Key Points
- BLS projects approximately 211,800 annual job openings for nursing assistants and orderlies through 2034
- The median annual wage for nursing assistants was $39,530 in May 2024, up from $29,840 in 2018
- Growth is classified as "slower than average" at 2%, but annual opening volume remains high due to workforce turnover
- The highest-paying employer setting for nursing assistants is government roles, with a median of $45,760
- Advancement pathways to LPN ($62,340 median) and RN ($93,600 median) offer significantly higher long-term earning potential
How much do PCTs make?
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median annual wage for nursing assistants was $39,530 in May 2024. The lowest 10% earned less than $31,390, and the highest 10% earned more than $50,140. The median annual wage for orderlies was $37,700 in May 2024.
Wages vary meaningfully by employer setting. BLS reports the following median annual wages for nursing assistants by industry as of May 2024:
- Government (excluding education and hospitals): $45,760
- Hospitals (state, local, and private): $40,170
- Nursing care facilities (skilled nursing facilities): $39,170
- Continuing care retirement communities and assisted living: $38,500
- Home healthcare services: $36,910
Government and hospital roles pay the most. Home health pays the least within this group, though it is one of the fastest-growing segments for total job openings. Learn more about the Patient Care Technician Salary.
PCT Employment Growth in Context
BLS projects 2% employment growth for nursing assistants and orderlies from 2024 to 2034, compared to a 3% average across all U.S. occupations. That places this role in the "slower than average" classification.
What matters more for job seekers is the opening volume. With roughly 211,800 openings projected per year across the decade, consistent hiring activity exists regardless of net growth. The total employed in this group stood at 1,495,400 in 2024, with projected employment reaching 1,529,800 by 2034, a numeric increase of 34,400 positions.
Most annual openings result from turnover: workers retiring, moving into nursing programs, or shifting to other healthcare roles. This pattern creates a reliable hiring floor that is not dependent on industry expansion alone.
Where Do Patient Care Technicians Work?
PCTs and nursing assistants are employed across a wide range of healthcare settings. According to BLS, the largest employers of nursing assistants as of 2024 are:
- Nursing care facilities (skilled nursing facilities): 35% of employment
- Hospitals (state, local, and private): 33%
- Continuing care retirement communities and assisted living facilities: 11%
- Home healthcare services: 5%
- Government (excluding education and hospitals): 3%
Orderlies work primarily in hospitals, which account for 83% of orderly employment according to BLS, with the remainder spread across ambulatory healthcare services and government settings.
Home healthcare is the segment with the strongest projected growth trajectory, driven by patient preferences for in-home care and ongoing cost pressures on institutional facilities.
What Do Patient Care Technicians Do?
PCTs provide direct hands-on support to nurses and physicians across a range of clinical tasks. Core responsibilities include:
- Measuring and recording vital signs
- Assisting patients with hygiene and daily living activities
- Collecting blood and specimen samples
- Monitoring EKG readings
- Preparing patients for procedures
- Documenting patient observations for the care team
What Are the Advancement Opportunities for PCTs?
A PCT credential is a starting point, not a ceiling. Each advancement pathway builds on PCT training and comes with measurable wage increases according to BLS occupational data.
- Phlebotomy technician. Phlebotomists specialize in blood draw and venipuncture procedures. This certification adds a high-demand clinical skill that expands employability across hospital and laboratory settings.
- EKG certification. Cardiac monitor technicians command higher wages in hospital settings. Certification in electrocardiography expands employability into cardiac care units and telemetry floors.
- IV therapy certification. Intravenous therapy credentials allow PCTs to administer fluids and medications under nurse supervision, increasing clinical scope in hospital and home health settings.
- Licensed Practical Nurse. BLS reports a 2024 median annual wage of $62,340 for LPNs. Many PCT programs are structured to count toward LPN training hours, making this a natural next step.
- Registered Nurse. RNs earn a 2024 median annual wage of $93,600 according to BLS. PCTs who pursue an RN credential through an associate or bachelor's degree program access the full scope of nursing practice and significantly higher lifetime earnings.
