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

Updated June 8, 2026 | TradeCareerPath Editorial Team

Maine employs about 18,630 home health aides earning a median $38,580 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.

Key Facts

  • Median wage (Maine): $38,580/yr (Source: BLS OEWS, 2025)
  • Employed in Maine: 18,630 workers (Source: BLS OEWS, 2025)
  • Location quotient: 1.05x U.S. average (Source: BLS OEWS, 2025)
  • Projected growth: 17.0% (2024-2034) (Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2024)

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Compare Home Health Aide Schools in Maine

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.
#SchoolBOC Score (0–100)TuitionMedian grad earnings (all majors)Graduation rateOnlineDistance
167.0Contact school for pricing$39,77291%—212 mi
258.1Contact school for pricing$56,07616%Yes*218 mi
353.9Contact school for pricing$54,28821%Yes*227 mi
453.3Contact school for pricing$53,97727%Yes*221 mi
547.6Contact school for pricing$50,13021%Yes*288 mi
646.7Contact school for pricing$54,71418%—194 mi
743.9Contact school for pricing$46,72431%Yes*264 mi
843.1Contact school for pricing$44,04031%Yes*283 mi
925.7Contact school for pricing$45,15122%Yes*174 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.

Maine employs approximately 18,630 home health aides according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, with a median annual wage of $38,580 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 Maine, 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 (Maine): $38,580 per year 1

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

How to become a Home Health Aide in Maine? 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 Maine? Licensing varies. Confirm with the program and employer. See the licensing section below.

What do home health aides earn in Maine? The median annual wage for home health aides in Maine is $38,580 according to BLS data. Entry-level wages start around $35,130 and experienced professionals can earn $46,860 or more 1.

How to Become a Home Health Aide in Maine

  1. Meet entry rules. Confirm age, background-check, and health-screening rules with the training program and the employer.
  2. Complete a state-approved HHA program. Finish an approved home health aide program in Maine. This is not a registered apprenticeship.
  3. Pass the competency evaluation. Complete the skills and knowledge evaluation the state uses for HHAs.
  4. 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 Maine

Home health aides in Maine 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

  1. Meet entry rules.

  2. Complete a state-approved HHA program.

  3. Pass the competency evaluation.

  4. 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 Maine

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

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

Metro AreaEmploymentMedian Annual WageAvg. Annual WageEntry Level
(10th pctile)		Experienced
(90th pctile)
Portland-South Portland8,150$38,580$40,370$35,790$46,940
Bangor2,290$37,900$38,840$34,160$44,900
Lewiston-Auburn1,870$38,240$39,150$35,130$45,180

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 Maine? Maine currently employs approximately 18,630 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 Maine with an out-of-state license? Confirm reciprocity rules with the program and employer.

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

How much do home health aides earn in Maine compared to the national average? The median annual wage for home health aides in Maine is $38,580, which is $3,680 above the national median of $34,900 according to BLS data 1.

In Maine

Top local programs

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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

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

  2. 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.

DataProviderVintage
Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS)U.S. Bureau of Labor StatisticsMay 2025
Employment ProjectionsU.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics2024-2034
Integrated Postsecondary Education Data SystemNational Center for Education Statistics (IPEDS)2024
College Scorecard (school-level outcomes)U.S. Department of Educationlatest release
College Scorecard (field-of-study earnings)U.S. Department of Educationlatest release (updated 2026-06-12)
Occupational licensing requirementsCareerOneStop (U.S. Department of Labor)latest release (updated 2026-02-22)
Registered apprenticeship programsCareerOneStop / 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)