Post job

Personal assistant vs personal care assistant

The differences between personal assistants and personal care assistants can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a personal assistant has an average salary of $40,026, which is higher than the $26,643 average annual salary of a personal care assistant.

The top three skills for a personal assistant include run errands, companionship and scheduling appointments. The most important skills for a personal care assistant are patients, CPR, and home health.

Personal assistant vs personal care assistant overview

Personal AssistantPersonal Care Assistant
Yearly salary$40,026$26,643
Hourly rate$19.24$12.81
Growth rate-8%36%
Number of jobs21,638256,869
Job satisfaction54.67
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 41%High School Diploma, 31%
Average age4948
Years of experience2-

What does a personal assistant do?

Personal assistants are employees working for individuals who need help in managing their personal affairs. Personal assistants manage the daily activities of their employers. They are in charge of managing their employer's schedules and appointments, often coordinating their meetings and orienting them on their schedule at the start of the day. They also arrange travel needs, from looking for travel tickets to booking accommodations. When they have built enough trust with their employer, they are entrusted to also manage personal financial accounts and are often given access to other confidential information related to the employer.

What does a personal care assistant do?

Personal care assistants are employed to help individuals who may need special attention or assistance. They are usually trained to care for individuals with specific conditions, whether physically or mentally. Personal care assistants manage their meal plans, medicine intake, daily schedule, and therapy, among others. They help their clients move, eat, bathe, and dress. They also run errands and provide any other assistance that their clients may need. Personal care assistants also provide emotional and moral support to their clients. They are also in touch with medical professionals and provide updates on the health of their clients.

Personal assistant vs personal care assistant salary

Personal assistants and personal care assistants have different pay scales, as shown below.

Personal AssistantPersonal Care Assistant
Average salary$40,026$26,643
Salary rangeBetween $26,000 And $60,000Between $18,000 And $37,000
Highest paying CityNew York, NYBoston, MA
Highest paying stateNew YorkMassachusetts
Best paying companyAbbVieMassachusetts General Hospital
Best paying industryReal EstateProfessional

Differences between personal assistant and personal care assistant education

There are a few differences between a personal assistant and a personal care assistant in terms of educational background:

Personal AssistantPersonal Care Assistant
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 41%High School Diploma, 31%
Most common majorBusinessNursing
Most common collegeUniversity of Pennsylvania-

Personal assistant vs personal care assistant demographics

Here are the differences between personal assistants' and personal care assistants' demographics:

Personal AssistantPersonal Care Assistant
Average age4948
Gender ratioMale, 19.3% Female, 80.7%Male, 15.0% Female, 85.0%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 11.0% Unknown, 5.8% Hispanic or Latino, 17.0% Asian, 7.4% White, 57.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9%Black or African American, 10.3% Unknown, 4.4% Hispanic or Latino, 16.2% Asian, 8.7% White, 59.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.2%
LGBT Percentage12%7%

Differences between personal assistant and personal care assistant duties and responsibilities

Personal assistant example responsibilities.

  • Manage all errands including dry cleaning, pharmacy, and personal shopping for groceries, clothing, and gifts.
  • Manage daily operations of the gallery including budgeting, small payroll and reconciling business accounts, eliminating off-site accounting fees.
  • Maintain company books including A/R, A/P, bank statements and other reports.
  • Handle payroll, phones, A/R, A/P, and general accounting procedures.
  • Book appointments, confirm travel accommodations, complete payroll using QuickBooks, maintain business licenses and insurance
  • Wash windows, walls, and woodwork.
  • Show more

Personal care assistant example responsibilities.

  • Conduct and facilitate PCA lead group activities as scheduled
  • Act the utmost compassion and professionalism in providing every client with the highest quality care.
  • Review patients' dietary restrictions, food allergies, and preferences to ensure patient receives appropriate diet.
  • Provide nourishment and medication to pet resort guests and hospitalize patients alike.
  • Assist consumers with outside activates that are planned by PCW
  • Used love and compassion & structure to show young individuals their self worth.
  • Show more

Personal assistant vs personal care assistant skills

Common personal assistant skills
  • RUN Errands, 29%
  • Companionship, 8%
  • Scheduling Appointments, 6%
  • Meal Prep, 5%
  • Household Chores, 5%
  • Travel Arrangements, 5%
Common personal care assistant skills
  • Patients, 17%
  • CPR, 12%
  • Home Health, 12%
  • RUN Errands, 7%
  • Companionship, 6%
  • Patient Care, 6%

Browse personal care and attendants jobs