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What is a personal care assistant and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
Quoted expert
Penny Ridenour
introduction image

A personal care assistant provides basic medical and personal assistance to individuals who require help with their daily activities. This includes assisting with bathing, grooming, dressing, and medication management. They also provide emotional support to their clients. Personal care assistants work in settings, such as hospitals, nursing homes, and private residences. They must be empathetic, and patient, and have a strong ability to multitask. Personal care assistants are vital in helping individuals maintain their quality of life.

What general advice would you give to a Personal Care Assistant?

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.
ScorePersonal Care AssistantUS Average
Salary
2.1

Avg. Salary $26,643

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level
8.0

Growth rate 36%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity
6.0
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 1.20%

Asian 8.69%

Black or African American 10.31%

Hispanic or Latino 16.21%

Unknown 4.40%

White 59.19%

Gender

female 85.03%

male 14.97%

Age - 50
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 - 50
Stress level
8.0

Stress level is high

7.1 - high

Complexity level
7.4

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 personal care assistant?

Pros

  • Opportunity to learn new skills and gain experience in the healthcare field

  • Chance to develop personal relationships with clients

  • Opportunity to work with people from diverse backgrounds and cultures

  • Potential for advancement or promotions within the field

  • Opportunity to make a positive impact on someone's life

Cons

  • Physical and emotional demands of the job can be exhausting

  • Potential for exposure to contagious illnesses and diseases

  • Long hours and unpredictable schedules

  • Emotional toll of watching clients decline in health or pass away

  • Lack of support or recognition from employers or society as a whole

Personal Care Assistant career paths

Key steps to become a personal care assistant

  1. Explore personal care assistant education requirements

    Most common personal care assistant degrees

    High School Diploma

    31.1 %

    Bachelor's

    24.0 %

    Associate

    20.0 %
  2. Start to develop specific personal care assistant skills

    SkillsPercentages
    Patients16.91%
    CPR11.78%
    Home Health11.76%
    RUN Errands6.80%
    Companionship6.44%
  3. Gain additional personal care assistant certifications

    Personal care assistant 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 personal care assistant certification, having one may help you stand out relative to other applicants.

    The most common certifications for personal care assistants include Certified Nurse Assistant (CNA) and Medical Assistant.

    More About Certifications
  4. Research personal care assistant duties and 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.
  5. Prepare your personal care assistant resume

    When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your personal care assistant 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 personal care assistant resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

    Choose from 10+ customizable personal care assistant resume templates

    Build a professional personal care assistant 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 personal care assistant resume.
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  6. Apply for personal care assistant jobs

    Now it's time to start searching for a personal care assistant job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

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

How did you land your first personal care assistant job

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Average personal care assistant salary

The average personal care assistant salary in the United States is $26,643 per year or $13 per hour. Personal care assistant salaries range between $18,000 and $37,000 per year.

Average Personal Care Assistant Salary
$26,643 Yearly
$12.81 hourly

What am I worth?

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How do personal care assistants rate their job?

4.67/5

Based on 3 ratings

5 Stars

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3 Stars

2 Stars

1 Star

Personal Care Assistant reviews

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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!


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A zippia user wrote a review on Dec 2022
Pros

The ability to show care, love & compassion to those whom have none or family can't give time to show any. It's like being the missing piece to a puzzle we all if lucky enough get to live long enough to experience. It's making someones day by just remembering to watch their hands and face before/ after meals. To give proper attention to teeth, to let dressing am or pm still br a choice they make. I know im a good human with an oversized caring heart and although sometimes its exhausting working extra hrs or having to do all or extra work on short staffed days it's worth it. And slow and steady wins the day. They are people whom have gone through & experienced more then we will ever get too.

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.


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A zippia user wrote a review on Jan 2022
Pros

Helping client Maintain themselves in their own home until the end of life.my goal

Cons

Working behind a caregiver that’s not well trained


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Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

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