Patient care assistant salary

Q: How much does a patient care assistant make?

The average patient care assistant salary in the United States is $32,799. Patient care assistant salaries typically range between $23,000 and $45,000 yearly. The average hourly rate for patient care assistants is $15.77 per hour. Patient care assistant salary is impacted by location, education, and experience. Patient care assistants earn the highest average salary in Hawaii.

Q: What state pays Patient Care Assistants the most?

Hawaii pays Patient Care Assistants the most in the United States, with an average salary of $38,538 per year, or $18.53 per hour.

Q: How do I know if I'm being paid fairly as a patient care assistant?

You know if you are being paid fairly as a patient care assistant if your pay is close to the average pay for the state you live in. For example, if you live in Washington you should be paid close to $38,047 per year.

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

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.

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.

Quoted expert

Jason Mott Ph.D.

Average patient care assistant salary

$15.77

$32,799 yearly

Entry-level patient care assistant salary

$23,000 yearly salary

Updated December 15, 2025

Average Patient Care Assistant Salary

The average Patient Care Assistant earns approximately $32,799 per year, or about $16 per hour. This salary can differ based on various factors, including geographic location, years of experience, and specific employer.

How Much Does a Patient Care Assistant Make?

Entry-level positions typically start around $28,000, while experienced PCAs can earn upwards of $40,000 annually, especially in high-demand areas. According to data from various sources, patient care assistants are crucial in healthcare settings, performing tasks that range from basic patient care to administrative support.

Where Can a Patient Care Assistant Earn More?

States like California and New York often offer higher salaries due to the cost of living and demand for healthcare services. In addition, specialized facilities and hospitals may provide increased compensation compared to standard nursing homes or clinics.

Salary Estimates from Across the Web

Multiple job boards report similar average salaries for PCAs, reinforcing the reliability of these figures. For those considering a career in this field, understanding the salary landscape is essential for making informed career choices.

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Patient care assistant salary by:

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Where can a Patient Care Assistant earn more?

Compare salary by location

53k

33k

13k

-7k

Columbus, OH$35,323

Raleigh, NC$23,222

Compare salary by company

88k

68k

48k

28k

Microsoft$67,828

Path Medical$37,565

Patient care assistant salary estimates from across the web

Based on the latest salary information compiled by Zippia, Glassdoor, Ziprecruiter, SalaryExpert and Comparably, the average salary for a patient care assistant typically falls between $30,921 and $45,830.

zippia

$32,799yearly

glassdoor[1]

$43,000yearly

comparably[2]

$30,921yearly

ZipRecruiter[3]

$45,830yearly

SalaryExpert[4]

$38,310yearly

Average patient care assistant salary by state

The average patient care assistant salary in Hawaii, Washington, and Oregon are the highest in the U.S. The lowest average patient care assistant salary states are Georgia, Texas, and Louisiana.

State view
County view

Average salary:

Highest paying states for patient care assistants

Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
1	Washington	$38,047	$18.29
2	Maine	$36,005	$17.31
3	New Hampshire	$35,589	$17.11
4	Wisconsin	$33,348	$16.03
5	Oregon	$37,429	$17.99
6	Minnesota	$34,525	$16.60
7	Arizona	$33,736	$16.22
8	Alaska	$36,979	$17.78
9	Illinois	$33,391	$16.05
10	Idaho	$33,248	$15.98
11	Rhode Island	$33,704	$16.20
12	Michigan	$31,933	$15.35
13	Vermont	$35,668	$17.15
14	Nevada	$34,851	$16.76
15	Wyoming	$33,763	$16.23
16	New Jersey	$33,485	$16.10
17	Massachusetts	$34,918	$16.79
18	North Dakota	$33,551	$16.13
19	Montana	$31,963	$15.37
20	New York	$33,904	$16.30
21	Connecticut	$31,749	$15.26
22	New Mexico	$31,660	$15.22
23	California	$36,870	$17.73
24	Colorado	$32,583	$15.66
25	Iowa	$30,138	$14.49
26	Hawaii	$38,538	$18.53
27	Pennsylvania	$30,390	$14.61
28	Utah	$32,971	$15.85
29	Ohio	$29,451	$14.16
30	South Dakota	$31,366	$15.08
31	West Virginia	$27,607	$13.27
32	Delaware	$31,771	$15.27
33	Indiana	$28,040	$13.48
34	Kansas	$29,034	$13.96
35	Nebraska	$30,363	$14.60
36	Missouri	$28,684	$13.79
37	Tennessee	$25,437	$12.23
38	Maryland	$29,267	$14.07
39	Oklahoma	$27,363	$13.16
40	Florida	$23,453	$11.28
41	Kentucky	$23,994	$11.54
42	North Carolina	$23,047	$11.08
43	Georgia	$23,310	$11.21
44	District of Columbia	$29,499	$14.18
45	Alabama	$25,330	$12.18
46	Louisiana	$23,109	$11.11
47	Virginia	$26,351	$12.67
48	Arkansas	$23,660	$11.38
49	Texas	$23,164	$11.14
50	South Carolina	$22,009	$10.58
51	Mississippi	$22,749	$10.94

Top patient care assistant jobs near you

Highest paying cities for patient care assistants

The highest-paying cities for patient care assistants are San Diego, CA, Rochester, NY, and Boston, MA.

Rank	City	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
1	San Diego, CA	$35,323	$16.98
2	Rochester, NY	$35,170	$16.91
3	Boston, MA	$34,917	$16.79
4	Saint Cloud, MN	$34,668	$16.67
5	Eau Claire, WI	$34,086	$16.39
6	Phoenix, AZ	$33,868	$16.28
7	Grand Rapids, MI	$32,224	$15.49
8	Hartford, CT	$32,090	$15.43
9	Easton, PA	$30,967	$14.89
10	Cleveland, OH	$30,542	$14.68
11	Fort Wayne, IN	$28,808	$13.85
12	Saint Louis, MO	$28,510	$13.71
13	Charlottesville, VA	$26,519	$12.75
14	Knoxville, TN	$25,385	$12.20
15	Montgomery, AL	$25,214	$12.12
16	Tallahassee, FL	$23,941	$11.51
17	Atlanta, GA	$23,421	$11.26
18	Dallas, TX	$23,286	$11.20
19	Raleigh, NC	$23,222	$11.16

Patient Care Assistants are the most in-demand in these five cities:

Patient care assistant salary details

A patient care assistant's salary ranges from $23,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $45,000 at the 90th percentile.

Average patient care assistant salary graph, trends, and summary

What is a patient care assistant's salary?

Percentile	Annual salary	Monthly salary	Hourly rate
90th Percentile	$45,000	$3,750	$22
75th Percentile	$39,000	$3,250	$19
Average	$32,799	$2,733	$16
25th Percentile	$27,000	$2,250	$13
10th Percentile	$23,000	$1,917	$11

Highest paying patient care assistant jobs

The highest paying types of patient care assistants are licensed nursing assistant, home health care, and assistant.

Job title	Annual salary	Monthly salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
Nurse Technician	$33,005	$2,750	$15.87	195,553
Care Provider	$29,652	$2,471	$14.26	169,562
Home Health Care	$37,683	$3,140	$18.12	184,582
Patient Sitter	$29,649	$2,471	$14.25	188,756
Patient Escort	$33,351	$2,779	$16.03	174,801
Home Care Attendant	$26,059	$2,172	$12.53	235,912

How would you rate the starting salaries for patient care assistants, as well as the prospects for salary advancement?

Jason Mott Ph.D.

Associate Professor, Pre-licensure Program Director/Assistant Dean, University of Wisconsin Oshkosh

Salaries for nurses are outstanding. Also, there are many opportunities to grow and get advanced degrees, increasing the amount of money that nurses can make. There are so many opportunities to move around and advance in the profession to make nursing a perfect career choice.

Top companies hiring patient care assistants now:

Which companies pay patient care assistants the most?

Patient care assistant salaries at Microsoft and Colgate University are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average patient care assistant salary at companies like CCC and Civil & Environmental Consultants are highly competitive.

Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate
1	Microsoft	$67,828	$32.61
2	Colgate University	$55,127	$26.50
3	CCC	$48,204	$23.18
4	Civil & Environmental Consultants	$47,011	$22.60
5	Oracle	$46,296	$22.26
6	Brigham and Women's Hospital	$44,840	$21.56
7	Mount Auburn Hospital	$42,977	$20.66
8	Highland General Hospital	$42,329	$20.35
9	Alameda Health System	$41,439	$19.92
10	Massachusetts General Hospital	$41,193	$19.80
11	UMass Memorial Health	$41,000	$19.71
12	Valley Presbyterian Hospital	$40,402	$19.42
13	CARE	$39,037	$18.77
14	Catholic Health East	$38,999	$18.75
15	Medical Billing	$38,869	$18.69
16	Kisco Senior Living	$38,698	$18.60
17	Monarch Healthcare	$38,639	$18.58
18	Emory University	$38,180	$18.36
19	Credit Suisse	$37,988	$18.26
20	Path Medical	$37,565	$18.06

Wage gap by gender, race and education

$36,000$35,400$34,800$34,200$33,600$33,000

MaleFemale

Patient care assistant salary trends

The average patient care assistant salary has risen by $5,388 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average patient care assistant earned $27,411 annually, but today, they earn $32,799 a year. That works out to a 8% change in pay for patient care assistants over the last decade.

Compare patient care assistant salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.

Average patient care assistant salary over time

Compare patient care assistant salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.

Patient care assistant salary by year

Year	Avg. salary	Hourly rate	% Change
2026	$32,800	$15.77	+5.0%
2025	$31,200	$14.98	-4.5%
2024	$32,600	$15.65	+3.6%
2023	$31,400	$15.09	+3.4%
2022	$30,300	$14.58	+3.3%

Recently added patient care assistant salaries

Company	Job	Location	Date added	Salary
Lifepoint Hospitals	Patient Care Assistant (PCA)	Missoula, MT	06/30/2025	$33,789
Elara Holdings	Caregiver PCA Daily Pay Available	Oklahoma City, OK	06/30/2025	$28,175
Planned Parenthood of Central Western New York	Patient Care Assistant	Syracuse, NY	06/30/2025	$36,731
Kisco Senior Living	Med Tech/CNA/PCA &	Greensboro, NC	06/29/2025	$34,436
Memorialcare	Perioperative Patient Care Assistant, Surgery Services	Long Beach, CA	06/29/2025	$44,766
Memorial Care Health System	Perioperative Patient Care Assistant, Surgery Services	Long Beach, CA	06/29/2025	$44,766
Saint Luke's Health System	Home Health Aide/Pca-11Pm-7AM	Oswego, NY	06/29/2025	$36,627
Centracare Health	Patient Access Assistant \| Urgent Care \| Plaza	Saint Cloud, MN	06/29/2025	$34,623
Homewell Senior Care	In Home Caregiver/Pca	Anchorage, AK	06/29/2025	$36,523
Prime Healthcare Services	Patient Care Assistant Emergency Dept	Evanston, IL	06/29/2025	$39,444