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Best states for a patient care assistant
Quoted expert
Katrina Malkin
- Rank 1 - 10
- 11 - 20
- 21 - 30
- 31 - 40
- 41 - 51
Job opportunities vary from state to state, and healthcare support careers are no different. Because we know how difficult it can be to know which states are the best when it comes to patient care assistant jobs, we decided to crunch some numbers to bring you the best states for patient care assistants.Our research found that Washington is the best state for patient care assistants, while Hawaii and Washington are ranked highest in terms of median salary. Washington has a median salary of $38,047 and Hawaii has the highest median salary among all 50 states for patient care assistants.
In order to get you the best states for patient care assistants, we looked at our data on jobs and wages -- specifically the average annual wage and the number of available jobs per capita.If you are currently seeking employment as a patient care assistant, you can find open job positions using Zippia's search tools.
10 best states for patient care assistants in 2026
1. Washington
Total patient care assistant jobs: 3,825 Average annual salary: $38,047 Lowest 10 percent earn: $29,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $48,000 Location Quotient: 1.34
2. Maine
Total patient care assistant jobs: 909 Average annual salary: $36,005 Lowest 10 percent earn: $29,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $44,000 Location Quotient: 1.75
3. New Hampshire
Total patient care assistant jobs: 764 Average annual salary: $35,589 Lowest 10 percent earn: $27,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $45,000 Location Quotient: 1.11
4. Wisconsin
Total patient care assistant jobs: 2,928 Average annual salary: $33,348 Lowest 10 percent earn: $25,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $44,000 Location Quotient: 1.35
5. Oregon
Total patient care assistant jobs: 1,624 Average annual salary: $37,429 Lowest 10 percent earn: $28,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $48,000 Location Quotient: 1
6. Minnesota
Total patient care assistant jobs: 2,852 Average annual salary: $34,525 Lowest 10 percent earn: $26,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $44,000 Location Quotient: 1.1
7. Arizona
Total patient care assistant jobs: 2,604 Average annual salary: $33,736 Lowest 10 percent earn: $23,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $49,000 Location Quotient: 1.14
8. Alaska
Total patient care assistant jobs: 343 Average annual salary: $36,979 Lowest 10 percent earn: $32,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $42,000 Location Quotient: 1.05
9. Illinois
Total patient care assistant jobs: 5,353 Average annual salary: $33,391 Lowest 10 percent earn: $24,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $45,000 Location Quotient: 1.15
10. Idaho
Total patient care assistant jobs: 699 Average annual salary: $33,248 Lowest 10 percent earn: $25,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $43,000 Location Quotient: 1.09
Patient care assistant jobsNear Columbus, OH
How Zippia determines the best states to be a patient care assistant
You can read about how the best state rankings are calculated here.
Detailed list of the best states for a patient care assistant
| Rank | State | Average salary | Lowest 10% earn | Population | Job count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Washington | $38,047 | $29,000 | 7,405,743 | 3,825 |
| 2 | Maine | $36,005 | $29,000 | 1,335,907 | 909 |
| 3 | New Hampshire | $35,589 | $27,000 | 1,342,795 | 764 |
| 4 | Wisconsin | $33,348 | $25,000 | 5,795,483 | 2,928 |
| 5 | Oregon | $37,429 | $28,000 | 4,142,776 | 1,624 |
| 6 | Minnesota | $34,525 | $26,000 | 5,576,606 | 2,852 |
| 7 | Arizona | $33,736 | $23,000 | 7,016,270 | 2,604 |
| 8 | Alaska | $36,979 | $32,000 | 739,795 | 343 |
| 9 | Illinois | $33,391 | $24,000 | 12,802,023 | 5,353 |
| 10 | Idaho | $33,248 | $25,000 | 1,716,943 | 699 |
| 11 | Rhode Island | $33,704 | $25,000 | 1,059,639 | 485 |
| 12 | Michigan | $31,933 | $23,000 | 9,962,311 | 3,569 |
| 13 | Vermont | $35,668 | $28,000 | 623,657 | 269 |
| 14 | Nevada | $34,851 | $24,000 | 2,998,039 | 531 |
| 15 | Wyoming | $33,763 | $25,000 | 579,315 | 144 |
| 16 | New Jersey | $33,485 | $24,000 | 9,005,644 | 3,397 |
| 17 | Massachusetts | $34,918 | $26,000 | 6,859,819 | 3,351 |
| 18 | North Dakota | $33,551 | $26,000 | 755,393 | 314 |
| 19 | Montana | $31,963 | $25,000 | 1,050,493 | 502 |
| 20 | New York | $33,904 | $24,000 | 19,849,399 | 5,147 |
| 21 | Connecticut | $31,749 | $23,000 | 3,588,184 | 1,650 |
| 22 | New Mexico | $31,660 | $21,000 | 2,088,070 | 734 |
| 23 | California | $36,870 | $25,000 | 39,536,653 | 8,286 |
| 24 | Colorado | $32,583 | $23,000 | 5,607,154 | 2,390 |
| 25 | Iowa | $30,138 | $22,000 | 3,145,711 | 1,698 |
| 26 | Hawaii | $38,538 | $33,000 | 1,427,538 | 253 |
| 27 | Pennsylvania | $30,390 | $21,000 | 12,805,537 | 4,905 |
| 28 | Utah | $32,971 | $23,000 | 3,101,833 | 793 |
| 29 | Ohio | $29,451 | $21,000 | 11,658,609 | 4,107 |
| 30 | South Dakota | $31,366 | $24,000 | 869,666 | 372 |
| 31 | West Virginia | $27,607 | $19,000 | 1,815,857 | 811 |
| 32 | Delaware | $31,771 | $22,000 | 961,939 | 463 |
| 33 | Indiana | $28,040 | $19,000 | 6,666,818 | 3,206 |
| 34 | Kansas | $29,034 | $20,000 | 2,913,123 | 1,141 |
| 35 | Nebraska | $30,363 | $22,000 | 1,920,076 | 721 |
| 36 | Missouri | $28,684 | $20,000 | 6,113,532 | 2,194 |
| 37 | Tennessee | $25,437 | $17,000 | 6,715,984 | 2,525 |
| 38 | Maryland | $29,267 | $20,000 | 6,052,177 | 2,246 |
| 39 | Oklahoma | $27,363 | $18,000 | 3,930,864 | 1,151 |
| 40 | Florida | $23,453 | $16,000 | 20,984,400 | 7,635 |
| 41 | Kentucky | $23,994 | $16,000 | 4,454,189 | 1,494 |
| 42 | North Carolina | $23,047 | $16,000 | 10,273,419 | 4,071 |
| 43 | Georgia | $23,310 | $16,000 | 10,429,379 | 4,393 |
| 44 | District of Columbia | $29,499 | $20,000 | 693,972 | 267 |
| 45 | Alabama | $25,330 | $17,000 | 4,874,747 | 1,370 |
| 46 | Louisiana | $23,109 | $15,000 | 4,684,333 | 1,218 |
| 47 | Virginia | $26,351 | $18,000 | 8,470,020 | 2,963 |
| 48 | Arkansas | $23,660 | $16,000 | 3,004,279 | 826 |
| 49 | Texas | $23,164 | $15,000 | 28,304,596 | 6,186 |
| 50 | South Carolina | $22,009 | $15,000 | 5,024,369 | 1,661 |
| 51 | Mississippi | $22,749 | $15,000 | 2,984,100 | 589 |
Highest paying states for patient care assistants
| Rank | State | Avg. Patient Care Assistant Salary |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Washington | $38,047 |
| 2 | Maine | $36,005 |
| 3 | New Hampshire | $35,589 |
| 4 | Wisconsin | $33,348 |
| 5 | Oregon | $37,429 |
| 6 | Minnesota | $34,525 |
| 7 | Arizona | $33,736 |
| 8 | Alaska | $36,979 |
| 9 | Illinois | $33,391 |
| 10 | Idaho | $33,248 |
| 11 | Rhode Island | $33,704 |
| 12 | Michigan | $31,933 |
| 13 | Vermont | $35,668 |
| 14 | Nevada | $34,851 |
| 15 | Wyoming | $33,763 |
| 16 | New Jersey | $33,485 |
| 17 | Massachusetts | $34,918 |
| 18 | North Dakota | $33,551 |
| 19 | Montana | $31,963 |
| 20 | New York | $33,904 |
| 21 | Connecticut | $31,749 |
| 22 | New Mexico | $31,660 |
| 23 | California | $36,870 |
| 24 | Colorado | $32,583 |
| 25 | Iowa | $30,138 |
| 26 | Hawaii | $38,538 |
| 27 | Pennsylvania | $30,390 |
| 28 | Utah | $32,971 |
| 29 | Ohio | $29,451 |
| 30 | South Dakota | $31,366 |
| 31 | West Virginia | $27,607 |
| 32 | Delaware | $31,771 |
| 33 | Indiana | $28,040 |
| 34 | Kansas | $29,034 |
| 35 | Nebraska | $30,363 |
| 36 | Missouri | $28,684 |
| 37 | Tennessee | $25,437 |
| 38 | Maryland | $29,267 |
| 39 | Oklahoma | $27,363 |
| 40 | Florida | $23,453 |
| 41 | Kentucky | $23,994 |
| 42 | North Carolina | $23,047 |
| 43 | Georgia | $23,310 |
| 44 | District of Columbia | $29,499 |
| 45 | Alabama | $25,330 |
| 46 | Louisiana | $23,109 |
| 47 | Virginia | $26,351 |
| 48 | Arkansas | $23,660 |
| 49 | Texas | $23,164 |
| 50 | South Carolina | $22,009 |
| 51 | Mississippi | $22,749 |
Expert opinions on the best states for patient care assistants
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for patient care assistants to find work opportunities?
Katrina Malkin
Assistant Professor, Bellevue College
Rather than a geographic location, I think graduates should think outside of previous conventions of where a new grad finds a point of entry into the profession. How about telehealth? How about tech industry advisors? How about virtual health education? That is having been said; our students are graduating and finding jobs where they always have - major metropolitan areas, hospital systems like Swedish, Virginia Mason, the Veterans Health Administration, Overlake Hospital. Hospital systems now run well-developed nursing residency programs. Many of these are provided to the hospital through subcontractors who specialize in residency programs. They range from 3-6 months, include significant off-unit classes and training, and don't always lead to a job on the unit, where the graduate goes initially. Understanding what is out there in terms of nursing residencies, getting a job as a CNA (Certified Nursing Assistant), or other support roles is one of the very best ways to get a job in the hospital where you want to work as an RN after graduation.
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Updated January 8, 2025