Life As a Personal Care Aide
Example of Personal Care Aide Job Assist the elderly, convalescents, or persons with disabilities with daily living activities at the person’s home or in a care facility. Duties performed at a place of residence may include keeping house (making beds, doing laundry, washing dishes) and preparing meals. May provide assistance at non-residential care facilities. May advise families, the elderly, convalescents, and persons with disabilities regarding such things as nutrition, cleanliness, and household activities.
Life As a Personal Care Aide: What Do They Do?
- Prepare and maintain records of client progress and services performed, reporting changes in client condition to manager or supervisor.
- Provide clients with communication assistance, typing their correspondence or obtaining information for them.
- Perform housekeeping duties, such as cooking, cleaning, washing clothes or dishes, or running errands.
- Train family members to provide bedside care.
- Transport clients to locations outside the home, such as to physicians’ offices or on outings, using a motor vehicle.
- Perform healthcare-related tasks, such as monitoring vital signs and medication, under the direction of registered nurses or physiotherapists.
Featured schools near , edit
Qualities of a Personal Care Aide
Personal Care Aides state the following job skills are important in their day-to-day work.
Service Orientation: Actively looking for ways to help people.
Social Perceptiveness: Being aware of others’ reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
Active Listening: Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Speaking: Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Monitoring: Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
Critical Thinking: Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
Other Personal Care Aide Job Titles
- Personal Care Aid
- Care Taker
- Patient Care Assistant (PCA)
- Sitter
- State Tested Nursing Assistant (STNA)
What Kind of Personal Care Aide Job Opportunities Are There?
There were about 2,016,100 jobs for Personal Care Aide in 2016 (in the United States). New jobs are being produced at a rate of 38.6% which is above the national average. The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts 777,700 new jobs for Personal Care Aide by 2026. There will be an estimated 414,300 positions for Personal Care Aide per year.

The states with the most job growth for Personal Care Aide are Virginia, Arizona, and Utah. Watch out if you plan on working in Maine, Maryland, or Pennsylvania. These states have the worst job growth for this type of profession.
How Much Does a Personal Care Aide Make?
The typical yearly salary for Personal Care Aides is somewhere between $18,740 and $31,650.

Personal Care Aides who work in Alaska, North Dakota, or District of Columbia, make the highest salaries.
How much do Personal Care Aides make in different U.S. states?
State | Annual Mean Salary |
---|---|
Alabama | $19,250 |
Alaska | $33,840 |
Arizona | $24,440 |
Arkansas | $21,390 |
California | $27,210 |
Colorado | $26,410 |
Connecticut | $27,300 |
Delaware | $23,840 |
District of Columbia | $30,440 |
Florida | $23,390 |
Georgia | $22,540 |
Hawaii | $27,530 |
Idaho | $22,970 |
Illinois | $24,600 |
Indiana | $22,830 |
Iowa | $25,050 |
Kansas | $21,920 |
Kentucky | $25,740 |
Louisiana | $19,300 |
Maine | $25,490 |
Maryland | $26,910 |
Massachusetts | $29,080 |
Michigan | $24,230 |
Minnesota | $26,260 |
Mississippi | $20,800 |
Missouri | $23,020 |
Montana | $24,250 |
Nebraska | $26,230 |
Nevada | $23,580 |
New Hampshire | $26,900 |
New Jersey | $29,890 |
New Mexico | $21,020 |
New York | $27,640 |
North Carolina | $21,660 |
North Dakota | $32,890 |
Ohio | $23,530 |
Oklahoma | $20,270 |
Oregon | $26,980 |
Pennsylvania | $24,880 |
Rhode Island | $27,190 |
South Carolina | $20,990 |
South Dakota | $24,400 |
Tennessee | $21,060 |
Texas | $19,960 |
Utah | $25,740 |
Vermont | $30,750 |
Virginia | $21,240 |
Washington | $29,140 |
West Virginia | $20,760 |
Wisconsin | $24,250 |
Wyoming | $26,780 |
Tools & Technologies Used by Personal Care Aides
Although they’re not necessarily needed for all jobs, the following technologies are used by many Personal Care Aides:
- Email software
- Word processing software
- Spreadsheet software
- MEDITECH software
Becoming a Personal Care Aide
What education is needed to be a Personal Care Aide?

How Long Does it Take to Become a Personal Care Aide?

Where Personal Care Aides Work

The table below shows the approximate number of Personal Care Aides employed by various industries.

Other Jobs You May be Interested In
Those thinking about becoming a Personal Care Aide might also be interested in the following careers:
Those who work as a Personal Care Aide sometimes switch careers to one of these choices:
References:
Image Credit: Sgt. Courtney Richardson, 4th Fighter Wing Public Affairs via Public domain
More about our data sources and methodologies.
Featured Schools
![]() |
Southern New Hampshire University You have goals. Southern New Hampshire University can help you get there. Whether you need a bachelor's degree to get into a career or want a master's degree to move up in your current career, SNHU has an online program for you. Find your degree from over 200 online programs. Learn More > |