by our College Data Analytics TeamIn the latest year, 15 U.S. colleges awarded 368 degrees and certificates in Health Aide. Master’s degrees are the most popular award, at 49% of graduates. Graduates earn a median $21,334 one year after completing, rising to $28,689 after four years.
A degree in Health Aide explores Health Aide. A Program That Prepares Individuals To Provide Routine Care And Assistance To Patients Under The Direct Supervision Of Other Health Care Professionals, And/or To Perform Routine Maintenance And General Assistance In Health Care Facilities And Laboratories.
Source: IPEDS 2025; College Scorecard July 2026; BLS; O*NET; College Factual rankings. Data as of: July 2026.
Across the country, health aide draws strong interest, with 368 degrees awarded annually. 15 colleges award health aide degrees, an average of 25 graduates per school; the largest program awarded 88.
By level, the 368 awards include 16 certificates, 6 associate degrees and 182 master’s degrees.
Women earned 89% of health aide degrees and certificates in the latest year (329 of 368). The largest groups of graduates by race and ethnicity are White (159) and Black or African American (109), and international students earned 2.
The most common health aide credential is the master’s degree: 182 of the 368 awarded in the latest year. Jobs related to health aide call most for Service Orientation, Social Perceptiveness and Speaking, and for knowledge of Psychology, Customer and Personal Service and English Language, according to O*NET. The most important abilities are Oral Expression, Oral Comprehension and Problem Sensitivity.
Top skills, rated 0–5:
Top knowledge areas, rated 0–5:
How long a health aide degree takes:
| Degree | Typical Program Length | Graduates Annually |
|---|---|---|
| Certificate | Varies | 16 |
| Associate Degree | 2 years | 6 |
| Master’s Degree | 1-3 years | 182 |
Some college courses is the most common level of education among workers in jobs related to health aide, at 42.3%.
| Level of Education | Percentage of Workers |
|---|---|
| Some college courses | 42.3% |
| High school diploma or equivalent | 25.6% |
| Postsecondary certificate | 17.2% |
| Associate’s degree (or other 2-year) | 9.6% |
| Bachelor’s degree | 4.3% |
| First professional degree | 0.4% |
| Master’s degree | 0.3% |
| Less than a high school diploma | 0.3% |
Source: O*NET Online.
2 occupations are related to Health Aide, with an average median salary of $39,074; the strongest outlook belongs to Psychiatric Aides, at 3.6% projected job growth. Typical job titles include Health Service Worker, Qualified Medication Aide (QMA), Clinical Assistant and Behavioral Aide.
That occupation also has the most projected jobs of any related to health aide, at 845,589.
| Occupation | Projected Jobs | Expected Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Psychiatric Aides | 845,589 | 3.6% |
| Nursing Assistants | 87,005 | -4.1% |
Health Aide graduates earn a median $21,334 one year after completing their program, $28,689 after four years and $30,278 after five years, according to the U.S. Department of Education’s College Scorecard.
| Years Out | Median Earnings |
|---|---|
| 1 year | $21,334 |
| 4 years | $28,689 |
| 5 years | $30,278 |
Source: College Scorecard.
The same occupation is also the highest-paying one related to health aide, with a median salary of $51,090.
| Occupation | Median Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| Psychiatric Aides | $51,090 |
| Nursing Assistants | $27,058 |
Health Aide has 5 similar majors in the Health Professions field, which together award 5,321 degrees a year; the largest are Home Health Aide/Home Attendant (4,307), Medication Aide (780) and Rehabilitation Aide (167). Browse all Health Professions majors or the full list of college majors.
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Home Health Aide/Home Attendant | 4,307 |
| Medication Aide | 780 |
| Rehabilitation Aide | 167 |
| Health Aides/Attendants/Orderlies, Other | 39 |
| Physical Therapy Technician/Aide | 28 |
More about our data sources and methodologies.