Personal Care Aide: What It Is and How to Become One

Key takeaways

Personal care aides assist people with physical disabilities, mental impairments, and chronic diseases in managing daily tasks.

• The median total salary for a personal care aide in the United States is $43,000 per year [1]. 

• You can work in care homes, daycare centers, or private homes as a personal care aide.

• You can enhance your career prospects as a personal care aide by pursuing certifications in first aid and CPR. 

Take a closer look at what personal care aides do, including the skills and qualifications needed to pursue this role. Afterward, enroll in Rice University’s Medical Terminology Specialization to familiarize yourself with common prefixes, suffixes, and abbreviations used in the medical field. You’ll also have an opportunity to learn about common diagnoses. 

What is a personal care aide?

A personal care aide (PCA) supports and assists people with physical disabilities, mental impairments, and chronic diseases in managing daily tasks, from preparing meals to getting dressed to everyday self-care activities. Many personal care aides work with elderly patients, either in a nursing home, hospital setting, or in their homes. Working as a personal care aide can be a rewarding career with excellent on-the-job training and options for career growth. 

Personal care aide salary and career outlook

According to Glassdoor as of November 2025, the median total salary for a personal care aide is $43,000 per year [1]. This figure includes base salary and additional pay, which may represent profit-sharing, commissions, bonuses, or other compensation. The career outlook is excellent, with the industry expected to grow by 17 percent between 2024 and 2034, which is much faster than the average for all occupations [2].

Career progression opportunities are good, with a personal care aide position providing the experience for moving onto more senior positions, such as senior caregiver and care manager.

What is the difference between a home health aide and a personal care aide?

Personal care aides typically perform non-medical tasks for patients, such as assistance in completing day-to-day tasks, such as cleaning, cooking, and household work. Home health aides take on simple medical tasks, such as giving patients medication, as well as being there to emotionally support them.

Educational requirements for personal care aide jobs

For this role, specific requirements may vary across states and different positions. Most training takes place on the job, but most employers expect a high school diploma or passing the GED, or General Educational Development Test, as a minimum requirement. This isn’t the case for all positions, since the right skills and qualities are considered very valuable in this field.

Still, earning an associate or bachelor's degree can demonstrate your knowledge and education level. It'll be especially helpful if you want to enter senior-level roles in the future.

On-the-job training

When you're hired, you'll typically receive on-the-job training from registered nurses, employers, and supervisors. Training covers many subjects, including health and safety, cooking for dietary restrictions, responding to emergencies, infection control, basic nutrition, and general best practices. 

Read more: How to Become a Nurse: Resources to Help You Get Started

Formal training

Some states require formal training instead of (or in addition to) on-the-job training, especially for those working in certified home health or hospice agencies. This may include getting a license or certification and passing a background check, and a competency exam. 

Certifications

Depending on the employer, various personal care aide certifications may or may not be part of the requirements, but they will always be an advantage. Keeping up to date with professional development and looking for ways to stay ahead of other candidates is an excellent strategy for securing a job. 

• Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) certification: Working with people with health conditions means that first aid and even resuscitation may be something you have to administer. Some states require certification in this area, but no matter what, CPR training will be an advantage when applying for jobs.

• First aid certification: First aid is likely to play a part in the role of a personal care aide, given the nature of the job, so seek out training. Some employers will require official external certification. You can take courses in first aid before applying to get ahead.

Personal care aide skills

You'll need both interpersonal skills and technical skills as a personal care aide. Here are a few of each to understand what skills to build upon.

Workplace skills

• Patience

• Empathy

• Relationship building 

• Interpersonal and communication skills

• Integrity

• Time management

• Organization

• Physical stamina

Technical skills 

• Housekeeping

• Cooking

• Basic hygiene

• Scheduling and planning

• Medical knowledge, including first aid and CPR

Where do personal care aides work?

Personal care aides work in various settings, making options plentiful and easy to move to new positions to gain a more comprehensive level of experience.

• Personal care home: Many personal care aides work in care homes, hospices, or large group care settings. You will give hospice care when a patient has been given six months or less to live by their doctor.

• Small group setting: Some personal care aides work in small groups, supporting clients in daycare centers. Some work specifically with individual clients, and others work with groups on a shift rotation.

• Individual homes: Some personal care aide roles, particularly in rural communities, occur in the patient’s home. This may be with a single patient or, most likely, with several patients they visit throughout the day.

Explore our free health care career resources

Subscribe to Career Chat on LinkedIn to get weekly updates on popular skills, tools, and certifications in health care management. Check out these other free digital resources:

• Take a quiz: Career Test: What Career is Right for Me Quiz?

• Discover health care trends: AI in Health Care: Uses, Benefits, and Concerns

• Watch on YouTube: 7 Key Communication Skills to Thrive in Your Career

Accelerate your career growth with a Coursera Plus subscription. When you enroll in either the monthly or annual option, you’ll get access to over 10,000 courses.

Build job-ready skills with Coursera Plus

Start 7-day free trial

• 
• 
• 
• 

Start 7-day free trial