How long does home health aide training take in Alabama?

Most people become a Home Health Aide in Alabama through a state-approved home health aide program, competency evaluation, and state listing where required.

How to Become a Home Health Aide in Alabama (2026)

Q: How much do home health aides earn in Alabama?

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS data (May 2025), home health aides in Alabama earned a median annual wage of approximately $27,840. Employment concentration in Alabama is roughly 0.36 of the national average, meaning fewer workers per capita than the U.S. as a whole.

Q: What is the job outlook for home health aides in Alabama?

Alabama currently employs approximately 20,930 workers, and the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects 17.0% national employment change for this occupation from 2024 to 2034.

Updated June 8, 2026 | TradeCareerPath Editorial Team

Alabama home health and personal care aides earn a median annual wage of $27,840 ($13.39/hr) according to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS data (May 2025), with about 20,930 workers employed statewide. The state median is approximately -22.2% below the national median of $35,800 for the same occupation.

Key Takeaways

Median annual pay: $27,840 ($13.39/hr)
25th percentile: $26,190 per year
75th percentile: $30,170 per year
Top 10% earn: more than $35,900 per year
Entry-level (bottom 10%): under $22,470 per year
Workers employed in Alabama: 20,930
Versus national median: -22.2% below the U.S. median of $35,800
Job concentration: Location quotient 0.36 - this occupation is less concentrated in Alabama than the national average

Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025. Last reviewed June 8, 2026.

Alabama employs about 20,930 home health aides earning a median $27,840 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Training as a Home Health Aide here means completing a state-approved home health aide program, competency evaluation, and state listing where required. Confirm credential rules with the program and employer.

Compare Home Health Aide Schools in Alabama

BOC Score, tuition, graduation rate, and median graduate earnings from federal IPEDS and U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard data. Earnings are reported across all programs at the school (all majors), not a single trade. Distance is measured from the page's primary location.
#	School	BOC Score (0–100)	Tuition	Median grad earnings (all majors)	Graduation rate	Online	Distance
1	Northwest Florida State College	67.0	Contact school for pricing	$52,556	41%	Yes*	158 mi
2	Itawamba Community College	63.0	Contact school for pricing	$41,849	Not reported	Yes*	138 mi
3	Southern Crescent Technical College	54.3	Contact school for pricing	$47,009	55%	Yes*	148 mi
4	South Georgia Technical College	54.3	Contact school for pricing	$40,852	Not reported	Yes*	158 mi
5	Georgia Northwestern Technical College	53.6	Contact school for pricing	$44,490	38%	Yes*	135 mi
6	Chattahoochee Technical College	52.1	Contact school for pricing	$45,209	Not reported	Yes*	151 mi
7	West Georgia Technical College	51.0	Contact school for pricing	$43,835	33%	Yes*	111 mi
8	Meridian Community College	50.6	Contact school for pricing	$50,810	Not reported	Yes*	117 mi
9	Atlanta Technical College	47.9	Contact school for pricing	$40,964	46%	Yes*	151 mi
10	Columbus Technical College	47.2	Contact school for pricing	$43,818	24%	Yes*	110 mi

Schools closest to the page's primary location are gathered first, then ranked by BOC Score; distance from the page's primary location is shown for reference. The BOC Score is an independent measure of school outcomes (graduation, earnings, net price, retention) expressed as a 0–100 percentile within each school's peer group; higher is better and advertising never affects it. *Online availability refers to coursework; hands-on trade training is completed in person. Read the full methodology.

Alabama employs approximately 20,930 home health aides according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, with a median annual wage of $27,840 ¹. Nationally, home health aide employment is projected to grow 17.0% from 2024 to 2034, with about 765,800 openings per year ². This page covers how to become a Home Health Aide in Alabama, including licensing requirements, training programs, and salary data.

At a Glance

Training paths: state-approved home health aide program (find programs)
Typical timeline: a state-approved home health aide program, competency evaluation, and state listing where required
Exam: HHA competency evaluation
Median wage (Alabama): $27,840 per year ¹

Quick Answers About How to Become a Home Health Aide in Alabama

How to become a Home Health Aide in Alabama? Complete a state-approved home health aide program, competency evaluation, and state listing where required. Confirm credential rules with the program and employer.

How long does it take? Most people finish a state-approved home health aide program, competency evaluation, and state listing where required. Confirm current hour totals with the program and employer.

Do I need a license in Alabama? Licensing varies. Confirm with the program and employer. See the licensing section below.

What do home health aides earn in Alabama? The median annual wage for home health aides in Alabama is $27,840 according to BLS data. Entry-level wages start around $22,470 and experienced professionals can earn $35,900 or more ¹.

How to Become a Home Health Aide in Alabama

Meet entry rules. Confirm age, background-check, and health-screening rules with the training program and the employer.
Complete a state-approved HHA program. Finish an approved home health aide program in Alabama. This is not a registered apprenticeship.
Pass the competency evaluation. Complete the skills and knowledge evaluation the state uses for HHAs.
Get certified or listed. Get listed or certified as an HHA where the state uses that credential. Do not treat a CNA listing as the HHA credential. Confirm with the employer.

Steps and hour totals vary by credential level; confirm current requirements with the state board before you apply.

Home Health Aide License Requirements in Alabama

Home health aides in Alabama complete an approved HHA program and competency evaluation. Some states certify this role; most do not. Confirm with the employer when a state credential exists.

Typical path

Meet entry rules.
Complete a state-approved HHA program.
Pass the competency evaluation.
Obtain HHA certification or listing from the employer.

Hour totals, fees, and reciprocity rules change. Confirm current requirements with the employer before you enroll.

Home Health Aide Wages by Metro Area in Alabama

Home Health and Personal Care Aides Wages by Metro Area in Alabama

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics ( OES data), home health and personal care aides wages in Alabama vary by metro area.

Metro Area	Employment	Median Annual Wage	Avg. Annual Wage	Entry Level (10th pctile)	Experienced (90th pctile)
Birmingham	4,250	$29,550	$30,320	$24,080	$37,110
Mobile	2,030	$28,510	$29,510	$23,290	$35,960
Huntsville	2,020	$29,520	$29,690	$23,920	$35,710
Montgomery	1,790	$26,660	$25,840	$18,880	$31,520
Columbus	1,660	$28,810	$31,590	$22,480	$44,120
Tuscaloosa	1,520	$28,550	$30,190	$23,140	$39,230
Decatur	1,140	$27,430	$27,820	$22,110	$34,140
Daphne-Fairhope-Foley	1,030	$28,570	$28,920	$23,110	$36,360
Dothan	890	$27,160	$28,080	$23,090	$37,270
Auburn-Opelika	640	$25,570	$25,260	$19,090	$29,090
Florence-Muscle Shoals	620	$27,320	$27,370	$21,940	$33,650
Gadsden	460	$27,450	$27,300	$22,270	$36,220
Anniston-Oxford	230	$27,680	$29,640	$23,300	$37,860

Wages reflect survey data and vary based on experience, credentials, employer, and local market conditions. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May .

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the job outlook for home health aides in Alabama? Alabama currently employs approximately 20,930 home health aides ¹. Nationally, home health aide employment is projected to grow 17.0% from 2024 to 2034 ².

Can I work as a home health aide in Alabama with an out-of-state license? Confirm reciprocity rules with the program and employer.

What training programs are available in Alabama? Options include trade schools, community colleges, and state-approved training programs. Use the school finder above to search for programs in Alabama.

How much do home health aides earn in Alabama compared to the national average? The median annual wage for home health aides in Alabama is $27,840, which is $7,060 below the national median of $34,900 according to BLS data ¹.

In Alabama

Best Trade Schools in Alabama (2026)

Top local programs

Explore More Trades in Alabama

Citations

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/.

References

Bureau of Labor Statistics - Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics: https://www.bls.gov/oes/ ↩︎ ↩︎ ↩︎ ↩︎ ↩︎
Bureau of Labor Statistics - Employment Projections: https://www.bls.gov/emp/ ↩︎ ↩︎

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)
O*NET occupation profiles (skills, tasks, tools, job zones)	U.S. Department of Labor (O*NET / Employment & Training Admin.)	O*NET 29.1 (updated 2026-06-13)