How long does home health aide training take in Tennessee?

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

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

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

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS data (May 2025), home health aides in Tennessee earned a median annual wage of approximately $32,130. Employment concentration in Tennessee is roughly 0.40 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 Tennessee?

Tennessee currently employs approximately 35,950 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

Tennessee home health and personal care aides earn a median annual wage of $32,130 ($15.45/hr) according to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS data (May 2025), with about 35,950 workers employed statewide. The state median is approximately -10.3% below the national median of $35,800 for the same occupation.

Key Takeaways

Median annual pay: $32,130 ($15.45/hr)
25th percentile: $29,920 per year
75th percentile: $35,280 per year
Top 10% earn: more than $38,150 per year
Entry-level (bottom 10%): under $28,090 per year
Workers employed in Tennessee: 35,950
Versus national median: -10.3% below the U.S. median of $35,800
Job concentration: Location quotient 0.40 - this occupation is less concentrated in Tennessee than the national average

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

Tennessee employs about 35,950 home health aides earning a median $32,130 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 Tennessee

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.
#	School	BOC Score (0–100)	Tuition (published, per year)	Median grad earnings (all majors)	Graduation rate	Online	Distance
1	Itawamba Community College	63.0	$3,420 in-state / $5,820 out-of-state	$41,849	50%	Yes*	120 mi
2	West Kentucky Community and Technical College	56.9	$4,728 in-state / $6,432 out-of-state	$43,110	50%	Yes*	118 mi
3	Northeast Mississippi Community College	56.6	$4,470 in-state / $7,710 out-of-state	$43,163	34%	Yes*	104 mi
4	Tennessee College of Applied Technology Nashville	56.6	Contact school for pricing	$41,766	70%	—	41 mi
5	Madisonville Community College	55.9	$4,728 in-state / $6,432 out-of-state	$54,485	49%	Yes*	112 mi
6	Owensboro Community and Technical College	55.4	$4,728 in-state / $6,432 out-of-state	$44,854	54%	Yes*	137 mi
7	Henderson Community College	53.7	$4,728 in-state / $6,432 out-of-state	$50,202	35%	Yes*	143 mi
8	Hopkinsville Community College	50.6	$4,728 in-state / $6,432 out-of-state	$46,788	45%	Yes*	79 mi
9	Miller-Motte College-Chattanooga	38.8	Contact school for pricing	$34,393	60%	Yes*	129 mi
10	Southeastern Illinois College	37.2	$4,560 in-state / $6,780 out-of-state	$53,583	55%	—	154 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.

Tennessee employs approximately 35,950 home health aides according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, with a median annual wage of $32,130 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 Tennessee, 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 (Tennessee): $32,130 per year ¹

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

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

What do home health aides earn in Tennessee? The median annual wage for home health aides in Tennessee is $32,130 according to BLS data. Entry-level wages start around $28,090 and experienced professionals can earn $38,150 or more ¹.

How to Become a Home Health Aide in Tennessee

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 Tennessee. 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 Tennessee

Home health aides in Tennessee 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 Tennessee

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

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

Metro Area	Employment	Median Annual Wage	Avg. Annual Wage	Entry Level (10th pctile)	Experienced (90th pctile)
Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin	9,420	$34,380	$35,250	$29,350	$42,800
Memphis	7,280	$30,900	$32,110	$27,800	$37,720
Knoxville	4,610	$32,710	$33,000	$28,430	$36,290
Chattanooga	2,560	$32,670	$32,830	$28,880	$37,720
Jackson	2,280	$31,120	$31,730	$28,030	$36,170
Kingsport-Bristol	1,290	$29,760	$31,300	$25,810	$39,270
Clarksville	1,270	$30,580	$32,410	$27,400	$43,420
Johnson City	930	$29,360	$31,040	$27,050	$35,280
Cleveland	540	$31,620	$31,190	$26,850	$33,330
Morristown	470	$30,040	$31,690	$27,440	$36,510

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 Tennessee? Tennessee currently employs approximately 35,950 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 Tennessee with an out-of-state license? Confirm reciprocity rules with the program and employer.

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

How much do home health aides earn in Tennessee compared to the national average? The median annual wage for home health aides in Tennessee is $32,130, which is $2,770 below the national median of $34,900 according to BLS data ¹.

In Tennessee

Best Trade Schools in Tennessee (2026)

Top local programs

Explore More Trades in Tennessee

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)