| Visual Color Discrimination | 2.12 | 2.00 |
| Manual Dexterity | 2.12 | 1.88 |
| Number Facility | 2.12 | 1.88 |
| Dynamic Strength | 2.00 | 2.12 |
| Mathematical Reasoning | 2.00 | 1.75 |
| Control Precision | 2.00 | 1.50 |
| Explosive Strength | 2.00 | 1.38 |
| Reaction Time | 2.00 | 1.38 |
| Response Orientation | 2.00 | 1.12 |
| Rate Control | 1.50 | 0.88 |
| Spatial Orientation | 1.50 | 0.88 |
| Speed of Limb Movement | 1.50 | 0.88 |
| Sound Localization | 1.50 | 0.75 |
| Glare Sensitivity | 1.50 | 0.62 |
| Night Vision | 1.50 | 0.62 |
| Peripheral Vision | 1.50 | 0.62 |
| Wrist-Finger Speed | 1.50 | 0.62 |
| Dynamic Flexibility | 1.00 | not rated |
Software used
Examples from O*NET data. "Hot" and "in demand" are O*NET flags for technologies often listed in job postings.
- MEDITECH software hot
- Appletree
- August Systems Visit Wizard
- Computer reading software
- Email software
- FaceTime
- Mi-Co Mi-Forms
- Voltage SecureMail
Where it concentrates
BLS doesn't publish wages for Personal Care Aides separately. These are the figures for Home Health and Personal Care Aides (31-1120), a combined BLS occupation that includes it.
Metro areas ranked by BLS location quotient: the occupation's share of the area's jobs divided by its share of all US jobs. Above 1 means more concentrated than the nation. Metros employing fewer than 100 are left out.
| Metro area | Employment | Location quotient | Median annual |
|---|---|---|---|
| McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX | 46,380 | 5.65 | $23,960 |
| Grants Pass, OR | 4,640 | 5.48 | $53,120 |
| Brownsville-Harlingen, TX | 21,990 | 5.04 | $23,500 |
| El Centro, CA | 8,020 | 4.42 | $34,320 |
| Las Cruces, NM | 6,430 | 2.90 | $27,840 |
| Springfield, MA | 15,840 | 2.84 | $40,860 |
| Redding, CA | 5,500 | 2.78 | $34,320 |
| Chico, CA | 5,940 | 2.74 | $34,320 |
| Laredo, TX | 8,140 | 2.69 | $23,510 |
| Midland, MI | 2,700 | 2.62 | $36,950 |