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Orderlies: Job Description

Transport patients to areas such as operating rooms or x-ray rooms using wheelchairs, stretchers, or moveable beds. May maintain stocks of supplies or clean and transport equipment. Psychiatric orderlies are included in Psychiatric Aides.

What Do Orderlies Take On?

Typical responsibilities of orderlies include:

• Lift or assist others to lift patients to move them on or off beds, examination tables, surgical tables, or stretchers.
• Transport patients to treatment units, testing units, operating rooms, or other areas, using wheelchairs, stretchers, or moveable beds.
• Disinfect or sterilize equipment or supplies, using germicides or sterilizing equipment.
• Clean equipment, such as wheelchairs, hospital beds, or portable medical equipment, documenting needed repairs or maintenance.
• Respond to emergency situations, such as emergency medical calls, security calls, or fire alarms.
• Change soiled linens, such as bed linens, drapes, or cubicle curtains.
• Carry messages or documents between departments.
• Transport portable medical equipment or medical supplies between rooms or departments.

Skills and Knowledge

Top orderlies rely on a mix of skills and domain knowledge.

Key Skills

These are the skills most important for this role, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:

Core Knowledge

Other Orderlies Job Titles

Common job titles for this role include:

• Attendant
• Cart Attendant
• Clinical Support Associate
• Emergency Room Orderly
• Hospice Entrance Attendant
• Hospital Corpsman
• Hospital Orderly
• Infirmary Attendant

How Many Orderlies Are There?

There are roughly 147,690 orderlies working in the United States today. This occupation is expected to grow by +0.9% over the projection horizon.

How Much Do Orderlies Make?

Statistic	Value
Annual median	$31,214
Hourly median	$15.01
10th percentile	$21,573
25th percentile	$26,394
75th percentile	$36,035
90th percentile	$40,856

Pay can vary substantially based on experience, location, and industry.

How Much Do Orderlies Make in Different U.S. States?

State	Annual median salary
Washington	$51,870
California	$48,550
Hawaii	$45,740
New York	$45,600
Minnesota	$44,970
Oregon	$43,810
Delaware	$42,440
Colorado	$41,390
Alaska	$40,610
Wisconsin	$40,090
New Hampshire	$39,630
Massachusetts	$39,420
Indiana	$38,820
Pennsylvania	$38,790
Rhode Island	$38,660
Illinois	$38,480
New Jersey	$38,140
Idaho	$38,090
Maine	$37,970
Tennessee	$37,600
District of Columbia	$37,450
South Carolina	$37,440
North Carolina	$37,200
Nebraska	$37,030
Maryland	$37,020
Arizona	$36,910
Virginia	$36,740
New Mexico	$36,580
Kansas	$36,440
Kentucky	$36,400
Iowa	$36,210
Missouri	$36,190
Ohio	$36,170
Connecticut	$35,840
Texas	$35,840
Michigan	$35,810
Wyoming	$35,400
Georgia	$34,780
West Virginia	$34,630
Nevada	$34,560
Florida	$34,560
Oklahoma	$33,650
Alabama	$31,240
Arkansas	$31,120
South Dakota	$30,690
Mississippi	$30,070
Louisiana	$26,350
Puerto Rico	$21,010

Where Orderlies Earn the Most

Compensation for orderlies differ across the country. The following regions pay the most:

Region	Median annual wage	Share of U.S. jobs	Location quotient
Far Western US	$47,329	11.8%	0.78
Middle Atlantic	$40,624	25.0%	1.76
Rocky Mountains	$40,334	1.8%	0.68
New England	$38,128	5.6%	1.33
Plains States	$37,690	3.6%	0.62
Great Lakes	$37,526	15.2%	1.09
Southwest	$35,943	7.0%	0.59
Southeast	$35,292	29.0%	1.32

Highest-Paying Metro Areas for Orderlies

Metro area	State	Median annual wage	Employment
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA	CA	$68,360	460
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA	CA	$63,900	320
Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA	CA	$60,090	370
Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA	CA	$54,020	40
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA	WA	$51,870	70
Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA	CA	$51,470	750
Chico, CA	CA	$49,810	50
Rochester, MN	MN	$48,110	50

Industry Breakdown

The bulk of orderlies are found across these industries:

Industry	Employment	Median annual wage
Health Care and Social Assistance	49,040	$37,650
Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services	1,520	$38,270
Educational Services	280	$37,190
Management of Companies and Enterprises	230	$43,810

The table below shows some of the most common industries where those employed in this career field work.

Tech Stack

• Spreadsheet software: Microsoft Excel (hot technology)
• Office suite software: Microsoft Office software (hot technology)
• Electronic mail software: Microsoft Outlook (hot technology)
• Operating system software: Microsoft Windows (hot technology)

Work Environment

The on-the-job environment of orderlies reflects the following characteristics:

• Contact With Others
• Exposed to Disease or Infections
• Physical Proximity
• Telephone Conversations
• Wear Common Protective or Safety Equipment such as Safety Shoes, Glasses, Gloves, Hearing Protection, Hard Hats, or Life Jackets

Getting Started in This Career

Entry-level orderlies positions require a high school diploma or equivalent as the typical entry-level education. This career aligns with Some Preparation Needed (Job Zone 2), indicating the level of preparation typically expected.

Similar Occupations

Similar Occupations

• Anesthesiologist Assistants (Supplemental)
• Respiratory Therapists (Supplemental)
• Registered Nurses (Supplemental)
• Acute Care Nurses (Supplemental)
• Cardiovascular Technologists and Technicians (Supplemental)
• Emergency Medical Technicians (Supplemental)
• Paramedics (Supplemental)
• Surgical Technologists (Primary-Long)

About the Data

Statistics shown above are sourced from the following authoritative sources:

• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) for employment and wage data by state and industry.
• BLS Employment Projections for total employment and growth forecasts.
• O*NET (Occupational Information Network) for skills, knowledge, tasks, work activities, work context, technology, and education-zone data.

SOC code: 31-1132.00 (Orderlies).