Health Aides/Attendants/Orderlies graduates pursue 1 occupations, with top roles paying $42,260/yr or more. The career cards below break down wages, daily tasks, and 10-year job growth projections for each.
This page covers Health Aides/Attendants/Orderlies as a course of study: what it costs, where it is taught, and what graduates go on to earn. It sits inside the wider field of Health and how it pays overall, which is the better comparison if you are still choosing between subjects.
Health Aides/Attendants/Orderlies is a focused area of study within Health. You will not have trouble finding it: 125 colleges offer this program, from community colleges to research universities. About 2,244 students complete it each year, most walking away with a doctorate. Training is clinical and hands-on, often leading to licensure or certification.
Colleges Offering
125
Graduates / Year
2,244
Avg Net Price / yr
$13,263
Who Studies This? Credential Breakdown
Of the 2,244 students who complete Health Aides/Attendants/Orderlies programs each year, the majority (91%) earn a doctorate degree.
The breakdown below shows the full credential distribution.
91%
Doctorate91%
Certificate8%
Associate's1%
What Can You Do With a Health Aides/Attendants/Orderlies Degree?
This degree does not lock you into one job. Health Aides/Attendants/Orderlies graduates show up in 1 different occupations, and Nursing Assistant pays the most at $42,260/yr median. Expand any card below to see daily responsibilities, in-demand skills, and 10-year growth projections.
Service OrientationActive ListeningSocial PerceptivenessMonitoringReading Comprehension
Day-to-day responsibilities
Provide or assist with basic care or support under the direction of onsite licensed nursing staff. Perform duties such as monitoring of health status, feeding, bathing, dressing, grooming, toileting, or ambulation of patients in a health or nursing facility. May include medication administration and other health-related tasks. Includes nursing care attendants, nursing aides, and nursing attendants.
Turn or reposition bedridden patients.
Answer patient call signals, signal lights, bells, or intercom systems to determine patients' needs.
Feed patients or assist patients to eat or drink.
Top Colleges for Health Aides/Attendants/Orderlies
Not sure where to study Health Aides/Attendants/Orderlies? These 20 colleges graduate the most students in it each year. Scroll right to compare acceptance rate, net price, and median earnings side by side.
Ranked by Health Aides/Attendants/Orderlies graduate volume. Scroll right to compare key stats.
Read our methodology →
Related Health Programs
Health Aides/Attendants/Orderlies is not the only path through Health: 30 other specializations sit alongside it. The comparison below ranks them by 4-year median earnings so you can see where this one lands.
Decide with data, not guesswork. These tools turn the numbers on this page
into a personal plan. Estimate the real cost of a Health Aides/Attendants/Orderlies program, compare colleges side-by-side, weigh the long-term payoff, and find
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Health Aides/Attendants/Orderlies Degree: Pros & Cons
The data on Health Aides/Attendants/Orderlies shows 1 measurable strengths and 2 real trade-offs. All points are sourced from College Scorecard earnings, BLS projections, and IPEDS graduate counts.
PROS
Strong hiring volumeRelated occupations generate more than 196,200 job openings per year combined, creating consistent demand for graduates.
CONS
Licensure often requiredMost roles in this field require state licensure or certification before you can practice. Budget time and costs for board exams alongside your degree.
Slow job growthTop related careers project less than 3% growth over the next decade; limited expansion means more competition for new openings.
Health Aides/Attendants/Orderlies Degree: Frequently Asked Questions
What jobs can you get with a Health Aides/Attendants/Orderlies degree?
Nursing Assistant is one path, and it pays a median of $42,260 a year. It is not the only one: the Career Paths section below lists every occupation graduates actually go into, with wages and 10-year growth for each.
How long does a Health Aides/Attendants/Orderlies program take?
Four or more years of graduate study for a Health Aides/Attendants/Orderlies doctorate, on top of the bachelor's or master's you need to get in. This is the standard finishing credential in the field.
How many colleges offer Health Aides/Attendants/Orderlies?
125 colleges and universities, so you are not short on options. That range runs from community colleges granting certificates and associate degrees to research universities with full doctoral tracks. Source: IPEDS.
What is the difference between Health Aides/Attendants/Orderlies and Health?
Health Aides/Attendants/Orderlies is the narrower of the two: Health covers the full discipline, while this program limits the curriculum to Health Aides/Attendants/Orderlies-specific courses, skills, and career tracks. Pick the specialization once you already know this is the direction you want; it gets you a more targeted credential, not a broader one.
What skills do employers look for in Health Aides/Attendants/Orderlies graduates?
Coursework alone will not get you hired. Employers hiring Health Aides/Attendants/Orderlies graduates consistently look for clinical judgment, patient communication, and evidence-based decision-making. Licensure, certifications, and supervised clinical hours are typically required or strongly preferred in most roles. Build those into your coursework and internships now, and the job search later gets easier.
Is graduate school worth it for Health Aides/Attendants/Orderlies graduates?
Often, yes. Advanced degrees in this field (nurse practitioner, physician assistant, doctor of physical therapy) typically come with significantly higher pay and a wider scope of practice, which is why most students in health fields eventually go back for one. Weigh that against your own career goals, the program's cost, and whether your target role actually rewards the advanced credential.
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