Best Patient Care Technician Programs Near You (2026)
Patient Care Technician training is offered by trade schools, community colleges and career institutes nationwide, and nursing Assistants earned a median of $42,260 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Use the program finder above to request information from schools that match your goals, or browse patient care technician programs by state and metro area below.
Key Facts
- National median wage: $42,260/yr (Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025)
- Pay range (10th-90th pct): $33,940 - $51,980 (Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025)
- Projected growth (2024-2034): +2.3%, ~204,100 openings/yr (Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2024-2034)
- U.S. employment: 1,448,910 workers (Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025)
How to Choose a Patient Care Technician Program
Start with accreditation: confirm the school holds recognized institutional or programmatic accreditation, because it affects credit transfer, eligibility for some certification exams and how employers view the credential. Then compare the credential awarded, total program length and schedule, and how much of the program is hands-on.
Patient care technician programs usually award a certificate that stacks nursing-assistant skills with phlebotomy and EKG training in a matter of months.
Choose a program with skills labs for vital signs, specimen collection and EKG placement, plus a supervised clinical rotation on a hospital unit. Graduates usually work in hospitals, dialysis centers and long-term care facilities.
Many programs align with the NHA patient care technician credential; ask which exams the curriculum prepares you for.
Before you enroll, ask each school what the schedule looks like week to week, how much time is spent in the lab, shop or clinic, which credential exams the curriculum covers, and how the school supports graduates in their job search. Outcomes vary by program and region, so ask for the school’s own completion figures and how they were measured.
Patient Care Technician Programs by State
Each state link goes to the most specific patient care technician page we publish for that state: a statewide patient care technician program guide where one exists, otherwise the state’s patient care technician career page or trade school directory.
- Alabama
- Alaska
- Arizona
- Arkansas
- California
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- District of Columbia
- Florida
- Georgia
- Hawaii
- Idaho
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Iowa
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Louisiana
- Maine
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- Mississippi
- Missouri
- Montana
- Nebraska
- Nevada
- New Hampshire
- New Jersey
- New Mexico
- New York
- North Carolina
- North Dakota
- Ohio
- Oklahoma
- Oregon
- Pennsylvania
- Rhode Island
- South Carolina
- South Dakota
- Tennessee
- Texas
- Utah
- Vermont
- Virginia
- Washington
- West Virginia
- Wisconsin
- Wyoming
Top Metro Areas for Patient Care Technician Training
Large metros usually offer the widest choice of patient care technician programs and the most employers hiring graduates. These city guides list programs within driving distance and local wage data.
- Best Patient Care Technician Programs in New York City, New York (2026)
- Best Patient Care Technician Schools in New York, New York (2026)
- Best Patient Care Technician Schools in Los Angeles, California (2026)
- Best Patient Care Technician Schools in Chicago, Illinois (2026)
- Best Patient Care Technician Schools in Houston, Texas (2026)
- Best Patient Care Technician Schools in Phoenix, Arizona (2026)
- Best Patient Care Technician Schools in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (2026)
- Best Patient Care Technician Schools in San Antonio, Texas (2026)
- Best Patient Care Technician Schools in San Diego, California (2026)
- Best Patient Care Technician Schools in Dallas, Texas (2026)
- Best Patient Care Technician Schools in San Jose, California (2026)
- Best Patient Care Technician Schools in Austin, Texas (2026)
- Best Patient Care Technician Schools in Jacksonville, Florida (2026)
- Best Patient Care Technician Schools in Fort Worth, Texas (2026)
- Best Patient Care Technician Schools in Columbus, Ohio (2026)
Related Careers and Guides
Disclaimer: Outcomes vary by location, experience, and local job market conditions. Employment or placement is not guaranteed. Program availability, admissions criteria, timelines, costs, and licensure requirements vary by school and state and may change without notice. Always verify details directly with the school and your state licensing board before enrolling.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does patient care technician training take?
It depends on the credential. Patient care technician programs usually award a certificate that stacks nursing-assistant skills with phlebotomy and EKG training in a matter of months. Program length and schedule vary by school, so confirm the details with each program before you enroll.
How much do nursing Assistants earn?
According to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (May 2025), nursing Assistants in the U.S. earned a median annual wage of about $42,260. The 10th-to-90th percentile range was about $33,940 to $51,980 (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Pay varies with location, experience, certification and employer.
Do I need a license or certification?
Requirements vary by state, role and employer. Some fields require a state license earned by completing approved training and passing an exam; others rely on voluntary industry certifications. Always confirm current rules with the licensing board or credentialing body in the state where you plan to work.
What is the job outlook for nursing Assistants?
The BLS projects employment of nursing Assistants to change about +2.3% nationally from 2024 to 2034, with roughly 204,100 openings expected each year on average (BLS Employment Projections, 2024-2034). Local demand can differ from the national figure.
Can I take patient care technician classes online?
Some coursework may be offered online, but most programs include hands-on lab, shop or clinical components that are completed in person. Ask each school how its program is delivered and what the in-person requirements are.
About this guide: Researched and written by the TradeCareerPath Editorial Team. Our editorial team researches and sources every trade school and career guide using federal labor and education data, including BLS OEWS and Employment Projections, DOL apprenticeship records, IPEDS, College Scorecard, and state licensing boards. We follow the editorial standards documented at /editorial-policy/.
Data sources
Figures on this page are sourced from the federal and state datasets below. Methodology: how we rank and source data.
| Data | Provider | Vintage |
|---|---|---|
| Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) | U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics | May 2025 |
| Employment Projections | U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics | 2024-2034 |
| Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System | National Center for Education Statistics (IPEDS) | 2024 |
| College Scorecard (school-level outcomes) | U.S. Department of Education | latest release |
| College Scorecard (field-of-study earnings) | U.S. Department of Education | latest release (updated 2026-06-12) |
| Occupational licensing requirements | CareerOneStop (U.S. Department of Labor) | latest release (updated 2026-02-22) |
| Registered apprenticeship programs | CareerOneStop / Apprenticeship.gov (U.S. Department of Labor) | latest release (updated 2025-10-25) |