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Job outlook for medication aides in the United States
Medication aide job growth summary. After extensive research, interviews, and analysis, Zippia's data science team found that:
The projected medication aide job growth rate is 9% from 2018-2028.
About 137,800 new jobs for medication aides are projected over the next decade.
Medication aide salaries have increased 8% for medication aides in the last 5 years.
There are over 26,536 medication aides currently employed in the United States.
There are 275,582 active medication aide job openings in the US.
The average medication aide salary is $40,799.
Are medication aide jobs in demand?
Medication aide job and salary trends over time
Medication aide jobs over time
Medication aide job growth rate over time
| Year | # of jobs | % of population |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 26,536 | 0.01% |
| 2020 | 56,124 | 0.02% |
| 2019 | 53,139 | 0.02% |
| 2018 | 33,072 | 0.01% |
| 2017 | 33,134 | 0.01% |
Average medication aide salary over time
Medication aide salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $40,799 | $19.61 | +5.2% |
| 2025 | $38,770 | $18.64 | --4.3% |
| 2024 | $40,500 | $19.47 | +3.7% |
| 2023 | $39,052 | $18.78 | +3.5% |
| 2022 | $37,732 | $18.14 | +3.4% |
Medication aide jobs by state
Most common states for medication aides
| Rank | State | Population | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Massachusetts | 6,859,819 | 4,479 | 65% |
| 2 | Indiana | 6,666,818 | 3,771 | 57% |
| 3 | New Hampshire | 1,342,795 | 768 | 57% |
| 4 | Maine | 1,335,907 | 714 | 53% |
| 5 | West Virginia | 1,815,857 | 857 | 47% |
| 6 | Minnesota | 5,576,606 | 2,592 | 46% |
| 7 | Kansas | 2,913,123 | 1,307 | 45% |
| 8 | Rhode Island | 1,059,639 | 476 | 45% |
| 9 | Connecticut | 3,588,184 | 1,496 | 42% |
| 10 | Pennsylvania | 12,805,537 | 5,215 | 41% |
| 11 | Iowa | 3,145,711 | 1,274 | 40% |
| 12 | Vermont | 623,657 | 251 | 40% |
| 13 | Delaware | 961,939 | 379 | 39% |
| 14 | Georgia | 10,429,379 | 3,945 | 38% |
| 15 | Washington | 7,405,743 | 2,784 | 38% |
| 16 | Montana | 1,050,493 | 400 | 38% |
| 17 | South Dakota | 869,666 | 329 | 38% |
| 18 | North Dakota | 755,393 | 262 | 35% |
| 19 | Florida | 20,984,400 | 7,160 | 34% |
| 20 | Kentucky | 4,454,189 | 1,496 | 34% |
Most common cities for medication aides
| Rank | City | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl | Avg. salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Franklin | 9 | 36% | $44,167 |
| 2 | Fremont | 6 | 23% | $37,391 |
| 3 | Terre Haute | 7 | 12% | $44,041 |
| 4 | Carmel | 10 | 11% | $44,466 |
| 5 | Elkhart | 6 | 11% | $45,236 |
| 6 | Columbus | 5 | 11% | $44,010 |
| 7 | Kokomo | 5 | 9% | $44,735 |
| 8 | Bloomington | 6 | 7% | $43,924 |
| 9 | Indianapolis | 23 | 3% | $44,342 |
| 10 | Fort Wayne | 7 | 3% | $45,040 |
| 11 | Richmond | 6 | 3% | $40,315 |
| 12 | Omaha | 7 | 2% | $37,331 |
| 13 | Saint Paul | 7 | 2% | $43,818 |
| 14 | Lincoln | 5 | 2% | $37,112 |
| 15 | Austin | 6 | 1% | $34,782 |
| 16 | San Antonio | 6 | 0% | $34,933 |
Medication Aide job outlook: Expert opinions
Our panel of medication aide experts
Spokane Community College
Merrimack College
Endicott College
Jeanne Martin PhD, MSN, RN, CNE
Clinical Associate ProfessorWhat will help Medication Aides increase their earning potential?
Jeanne Martin PhD, MSN, RN, CNE: I think honing clinical judgment is the KEY to safe patient care. A lack of clinical judgment competency is associated with preventable nursing errors, such as medication inaccuracies or failure to recognize a patient is deteriorating and then step in to rescue that patient. These errors are more prevalent in new graduate nurses. This is why the National Council State Board of Nursing changed the licensure exam to reflect the Clinical Judgment Model. As the complexities of health care expand, the clinical judgment of the nurse must expand with it.
Jean Schlittenhart
NAC Program DirectorSpokane Community College
NAC Program
What soft skills should all Medication Aides possess?
Jean Schlittenhart: Communication such as listening skills, empathy, compassion, emotional support, and holistic care.
What skills will help Medication Aides earn the most?
Jean Schlittenhart: Communication and compassion are among the top priorities and the 22 basic care skills provided for the residents and patients.
Comora Sarah
Assistant Clinical ProfessorMerrimack College
Nursing Department
What soft skills should all Medication Aides possess?
Comora Sarah: Ability to effectively communicate with all patients and interdisciplinary team members, willing to be flexible with shifts and scheduling, a team player with a great work ethic.