Nursing Assistant/Aide and Patient Care Assistant/Aide
Program Availability
Schools Offering
463
601 total including inactive
States
41
Across 41 states
Graduates (2025)
43,731
Total completions
Nursing Assistant/Aide and Patient Care Assistant/Aide is offered as a certificate and associate program at schools across 41 states, making it a solid trade program. The most popular states are Illinois, Florida and Georgia.
Career & Cost Overview
Median Salary
$39,530
Nursing Assistants
Job Growth
+2.3%
10-year projected growth
Median Tuition
$4,058
In-state annual rate
Graduates typically pursue careers as Nursing Assistants. In-state tuition ranges from $576 to $25,387, and the work is primarily indoor with moderate physical demands — suited for hands-on learners who enjoy practical work.
Graduate Demographics
Gender Distribution
Degree Level Distribution
Is This Career Right for You?
Is This Career Right for You?
Interest Profile (Holland Codes)
helping and working with people; hands-on, practical work with tools and equipment; organizing, systematizing, and working with data
What does this mean? ▼
This career is best suited for people who enjoy:
- Helping others
- Teaching
- Building things
- Working with hands
- Organization
- Data management
Ideal Candidate Profile
👤 Personality Traits
💡 Interests
⭐ Work Values
❓ Ask Yourself These Questions
Do you enjoy helping and working with people; hands-on, practical work with tools and equipment; organizing, systematizing, and working with data?
Do you value service orientation?
Are you willing to develop the technical skills required for this field?
✓ This Career May Be Great For You If:
- • Hands-on learners who enjoy practical work
- • People-oriented individuals who enjoy helping others
- • Detail-oriented individuals who value organization
⚠ Consider These Challenges:
- • Those who prefer desk-based, theoretical work
- • Those who prefer working independently
- • Those who dislike repetitive tasks
Note: This assessment is based on typical requirements and characteristics for careers in this field. Individual experiences may vary. Consider your own interests, values, and goals when making career decisions.
Where Can You Study Nursing Assistant/Aide and Patient Care Assistant/Aide?
Click on any state to view schools offering this program.
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Showing 15 of 160 related programs in this field.
From the Blog
Getting Patient-Care Experience Before You Apply: A Volunteering Guide for Healthcare-Bound Students
A practical guide for students headed into nursing, medical assisting, phlebotomy, and other caregiving careers: how to get real, hands-on patient experience before you enroll or apply — including hospice volunteering, where federal law actually requires hospices to recruit and train volunteers.
How to Become a CNA: The Fastest Path into Healthcare
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