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Personal Care Aide

Also called: Caregiver, Home Care Aide, Personal Care Attendant (PCA), Care Provider

Provide personalized assistance to individuals with disabilities or illness who require help with personal care and activities of daily living support (e.g., feeding, bathing, dressing, grooming, toileting, and ambulation).

No four-year degree needed Bright outlook Healthcare
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Median pay
$35,800/yr
Typical range
$27,040 – $45,040
Outlook
Bright outlook

What does a Personal Care Aide do?

Provide personalized assistance to individuals with disabilities or illness who require help with personal care and activities of daily living support (e.g., feeding, bathing, dressing, grooming, toileting, and ambulation). May also provide help with tasks such as preparing meals, doing light housekeeping, and doing laundry. Work is performed in various settings depending on the needs of the care recipient and may include locations such as their home, place of work, out in the community, or at a daytime nonresidential facility.

  • Prepare and maintain records of client progress and services performed, reporting changes in client condition to manager or supervisor.
  • Administer bedside or personal care, such as ambulation or personal hygiene assistance.
  • Perform healthcare-related tasks, such as monitoring vital signs and medication, under the direction of registered nurses or physiotherapists.

How to become a Personal Care Aide

Training: A high school diploma or GED or an associate's degree or other 2-year degree. Ranges from a few days to one year of on-the-job training.

Skills you'll use

Listening to others, not interrupting, and asking good questionsKeeping track of how well people and/or groups are doing in order to make improvementsLooking for ways to help peopleUnderstanding people's reactions

Is it a fit for you?

  • Optimism
  • Sincerity
  • Empathy
  • Self-Control
  • Social Orientation

Tools and technology

MEDITECH softwareAppletreeEmail softwareVoltage SecureMail

Questions people ask

How much does a Personal Care Aide make?

About $35,800 a year at the U.S. median. Most earn between $27,040 and $45,040. Pay depends on the state, the employer and experience.

How long does it take to become a Personal Care Aide?

Ranges from a few days to one year of on-the-job training.

Do you need a college degree to be a Personal Care Aide?

No four-year degree is needed. A high school diploma or GED or an associate's degree or other 2-year degree.

Is Personal Care Aide a good career to get into?

O*NET lists it as a Bright Outlook career: it's expected to grow quickly or have lots of openings in the next few years.

Related careers

Home Health Aide$33,530 a yearNanny$34,980 a yearCertified Nursing Assistant (CNA)$38,200 a yearMedical Assistant$42,000 a yearDental Assistant$44,820 a yearPharmacy Technician$40,300 a year

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National wage figures via O*NET Web Services. This application incorporates information from O*NET Web Services by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. Figures are national estimates and vary by state, employer and experience. Career details from O*NET Web Services by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.

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