Workforce Data Center

From wages to employment statistics, across states and nationwide, find the latest data on the direct care workforce.

We provide customized, up-to-date snapshots on this quickly-growing workforce.

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Direct Care Worker Employment, 2014 to 2023

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Area	Occupation	2014	2015	2016	2017	2018	2019	2020	2021	2022	2023	Growth	% Growth
Alabama	Home Health and Personal Care Aides	15,590	16,560	18,290	18,630	19,180	19,440	20,300	19,770	20,210	19,910	4,320	28%
	Alabama	Nursing Assistants	21,870	22,740	22,800	23,280	22,590	22,750	21,470	19,610	19,740	22,430	560	3%
	Alabama	All Direct Care Workers	37,460	39,300	41,090	41,910	41,770	42,190	41,770	39,380	39,950	42,340	4,880	13%
Alaska	Home Health and Personal Care Aides	7,100	6,600	6,270	6,510	6,380	6,910	6,480	6,410	6,310	5,660	-1,440	-20%
	Alaska	Nursing Assistants	1,750	1,770	1,720	1,850	1,820	1,730	1,800	1,760	1,770	1,710	-40	-2%
	Alaska	All Direct Care Workers	8,850	8,370	7,990	8,360	8,200	8,640	8,280	8,170	8,080	7,370	-1,480	-17%
Arizona	Home Health and Personal Care Aides	44,210	48,600	51,600	52,540	65,180	66,890	69,060	66,750	63,390	64,690	20,480	46%
	Arizona	Nursing Assistants	14,870	13,530	13,620	14,300	14,750	14,450	15,830	17,840	16,690	15,490	620	4%
	Arizona	All Direct Care Workers	59,080	62,130	65,220	66,840	79,930	81,340	84,890	84,590	80,080	80,180	21,100	36%
Arkansas	Home Health and Personal Care Aides	21,900	21,880	22,230	22,520	21,620	21,080	20,170	17,290	18,390	17,320	-4,580	-21%
	Arkansas	Nursing Assistants	18,060	17,950	17,520	18,040	18,060	17,390	18,560	17,620	16,350	17,650	-410	-2%
	Arkansas	All Direct Care Workers	39,960	39,830	39,750	40,560	39,680	38,470	38,730	34,910	34,740	34,970	-4,990	-12%
California	Home Health and Personal Care Aides	136,800	155,940	170,220	545,840	582,910	595,760	597,500	717,220	773,350	796,890	660,090	483%
	California	Nursing Assistants	99,090	98,040	99,140	98,570	99,440	100,190	97,970	94,450	99,930	105,750	6,660	7%
	California	All Direct Care Workers	235,890	253,980	269,360	644,410	682,350	695,950	695,470	811,670	873,280	902,640	666,750	283%
Colorado	Home Health and Personal Care Aides	32,230	33,290	36,870	33,540	36,820	35,790	36,610	39,990	35,910	41,190	8,960	28%
	Colorado	Nursing Assistants	18,230	18,940	19,230	20,540	21,070	21,970	21,310	20,660	20,710	20,820	2,590	14%
	Colorado	All Direct Care Workers	50,460	52,230	56,100	54,080	57,890	57,760	57,920	60,650	56,620	62,010	11,550	23%
Connecticut	Home Health and Personal Care Aides	27,350	28,650	30,410	32,250	33,530	34,610	34,060	38,040	41,230	42,280	14,930	55%
	Connecticut	Nursing Assistants	21,670	21,750	21,180	21,710	22,150	21,600	21,370	19,470	19,390	19,460	-2,210	-10%
	Connecticut	All Direct Care Workers	49,020	50,400	51,590	53,960	55,680	56,210	55,430	57,510	60,620	61,740	12,720	26%
Delaware	Home Health and Personal Care Aides	3,860	5,190	5,570	6,980	6,550	6,710	8,040	8,270	9,030	9,100	5,240	136%
	Delaware	Nursing Assistants	5,520	5,140	5,270	4,830	4,850	5,030	4,930	4,470	4,310	5,770	250	5%
	Delaware	All Direct Care Workers	9,380	10,330	10,840	11,810	11,400	11,740	12,970	12,740	13,340	14,870	5,490	59%
District of Columbia	Home Health and Personal Care Aides	7,430	9,810	10,170	11,350	11,150	11,360	11,330	10,910	11,030	10,730	3,300	44%
	District of Columbia	Nursing Assistants	3,420	3,320	2,970	3,160	3,500	3,460	3,290	3,140	2,950	2,820	-600	-18%
	District of Columbia	All Direct Care Workers	10,850	13,130	13,140	14,510	14,650	14,820	14,620	14,050	13,980	13,550	2,700	25%
Florida	Home Health and Personal Care Aides	28,850	48,970	50,580	60,180	69,770	76,040	72,680	66,920	69,050	79,190	50,340	174%
	Florida	Nursing Assistants	86,280	88,110	90,890	92,190	89,860	87,840	84,520	83,010	89,110	89,600	3,320	4%
	Florida	All Direct Care Workers	115,130	137,080	141,470	152,370	159,630	163,880	157,200	149,930	158,160	168,790	53,660	47%
Georgia	Home Health and Personal Care Aides	21,930	25,670	30,660	34,940	41,410	41,150	42,050	36,230	34,650	40,470	18,540	85%
	Georgia	Nursing Assistants	36,350	34,750	36,650	36,270	36,780	33,420	33,520	37,120	40,230	40,980	4,630	13%
	Georgia	All Direct Care Workers	58,280	60,420	67,310	71,210	78,190	74,570	75,570	73,350	74,880	81,450	23,170	40%
Hawaii	Home Health and Personal Care Aides	6,620	8,080	8,140	9,090	9,570	8,650	9,020	6,600	6,770	6,950	330	5%
	Hawaii	Nursing Assistants	5,090	5,110	5,500	5,080	4,800	4,000	4,050	5,260	4,850	3,930	-1,160	-23%
	Hawaii	All Direct Care Workers	11,710	13,190	13,640	14,170	14,370	12,650	13,070	11,860	11,620	10,880	-830	-7%
Idaho	Home Health and Personal Care Aides	10,630	11,360	12,880	14,450	15,330	16,270	17,530	17,630	18,320	17,290	6,660	63%
	Idaho	Nursing Assistants	7,160	7,030	6,820	7,470	7,300	7,210	6,600	6,850	6,540	6,760	-400	-6%
	Idaho	All Direct Care Workers	17,790	18,390	19,700	21,920	22,630	23,480	24,130	24,480	24,860	24,050	6,260	35%
Illinois	Home Health and Personal Care Aides	73,530	81,160	81,880	83,880	84,960	89,040	91,130	102,810	101,430	106,710	33,180	45%
	Illinois	Nursing Assistants	61,320	59,550	60,090	61,390	61,140	60,370	56,330	56,050	55,400	62,420	1,100	2%
	Illinois	All Direct Care Workers	134,850	140,710	141,970	145,270	146,100	149,410	147,460	158,860	156,830	169,130	34,280	25%
Indiana	Home Health and Personal Care Aides	36,920	40,330	40,810	41,080	42,080	42,640	40,280	38,120	39,600	44,390	7,470	20%
	Indiana	Nursing Assistants	31,550	30,150	30,910	31,520	30,220	30,890	30,120	31,550	29,200	29,800	-1,750	-6%
	Indiana	All Direct Care Workers	68,470	70,480	71,720	72,600	72,300	73,530	70,400	69,670	68,800	74,190	5,720	8%
Iowa	Home Health and Personal Care Aides	19,660	20,050	21,860	22,160	22,460	21,830	21,890	23,550	23,010	23,410	3,750	19%
	Iowa	Nursing Assistants	23,590	23,130	21,460	20,740	20,890	22,450	22,520	22,070	20,880	20,160	-3,430	-15%
	Iowa	All Direct Care Workers	43,250	43,180	43,320	42,900	43,350	44,280	44,410	45,620	43,890	43,570	320	1%
Kansas	Home Health and Personal Care Aides	24,230	22,750	21,600	23,740	23,770	25,110	24,250	23,450	25,940	25,830	1,600	7%
	Kansas	Nursing Assistants	20,880	21,890	23,310	22,590	22,290	21,840	21,790	21,750	21,310	22,290	1,410	7%
	Kansas	All Direct Care Workers	45,110	44,640	44,910	46,330	46,060	46,950	46,040	45,200	47,250	48,120	3,010	7%
Kentucky	Home Health and Personal Care Aides	12,860	15,130	17,280	18,960	19,370	22,660	23,630	21,180	23,170	25,700	12,840	100%
	Kentucky	Nursing Assistants	24,070	23,100	23,930	23,880	24,060	22,280	20,310	21,190	19,000	19,910	-4,160	-17%
	Kentucky	All Direct Care Workers	36,930	38,230	41,210	42,840	43,430	44,940	43,940	42,370	42,170	45,610	8,680	24%
Louisiana	Home Health and Personal Care Aides	41,470	41,330	41,720	42,040	42,530	38,580	36,020	35,520	34,870	39,120	-2,350	-6%
	Louisiana	Nursing Assistants	22,990	23,950	21,450	20,550	20,690	21,500	21,030	19,010	17,680	17,740	-5,250	-23%
	Louisiana	All Direct Care Workers	64,460	65,280	63,170	62,590	63,220	60,080	57,050	54,530	52,550	56,860	-7,600	-12%
Maine	Home Health and Personal Care Aides	14,120	15,580	16,230	16,890	16,630	16,960	16,510	15,890	16,050	17,160	3,040	22%
	Maine	Nursing Assistants	9,260	8,330	9,050	9,070	9,580	9,020	9,140	8,460	7,730	7,550	-1,710	-18%
	Maine	All Direct Care Workers	23,380	23,910	25,280	25,960	26,210	25,980	25,650	24,350	23,780	24,710	1,330	6%
Maryland	Home Health and Personal Care Aides	24,670	24,850	26,070	27,880	31,020	31,780	32,690	28,130	24,960	31,140	6,470	26%
	Maryland	Nursing Assistants	26,520	28,270	29,180	28,250	27,980	28,990	27,430	27,180	26,240	24,810	-1,710	-6%
	Maryland	All Direct Care Workers	51,190	53,120	55,250	56,130	59,000	60,770	60,120	55,310	51,200	55,950	4,760	9%
Massachusetts	Home Health and Personal Care Aides	47,880	54,540	69,210	99,660	102,070	108,670	109,350	107,900	106,190	113,730	65,850	138%
	Massachusetts	Nursing Assistants	40,740	39,990	38,590	38,370	39,100	39,900	40,550	38,970	37,730	36,790	-3,950	-10%
	Massachusetts	All Direct Care Workers	88,620	94,530	107,800	138,030	141,170	148,570	149,900	146,870	143,920	150,520	61,900	70%
Michigan	Home Health and Personal Care Aides	61,670	65,460	68,290	66,050	66,320	68,860	68,510	79,170	82,230	83,450	21,780	35%
	Michigan	Nursing Assistants	48,800	49,780	48,570	50,070	49,760	51,270	48,610	41,200	41,050	38,360	-10,440	-21%
	Michigan	All Direct Care Workers	110,470	115,240	116,860	116,120	116,080	120,130	117,120	120,370	123,280	121,810	11,340	10%
Minnesota	Home Health and Personal Care Aides	90,610	93,290	92,620	96,610	98,210	103,830	102,490	108,890	106,640	112,010	21,400	24%
	Minnesota	Nursing Assistants	29,320	31,570	31,050	31,580	31,640	30,350	28,260	25,440	24,860	26,910	-2,410	-8%
	Minnesota	All Direct Care Workers	119,930	124,860	123,670	128,190	129,850	134,180	130,750	134,330	131,500	138,920	18,990	16%
Mississippi	Home Health and Personal Care Aides	11,950	15,040	15,100	13,230	13,170	17,960	18,570	20,590	16,230	17,310	5,360	45%
	Mississippi	Nursing Assistants	15,140	13,750	13,880	12,850	13,850	13,600	13,010	11,200	10,440	11,610	-3,530	-23%
	Mississippi	All Direct Care Workers	27,090	28,790	28,980	26,080	27,020	31,560	31,580	31,790	26,670	28,920	1,830	7%
Missouri	Home Health and Personal Care Aides	40,300	47,320	52,940	69,700	72,040	71,070	73,510	70,930	79,840	83,510	43,210	107%
	Missouri	Nursing Assistants	42,320	40,630	39,460	40,190	38,560	36,240	34,880	33,200	28,540	29,340	-12,980	-31%
	Missouri	All Direct Care Workers	82,620	87,950	92,400	109,890	110,600	107,310	108,390	104,130	108,380	112,850	30,230	37%
Montana	Home Health and Personal Care Aides	5,450	5,670	6,080	6,470	6,680	6,710	7,850	8,680	8,300	8,070	2,620	48%
	Montana	Nursing Assistants	5,570	5,970	5,560	6,170	5,760	5,720	5,110	4,420	4,990	4,500	-1,070	-19%
	Montana	All Direct Care Workers	11,020	11,640	11,640	12,640	12,440	12,430	12,960	13,100	13,290	12,570	1,550	14%
Nebraska	Home Health and Personal Care Aides	7,320	7,750	8,660	10,640	10,680	13,090	11,890	11,010	9,730	10,280	2,960	40%
	Nebraska	Nursing Assistants	12,890	13,020	13,640	14,540	14,580	13,720	13,390	14,160	15,120	16,530	3,640	28%
	Nebraska	All Direct Care Workers	20,210	20,770	22,300	25,180	25,260	26,810	25,280	25,170	24,850	26,810	6,600	33%
Nevada	Home Health and Personal Care Aides	10,750	11,720	12,450	13,100	14,590	14,760	14,990	13,470	14,290	14,530	3,780	35%
	Nevada	Nursing Assistants	5,070	5,440	5,830	6,550	6,660	7,220	7,030	8,150	7,480	7,730	2,660	52%
	Nevada	All Direct Care Workers	15,820	17,160	18,280	19,650	21,250	21,980	22,020	21,620	21,770	22,260	6,440	41%
New Hampshire	Home Health and Personal Care Aides	6,990	7,290	8,690	8,990	9,150	8,260	7,440	7,990	7,850	7,920	930	13%
	New Hampshire	Nursing Assistants	8,500	8,620	8,970	8,270	7,980	8,140	7,600	7,060	7,250	7,710	-790	-9%
	New Hampshire	All Direct Care Workers	15,490	15,910	17,660	17,260	17,130	16,400	15,040	15,050	15,100	15,630	140	1%
New Jersey	Home Health and Personal Care Aides	43,000	35,250	48,970	53,570	55,510	57,060	56,630	72,620	89,210	100,860	57,860	135%
	New Jersey	Nursing Assistants	51,710	52,810	53,640	56,660	56,500	53,980	44,560	35,090	34,580	31,610	-20,100	-39%
	New Jersey	All Direct Care Workers	94,710	88,060	102,610	110,230	112,010	111,040	101,190	107,710	123,790	132,470	37,760	40%
New Mexico	Home Health and Personal Care Aides	25,510	27,930	31,990	32,030	32,980	30,230	31,090	33,680	35,740	36,560	11,050	43%
	New Mexico	Nursing Assistants	6,520	6,620	6,870	6,190	6,200	5,620	4,980	4,930	4,440	4,460	-2,060	-32%
	New Mexico	All Direct Care Workers	32,030	34,550	38,860	38,220	39,180	35,850	36,070	38,610	40,180	41,020	8,990	28%
New York	Home Health and Personal Care Aides	288,770	312,770	330,660	360,220	390,880	444,880	469,370	478,620	504,160	566,160	277,390	96%
	New York	Nursing Assistants	101,030	98,500	98,040	94,980	91,400	85,090	81,440	85,490	80,100	84,550	-16,480	-16%
	New York	All Direct Care Workers	389,800	411,270	428,700	455,200	482,280	529,970	550,810	564,110	584,260	650,710	260,910	67%
North Carolina	Home Health and Personal Care Aides	63,650	63,390	61,450	59,340	60,210	62,310	62,700	56,690	58,800	59,000	-4,650	-7%
	North Carolina	Nursing Assistants	52,080	55,400	62,120	62,820	63,010	56,780	53,900	55,940	54,260	56,390	4,310	8%
	North Carolina	All Direct Care Workers	115,730	118,790	123,570	122,160	123,220	119,090	116,600	112,630	113,060	115,390	-340	0%
North Dakota	Home Health and Personal Care Aides	4,760	5,330	6,360	6,420	6,640	6,140	6,210	6,240	6,630	6,720	1,960	41%
	North Dakota	Nursing Assistants	6,720	7,060	6,870	7,310	7,080	8,020	7,930	7,790	7,350	8,630	1,910	28%
	North Dakota	All Direct Care Workers	11,480	12,390	13,230	13,730	13,720	14,160	14,140	14,030	13,980	15,350	3,870	34%
Ohio	Home Health and Personal Care Aides	86,570	86,770	92,230	94,310	98,080	94,870	91,910	95,120	91,180	91,890	5,320	6%
	Ohio	Nursing Assistants	69,610	67,900	66,800	66,160	65,860	64,360	63,290	58,830	58,770	61,410	-8,200	-12%
	Ohio	All Direct Care Workers	156,180	154,670	159,030	160,470	163,940	159,230	155,200	153,950	149,950	153,300	-2,880	-2%
Oklahoma	Home Health and Personal Care Aides	19,740	19,690	19,940	20,230	20,700	18,200	18,560	16,870	16,710	19,320	-420	-2%
	Oklahoma	Nursing Assistants	18,450	17,880	16,910	16,900	17,120	18,250	19,930	16,920	16,360	17,440	-1,010	-5%
	Oklahoma	All Direct Care Workers	38,190	37,570	36,850	37,130	37,820	36,450	38,490	33,790	33,070	36,760	-1,430	-4%
Oregon	Home Health and Personal Care Aides	22,480	24,740	25,230	25,930	38,820	30,580	32,120	35,390	32,170	33,060	10,580	47%
	Oregon	Nursing Assistants	11,390	11,890	12,480	12,800	12,880	12,260	12,320	12,460	12,450	13,660	2,270	20%
	Oregon	All Direct Care Workers	33,870	36,630	37,710	38,730	51,700	42,840	44,440	47,850	44,620	46,720	12,850	38%
Pennsylvania	Home Health and Personal Care Aides	116,230	124,930	134,930	144,720	158,240	183,430	197,570	193,460	193,930	213,020	96,790	83%
	Pennsylvania	Nursing Assistants	75,690	72,680	76,300	75,020	76,260	75,090	71,880	68,180	66,800	65,220	-10,470	-14%
	Pennsylvania	All Direct Care Workers	191,920	197,610	211,230	219,740	234,500	258,520	269,450	261,640	260,730	278,240	86,320	45%
Rhode Island	Home Health and Personal Care Aides	7,520	7,220	6,860	4,970	7,020	7,310	6,970	8,300	7,570	8,040	520	7%
	Rhode Island	Nursing Assistants	9,190	9,250	9,990	9,950	10,200	9,300	9,110	8,320	8,730	8,370	-820	-9%
	Rhode Island	All Direct Care Workers	16,710	16,470	16,850	14,920	17,220	16,610	16,080	16,620	16,300	16,410	-300	-2%
South Carolina	Home Health and Personal Care Aides	20,800	23,020	24,150	25,440	27,640	29,510	28,350	30,440	29,210	31,750	10,950	53%
	South Carolina	Nursing Assistants	18,820	18,400	20,850	20,730	20,950	19,380	17,710	15,900	18,740	20,040	1,220	6%
	South Carolina	All Direct Care Workers	39,620	41,420	45,000	46,170	48,590	48,890	46,060	46,340	47,950	51,790	12,170	31%
South Dakota	Home Health and Personal Care Aides	2,700	2,960	3,290	3,610	3,670	3,550	3,100	3,260	3,830	3,770	1,070	40%
	South Dakota	Nursing Assistants	6,370	6,200	5,860	5,940	6,010	5,990	6,150	6,590	5,940	5,880	-490	-8%
	South Dakota	All Direct Care Workers	9,070	9,160	9,150	9,550	9,680	9,540	9,250	9,850	9,770	9,650	580	6%
Tennessee	Home Health and Personal Care Aides	25,180	24,320	23,100	25,890	25,850	27,380	26,560	29,090	27,660	32,920	7,740	31%
	Tennessee	Nursing Assistants	28,890	29,670	30,490	29,600	28,340	29,200	28,730	26,720	24,940	23,150	-5,740	-20%
	Tennessee	All Direct Care Workers	54,070	53,990	53,590	55,490	54,190	56,580	55,290	55,810	52,600	56,070	2,000	4%
Texas	Home Health and Personal Care Aides	45,930	250,640	255,970	273,160	275,840	300,820	309,540	306,410	306,320	312,420	266,490	580%
	Texas	Nursing Assistants	85,130	82,660	87,930	88,500	87,750	80,110	75,690	71,700	81,170	84,960	-170	0%
	Texas	All Direct Care Workers	131,060	333,300	343,900	361,660	363,590	380,930	385,230	378,110	387,490	397,380	266,320	203%
Utah	Home Health and Personal Care Aides	8,400	9,660	10,670	13,410	13,600	14,080	14,740	15,440	13,210	13,120	4,720	56%
	Utah	Nursing Assistants	10,080	10,680	9,790	9,850	10,680	11,760	12,050	12,360	12,400	11,930	1,850	18%
	Utah	All Direct Care Workers	18,480	20,340	20,460	23,260	24,280	25,840	26,790	27,800	25,610	25,050	6,570	36%
Vermont	Home Health and Personal Care Aides	450	530	7,220	7,010	7,310	7,230	7,260	5,370	6,930	7,500	7,050	1567%
	Vermont	Nursing Assistants	3,360	3,460	3,290	3,290	3,040	2,940	2,460	2,620	2,910	2,920	-440	-13%
	Vermont	All Direct Care Workers	3,810	3,990	10,510	10,300	10,350	10,170	9,720	7,990	9,840	10,420	6,610	173%
Virginia	Home Health and Personal Care Aides	45,970	47,660	52,540	50,760	48,730	49,420	53,190	55,150	58,670	60,200	14,230	31%
	Virginia	Nursing Assistants	35,690	35,790	37,170	39,010	39,320	41,140	41,560	36,430	36,830	39,750	4,060	11%
	Virginia	All Direct Care Workers	81,660	83,450	89,710	89,770	88,050	90,560	94,750	91,580	95,500	99,950	18,290	22%
Washington	Home Health and Personal Care Aides	33,690	33,250	33,600	58,440	56,350	61,470	58,000	62,890	97,730	79,080	45,390	135%
	Washington	Nursing Assistants	23,810	24,920	26,530	29,910	32,690	34,200	34,420	26,050	28,270	36,820	13,010	55%
	Washington	All Direct Care Workers	57,500	58,170	60,130	88,350	89,040	95,670	92,420	88,940	126,000	115,900	58,400	102%
West Virginia	Home Health and Personal Care Aides	17,930	16,970	14,570	15,540	14,510	15,080	15,400	15,680	17,190	19,790	1,860	10%
	West Virginia	Nursing Assistants	6,870	6,810	7,580	7,900	8,330	7,830	7,350	7,310	8,290	8,720	1,850	27%
	West Virginia	All Direct Care Workers	24,800	23,780	22,150	23,440	22,840	22,910	22,750	22,990	25,480	28,510	3,710	15%
Wisconsin	Home Health and Personal Care Aides	60,900	64,400	64,630	65,940	68,870	72,060	72,790	72,980	76,260	74,960	14,060	23%
	Wisconsin	Nursing Assistants	35,450	33,340	32,380	33,230	32,310	30,880	30,460	30,090	26,690	25,950	-9,500	-27%
	Wisconsin	All Direct Care Workers	96,350	97,740	97,010	99,170	101,180	102,940	103,250	103,070	102,950	100,910	4,560	5%
Wyoming	Home Health and Personal Care Aides	2,330	2,400	2,770	3,280	3,050	3,440	3,670	3,470	3,140	3,280	950	41%
	Wyoming	Nursing Assistants	3,000	3,340	2,990	3,070	3,310	3,200	2,810	2,820	2,620	2,580	-420	-14%
	Wyoming	All Direct Care Workers	5,330	5,740	5,760	6,350	6,360	6,640	6,480	6,290	5,760	5,860	530	10%

Showing 1 to 153 of 153 entries

Methodology, data source & limitations

Suggested Citation

PHI. “Workforce Data Center.” Last modified September 2024. https://phinational.org/policy-research/workforce-data-center/.

Data Source

Employment trends were sourced from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) program May 2014 to May 2023 State Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates.

Methodology

The direct care workforce comprises personal care aides, home health aides, and nursing assistants. Direct care worker occupational categories are defined by the Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) system developed by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) at the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL). Workers are classified based on their on-the-job responsibilities, skills, education, and training. Occupation definitions can be found at: http://www.bls.gov/soc.

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Direct Care Worker Employment, 2014 to 2023

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Industry	2014	2015	2016	2017	2018	2019	2020	2021	2022	2023	Growth	% Growth
Home Care	1,353,340	1,465,470	1,574,780	2,126,370	2,259,570	2,384,130	2,418,290	2,605,370	2,778,130	2,927,020	1,573,680	116%
Residential Care Homes	607,880	628,550	641,630	656,180	668,730	674,710	674,790	647,500	635,710	655,950	48,070	8%
Nursing Homes	616,550	612,120	602,630	594,460	581,140	566,240	527,480	471,160	447,940	458,590	-157,960	-26%
All Direct Care Workers	3,483,820	3,610,430	3,749,700	4,310,240	4,460,580	4,581,420	4,582,640	4,681,310	4,814,320	5,041,110	1,557,290	45%

Showing 1 to 4 of 4 entries

Methodology, data source & limitations

Notes

Other industries employing direct care workers include hospitals, employment and vocational rehabilitation services, and others.

Suggested Citation

PHI. “Workforce Data Center.” Last modified September 2024. https://phinational.org/policy-research/workforce-data-center/.

Data Source

Employment trends were sourced from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) program May 2014 to May 2023 National Industry-Specific Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates.

Methodology

Industries are defined by the North American Industry Classification System (NAICS). “Home Care” includes all direct care workers who are employed in two industries: (1) Services for the Elderly and Persons with Disabilities and (2) Home Health Care Services. “Residential Care Homes” comprise all direct care workers employed in two industries: (1) Residential Intellectual and Developmental Disability Facilities and (2) Continuing Care Retirement Communities and Assisted Living Facilities for the Elderly. “Nursing Homes” include nursing assistants employed in the Nursing Care Facilities (Skilled Nursing Homes) industry. “Total” includes all industries where direct care workers are employed. Industry definitions can be found at http://www.census.gov/eos/www/naics/.

For more information on this data or our methodology, please contact Kezia Scales at KScales@phinational.org.

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Workforce Data Center

From wages to employment statistics, across states and nationwide, find the latest data on the direct care workforce.

Direct Care Worker Employment, 2014 to 2023

Suggested Citation

Data Source

Methodology

Direct Care Worker Employment, 2014 to 2023

Notes

Suggested Citation

Data Source

Methodology

Direct Care Workers in the United States: Key Facts

Insights from the Frontline: Results of a Statewide Survey of Paid Caregivers in Arizona

Recruiting COVID-Displaced Workers to Build the Direct Care Workforce

Study Finds Few COVID-Displaced Workers Re-Employed in Direct Care

Kezia Scales, PhD (she/her)

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