### Bureau of Labor Statistics U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

Nursing Assistants and Orderlies Summary
                        
            
                                                        
                                                                
                        
            
            
            
                            
                                                
                                                
                                                
                                                
            						
							
				                                                
                                            




            			nursing assistants imageOrderlies help transport patients in hospitals or residents in nursing homes.							
						Quick Facts:     Nursing Assistants and Orderlies2023     Median Pay
            						$38,130     per year
										$18.33     per hourTypical Entry-Level Education
                                    See How to Become OneWork Experience in a Related Occupation
                                    NoneOn-the-job Training
                                    See How to Become OneNumber of Jobs, 2022
                                    1,406,800Job Outlook, 2022-32
                                    4% (As fast as average)Employment Change, 2022-32
                                    58,400What Nursing Assistants and Orderlies Do
                                                
                        
                        
Nursing assistants provide basic care and help patients with activities of daily living. Orderlies transport patients and clean treatment areas.
            
                        Work Environment
                        
Most nursing assistants and orderlies work in nursing and residential care facilities and in hospitals. They are physically active and may need to help lift or move patients.
            
                                                How to Become a Nursing Assistant or Orderly
                                                
                        
Nursing assistants often need to complete a state-approved education program and pass their state’s competency exam to become licensed or certified. Orderlies typically have at least a high school diploma.
            
                        Pay
                        												                            																				    														The median annual wage for nursing assistants was $38,200 in May 2023.									                                														The median annual wage for orderlies was $36,830 in May 2023.									                                					
						
            
                        Job Outlook
                        						
												Overall employment							of nursing assistants and orderlies is projected to grow							 4 percent from 2022 to 2032, about as fast as the average for all occupations.
						About 209,400 openings for nursing assistants and orderlies are projected each year, on average, over the decade.
            			
            			 Many of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to different occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire.
						State & Area Data
                       Explore resources for employment and wages by state and area for nursing assistants and orderlies.
            
            
						
                        Similar Occupations
                        
                                                    Compare the job duties, education, job growth, and pay of nursing assistants and orderlies with similar occupations.
            
            
                        More Information, Including Links to O*NET
                        
                                               
                        Learn more about nursing assistants and orderlies by visiting additional resources, including O*NET, a source on key characteristics of workers and occupations.
 What Nursing Assistants and Orderlies Do 
            

			Nursing aides, orderlies, and attendantsNursing assistants help patients with activities of daily living like eating and bathing.			
Nursing assistants, sometimes called *nursing aides*, provide basic care and help patients with activities of daily living. Orderlies transport patients and clean treatment areas.
Duties
Nursing assistants and orderlies work as part of a healthcare team under the supervision of licensed practical or licensed vocational nurses and registered nurses.
Nursing assistants provide basic care and help with activities of daily living. They typically do the following:
Clean and bathe patients
Help patients use the toilet and dress
Turn, reposition, and transfer patients between beds and wheelchairs
Listen to and record patients’ health concerns and report that information to nurses
Measure patients’ vital signs, such as blood pressure and temperature
Serve meals and help patients eatDepending on their training level and the state in which they work, nursing assistants also may dispense medication.
Nursing assistants are often the principal caregivers in nursing and residential care facilities. Nursing assistants often develop relationships with their patients because some patients stay in these facilities for months or years.
Orderlies typically do the following:
Help patients to move around the facility, such as by pushing their wheelchairs
Clean equipment and facilities
Change linens
Stock supplies
 Work Environment
			Nursing aides, orderlies, and attendantsOrderlies are responsible for keeping hospitals and other facilities clean and tidy.			

	    
				
	
	
	
	
	
	
	    					 Nursing assistants held about 1.4 million jobs in 2022. The largest employers of nursing assistants were as follows:
        Nursing care facilities (skilled nursing facilities)
                33%Hospitals; state, local, and private
                33Continuing care retirement communities and assisted living facilities for the elderly
                11Home healthcare services
                6Government
                4Orderlies held about 45,500 jobs in 2022. The largest employers of orderlies were as follows:
        Hospitals; state, local, and private
                85%Ambulatory healthcare services
                6Government
                1The work of nursing assistants and orderlies may be strenuous. They spend much of their time on their feet as they care for patients.
Injuries and Illnesses
Nursing assistants and orderlies have one of the highest rates of injuries and illnesses of all occupations. These workers frequently move patients and have other physically demanding tasks. They typically get training in how to properly lift people, which can reduce the risk of injuries.
Work Schedules
Although most nursing assistants and orderlies work full time, some work part time. Because nursing and residential care facilities and hospitals provide care at all hours, nursing assistants and orderlies may need to work nights, weekends, and holidays.
 How to Become a Nursing Assistant or Orderly

			Nursing aides, orderlies, and attendantsNursing assistants must be able to communicate effectively to address patients’ or residents’ concerns.			
Nursing assistants typically must complete a state-approved education program and pass their state’s competency exam. Orderlies typically have at least a high school diploma or equivalent.
Education and Training
Nursing assistants often need to complete a state-approved education program that includes both instruction on the principles of nursing and supervised clinical work. These programs are available in high schools, community colleges, vocational and technical schools, hospitals, and nursing homes.
In addition, nursing assistants typically complete a brief period of on-the-job training to learn about their specific employer’s policies and procedures.
Orderlies typically have at least a high school diploma or equivalent and receive a short period of on-the-job training.
Licenses, Certifications, and Registrations
Specific requirements for nursing assistants vary by state. Nursing assistants often need a state-issued license or certification. After completing an approved education program, nursing assistants often must pass a competency exam, which allows them to use state-specific titles. In some states, a nursing assistant is called a Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA), but titles vary by state.
Nursing assistants who have passed the competency exam are placed on a state registry. They must be on the state registry to work in a nursing home.
Some states have other requirements as well, such as continuing education and a criminal background check. Check with state certifying agencies for more information.
In some states, nursing assistants may earn additional credentials, such as Certified Medication Assistant (CMA). As a CMA, they may dispense medications.
Orderlies do not need a license; however, jobs might require certification in cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) or basic life support (BLS).
Important Qualities
***Communication skills.*** Nursing assistants and orderlies must listen and respond to patients’ concerns. They also need to share information with other healthcare workers.
***Compassion.*** Nursing assistants and orderlies help and care for people who are sick, injured, or need aid for other reasons. They need an empathetic attitude to do their work.
***Patience.*** The routine tasks of cleaning, feeding, and bathing patients may be stressful. Nursing assistants and orderlies must be able to complete these tasks with professionalism.
***Physical stamina.*** Nursing assistants and orderlies spend much of their time on their feet. They must be able to perform tasks such as lifting or moving patients.
 Pay

			



	
 
                                                     
            
    
                        Nursing Assistants and OrderliesMedian annual wages, May 2023Total, all occupations$48,060  Nursing assistants$38,200  Nursing assistants and orderlies$38,130  Orderlies$36,830  Home health and personal care aides; and nursing assistants, orderlies, and psychiatric aides$34,570Note: All Occupations includes all occupations in the U.S. Economy.Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics
 

	
	



		
	
	
	
The median annual wage for nursing assistants was $38,200 in May 2023. 


The median wage is the wage at which half the workers in an occupation earned more than that amount and half earned less. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $30,020, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $48,780.The median annual wage for orderlies was $36,830 in May 2023. 


The lowest 10 percent earned less than $30,260, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $48,000.





		
	    					 In May 2023, the median annual wages for nursing assistants in the top industries in which they worked were as follows:	
        Government
                $43,410Hospitals; state, local, and private
                38,920Nursing care facilities (skilled nursing facilities)
                37,780Continuing care retirement communities and assisted living facilities for the elderly
                37,230Home healthcare services
                35,350In May 2023, the median annual wages for orderlies in the top industries in which they worked were as follows:	
        Government
                $39,090Hospitals; state, local, and private
                37,020Ambulatory healthcare services
                35,820Although most nursing assistants and orderlies work full time, some work part time. Because nursing and residential care facilities and hospitals provide care at all hours, nursing aides and orderlies may need to work nights, weekends, and holidays.
 Job Outlook

   
        
    
          
        
    
                      Nursing Assistants and OrderliesPercent change in employment, projected 2022-32Home health and personal care aides; and nursing assistants, orderlies, and psychiatric aides17%  Nursing assistants4%  Nursing assistants and orderlies4%  Orderlies4%  Total, all occupations3%Note: All Occupations includes all occupations in the U.S. Economy.Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections program
            
            
			 
	
	
	

			Overall employment				of nursing assistants and orderlies is projected to grow				 4 percent from 2022 to 2032, about as fast as the average for all occupations.
			
			About 209,400 openings for nursing assistants and orderlies are projected each year, on average, over the decade.
			
			 Many of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to different occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire.
			Employment
	
			
As the baby-boom population ages, nursing assistants and orderlies will be needed to help care for an increasing number of older people who have chronic or progressive diseases, such as heart disease and diabetes.
Demand for nursing assistants may be constrained by financial pressures on nursing homes, which might lead some facilities to close or reduce staff. However, increased opportunities are expected in home- and community-based settings as patient preferences and shifts in federal and state funding generate demand for care in these settings.
			

                        Employment projections data for     nursing assistants and orderlies, 2022-32
                Occupational Title
                        SOC Code
                        Employment, 2022
                        Projected Employment, 2032
                        Change, 2022-32
                        Employment by IndustryPercent
                        NumericSOURCE: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections program**Nursing assistants and orderlies**
			—
			1,406,800
			1,465,200
			4
			58,400
			—**Nursing assistants**
			31-1131
			1,361,300
			1,417,800
			4
			56,500
			Get data**Orderlies**
			31-1132
			45,500
			47,400
			4
			1,900
			Get data
 State & Area Data **Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS)** The Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) program produces employment and wage estimates annually for over 800 occupations. These estimates are available for the nation as a whole, for individual states, and for metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas. The link(s) below go to OES data maps for employment and wages by state and area. Nursing assistants
					Orderlies **Projections Central** Occupational employment projections are developed for all states by Labor Market Information (LMI) or individual state Employment Projections offices. All state projections data are available at www.projectionscentral.com. Information on this site allows projected employment growth for an occupation to be compared among states or to be compared within one state. In addition, states may produce projections for areas; there are links to each state’s websites where these data may be retrieved. **CareerOneStop** CareerOneStop includes hundreds of occupational profiles with data available by state and metro area. There are links in the left-hand side menu to compare occupational employment by state and occupational wages by local area or metro area. There is also a salary info tool to search for wages by zip code.
 Similar Occupations This table shows a list of occupations with job duties that are similar to those of nursing assistants and orderlies. Occupation
                Job Duties
                ENTRY-LEVEL EDUCATION
                2023     MEDIAN PAY**Home Health and Personal Care Aides**
            Home health and personal care aides monitor the condition of people with disabilities or chronic illnesses and help them with daily living activities.
            High school diploma or equivalent
            $33,530**Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses**
            Licensed practical nurses (LPNs) and licensed vocational nurses (LVNs) provide basic medical care.
            Postsecondary nondegree award
            $59,730**Medical Assistants**
            Medical assistants complete administrative and clinical tasks, such as scheduling appointments and taking patients’ vital signs.
            Postsecondary nondegree award
            $42,000**Occupational Therapy Assistants and Aides**
            Occupational therapy assistants and aides help patients develop, recover, improve, as well as maintain the skills needed for daily living and working.
            See How to Become One
            $65,450**Psychiatric Technicians and Aides**
            Psychiatric technicians and aides care for people who have mental conditions or developmental disabilities.
            See How to Become One
            $39,610**Physical Therapist Assistants and Aides**
            Physical therapist assistants and aides are supervised by physical therapists to help patients regain movement and manage pain after injuries and illnesses.
            See How to Become One
            $58,740**Registered Nurses**
            Registered nurses (RNs) provide and coordinate patient care and educate patients and the public about various health conditions.
            Bachelor's degree
            $86,070**Dental Assistants**
            Dental assistants provide patient care, take x rays, keep records, and schedule appointments.
            Postsecondary nondegree award
            $46,540**Veterinary Assistants and Laboratory Animal Caretakers**
            Veterinary assistants and laboratory animal caretakers handle routine animal care and help scientists, veterinarians, and others with their daily tasks.
            High school diploma or equivalent
            $36,440
 Contacts for More Information
								
For information about healthcare assistants, visit
National Association of Health Care Assistants (NAHCA)
For more information about state requirements, visit
National Council of State Boards of Nursing
Occupational Requirements Survey
For a profile highlighting selected BLS data on occupational requirements, see
Nursing assistants (PDF)
CareerOneStop
For a career video on nursing assistants, visit
Nursing Assistants

                                                
                                                        
                                                                                                    O*NET
                                        Nursing AssistantsOrderlies
 Suggested citation: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S.  Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, Nursing Assistants and Orderlies, 
        	 at https://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/nursing-assistants.htm (visited *May 21, 2024*).
 **Last Modified Date:**
                        Wednesday, April 17, 2024


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