Q: How much do patient care assistants make?

Patient care assistant makes $38,694 a year. However, there is some range and how much a patient care assistant can make. This can start as low as $16,000 a year to as high as $49,000 a year. Factors such as location, company and years of experience can impact how much a patient care assistant can make.

Q: How much do PCAs get paid?

PCAs get paid around $34,419 a year ($14.76 an hour). The range in how much a physical therapist assistant can make starts from $16,000 a year to as high as $52,000 a year. Factors such as location and years of experience can impact how much a patient care assistant can make.

Q: How much does a PCA make per hour?

A PCA makes around $14 an hour. The range and what a patient care assistant (PCA) can earn starts as low as $7.96 an hour to as high as $23.56 an hour. Factors such as location and company type impact how much a PCA can earn.

Q: What is a CNA's salary per hour?

A CNA's salary per hour is $14 ($29,221 a year). A certified nurse assistant (CNA) earns between $8.41 an hour to $18.99 an hour. Factors such as the type of CNA and location of the position all impact how much a CNA can earn.

Q: Can you be a care assistant with no experience?

Yes, you can be a care assistant with no experience. The primary qualifications for getting a job as a health care assistant with no experience are a high school diploma and a degree or certificate from a health care assistant training program.

Question 1

How long does it take to become a Patient Care Assistant?

Accepted Answer

It takes 3 years of professional experience to become a patient care assistant. That is the time it takes to learn specific patient care assistant skills, but does not account for time spent in formal education.

Question 2

How much do patient care assistants make?

Accepted Answer

Patient care assistant makes $38,694 a year. However, there is some range and how much a patient care assistant can make. This can start as low as $16,000 a year to as high as $49,000 a year. Factors such as location, company and years of experience can impact how much a patient care assistant can make.

Question 3

What is the difference between a patient care assistant and a CNA?

Accepted Answer

The difference between a patient care assistant and a CNA is that a CNA's job requires training and certification and deals more with medically oriented tasks rather than patient comfort. CNAs do three things that PCAs can not do -- set up medical equipment, assist in medical procedures, and take and record vital signs.

Question 4

What qualifications do I need to be a health care assistant?

Accepted Answer

The qualifications needed for a health care assistant include a high school diploma and the willingness to learn. In most cases, employers may require a one or two years vocational / associate's degree. For some entry-level positions, employers require no experience and provide on-the-job training.

Question 5

What is a good starting salary for a Patient Care Assistant?

Accepted Answer

A good starting salary for a patient care assistant is $21,000 in the United States. That puts you in the 10th percentile of annual income for a patient care assistant in the U.S., which is about what you would expect if you were new to the field. The average salary for patient care assistants is $30,223, but that normally requires some level of experience to achieve. Furthermore, a good starting salary for a patient care assistant can vary by state.

Question 6

How much do PCAs get paid?

Accepted Answer

PCAs get paid around $34,419 a year ($14.76 an hour). The range in how much a physical therapist assistant can make starts from $16,000 a year to as high as $52,000 a year. Factors such as location and years of experience can impact how much a patient care assistant can make.

Question 7

How much does a PCA make per hour?

Accepted Answer

A PCA makes around $14 an hour. The range and what a patient care assistant (PCA) can earn starts as low as $7.96 an hour to as high as $23.56 an hour. Factors such as location and company type impact how much a PCA can earn.

Question 8

What is a CNA's salary per hour?

Accepted Answer

A CNA's salary per hour is $14 ($29,221 a year). A certified nurse assistant (CNA) earns between $8.41 an hour to $18.99 an hour. Factors such as the type of CNA and location of the position all impact how much a CNA can earn.

Question 9

Can a patient care assistant make 100k?

Accepted Answer

No, you cannot make $100,000 per year as a patient care assistant. It is highly unlikely to earn over $100k because the average annual salary for a patient care assistant is $30,223. Even patient care assistants in higher-paid positions do not typically earn more than $41,000 per year.

Question 10

Can you be a care assistant with no experience?

Accepted Answer

Yes, you can be a care assistant with no experience. The primary qualifications for getting a job as a health care assistant with no experience are a high school diploma and a degree or certificate from a health care assistant training program.

Question 11

How much does a PCA earn?

Accepted Answer

A PCA earns $13.22 an hour. The range in how much a patient care assistant (PCA) can earn ranges from $9.84 an hour to $17.91 an hour. Factors such as years of experience and location impact how much a PCA can earn.

Question 12

What percentage of Patient Care Assistants are female?

Accepted Answer

83.9% of patient care assistants are female in the United States. This is 0.9 percentage points higher than last year. Additionally, the percentage of female patient care assistants has increased by 1.8 percentage points since 2010. That means there are a total of 85,724 female patient care assistants in the U.S. and 16,451 male patient care assistants in the United States. Note that Zippia's estimate accounts only for the 102,175 people with the specific job title of patient care assistant and doesn't include grouping similar job titles, or people with potentially similar credentialing.

Question 13

How do I describe my personal care assistant experience on a resume?

Accepted Answer

To describe your experience as a personal care assistant on your resume, let your future employer know how your training and work background makes you a great fit for the job. The job announcement contains great information about desired skills and specialties. Read through it and respond directly.

Question 14

How do you describe patient care experience on a resume?

Accepted Answer

To describe patient care experience on a resume, include what patients you worked with, their health, or cognitive conditions. Include quantifiable information like how many clients you served and for how long. Employers want to get a sense of how reliable and skilled you are.

Question 15

What are the duties of a patient care assistant?

Accepted Answer

The duties of a patient care assistant usually involve providing non-medical care to those under medical treatment or supervision.

Essentially it is a caregiving position, and that may include:

Question 16

What should I put on my resume for a PCA job?

Accepted Answer

A personal care assistant (PCA) should give a sense of personality through their resume because this can be intimate work. This job involves helping a vulnerable population in a direct everyday way.

Frequently asked questions about patient care assistants

Questions about becoming a patient care assistant