Department of Labor Logo United States Department of Labor
Dot gov

The .gov means it's official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you're on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics

Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2016

39-9021 Personal Care Aides

Assist the elderly, convalescents, or persons with disabilities with daily living activities at the person's home or in a care facility. Duties performed at a place of residence may include keeping house (making beds, doing laundry, washing dishes) and preparing meals. May provide assistance at non-residential care facilities. May advise families, the elderly, convalescents, and persons with disabilities regarding such things as nutrition, cleanliness, and household activities.


National estimates for this occupation
Industry profile for this occupation
Geographic profile for this occupation

National estimates for this occupation: Top

Employment estimate and mean wage estimates for this occupation:

Employment (1) Employment
RSE (3)
Mean hourly
wage
Mean annual
wage (2)
Wage RSE (3)
1,492,250 0.8 % $10.92 $22,710 0.3 %

Percentile wage estimates for this occupation:

Percentile 10% 25% 50%
(Median)
75% 90%
Hourly Wage $8.32 $9.22 $10.54 $11.95 $14.31
Annual Wage (2) $17,310 $19,180 $21,920 $24,860 $29,760


Industry profile for this occupation: Top

Industries with the highest published employment and wages for this occupation are provided. For a list of all industries with employment in this occupation, see the Create Customized Tables function.

Industries with the highest levels of employment in this occupation:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Individual and Family Services 640,670 37.94 $10.87 $22,610
Home Health Care Services 307,150 22.67 $10.03 $20,850
Residential Intellectual and Developmental Disability, Mental Health, and Substance Abuse Facilities 190,530 31.10 $11.30 $23,490
Continuing Care Retirement Communities and Assisted Living Facilities for the Elderly 144,270 16.24 $11.11 $23,110
Vocational Rehabilitation Services 50,180 15.19 $11.12 $23,120

Industries with the highest concentration of employment in this occupation:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Individual and Family Services 640,670 37.94 $10.87 $22,610
Residential Intellectual and Developmental Disability, Mental Health, and Substance Abuse Facilities 190,530 31.10 $11.30 $23,490
Home Health Care Services 307,150 22.67 $10.03 $20,850
Continuing Care Retirement Communities and Assisted Living Facilities for the Elderly 144,270 16.24 $11.11 $23,110
Vocational Rehabilitation Services 50,180 15.19 $11.12 $23,120

Top paying industries for this occupation:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
State Government (OES Designation) 15,720 0.72 $17.76 $36,930
Other Investment Pools and Funds 180 3.18 $17.14 $35,640
Other Financial Investment Activities 450 0.10 $16.10 $33,490
Religious Organizations 300 0.16 $14.97 $31,130
Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools 130 (7) $13.75 $28,590


Geographic profile for this occupation: Top

States and areas with the highest published employment, location quotients, and wages for this occupation are provided. For a list of all areas with employment in this occupation, see the Create Customized Tables function.





States with the highest employment level in this occupation:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Texas 188,790 16.07 1.51 $8.95 $18,620
New York 156,830 17.24 1.62 $12.27 $25,510
California 144,310 9.04 0.85 $12.09 $25,150
Pennsylvania 92,040 16.01 1.51 $10.96 $22,810
Minnesota 67,420 23.99 2.26 $11.83 $24,610




States with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in this occupation:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
New Mexico 23,940 29.72 2.80 $9.63 $20,020
Minnesota 67,420 23.99 2.26 $11.83 $24,610
Maine 13,340 22.37 2.10 $10.92 $22,710
Vermont 6,680 21.94 2.06 $13.52 $28,120
Wisconsin 59,690 21.28 2.00 $10.77 $22,400




Top paying States for this occupation:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
North Dakota 4,940 11.62 1.09 $15.33 $31,890
Alaska 4,900 15.16 1.43 $15.19 $31,600
New Jersey 10,460 2.64 0.25 $13.78 $28,670
Massachusetts 42,190 12.19 1.15 $13.59 $28,260
Vermont 6,680 21.94 2.06 $13.52 $28,120





Metropolitan areas with the highest employment level in this occupation:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
New York-Jersey City-White Plains, NY-NJ Metropolitan Division 88,660 13.46 1.27 $11.85 $24,650
Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI 45,900 24.03 2.26 $11.91 $24,780
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Glendale, CA Metropolitan Division 40,540 9.61 0.90 $12.39 $25,770
Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX 34,030 11.59 1.09 $9.10 $18,940
Chicago-Naperville-Arlington Heights, IL Metropolitan Division 32,260 8.87 0.83 $11.06 $23,000
Milwaukee-Waukesha-West Allis, WI 26,210 31.17 2.93 $10.80 $22,460
Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, AZ 25,490 13.17 1.24 $10.73 $22,310
Nassau County-Suffolk County, NY Metropolitan Division 23,770 18.48 1.74 $12.70 $26,410
San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX 22,030 22.54 2.12 $8.83 $18,360
McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX 20,720 82.96 7.81 $8.62 $17,930




Metropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in this occupation:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Brownsville-Harlingen, TX 13,240 96.16 9.05 $8.71 $18,110
McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX 20,720 82.96 7.81 $8.62 $17,930
Laredo, TX 5,890 60.36 5.68 $8.63 $17,950
Mankato-North Mankato, MN 2,480 48.05 4.52 $13.30 $27,660
Las Cruces, NM 2,940 41.75 3.93 $9.05 $18,830
Alexandria, LA 2,300 37.67 3.54 $9.90 $20,590
Hammond, LA 1,560 37.42 3.52 $8.66 $18,010
Sherman-Denison, TX 1,600 37.03 3.48 $8.76 $18,220
Grants Pass, OR 810 33.61 3.16 $11.28 $23,450
Glens Falls, NY 1,680 32.67 3.07 $12.26 $25,500




Top paying metropolitan areas for this occupation:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Bismarck, ND 1,010 13.55 1.28 $15.55 $32,350
Barnstable Town, MA 1,160 11.38 1.07 $14.97 $31,130
Anchorage, AK 3,620 20.55 1.93 $14.95 $31,100
Fairbanks, AK 280 7.60 0.72 $14.89 $30,970
Camden, NJ Metropolitan Division 1,680 3.25 0.31 $14.47 $30,100
Dutchess County-Putnam County, NY Metropolitan Division 2,900 20.82 1.96 $14.40 $29,950
Newark, NJ-PA Metropolitan Division 3,000 2.59 0.24 $14.26 $29,670
Norwich-New London-Westerly, CT-RI 1,140 8.95 0.84 $14.16 $29,460
Kingston, NY 1,150 19.59 1.84 $14.04 $29,200
Worcester, MA-CT 4,700 16.95 1.59 $14.02 $29,160

Nonmetropolitan areas with the highest employment in this occupation:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Southeast Missouri nonmetropolitan area 6,430 39.76 3.74 $9.23 $19,200
North Texas nonmetropolitan area 4,950 18.58 1.75 $8.62 $17,940
Coastal Plains Region of Texas nonmetropolitan area 4,430 30.11 2.83 $8.97 $18,650
Southwest Maine nonmetropolitan area 4,330 22.68 2.13 $11.02 $22,920
Capital/Northern New York nonmetropolitan area 4,270 29.64 2.79 $12.89 $26,810

Nonmetropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in this occupation:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
North and West Central New Mexico nonmetropolitan area 4,090 64.24 6.04 $9.86 $20,500
Border Region of Texas nonmetropolitan area 3,040 52.71 4.96 $8.44 $17,560
Southwestern New Mexico nonmetropolitan area 1,180 44.00 4.14 $9.08 $18,880
North Central Massachusetts nonmetropolitan area 250 40.51 3.81 $13.36 $27,780
Southeast Missouri nonmetropolitan area 6,430 39.76 3.74 $9.23 $19,200

Top paying nonmetropolitan areas for this occupation:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Nantucket Island and Martha's Vineyard nonmetropolitan area (8) (8) (8) $22.45 $46,690
Far West North Dakota nonmetropolitan area 190 2.92 0.27 $18.47 $38,430
Southeast Alaska nonmetropolitan area 310 8.94 0.84 $16.46 $34,240
East Central North Dakota nonmetropolitan area 850 20.95 1.97 $16.11 $33,510
Balance of Alaska nonmetropolitan area 690 9.31 0.88 $16.01 $33,300


About May 2016 National, State, Metropolitan, and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

These estimates are calculated with data collected from employers in all industry sectors, all metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas, and all states and the District of Columbia. The top employment and wage figures are provided above. The complete list is available in the downloadable XLS files.

The percentile wage estimate is the value of a wage below which a certain percent of workers fall. The median wage is the 50th percentile wage estimate--50 percent of workers earn less than the median and 50 percent of workers earn more than the median. More about percentile wages.


(1) Estimates for detailed occupations do not sum to the totals because the totals include occupations not shown separately. Estimates do not include self-employed workers.

(2) Annual wages have been calculated by multiplying the hourly mean wage by a "year-round, full-time" hours figure of 2,080 hours; for those occupations where there is not an hourly wage published, the annual wage has been directly calculated from the reported survey data.

(3) The relative standard error (RSE) is a measure of the reliability of a survey statistic. The smaller the relative standard error, the more precise the estimate.

(7) The value is less than .005 percent of industry employment.

(8) Estimate not released.

(9) The location quotient is the ratio of the area concentration of occupational employment to the national average concentration. A location quotient greater than one indicates the occupation has a higher share of employment than average, and a location quotient less than one indicates the occupation is less prevalent in the area than average.


Other OES estimates and related information:

May 2016 National Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2016 State Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2016 Metropolitan and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2016 National Industry-Specific Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2016 Occupation Profiles

Technical Notes

 

Last Modified Date: March 31, 2017