How do I become a certified home health aide?

To become a certified home health aide you need to complete a certified training program and pass a certification exam. Certification is not necessary for home health aides unless they work in a facility that receives Medicare/Medicaid funding. However, to increase earning potential and move up in your career, it can be useful to get this certification.

How long does it take to become a home health aide?

It takes about 120 hours of classroom training and 40 hours of clinical work to become a home health aide. These are the typical industry requirements needed to become certified as a home health aide.

How much does a home health aide certification cost?

A home health aide certification costs between $300 to $650. The cost of the program depends on where you get your training from. For example, the cost of programs from a reputed university or school can be more expensive than the training provided by smaller schools.

What is the difference between a caregiver and a home health aide?

The difference between a caregiver and a home health aide is the level of medical care they are qualified and trained to give. Home Health Aides typically receive advanced training to provide simple health services.

What is a home health aid and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

4 min read

Quoted expert

Penny Ridenour

A home health aide is a person who provides support and assistance to individuals who are unable to care for themselves due to age, illness, or disability. They work in a variety of settings, including private homes, nursing homes, and hospitals. Their duties include monitoring the patient's condition, administering medication, providing personal care, and assisting with daily activities such as meal preparation and exercise. Home health aids also provide emotional support and companionship to patients.

What general advice would you give to a home health aid?

Penny Ridenour

Dean of School of Health Sciences, Oklahoma State University - Oklahoma City

In order to maximize your earnings, flexibility is key to fit the niche the employer needs. Intentionally accept assignments that will allow growth in a specialization. If possible, ask to shadow other professionals proficient in the specialization you desire.

ScoreHome Health AidUS Average

Salary

2.1

Avg. Salary $27,249

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level

7.7

Growth rate 36%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity

2.7

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 1.11%

Asian 10.47%

Black or African American 23.99%

Hispanic or Latino 23.41%

Unknown 5.40%

White 35.62%

Gender

female 86.45%

male 13.55%

Age - 51

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 51

Stress level

7.7

Stress level is high

7.1 - high

Complexity level

7.1

Complexity level is challenging

7 - challenging

Work life balance

9.6

Work life balance is excellent

6.4 - fair

What are the pros and cons of being a home health aid?

Pros

Fulfilling work helping others
Flexibility of schedule
Potential for job security and demand for services
Possibility for advancement to supervisory or management roles
Competitive pay and benefits

Cons

Physical demands of the job (lifting, bending, standing for long periods)
Exposure to illness and contagious diseases
High levels of stress and emotional strain
Irregular work hours and potential for long shifts
Low pay compared to other healthcare professions

Key steps to become a home health aid

Explore home health aid education requirements

Most common home health aid degrees

High School Diploma

32.4 %

Associate

21.1 %

Bachelor's

18.8 %

Start to develop specific home health aid skills

Skills	Percentages
Home Health	21.90%
Patients	13.27%
Companionship	7.28%
Patient Care	4.82%
HHA	4.50%

Complete relevant home health aid training and internships

Accountants spend an average of Less than 1 month on post-employment, on-the-job training. New home health aids learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a home health aid based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real home health aid resumes.

Obtain the necessary licensing

Becoming a licensed home health aid usually doesn't require a college degree. However, you need to pass an exam to become a licensed home health aid in most of states. 25 states require home health aids to have license for their work. You can see the list of states below.

State	Education	Exam	License url
Alaska	Degree required	Third-party exam required	Nurse Aide
Arkansas	Specific course required	Both state and third-party exams required	Nursing Assistant (Certified)
California	Specific course required	State exam required	Certified Nurse Assistant
Colorado	Specific course required	State exam required	Nurse Aide
Connecticut	Specific course required	State exam required	Nurses Aide

Gain additional home health aid certifications

Home health aid certifications can show employers you have a baseline of knowledge expected for the position. Certifications can also make you a more competitive candidate. Even if employers don't require a specific home health aid certification, having one may help you stand out relative to other applicants.

The most common certifications for home health aids include Medical Assistant and Advanced First Aid & CPR.

More About Certifications

Research home health aid duties and responsibilities

Clean house, cook, run errands, take to doctor appointments
Prepare for HIPAA and JCAHO reviews, ensuring require brochures and pamphlets are available to patients in all clinics.
Conduct insurance verifications for Medicare, Medicaid and private insurance patients.
Perform ADL's, medication administration, pulmonary therapy, daily physiotherapy.

Prepare your home health aid resume

When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your home health aid resume.

You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a home health aid resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

Choose from 10+ customizable home health aid resume templates

Build a professional home health aid resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your home health aid resume.

Apply for home health aid jobs

Now it's time to start searching for a home health aid job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

Browse job boards for relevant postings
Consult your professional network
Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
Watch out for job scams

How do home health aids rate their job?

4.29/5

Out of 7 Home Health Aid reviews, 86% were positive.

5 stars

4 stars

3 stars

2 stars

1 star

Based on 7 ratings

Career growth

5.0

Pay / salary

3.0

Work/life balance

5.0

Overall rating

4.3

Home health aid reviews

4.0

A zippia user wrote a review on Feb 2025

Pros

You can work as many or as few hours as you want. Because there’s a shortage of us, your employer tends to treat you much better than other workplace.

Cons

Risk of physical injury Sometimes depressing. Some “ick” factor if client needs high level of personal hygiene care. High turnover of office staff. You don’t report to a single boss/supervisor.

A zippia user wrote a review on Jul 2023

Pros

Very fulfilling and rewarding

Cons

Hard work, not enough staff, mandated a lot. Under appreciated!

A zippia user wrote a review on Dec 2022

Cons

All the changes with certification and how you can be on the floor of a facility and know not even common sense. How they have hospitality aides, hca, and people going to start a free class. Back in the day we were called glorified babysitters I never agreed until we have just a warm body with no license(s) whom can't do anything even as small as getting ice waters. I've worked hard tobe where i am and these people take a computer class and pass we would call that our continuing education hrs but what do i know after 23 yrs. I once REALLY loved my job and still do but it's almost like being in grade school with people who have phone's lol It bothers me that many new or non licensed bodies have the audacity to come in these facilities and act like the residents are on their time! We are in their home to help provide ADL's amongst other things like them still trying to be & keep their independence. The ridiculous amount they have to spend to have the care they get from some people makes me wanna die young!! Our system sucks unless its the government making the dollar. I just wish they'd spend an 8 hr shift in these facilities before signing off on some rules & regs. Im not political by any means but those who take the dollar should get to live and experience a day of what our elderly lived ones are forced to experience daily , monthly, yearly! In fact the state hasn't even done the 18 month annual expectation in over 2 yrs at the place im contracted at 👍way to keep up on stuff and by stuff I mean our elderly living human beans. People who deserve to be served on gold plates or at least gave better food then what they serve daycares and if not that at least for it to be at high minimum warm food !! In 23 yrs of being a CNA I can only try to write a book to get out all the things I've seen ,heard. & witnessed in the years.

What is a home health aid and how to become one

What general advice would you give to a home health aid?

What are the pros and cons of being a home health aid?

Home health aid career paths

Key steps to become a home health aid

Explore home health aid education requirements

Most common home health aid degrees

Start to develop specific home health aid skills

Complete relevant home health aid training and internships

Obtain the necessary licensing

Gain additional home health aid certifications

Research home health aid duties and responsibilities

Prepare your home health aid resume

Choose from 10+ customizable home health aid resume templates

Apply for home health aid jobs

How did you land your first home health aid job

Average home health aid salary

How do home health aids rate their job?

Home health aid reviews

Home health aid FAQs

How do I become a certified home health aide?

How long does it take to become a home health aide?

How much does a home health aide certification cost?

What is the difference between a caregiver and a home health aide?

Search for home health aid jobs

Home health aid jobs by state