$14.28 is 14th of 16: St. Louis care work ranked by median hourly wage
Home care aides are the largest care occupation in the metro by a wide margin and close to the lowest paid in their own family.
The federal wage survey groups jobs into occupations. Home care aides sit in occupation 31-1120, home health and personal care aides, inside the healthcare support family. Sort every occupation in that family by median hourly wage and aides land 14th of 16, at $14.28.
Size cuts the other way. There are 42,390 aides in the metro, more than double the next largest occupation in the family. The metro buys a lot of these hours, and it buys them near the bottom of the wage range.
| # | Occupation | Jobs | Median | 10th | 90th | Annual |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Occupational Therapy Assistants 31-2011 | 660 | $30.30 | $22.99 | $36.12 | $63,010 |
| 2 | Physical Therapist Assistants 31-2021 | 1,050 | $29.77 | $24.01 | $36.54 | $61,920 |
| 3 | Massage Therapists 31-9011 | 750 | $29.08 | $14.92 | $46.90 | $60,480 |
| 4 | Dental Assistants 31-9091 | 3,400 | $22.70 | $17.67 | $28.10 | $47,220 |
| 5 | Medical Equipment Preparers 31-9093 | 640 | $21.93 | $17.86 | $27.27 | $45,620 |
| 6 | Medical Assistants 31-9092 | 5,040 | $20.50 | $17.53 | $22.81 | $42,630 |
| 7 | Phlebotomists 31-9097 | 680 | $20.17 | $12.53 | $23.35 | $41,960 |
| 8 | Nursing Assistants 31-1131 | 14,360 | $18.66 | $15.16 | $22.12 | $38,820 |
| 9 | Occupational Therapy Aides 31-2012 | 90 | $18.45 | $18.41 | $36.36 | $38,380 |
| 10 | Pharmacy Aides 31-9095 | 280 | $18.17 | $16.50 | $25.29 | $37,790 |
| 11 | Healthcare Support Workers, All Other 31-9099 | 1,310 | $17.40 | $16.66 | $22.46 | $36,190 |
| 12 | Orderlies 31-1132 | 430 | $17.37 | $15.18 | $21.14 | $36,130 |
| 13 | Veterinary Assistants and Laboratory Animal Caretakers 31-9096 | 1,020 | $17.03 | $14.56 | $21.56 | $35,430 |
| 14 | Home Health and Personal Care Aides 31-1120 | 42,390 | $14.28 | $13.08 | $20.00 | $29,700 |
| 15 | Physical Therapist Aides 31-2022 | 580 | $14.00 | $12.30 | $18.12 | $29,120 |
| 16 | Medical Transcriptionists 31-9094 | 450 | $13.85 | $13.85 | $23.30 | $28,800 |
Hourly figures are hourly wages. Annual is the median annual wage the same survey publishes for the same occupation.
Four roles outside the family, for scale
These are not in major group 31 and are not part of the ranking above. They are here because households compare against them.
| Occupation | Jobs | Median | Annual |
|---|---|---|---|
| Registered Nurses 29-1141 | 33,660 | $39.69 | $82,560 |
| Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses 29-2061 | 4,860 | $30.07 | $62,540 |
| Healthcare Social Workers 21-1022 | 2,080 | $27.35 | $56,890 |
| Social and Human Service Assistants 21-1093 | 2,320 | $20.36 | $42,360 |
| Childcare Workers 39-9011 | 5,100 | $14.76 | $30,700 |
Same file, same metro, same pull date. Registered nurses and licensed practical nurses do clinical work. Home care aides do not, and nothing on this page should be read as saying otherwise.