Senior Care Industry Statistics 2026
How many caregiver, CNA, home health and hospice openings are live right now, where they are, and what federal data says about the people who care for older adults at home and in senior living.
BLS counts CNAs exactly, as nursing assistants, but publishes caregivers, personal care aides and home health aides only as one combined group and has no occupation for hospice aides or medication aides, so every federal figure below names the BLS occupation it describes and labels each stand-in.
Live Senior Care Openings
These numbers are CaregiverHires’s own: every active listing on the board, from employer career sites and direct postings.
Every other figure on this page comes from a federal agency or a named research body.
| Role | Listings with hourly pay | Median posted low | Median posted high |
|---|---|---|---|
| Caregivers | 11,854 | $16.00/hr | $18.00/hr |
| Personal Care Aides | 3,860 | $16.00/hr | $18.00/hr |
| Home Health Nurses | 3,673 | $31.00/hr | $36.00/hr |
| Certified Nursing Assistants | 3,226 | $17.00/hr | $19.00/hr |
| Home Health Aides | 2,849 | $17.00/hr | $18.00/hr |
| Medication Aides | 287 | $19.00/hr | $21.00/hr |
| Companion Caregivers | 260 | $17.00/hr | $18.00/hr |
| Resident Care Aides | 233 | $19.00/hr | $21.00/hr |
| Hospice Nurses | 170 | $38.00/hr | $45.00/hr |
| Care Coordinators | 155 | $20.00/hr | $22.00/hr |
| Activities Directors | 147 | $17.00/hr | $18.00/hr |
| Hospice Aides | 99 | $20.00/hr | $23.00/hr |
| Home Care Schedulers | 96 | $21.00/hr | $24.00/hr |
| Memory Care Caregivers | 93 | $18.00/hr | $18.00/hr |
| Directors of Nursing | 60 | $40.00/hr | $50.00/hr |
| Live-In Caregivers | 59 | $16.00/hr | $18.00/hr |
| Family Caregivers | 56 | $14.00/hr | $14.00/hr |
| Hospice Social Workers | 41 | $30.00/hr | $35.00/hr |
| Respite Caregivers | 28 | $20.00/hr | $22.00/hr |
| Private Caregivers | 21 | $16.00/hr | $17.00/hr |
| Hospice Chaplains | 17 | $28.00/hr | $33.00/hr |
Roles with at least 15 hourly-pay listings are shown; each column is the median of the posted range’s low or high end.
Posted ranges are what employers advertise, which may leave out bonuses and differentials, not what workers earn, so they do not compare directly with the BLS wages below.
How to read these numbers.
This is a live sample of the openings CaregiverHires tracks, not a count of every senior care job in the country.
Roles follow our job categories, not BLS occupations, and listings we cannot place in a state count only in the total.
If you cite them, include the date shown and link to this page.
How Big Is the Senior Care Workforce?
BLS counts nursing assistants, the occupation that includes CNAs, exactly. Caregivers, personal care aides and home health aides share one combined BLS occupation, and home health and hospice nurses are counted with all registered nurses.
Payroll counts leave out self-employed workers. Projection counts include them, and the two come from separate BLS programs.
| BLS occupation | Payroll jobs, May 2025 | Employment 2025 | Projected 2035 | Browse |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Home Health and Personal Care Aides SOC 31-1120Published as one combined occupation. It is where BLS counts non-medical caregivers, personal care aides and home health aides, with no separate figure for any of them. | 4,305,810 | 4,677,100 | 5,524,400 | Caregiver openings |
| Nursing Assistants SOC 31-1131Includes certified nursing assistants (CNAs), so it matches the CNA role. State titles for the credential vary. | 1,448,910 | 1,505,900 | 1,544,900 | CNA openings |
| Registered Nurses SOC 29-1141All RNs in every setting. Home health and hospice nurses have no BLS occupation of their own; the home health industry rows further down are the closer pay figures. | 3,379,720 | 3,465,400 | 3,660,100 | Home health nurse openings |
| Proxies and comparison occupations | ||||
| Medical and Health Services Managers SOC 11-9111A proxy for directors of nursing in a management role and for home care, home health, hospice, nursing home and assisted living administrators. It also counts hospital managers, so its all-industry median sits well above the senior care industry rows below. | 597,080 | 640,400 | 795,500 | Director of nursing openings |
| Healthcare Social Workers SOC 21-1022Includes hospice social workers, counted with healthcare social workers in every setting. | 187,630 | 194,800 | 211,300 | Hospice social worker openings |
| Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses SOC 29-2061Shown for comparison: LPNs and LVNs also staff home health agencies and nursing homes. | 648,410 | 666,900 | 686,700 | Comparison only |
Payroll jobs are BLS OEWS wage-and-salary estimates for all industries. Employment 2025 and 2035 are BLS Employment Projections figures, which also count the self-employed, so the 2025 projections base sits above the payroll count. Proxy rows describe the whole BLS group, not the senior care role.
Share of all home health and personal care aides, self-employed included (BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook). Largest employers only. This is a different count from the payroll figures in the table above.
Share of all nursing assistants (BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook). Largest employers only.
BLS OEWS state estimates, SOC 31-1120 (home health and personal care aides combined). Payroll employees only.
BLS OEWS state estimates, SOC 31-1131. Payroll employees only.
Roles BLS does not count on their own
- Caregivers, companions and live-in caregivers. BLS has no caregiver occupation. It counts them with personal care aides, which it says are sometimes called caregivers, in the combined home health and personal care aide group, so no caregiver-only wage or count exists. Source
- Home health aides and personal care aides. BLS publishes the two only as one combined occupation, so there is no separate payroll count or wage for either. Source
- Hospice aides and medication aides. Neither has a BLS occupation. Most hospice aides are counted as home health and personal care aides or nursing assistants, and nursing assistants are the nearest group for medication aides; their role pages use those groups only as labelled proxies. Source
- Home health and hospice nurses. BLS counts them with all registered nurses and publishes no hospice-only nurse wage. The home health care services industry rows above are the closest pay figures for home health nurses. Source
- Care coordinators and home care schedulers. Neither has a BLS occupation. The nearest codes, social and human service assistants and medical secretaries, mostly count other work, so no figure is shown for them here. Source
- Activities directors. The nearest BLS occupation, recreation workers, fits activity aides and assistants rather than the directors, who usually earn more, so no figure is shown for them here. Source
Where BLS has no occupation for a role, we name the closest group and label it, or show no figure at all.
Sources: BLS OEWS May 2025, BLS OEWS May 2025 state estimates, BLS Employment Projections 2025–35, BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook: aides, BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook: nursing assistants
BLS Pay and Growth Benchmarks
BLS projects employment growth from 2025 to 2035 of 18.1% for home health and personal care aides, with about 760,500 openings a year, against 2.6% for nursing assistants and 5.6% for registered nurses.
Pay also differs by work setting, so the industry rows below are the closer guide for home health, home care, nursing home and assisted living work.
| BLS occupation | Median wage, May 2025 | 10th to 90th percentile | Growth 2025–35 | Openings a year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Home Health and Personal Care Aides SOC 31-1120 | $35,800$17.21/hr | $27,040 to $45,040 | +18.1% | 760,500 |
| Nursing Assistants SOC 31-1131 | $42,260$20.32/hr | $33,940 to $51,980 | +2.6% | 196,200 |
| Registered Nurses SOC 29-1141 | $97,550$46.90/hr | $68,940 to $137,470 | +5.6% | 180,800 |
| Proxies and comparison occupations | ||||
| Medical and Health Services Managers SOC 11-9111 | $123,860$59.55/hr | $73,390 to $224,340 | +24.2% | 62,300 |
| Healthcare Social Workers SOC 21-1022 | $67,880$32.63/hr | $46,220 to $100,360 | +8.5% | 16,900 |
| Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses SOC 29-2061 | $64,400$30.96/hr | $49,740 to $83,440 | +3.0% | 51,800 |
Wages are BLS OEWS national estimates for wage-and-salary workers in all industries, so they leave out the self-employed. Growth and openings are BLS Employment Projections, which include the self-employed; openings include replacements for workers who leave the occupation. Proxy rows describe the whole BLS group, not the senior care role.
| Industry | Payroll jobs | Median wage |
|---|---|---|
| Home Health and Personal Care Aides (SOC 31-1120, combined) | ||
| Services for the elderly and persons with disabilities | 2,274,140 | $16.73/hr |
| Home health care services | 1,079,060 | $17.42/hr |
| Continuing care retirement communities and assisted living | 265,100 | $17.82/hr |
| Nursing care facilities (skilled nursing) | 55,500 | $17.72/hr |
| General medical and surgical hospitals | 22,620 | $20.20/hr |
| Nursing Assistants (SOC 31-1131) | ||
| Nursing care facilities (skilled nursing) | 534,270 | $20.67/hr |
| General medical and surgical hospitals | 442,820 | $20.02/hr |
| Continuing care retirement communities and assisted living | 161,150 | $18.99/hr |
| Home health care services | 70,770 | $18.29/hr |
| Services for the elderly and persons with disabilities | 30,660 | $17.00/hr |
| Registered Nurses (SOC 29-1141) | ||
| General medical and surgical hospitals | 1,902,960 | $48.18/hr |
| Home health care services | 198,180 | $40.83/hr |
| Nursing care facilities (skilled nursing) | 142,270 | $41.11/hr |
| Continuing care retirement communities and assisted living | 32,710 | $39.67/hr |
| Medical and Health Services Managers (SOC 11-9111, proxy) | ||
| General medical and surgical hospitals | 158,730 | $134,050/yr |
| Nursing care facilities (skilled nursing) | 30,930 | $105,550/yr |
| Home health care services | 30,360 | $101,830/yr |
| Continuing care retirement communities and assisted living | 15,760 | $92,340/yr |
| Services for the elderly and persons with disabilities | 6,500 | $84,640/yr |
BLS OEWS industry estimates, payroll employees only. Services for the elderly and persons with disabilities is the industry where most non-medical home care agencies are classified. Only the largest or most relevant industries are shown.
BLS OEWS state estimates, SOC 31-1120 (combined), hourly median. The lowest state medians were Louisiana ($10.83) and Mississippi ($11.47).
BLS OEWS state estimates, SOC 31-1131, hourly median. The lowest state medians were Louisiana ($14.67) and Mississippi ($15.15).
Sources: BLS OEWS May 2025, BLS OEWS May 2025 industry estimates, BLS OEWS May 2025 state estimates, BLS Employment Projections 2025–35
Hiring Demand and Workforce Indicators
PHI tracks the size, pay and turnover of the direct care workforce, and federal rules shape which home health agencies and hospices can open and what agencies must pay.
These figures come from each named source, not from CaregiverHires listings. BLS expects registered nurses to remain in demand in home healthcare because many older people prefer to be treated at home.
| Indicator | Figure | Source |
|---|---|---|
| U.S. direct care workforceIncluding nearly 3.5 million home care workers, 714,000 in residential care homes and more than 534,000 nursing assistants in nursing homes | 5.8 million | PHI, Key Facts and FAQ |
| Direct care jobs PHI projects will need to be filled, 2025 to 2035Including more than 886,000 new jobs; the rest replace workers who leave | 9.6 million | PHI, Key Facts and FAQ |
| Median wage of direct care workers, 202534% of the workforce lives in or near poverty (under 200% of the federal poverty level) | $17.99/hr | PHI, Key Facts and FAQ |
| Median turnover in home care, 2024PHI notes that no comprehensive turnover measure exists for the whole direct care workforce | Nearly 75% | PHI, Key Facts and FAQ |
| Medicaid-funded independent providersDirect care workers employed by the people they support through publicly funded consumer-direction programs | 1.5 million+ | PHI, Key Facts and FAQ |
| Nationwide moratorium on new Medicare home health agency and hospice enrollmentsImposed for six months and extendable in six-month steps; CMS denies new applications, and enrolled agencies and hospices cannot add new branches while it lasts | From May 13, 2026 | CMS provider enrollment moratoria |
| Estimated change in aggregate Medicare home health payments, 2026About -$220 million under the CY 2026 final rule, despite a 2.4% payment update | -1.3% | CMS home health final rule, Federal Register, December 2025 |
| 2024 federal nursing home minimum staffing standardsBarred by law until after September 30, 2034, and repealed by CMS from February 2, 2026 | Blocked | CMS, Federal Register, December 2025 |
| DOL proposal to let home care agencies claim the companionship and live-in exemptions againPublished July 2, 2025 and not final as of October 2026; agencies still owe minimum wage and overtime | Proposed | U.S. Department of Labor, Federal Register, July 2025 |
PHI counts personal care aides, home health aides and nursing assistants as direct care workers, so its totals are not comparable with any single BLS occupation above. Rule and payment figures are as published by the agency on the date shown.
Sources: PHI Key Facts and FAQ, BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook: registered nurses
Statistics by Role
Each role page combines live listing figures with the BLS data for that role.
A role page is published once the board tracks at least 300 of its listings from 25 employers.
- Caregiver statistics19,619 live listings from 1,017 employers
- Certified Nursing Assistant statistics6,265 live listings from 763 employers
- Home Health Aide statistics4,588 live listings from 338 employers
- Home Health Nurse statistics8,021 live listings from 336 employers
- Hospice Nurse statistics2,209 live listings from 124 employers
- Personal Care Aide statistics4,552 live listings from 280 employers
- Medication Aide statistics1,124 live listings from 215 employers
- Hospice Aide statistics705 live listings from 71 employers
- Director of Nursing statistics1,201 live listings from 208 employers
- Care Coordinator statistics495 live listings from 155 employers
Frequently Asked Questions
How many senior care openings are live right now?
CaregiverHires listed 51,438 live caregiver, aide, nurse and senior care leadership openings from 1,700 employers on November 6, 2026. The count covers every active listing on the board and is refreshed every six hours.
How many caregivers and home health aides are there in the U.S.?
BLS counts caregivers, personal care aides and home health aides together as home health and personal care aides. Employers reported 4,305,810 of them on payroll in May 2025, a count that leaves out the self-employed (BLS OEWS), and BLS Employment Projections, which include the self-employed, put 2025 employment at 4,677,100. PHI, which counts nursing assistants too, estimates the whole direct care workforce at 5.8 million workers, including nearly 3.5 million home care workers.
How many CNAs are there?
BLS counts CNAs in nursing assistants. Employers reported 1,448,910 nursing assistants on payroll in May 2025 (BLS OEWS), and BLS Employment Projections put 2025 employment at 1,505,900. Nursing care facilities (36%) and hospitals (32%) were the largest employers in 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook.
Is the senior care workforce growing?
Yes, by BLS projections. Employment of home health and personal care aides is projected to grow 18.1% from 2025 to 2035, with about 760,500 openings a year, against 2.6% for nursing assistants (about 196,200 openings a year) and 5.6% for registered nurses. PHI projects that 9.6 million direct care jobs will need to be filled from 2025 to 2035, most of them replacing workers who leave.
What do home health and personal care aides earn?
The national median wage for home health and personal care aides was $17.21 an hour ($35,800 a year) in May 2025 (BLS OEWS). It was $16.73 in services for the elderly and persons with disabilities, where most non-medical home care agencies are classified, $17.42 in home health care services and $17.82 in continuing care retirement communities and assisted living. BLS publishes no separate caregiver, home health aide or personal care aide wage, and these figures cover payroll employees only.
What do CNAs earn?
The national median wage for nursing assistants, the BLS occupation that includes CNAs, was $20.32 an hour ($42,260 a year) in May 2025 (BLS OEWS). By industry it was $20.67 in skilled nursing facilities, $20.02 in general medical and surgical hospitals, $18.99 in continuing care retirement communities and assisted living and $18.29 in home health care services.
What do home health and hospice nurses earn?
BLS has no home health or hospice nurse occupation. Registered nurses in home health care services earned a median of $40.83 an hour ($84,930 a year) in May 2025, below the $46.90 median for all RNs (BLS OEWS). BLS publishes no hospice-only nurse wage.
Does BLS count hospice aides, medication aides or senior care administrators separately?
No. Hospice aides and medication aides have no BLS occupation, so their role pages use home health and personal care aides or nursing assistants only as labelled proxies. Directors of nursing and home care, hospice, nursing home and assisted living administrators are counted within medical and health services managers, a broad group that also includes hospital managers.
Methodology and Sources
Live figures count every active, paid listing on CaregiverHires when the page was generated, and the page refreshes every six hours.
Federal figures are quoted as BLS published them: OEWS May 2025 for payroll employment and wages, and Employment Projections 2025–35 for growth and openings.
Nursing assistants, the occupation that includes CNAs, are the only exact BLS match for a board role. BLS publishes home health aides and personal care aides, the group that also counts caregivers, only as one combined occupation, and we say so wherever it appears.
Home health and hospice nurses are counted with all registered nurses, and directors of nursing and administrators within medical and health services managers, so those figures are labelled as the closest available group.
Where BLS has no usable occupation for a role, such as care coordinators, schedulers or activities directors, we show no BLS figure.
Workforce and rule indicators are quoted from the named body, with the period each one covers. PHI direct care figures are never mixed with BLS occupation counts.
Shares marked as calculated are our arithmetic on the published BLS counts.
- BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, national fileWage-and-salary employment and annual and hourly wage percentiles for each occupation, all industries.
- BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, industry fileEmployment and median wages for aides, nursing assistants, nurses and managers in home health, home care, nursing homes, assisted living and hospitals.
- BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, state fileEmployment and median wages by state.
- BLS Employment Projections 2025–35, Table 1.22025 and 2035 employment (including the self-employed), percent change and average annual openings.
- BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook: Home Health and Personal Care AidesWhere aides work and how BLS describes personal care aides.
- BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook: Nursing Assistants and OrderliesWhere nursing assistants work.
- BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook: Registered NursesWhy BLS expects demand for RNs in home healthcare.
- PHI, Direct Care Workers in the United States: Key Facts and FAQDirect care workforce size, wages, turnover and projected job openings.
- CMS provider enrollment moratoriaThe nationwide moratoria on new Medicare home health agency and hospice enrollment that took effect May 13, 2026.
- CY 2026 Home Health Prospective Payment System final rule, Federal Register, December 2, 2025Estimated 2026 change in aggregate Medicare home health payments.
- CMS interim final rule on nursing home staffing standards, Federal Register, December 3, 2025Status of the 2024 minimum staffing standards.
- U.S. Department of Labor proposed rule on domestic service, Federal Register, July 2, 2025The proposal to rescind the 2013 Home Care Rule.
- CaregiverHires job listingsActive, paid listings on the board, queried live.