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

Updated June 8, 2026 | TradeCareerPath Editorial Team

Pennsylvania employs about 257,370 home health aides earning a median $29,420 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 Pennsylvania

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
171.1$4,752 in-state / $8,808 out-of-state$45,61232%Yes*85 mi
262.5$5,891 in-state / $12,409 out-of-state$57,48733%Yes*107 mi
359.0$5,394 in-state / $14,250 out-of-state$55,19932%Yes*89 mi
458.2$18,400$45,60937%Yes*99 mi
558.1$32,000$47,90444%Yes*90 mi
650.3$5,550 in-state / $15,270 out-of-state$49,40824%Yes*88 mi
748.7$4,034 in-state / $8,762 out-of-state$62,10018%Yes*103 mi
843.0$6,600 in-state / $16,260 out-of-state$49,52123%Yes*76 mi
942.2$6,480 in-state / $12,510 out-of-state$45,44634%Yes*54 mi
1036.8$4,632 in-state / $12,744 out-of-state$50,78824%Yes*99 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.

Pennsylvania employs approximately 257,370 home health aides according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, with a median annual wage of $29,420 1. The state’s concentration of home health aide jobs is 1.53x the national average, indicating strong demand. 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 Pennsylvania, 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 (Pennsylvania): $29,420 per year 1

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

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

What do home health aides earn in Pennsylvania? The median annual wage for home health aides in Pennsylvania is $29,420 according to BLS data. Entry-level wages start around $26,510 and experienced professionals can earn $37,960 or more 1.

How to Become a Home Health Aide in Pennsylvania

  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 Pennsylvania. 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 Pennsylvania

Home health aides in Pennsylvania 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 Pennsylvania

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

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

Metro AreaEmploymentMedian Annual WageAvg. Annual WageEntry Level
(10th pctile)		Experienced
(90th pctile)
Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington158,280$29,800$32,250$28,250$38,710
Pittsburgh37,200$29,250$31,340$23,980$38,590
Harrisburg-Carlisle13,040$29,050$30,720$26,260$37,310
Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton12,030$30,380$32,680$27,970$41,340
Scranton--Wilkes-Barre9,970$29,460$31,060$25,020$38,390
Lancaster6,990$29,150$31,670$27,290$39,220
Erie6,640$27,860$29,430$23,780$37,530
Reading5,820$29,830$31,930$26,260$38,430
York-Hanover3,400$32,690$33,890$26,840$43,020
Altoona1,800$27,390$30,120$23,350$37,260
Williamsport1,750$28,540$30,600$24,340$38,260
Johnstown1,740$28,930$30,840$22,890$37,770
State College1,380$29,950$32,100$26,640$38,070
Chambersburg1,200$31,150$31,980$26,430$39,980
Lebanon1,000$30,090$32,360$27,290$42,870
Gettysburg350$34,240$33,920$26,870$44,430

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 Pennsylvania? Pennsylvania currently employs approximately 257,370 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 Pennsylvania with an out-of-state license? Confirm reciprocity rules with the program and employer.

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

How much do home health aides earn in Pennsylvania compared to the national average? The median annual wage for home health aides in Pennsylvania is $29,420, which is $5,480 below the national median of $34,900 according to BLS data 1.

In Pennsylvania

Top local programs

Related trades & nearby areas

Explore More Trades in Pennsylvania

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)