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

Updated June 8, 2026 | TradeCareerPath Editorial Team

Massachusetts employs about 117,940 home health aides earning a median $40,910 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 Massachusetts

BOC Score, tuition, graduation rate, and median graduate earnings from federal IPEDS and U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard data. Tuition is the published annual figure for the latest reported year and excludes room, board, books and fees. 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)Tuition (published, per year)Median grad earnings (all majors)Graduation rateOnlineDistance
162.6$6,666 in-state / $12,146 out-of-state$50,37034%Yes*134 mi
258.1$5,856 in-state / $10,800 out-of-state$56,07617%Yes*18 mi
354.4$5,206 in-state / $8,086 out-of-state$44,99316%Yes*158 mi
453.9$5,376 in-state / $10,320 out-of-state$54,28819%Yes*37 mi
553.3$6,160 in-state / $11,080 out-of-state$53,97724%Yes*26 mi
647.6$5,338 in-state / $15,596 out-of-state$50,13024%Yes*68 mi
746.7$5,352 in-state / $10,920 out-of-state$54,71418%—36 mi
843.9$5,988 in-state / $10,932 out-of-state$46,72429%Yes*55 mi
943.1$6,190 in-state / $8,974 out-of-state$44,04032%Yes*124 mi
1025.7$6,920 in-state / $13,640 out-of-state$45,15120%Yes*142 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.

Massachusetts employs approximately 117,940 home health aides according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, with a median annual wage of $40,910 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 Massachusetts, 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 (Massachusetts): $40,910 per year 1

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

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

What do home health aides earn in Massachusetts? The median annual wage for home health aides in Massachusetts is $40,910 according to BLS data. Entry-level wages start around $36,960 and experienced professionals can earn $46,700 or more 1.

How to Become a Home Health Aide in Massachusetts

  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 Massachusetts. 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 Massachusetts

Home health aides in Massachusetts 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 Massachusetts

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

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

Metro AreaEmploymentMedian Annual WageAvg. Annual WageEntry Level
(10th pctile)		Experienced
(90th pctile)
Boston-Cambridge-Newton72,420$40,910$42,240$36,810$47,410
Springfield15,840$40,860$40,930$36,840$44,340
Providence-Warwick15,670$40,890$42,200$35,960$46,620
Worcester14,720$40,870$42,620$37,010$47,740
Pittsfield2,540$40,160$40,710$36,990$45,390
Amherst Town-Northampton2,350$41,700$42,520$37,470$47,560
Barnstable Town2,300$42,520$42,470$37,840$46,830

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 Massachusetts? Massachusetts currently employs approximately 117,940 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 Massachusetts with an out-of-state license? Confirm reciprocity rules with the program and employer.

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

How much do home health aides earn in Massachusetts compared to the national average? The median annual wage for home health aides in Massachusetts is $40,910, which is $6,010 above the national median of $34,900 according to BLS data 1.

In Massachusetts

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)