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Health care assistant salary
Average health care assistant salary
$16.77
Understanding Health Care Assistant Salaries
The average salary for a Health Care Assistant in the United States is $34,892 per year, or $17 per hour. However, this figure can fluctuate based on several factors including geographic location, years of experience, and the type of healthcare facility. For instance, Health Care Assistants in metropolitan areas often earn more than their rural counterparts due to higher living costs.
In states like California and New York, salaries tend to be higher, reflecting the demand for healthcare services in these regions. Additionally, specific industries, such as nursing care facilities and hospitals, typically offer more competitive salaries compared to general healthcare settings. For example, Health Care Assistants working in nursing homes may have different earning potentials than those employed in outpatient care centers.
Salary Estimates by State
To give a clearer picture, here’s how salaries break down by state:
- California: $40,000
- New York: $38,500
- Texas: $32,000
- Florida: $31,500
Overall, understanding these factors can aid job seekers in making informed decisions about their career paths in the healthcare sector.
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Where can a Health Care Assistant earn more?
Health care assistant salary estimates from across the web
Average health care assistant salary by state
The highest-paying states for health care assistants are Alaska, Washington, and Oregon. The lowest average health care assistant salary states are Georgia, Kansas, and West Virginia.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for health care assistants
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New Hampshire | $39,090 | $18.79 |
| 2 | Maine | $36,778 | $17.68 |
| 3 | North Dakota | $37,863 | $18.20 |
| 4 | Minnesota | $36,960 | $17.77 |
| 5 | Rhode Island | $39,228 | $18.86 |
| 6 | Oregon | $41,242 | $19.83 |
| 7 | Massachusetts | $38,759 | $18.63 |
| 8 | Washington | $41,298 | $19.85 |
| 9 | Connecticut | $37,828 | $18.19 |
| 10 | Vermont | $36,198 | $17.40 |
| 11 | Idaho | $36,805 | $17.69 |
| 12 | Pennsylvania | $33,468 | $16.09 |
| 13 | Indiana | $33,552 | $16.13 |
| 14 | South Dakota | $34,655 | $16.66 |
| 15 | Delaware | $36,836 | $17.71 |
| 16 | Alaska | $41,318 | $19.86 |
| 17 | Wisconsin | $33,467 | $16.09 |
| 18 | Montana | $35,513 | $17.07 |
| 19 | New Jersey | $37,644 | $18.10 |
| 20 | California | $39,908 | $19.19 |
| 21 | Ohio | $31,676 | $15.23 |
| 22 | Michigan | $31,488 | $15.14 |
| 23 | Utah | $34,707 | $16.69 |
| 24 | Iowa | $31,894 | $15.33 |
| 25 | Illinois | $34,610 | $16.64 |
| 26 | New York | $36,285 | $17.44 |
| 27 | Nevada | $33,328 | $16.02 |
| 28 | Arizona | $31,998 | $15.38 |
| 29 | Wyoming | $33,139 | $15.93 |
| 30 | Tennessee | $29,759 | $14.31 |
| 31 | District of Columbia | $37,348 | $17.96 |
| 32 | Oklahoma | $30,564 | $14.69 |
| 33 | Maryland | $35,681 | $17.15 |
| 34 | Louisiana | $31,510 | $15.15 |
| 35 | Kentucky | $30,070 | $14.46 |
| 36 | Arkansas | $29,768 | $14.31 |
| 37 | Hawaii | $37,110 | $17.84 |
| 38 | New Mexico | $29,873 | $14.36 |
| 39 | North Carolina | $29,236 | $14.06 |
| 40 | West Virginia | $28,481 | $13.69 |
| 41 | Missouri | $29,854 | $14.35 |
| 42 | Colorado | $31,471 | $15.13 |
| 43 | South Carolina | $29,726 | $14.29 |
| 44 | Texas | $30,361 | $14.60 |
| 45 | Nebraska | $29,367 | $14.12 |
| 46 | Kansas | $28,786 | $13.84 |
| 47 | Virginia | $30,089 | $14.47 |
| 48 | Georgia | $29,212 | $14.04 |
| 49 | Mississippi | $27,743 | $13.34 |
| 50 | Florida | $28,341 | $13.63 |
| 51 | Alabama | $26,497 | $12.74 |
Highest paying cities for health care assistants
The highest-paying cities for health care assistants are Antioch, CA, Bellingham, WA, and Bend, OR.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Antioch, CA | $42,108 | $20.24 |
| 2 | Bellingham, WA | $41,603 | $20.00 |
| 3 | Bend, OR | $40,988 | $19.71 |
| 4 | Manchester, NH | $39,168 | $18.83 |
| 5 | Springfield, MA | $38,822 | $18.66 |
| 6 | Fort Lee, NJ | $37,997 | $18.27 |
| 7 | Portland, ME | $36,961 | $17.77 |
| 8 | Minneapolis, MN | $36,957 | $17.77 |
| 9 | Mount Vernon, NY | $36,395 | $17.50 |
| 10 | Burlington, VT | $36,043 | $17.33 |
| 11 | Salt Lake City, UT | $34,776 | $16.72 |
| 12 | Chicago, IL | $34,662 | $16.66 |
| 13 | Madison, WI | $33,189 | $15.96 |
| 14 | Phoenix, AZ | $32,013 | $15.39 |
| 15 | Clinton, MI | $31,792 | $15.28 |
| 16 | Houston, TX | $30,379 | $14.61 |
| 17 | Kansas City, MO | $30,055 | $14.45 |
| 18 | Charlottesville, VA | $29,836 | $14.34 |
| 19 | Charleston, SC | $29,782 | $14.32 |
| 20 | Raleigh, NC | $29,373 | $14.12 |
Health care assistant salary details
A health care assistant's salary ranges from $25,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $47,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a health care assistant's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $47,000 | $3,917 | $23 |
| 75th Percentile | $41,000 | $3,417 | $20 |
| Average | $34,892 | $2,908 | $17 |
| 25th Percentile | $29,000 | $2,417 | $14 |
| 10th Percentile | $25,000 | $2,083 | $12 |
Highest paying health care assistant jobs
The highest paying types of health care assistants are health care administrator, health care specialist, and health care coordinator.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Health Aide | $30,434 | $2,536 | $14.63 | 121,842 |
| Home Health Aid | $27,249 | $2,271 | $13.10 | 248,490 |
| Child Care Attendant | $27,542 | $2,295 | $13.24 | 156,197 |
| Home Health Care | $37,683 | $3,140 | $18.12 | 184,582 |
| Health Care Provider | $39,309 | $3,276 | $18.90 | 236,098 |
| Health Care Coordinator | $43,412 | $3,618 | $20.87 | 146,649 |
How would you rate the starting salaries for health care assistants, as well as the prospects for salary advancement?
Jamie Rauscher RVT
Medical Manager, Animal Hospital of Towne Lake and Cat Clinic of Woodstock
Top companies hiring health care assistants now:
Which companies pay health care assistants the most?
Health care assistant salaries at Medical University of South Carolina and OSF HealthCare are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average health care assistant salary at companies like Harvard University and Michigan State University are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Medical University of South Carolina | $47,491 | $22.83 |
| 2 | OSF HealthCare | $41,997 | $20.19 |
| 3 | Harvard University | $40,847 | $19.64 |
| 4 | Michigan State University | $40,681 | $19.56 |
| 5 | Sharp HealthCare | $38,417 | $18.47 |
| 6 | Erickson Senior Living | $37,717 | $18.13 |
| 7 | University of Iowa Center for Advancement | $36,743 | $17.66 |
| 8 | Goodwin Recruiting | $36,732 | $17.66 |
| 9 | PSEA | $36,605 | $17.60 |
| 10 | Planned Parenthood | $36,184 | $17.40 |
| 11 | Santa Clara County Office of Education | $35,991 | $17.30 |
| 12 | Legacy Healthcare | $35,480 | $17.06 |
| 13 | Kaiser Group Inc | $35,368 | $17.00 |
| 14 | Casey's Pond | $35,368 | $17.00 |
| 15 | PLANNED PARENTHOOD OF NORTHERN CENTRAL | $35,368 | $17.00 |
| 16 | Colorado State Express | $35,368 | $17.00 |
| 17 | Children's Health Corporation | $35,368 | $17.00 |
| 18 | Catholic Health Initiatives - Colorado | $35,368 | $17.00 |
| 19 | Antioch Unified School District | $35,354 | $17.00 |
| 20 | Fresenius Medical Care North America Holdings Limited Partnership | $35,115 | $16.88 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Health Care Assistant salary by industry
The average health care assistant salary varies across industries:
- The average health care assistant salary in the education industry is $32,564, the highest of any industry.
- The average health care assistant salary in the finance industry is $32,330.
- Health care assistants in the professional industry earn an average salary of $31,227, the lowest of any industry.
Highest paying industries for health care assistants
| Rank | Industry | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Education | $32,564 | $15.66 |
| 2 | Health Care | $32,330 | $15.54 |
| 3 | Government | $31,730 | $15.25 |
| 4 | Professional | $31,227 | $15.01 |
High paying health care assistant jobs
Health care assistant salary trends
The average health care assistant salary has risen by $5,394 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average health care assistant earned $29,498 annually, but today, they earn $34,892 a year. That works out to a 8% change in pay for health care assistants over the last decade.
Compare health care assistant salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average health care assistant salary over time
Compare health care assistant salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Health care assistant salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $34,900 | $16.78 | +5.0% |
| 2025 | $33,200 | $15.94 | -4.5% |
| 2024 | $34,600 | $16.65 | +4.1% |
| 2023 | $33,200 | $15.97 | +2.6% |
| 2022 | $32,300 | $15.55 | +3.0% |
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