How to Become a Home Health Aide in West Virginia (2026)

Updated June 8, 2026 | TradeCareerPath Editorial Team

West Virginia employs about 18,890 home health aides earning a median $28,010 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 West Virginia

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
156.8$5,256 in-state / $8,016 out-of-state$59,75130%Yes*116 mi
256.1$5,488 in-state / $11,224 out-of-state$52,68128%Yes*129 mi
355.8$13,713$34,46969%—119 mi
454.1$5,400 in-state / $11,838 out-of-state$48,00440%Yes*120 mi
553.9$4,979 in-state / $11,417 out-of-state$49,19750%Yes*112 mi
653.8$4,728 in-state / $6,432 out-of-state$47,46751%Yes*75 mi
749.2$5,646 in-state / $12,084 out-of-state$51,04240%Yes*129 mi
848.9$5,075 in-state / $11,513 out-of-state$43,37146%Yes*112 mi
947.3$4,728 in-state / $6,432 out-of-state$39,69238%Yes*106 mi
1046.5$4,722$40,52642%Yes*129 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.

West Virginia employs approximately 18,890 home health aides according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, with a median annual wage of $28,010 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 West Virginia, 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 (West Virginia): $28,010 per year 1

Quick Answers About How to Become a Home Health Aide in West Virginia

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

What do home health aides earn in West Virginia? The median annual wage for home health aides in West Virginia is $28,010 according to BLS data. Entry-level wages start around $22,430 and experienced professionals can earn $32,590 or more 1.

How to Become a Home Health Aide in West Virginia

  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 West Virginia. 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 West Virginia

Home health aides in West Virginia 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 West Virginia

Home Health and Personal Care Aides Wages by Metro Area in West Virginia

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

Metro AreaEmploymentMedian Annual WageAvg. Annual WageEntry Level
(10th pctile)		Experienced
(90th pctile)
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria50,450$38,530$39,110$30,670$46,080
Huntington-Ashland3,620$28,740$30,820$23,270$39,790
Charleston3,200$28,680$27,600$22,400$30,720
Hagerstown-Martinsburg1,880$32,620$33,660$23,430$42,030
Beckley1,550$26,910$26,720$22,480$30,430
Parkersburg-Vienna1,270$26,920$27,760$23,170$32,000
Wheeling1,190$29,190$29,940$23,620$35,710
Winchester980$29,240$31,730$26,730$40,940
Weirton-Steubenville770$28,550$29,730$23,640$35,170
Morgantown750$27,930$27,630$22,780$34,360

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 West Virginia? West Virginia currently employs approximately 18,890 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 West Virginia with an out-of-state license? Confirm reciprocity rules with the program and employer.

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

How much do home health aides earn in West Virginia compared to the national average? The median annual wage for home health aides in West Virginia is $28,010, which is $6,890 below the national median of $34,900 according to BLS data 1.

In West Virginia

Top local programs

Related trades & nearby areas

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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)