What are the main factors that influence a HCA's salary?

The primary factors are: 1) Experience Level, 2) Geographic Location, 3) Education/Skills, 4) Company Size & Industry

What industry pays the highest salary for HCA?

The Healthcare industry offers the highest average compensation for HCA roles, with salaries approximately 25% above the market median.

How does experience change A HCA's salary?

A HCA's salary grows with experience: a Certified Nursing Assistant (0-0 years)earns $34,372, a HCA (0-1 years)earns $34,652, a Patient Care Technician (PCT) (1-3 years)earns $38,403,

What are the highest paying states for a HCA?

HCA salary varies significantly by state. The top 3 highest paying states for HCA roles are District of Columbia $40,663, California $40,508, Massachusetts $39,969. These tech hubs typically pay 10-15% above the national average.

How much do different types of HCA roles make?

Salaries for HCA level roles vary by specialization: HCA Caregiver: $39,597.

How do different companies affect a HCA's salary?

Company size, industry, and compensation structure create significant salary variations for HCA roles. Large, established industry leaders like Kpmg Us LLP ($114,295) and Warner Bros Discovery ($114,096) offer base salaries 35-40% above the national average. In contrast, smaller firms or startups may offer closer to $88,138.

HCA Salary in the United States

How much does a HCA make in the United States?

As of July 01, 2026, the average salary for a HCA in the United States is $36,726 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $18.

However, a HCA's salary can vary significantly. Here’s a look at the typical salary range:

Top Earners (90th percentile): $45,456
Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $33,157 to $41,296
Entry-Level (10th percentile): $29,909

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HCA Salaries by Percentile

	Annual Salary	Monthly Pay	Weekly Pay	Hourly Wage
75th Percentile	$41,296	$3,441	$794	$20
Average	$36,726	$3,060	$706	$18
25th Percentile	$33,157	$2,763	$638	$16

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Key Factors That Influence HCA Salaries

A HCA's salary isn't a fixed number. It's shaped by several important factors. Below, we'll explore how your years of experience, geographic location, education and company size can directly affect your earning potential.

How Do HCA Salaries Vary from State to State?

Your salary can change significantly depending on where you work. States with a higher cost of living and strong industrial sectors often pay more to attract HCAs. For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:

District of Columbia: $40,663.
California: $40,508.
Massachusetts: $39,969.

District of Columbia $40,663 California $40,508 Massachusetts $39,969 Washington $39,822 New Jersey $39,807 Alaska $39,756 Connecticut $39,249 New York $39,043

Hawaii $38,386 Rhode Island $38,077 Maryland $37,868 Minnesota $37,581 Colorado $37,471 Illinois $37,435 Oregon $37,295 Delaware $37,192

New Hampshire $37,127 Virginia $36,983 Pennsylvania $36,560 Nevada $36,347 North Dakota $36,278 Michigan $36,167 Wisconsin $36,127 Vermont $36,046

Texas $35,822 Maine $35,808 Arizona $35,786 Ohio $35,760 Georgia $35,422 Indiana $35,253 Wyoming $35,220 Utah $35,169

Iowa $35,146 Kansas $34,970 Louisiana $34,919 North Carolina $34,900 Missouri $34,893 Florida $34,750 Montana $34,673 Nebraska $34,599

Kentucky $34,559 South Carolina $34,412 Tennessee $34,320 Idaho $34,283 New Mexico $34,015 Oklahoma $33,957 Alabama $33,740 South Dakota $33,376

Arkansas $33,178 West Virginia $33,071 Mississippi $32,752

Top Paying Cities for HCAs

Salaries can also vary between different cities. Major metropolitan areas or cities with a high demand for technicians often offer more competitive pay. Here are a few examples of average annual salaries in different U.S. cities:

San Jose: $46,322
San Francisco: $45,815
Oakland: $44,849

San Jose, CA $46,322

San Francisco, CA $45,815

Oakland, CA $44,849

New York, NY $42,286

Paramus, NJ $41,771

Queens Village, NY $41,770

Passaic, NJ $41,735

Bergenfield, NJ $41,731

Stamford, CT $41,651

Huntington, NY $41,636

Newark, NJ $41,364

Bridgeport, CT $41,287

Vallejo, CA $41,214

New Brunswick, NJ $41,199

Petaluma, CA $41,177

Middlesex, NJ $41,107

Somerset, NJ $41,081

Santa Cruz, CA $41,034

Boston, MA $40,810

Monterey, CA $40,681

Seattle, WA $40,597

Santa Rosa, CA $40,589

Los Angeles, CA $40,578

Juneau, AK $40,483

Washington, DC $40,442

Orange, CA $40,312

Santa Ana, CA $40,215

Long Beach, CA $40,178

Anaheim, CA $40,171

Anchorage, AK $40,152

Santa Maria, CA $40,042

Everett, WA $40,035

Danbury, CT $39,905

Bremerton, WA $39,855

Tacoma, WA $39,723

New Suffolk, NY $39,722

Sacramento, CA $39,711

Santa Barbara, CA $39,671

Trenton, NJ $39,631

San Diego, CA $39,631

Brockton, MA $39,590

Fairbanks, AK $39,500

Lompoc, CA $39,407

Lowell, MA $39,377

Ventura, CA $39,370

Nashua, NH $39,363

Stockton, CA $39,359

Modesto, CA $39,091

Poughkeepsie, NY $39,010

Olympia, WA $38,940

Kennewick, WA $38,940

New Haven, CT $38,926

Lawrence, MA $38,793

Hartford, CT $38,757

Riverside, CA $38,749

New Bedford, MA $38,713

Richland, WA $38,713

Bakersfield, CA $38,661

San Bernardino, CA $38,646

New Britain, CT $38,643

Atlantic City, NJ $38,643

New London, CT $38,628

Norwich, CT $38,617

Portsmouth, NH $38,610

Boulder, CO $38,532

Portland, OR $38,481

Worcester, MA $38,478

Minneapolis, MN $38,364

Philadelphia, PA $38,312

Honolulu, HI $38,191

Saint Paul, MN $38,173

Vineland, NJ $38,165

Providence, RI $38,059

Chicago, IL $37,952

Bellingham, WA $37,908

Springfield, MA $37,879

Baltimore, MD $37,868

Chico, CA $37,776

Pittsfield, MA $37,677

Manchester, NH $37,607

Spokane, WA $37,446

Denver, CO $37,442

Albany, NY $37,269

Troy, NY $37,255

Nassau, NY $37,215

Schenectady, NY $37,177

Wilmington, DE $37,148

Burlington, VT $37,097

Salem, OR $37,082

Portland, ME $36,968

Yakima, WA $36,931

Rochester, MN $36,818

Reno, NV $36,799

Fresno, CA $36,799

Milwaukee, WI $36,766

Detroit, MI $36,729

Ann Arbor, MI $36,723

Allentown, PA $36,718

Colorado Springs, CO $36,656

Syracuse, NY $36,638

Carson City, NV $36,638

Houston, TX $36,586

Eugene, OR $36,568

Gary, IN $36,524

Springfield, OR $36,494

Bismarck, ND $36,487

Galveston, TX $36,461

Medford, OR $36,406

Fort Collins, CO $36,391

Concord, NH $36,373

Austin, TX $36,362

Mesa, AZ $36,285

Reading, PA $36,281

Phoenix, AZ $36,278

Dallas, TX $36,267

Saint Cloud, MN $36,231

Madison, WI $36,182

Utica, NY $36,083

Rochester, NY $36,024

Des Moines, IA $36,021

Raleigh, NC $36,017

Atlanta, GA $35,962

Battle Creek, MI $35,951

Salt Lake City, UT $35,940

Lancaster, PA $35,885

Harrisburg, PA $35,833

Kansas City, MO $35,797

Champaign, IL $35,789

Kansas City, KS $35,789

Fort Worth, TX $35,786

Columbus, OH $35,779

Boca Raton, FL $35,771

Pittsburgh, PA $35,756

Richmond, VA $35,741

Indianapolis, IN $35,734

Cleveland, OH $35,730

Las Vegas, NV $35,686

Cincinnati, OH $35,686

Petersburg, VA $35,631

Huntsville, AL $35,576

Lansing, MI $35,552

Lebanon, PA $35,547

Pueblo, CO $35,543

Appleton, WI $35,532

Buffalo, NY $35,517

Dayton, OH $35,506

Racine, WI $35,499

Charlotte, NC $35,495

Saint Louis, MO $35,484

York, PA $35,462

Elkhart, IN $35,462

Gastonia, NC $35,455

Billings, MT $35,447

Beaumont, TX $35,437

Lorain, OH $35,429

Benton Harbor, MI $35,422

Toledo, OH $35,415

Binghamton, NY $35,396

Rock Hill, SC $35,393

Rockford, IL $35,374

Springfield, IL $35,360

Elyria, OH $35,356

Fargo, ND $35,356

Flagstaff, AZ $35,330

Fort Lauderdale, FL $35,308

Duluth, MN $35,286

Miami, FL $35,286

Cheyenne, WY $35,260

Grand Forks, ND $35,260

Bangor, ME $35,180

Cedar Rapids, IA $35,139

Durham, NC $35,124

Louisville, KY $35,121

Grand Rapids, MI $35,113

Hialeah, FL $35,110

Casper, WY $35,058

Scranton, PA $35,014

New Orleans, LA $35,003

Virginia Beach, VA $35,000

Akron, OH $34,981

Peoria, IL $34,933

Sarasota, FL $34,926

Nashville, TN $34,900

Omaha, NE $34,900

Green Bay, WI $34,900

Baton Rouge, LA $34,882

Charleston, SC $34,875

Jamestown, NY $34,856

Davenport, IA $34,856

Tucson, AZ $34,838

Saint Petersburg, FL $34,816

Tampa, FL $34,809

Evansville, IN $34,787

Port Arthur, TX $34,787

Bradenton, FL $34,772

Santa Fe, NM $34,706

Orlando, FL $34,640

Clearwater, FL $34,629

Canton, OH $34,552

La Crosse, WI $34,552

Albuquerque, NM $34,530

Newport News, VA $34,526

High Point, NC $34,515

Ogden, UT $34,500

Corpus Christi, TX $34,471

Norfolk, VA $34,449

Laramie, WY $34,449

Rock Island, IL $34,427

Saginaw, MI $34,419

Jacksonville, FL $34,416

Salisbury, NC $34,408

Boise, ID $34,401

Moline, IL $34,383

Fort Myers, FL $34,372

Memphis, TN $34,364

Tulsa, OK $34,346

Waterloo, IA $34,324

Spartanburg, SC $34,287

Lincoln, NE $34,269

Fort Wayne, IN $34,261

Provo, UT $34,258

Cedar Falls, IA $34,214

San Antonio, TX $34,199

Greensboro, NC $34,184

South Bend, IN $34,181

Savannah, GA $34,140

Muskegon, MI $34,126

Birmingham, AL $34,122

Winston Salem, NC $34,104

Lake Charles, LA $34,015

Anderson, IN $34,008

Lexington, KY $33,997

Augusta, GA $33,986

Greenville, SC $33,986

Lima, OH $33,957

Wichita, KS $33,953

Tuscaloosa, AL $33,953

Columbia, SC $33,920

Springfield, OH $33,913

Asheville, NC $33,854

Bloomington, IN $33,828

Knoxville, TN $33,696

Shreveport, LA $33,692

Wilmington, NC $33,644

Roanoke, VA $33,644

Topeka, KS $33,578

Frankfort, KY $33,574

Oklahoma City, OK $33,549

Chillicothe, OH $33,534

Longview, TX $33,531

Melbourne, FL $33,527

Sioux Falls, SD $33,468

Mobile, AL $33,464

Terre Haute, IN $33,450

Altoona, PA $33,428

Amarillo, TX $33,402

Killeen, TX $33,391

Fayetteville, AR $33,362

Chattanooga, TN $33,351

Sioux City, IA $33,318

Idaho Falls, ID $33,310

Lynchburg, VA $33,281

Gainesville, FL $33,233

Portsmouth, OH $33,215

Little Rock, AR $33,207

Lafayette, LA $33,193

Youngstown, OH $33,193

Daytona Beach, FL $33,171

Clarksville, TN $33,167

Pensacola, FL $33,163

Temple, TX $33,161

Hopkinsville, KY $33,053

Erie, PA $33,046

Florence, SC $33,031

Charleston, WV $32,972

Great Falls, MT $32,954

Macon, GA $32,903

Tallahassee, FL $32,899

Fayetteville, NC $32,892

Waco, TX $32,884

Helena, MT $32,858

Pine Bluff, AR $32,845

Vincennes, IN $32,800

Lubbock, TX $32,785

Alamogordo, NM $32,763

Twin Falls, ID $32,730

Rapid City, SD $32,719

Jackson, MS $32,653

Huntington, WV $32,650

Greenville, MS $32,649

Parkersburg, WV $32,612

Montgomery, AL $32,605

Wichita Falls, TX $32,568

Springfield, MO $32,568

Biloxi, MS $32,550

Monroe, LA $32,513

Johnstown, PA $32,488

Sumter, SC $32,473

Columbus, GA $32,469

Pascagoula, MS $32,399

Abilene, TX $32,399

Kingsport, TN $32,304

Albany, GA $32,304

Gulfport, MS $32,293

Alexandria, LA $32,172

Fort Smith, AR $32,080

El Paso, TX $31,981

Las Cruces, NM $31,815

Harlingen, TX $31,722

Pocatello, ID $31,716

Florence, AL $31,669

Brownsville, TX $31,661

Mcallen, TX $31,584

Dothan, AL $31,533

Columbus, MS $31,315

Altus, OK $31,143

Lawton, OK $31,074

Pierre, SD $30,941

What Skills Can Increase a HCA's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

Commitment (Mentioned in 3.33% Job Postings): An agreement or pledge to do something in the future a commitment to improve conditions at the prison especially : an engagement to assume a financial obligation at a future date.
Long Term Care (Mentioned in 4.24% Job Postings): Long-term care (LTC) is a variety of services which help meet both the medical and non-medical needs of people with a chronic illness or disability who cannot care for themselves for long periods. Long term care is focused on individualized and coordinated services that promote independence, maximize patients' quality of life, and meet patients' needs over a period of time. It is common for long-term care to provide custodial and non-skilled care, such as assisting with normal daily tasks like dressing, feeding, using the bathroom. Increasingly, long-term care involves providing a level of medical care that requires the expertise of skilled practitioners to address the multiple chronic conditions associated with older populations. Long-term care can be provided at home, in the community, in assisted living facilities or in nursing homes. Long-term care may be needed by people of any age, although it is a more common need for senior citizens.
Geriatrics (Mentioned in 2.77% Job Postings): Geriatrics, or geriatric medicine, is a medical specialty focused on providing care for the unique health needs of older adults. The term geriatrics originates from the Greek geron meaning "old man", and iatros meaning "healer".

See More Skills

Skills	Demand Percentage
Commitment	3.33%
Long Term Care	4.24%
Geriatrics	2.77%

What skills can make your compensation higher?

Mastering certain specialized skills can lead to a significant increase in pay. Here are examples of skills and the potential impact they can have on a HCA's salary.

Organizational Skills: Can increase your salary by up to 8%.
Innovation: Can increase your salary by up to 6%.
Coordination: Can increase your salary by up to 6%.

Skill	Salary	Salary % Increase
Organizational Skills	$39,664	8%
Innovation	$38,929	6%
Coordination	$38,929	6%
Integrity	$38,929	6%
Initiative	$38,562	5%
Cardiac	$38,562	5%

Get Latest Data

HCA Salary by Industry: Top Paying Sectors

For HCA roles, the industry you choose can impact your earning potential by as much as 50% (the gap between the highest and lowest paying industries). Data shows that the highest-paying industry, Healthcare, offers compensation 25% above the average. Conversely, HCA positions in Business Services typically offer lower base pay, as this sector often view HCA as a support function rather than a direct revenue driver.

The top paying industry for a HCA

Industry Sector	Average Annual Salary	Average Hourly Rate	Pay vs.Avg
Healthcare	$45,907	$22.0	25%

How Education impacts a HCA's Salary?

Your level of education can impact your salary potential. While many HCAs enter the field with a High School Diploma or Technical Certificate degree, higher education can lead to more specialized and higher-paying roles.

According to our 100% employer-reported salary data, the median salary for a HCA with a High School Diploma or Technical Certificate is between $32,144 and $34,088).

HCA Salaries by Degree Level

Typical Education for HCA

No Diploma 3.1%

High School 68.5%

Associates 14.6%

Bachelors 12.9%

Masters 1.0%

Doctorate 0.0%

view as table

Degree Level	% of user with this level of education
No Diploma	3.1%
High School	68.5%
Associates	14.6%
Bachelors	12.9%
Masters	1.0%
Doctorate	0.0%

view as graph

HCA Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how a HCA's annual salary breaks down can help with budgeting. Below, you can see the average hourly rate, weekly pay, and monthly pay for this role. Use the buttons to switch between different pay periods.

Last Updated on July 01, 2026

$33,157

Average $36,726/year

$41,296

$2,763

Average $3,060/month

$3,441

$638

Average $706/week

$794

$16

Average $18/hour

$20

	Annual Salary	Monthly Pay	Weekly Pay	Hourly Wage
75th Percentile	$41,296	$3,441	$794	$20
Average	$36,726	$3,060	$706	$18
25th Percentile	$33,157	$2,763	$638	$16

Salaries of jobs related to HCA

Salary Trends for HCA

Salaries for a HCA can change over time, reflecting shifts in market demand and the overall economy. The median salary decreased from $39,359 in 2023 to around $39,186 in 2025, reflecting changes in demand, location, experience, and the wider economy. For a detailed analysis of HCA salary trends, .

Average Annual Salary of HCA Over Time

2022

$???

2023

$39,359

2024

$39,643

2025

$39,186

2026

$???

2027

$???

Year	Average Annual Salary
2022	View More
2023	$39,359
2024	$39,643
2025	$39,186
2026	View More
2027	View More

Most common benefits for HCA

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Healthcare

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Where Does Our Salary Data Come From?

Salary.com provides salary estimates, histograms, trends, and comparisons using data from employer job postings and third-party sources.

We offer detailed salary information across multiple percentiles for your reference. (Click here to learn Why the Salary Midpoint Formula Is Crucial for Achieving Pay Equity.)

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