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Orderly (patient care technician): pay, job outlook and how to become one

Updated October 23, 2026. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and O*NET data. Published by Humblebee.

$38,290median pay per year, or $18.41 an hour, May 2025[1]
  1. $32,240lowest 10% earn less
  2. $35,57025th percentile
  3. $38,290median
  4. $44,56075th percentile
  5. $50,600top 10% earn more
Middle half of workers in the inner band[4]Median for all US jobs, $50,980[2]

Orderlies earned a median of $38,290 a year in May 2025, which is below the $50,980 median for all occupations[1][2]. The job needs a high school diploma or equivalent and short on-the-job training[3].

Job growth, 2025–35
+4%[5]
Openings per year
7,200[6]
Typical entry education
High school diploma or equivalent[3]

How much do orderlies make?

The median pay for orderlies was $38,290 a year, or $18.41 an hour, in May 2025[1]. Half of orderlies earned more than that and half earned less. The average was a little higher, at $40,660 a year and $19.55 an hour[7].

For comparison, the median for all occupations in the US was $50,980 a year[2]. So the typical orderly earned less than the typical worker across all jobs.

Pay varies within the job. The lowest-paid 10% of orderlies earned less than $32,240 a year, and the highest-paid 10% earned more than $50,600[4][8].

Point in the range Annual Hourly
10th percentile[4][9] $32,240 $15.50
25th percentile[4][9] $35,570 $17.10
Median[1] $38,290 $18.41
75th percentile[4][9] $44,560 $21.42
90th percentile[4][9] $50,600 $24.33

BLS publishes percentile wages, not a starting salary[8]. These figures cover people paid a wage or salary. They leave out the self-employed and do not include benefits such as health insurance or retirement contributions[10].

Pay by state and city

California had the highest median pay for orderlies at $49,920 a year, followed by Washington at $48,690 and Vermont at $48,120[11]. Louisiana was last in the list, at $27,330[11].

California also had the most orderly jobs, with 4,870[12]. New York came next with 4,680, then Florida with 4,440, Pennsylvania with 3,550 and New Jersey with 2,640[12].

Among metro areas with at least 100 jobs, the highest medians were in San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA at $69,870, San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA at $65,790 and Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA at $62,380[13]. The New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ area had the most jobs, at 4,970, with a median of $45,850[14].

Show median pay in 46 states and DC
StateMedian per yearJobs
California[11]$49,9204,870
Washington$48,690200
Vermont$48,12070
Hawaii$47,13080
New York$46,6004,680
Oregon$45,120500
Minnesota$44,550430
Delaware$43,800190
Colorado$43,570540
Maine$42,530150
Wisconsin$41,380660
New Hampshire$40,850140
Pennsylvania$40,1403,550
Rhode Island$39,830210
Illinois$39,4502,110
Alaska$39,41070
District of Columbia$39,250120
Massachusetts$38,9701,810
North Carolina$38,6801,730
New Jersey$38,6702,640
Idaho$38,650300
Indiana$38,5401,060
North Dakota$38,24070
Maryland$38,2101,580
New Mexico$37,650130
Texas$37,6502,320
Connecticut$37,550980
Wyoming$37,41050
Arizona$37,3801,220
Kansas$37,140200
Ohio$37,0302,360
Virginia$36,960900
Iowa$36,850260
South Carolina$36,4801,430
Michigan$36,2201,700
Georgia$36,1002,410
Nevada$35,850470
Missouri$35,620870
Florida$35,4204,440
Kentucky$35,260710
Oklahoma$34,430370
Tennessee$31,8401,200
West Virginia$31,770250
Arkansas$31,540170
Alabama$31,310400
Mississippi$29,790440
Louisiana$27,330600

How to become an orderly

The path into this job is short. The BLS profile that covers orderlies describes it this way, and that profile also covers nursing assistants, so its text describes a wider group[15].

1) Finish high school or earn an equivalent[3]. BLS lists a diploma or equivalent as the typical entry education[16]. 2) You do not need related work experience[3]. 3) Expect a short period of on-the-job training[3][16]. 4) Check job postings for certification[17]. Orderlies do not need a license, but a job might ask for CPR or basic life support certification[17].

In an O*NET survey of 30 workers, 89% said a high school diploma or equivalent is required, and 7% said less than a diploma[18]. The facts we have do not say how many weeks the training lasts.

Nursing assistants have different entry rules, such as a state-approved program and a competency exam[19]. Those rules are for nursing assistants, not orderlies.

What orderlies do

Orderlies help move patients and keep care areas clean and stocked[20]. People also search for this work as a patient care technician, and workers report titles such as patient transporter, patient escort and radiology transporter[21]. Typical tasks include:

O*NET places psychiatric orderlies in a different occupation, Psychiatric Aides[20].

Where they work

Hospitals were the largest employer of nursing assistants and orderlies together in 2025, at 86% of jobs[23]. That figure covers the wider group in the BLS profile, not orderlies alone[15].

The work can be strenuous, and workers spend much of the day on their feet[24]. Nursing assistants and orderlies have one of the highest rates of injuries and illnesses of all occupations, because they often move patients[25]. Workers typically get training in safe lifting, which can lower the risk of injury[25].

Most of these workers are full time and some are part time. Because care runs around the clock, nights, weekends and holidays may be part of the job[26].

Job outlook

BLS projects that orderly employment will grow 4% from 2025 to 2035, from about 52,800 to 54,900 jobs[5]. Employment in all occupations is projected to grow 3.5% over the same period[27]. These projection counts include self-employed workers[5].

BLS also projects about 7,200 openings a year for orderlies, on average[6]. Openings include jobs that appear when people retire or move to other occupations, not only new jobs[6]. Each year, 5.8% of orderlies leave the labor force and 7.1% move to a different occupation[28].

Is it a good fit?

The facts point to a job with a low barrier to entry. It asks for a high school diploma or equivalent, no related experience and short on-the-job training[3]. Pay is below the all-occupations median, with a median of $38,290 against $50,980[1][2]. Pay differs a lot by place, from a $49,920 state median in California to $27,330 in Louisiana[11]. The work is physical and may include nights, weekends and holidays[24][26]. Projected growth of 4% is slightly above the 3.5% rate for all occupations[5][27].

Related occupations from O*NET, with BLS median pay and projected growth[29].

Frequently asked questions

How much does an orderly make an hour?
The median was $18.41 an hour in May 2025[1]. The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $15.50 and the highest-paid 10% earned more than $24.33[9][8].
What education do you need to be an orderly?
BLS lists a high school diploma or equivalent as the typical entry education, with no related experience and short-term on-the-job training[3]. Orderlies do not need a license, though a job might ask for CPR or basic life support certification[17].
Is the orderly job in demand?
BLS projects 4% growth from 2025 to 2035, compared with 3.5% for all occupations[5][27]. It also projects about 7,200 openings a year[6].
What is the highest paying state for orderlies?
California, with a median of $49,920 a year in May 2025[11]. Washington ($48,690) and Vermont ($48,120) followed[11].

Facts and sources

  1. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median wage for Orderlies in the US was $38,290 per year and $18.41 per hour. Half of workers earned more and half earned less. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  2. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for all occupations in the US was $50,980. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  3. BLS Employment Projections, typical path into Orderlies: education needed for entry: High school diploma or equivalent; work experience in a related occupation: None; typical on-the-job training: Short-term on-the-job training. BLS Employment Projections
  4. BLS OEWS, May 2025, annual wage percentiles for Orderlies: 10th percentile $32,240, 25th percentile $35,570, 75th percentile $44,560, 90th percentile $50,600. The 10th percentile means 10% of workers earned less. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  5. BLS Employment Projections: employment of Orderlies is projected to grow 4% from 2025 to 2035, from about 52,800 to 54,900 jobs (a change of +2,100). These counts include self-employed workers. BLS Employment Projections
  6. BLS Employment Projections: about 7,200 openings for Orderlies are projected each year, on average, from 2025 to 2035. Openings include jobs that open when workers retire or move to other occupations, not only new jobs. BLS Employment Projections
  7. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the mean (average) wage for Orderlies was $40,660 per year and $19.55 per hour. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  8. BLS OEWS FAQ: a percentile wage is a boundary. The median (50th percentile) separates the highest-paid 50% from the lowest-paid 50% of workers in the occupation. OEWS publishes percentile wages, not a starting salary. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  9. BLS OEWS, May 2025, hourly wage percentiles for Orderlies: 10th percentile $15.50, 25th percentile $17.10, 75th percentile $21.42, 90th percentile $24.33. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  10. BLS OEWS FAQ: OEWS covers part-time and full-time workers paid a wage or salary. It does not cover the self-employed, owners and partners in unincorporated firms, household workers or unpaid family workers. OEWS wages do not include nonproduction bonuses or employer costs of benefits such as health insurance or retirement contributions. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  11. Median annual wage for Orderlies in every state with published data, May 2025 (table on this page). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  12. BLS OEWS, May 2025, states with the most Orderlies jobs: California 4,870; New York 4,680; Florida 4,440; Pennsylvania 3,550; New Jersey 2,640. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  13. BLS OEWS, May 2025, metro areas with the highest median annual wage for Orderlies (areas with at least 100 jobs): San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA $69,870; San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA $65,790; Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA $62,380; Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA $49,760; San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA $49,410; Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI $47,510; Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA $47,440; Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA $46,560. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  14. BLS OEWS, May 2025, metro areas with the most Orderlies jobs: New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ 4,970 (median $45,850); Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA 1,890 (median $49,760); Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN 1,770 (median $39,640); Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD 1,740 (median $43,570); Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH 1,330 (median $39,800); Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA 1,280 (median $37,410). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  15. The BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook profile "Nursing Assistants and Orderlies" covers Orderlies together with other related occupations, so its text describes the wider group. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  16. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Education and Training. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  17. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Licenses, Certifications, and Registrations. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  18. O*NET 31-1132.00 survey of workers (30 respondents), education level they say is required: High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED) 89%, Less than a High School Diploma 7% (levels under 5% not listed). O*NET OnLine
  19. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  20. O*NET description of Orderlies. O*NET OnLine
  21. O*NET 31-1132.00 sample job titles reported by workers: Attendant, Operating Room Assistant, Orderly, Patient Care Assistant (PCA), Patient Care Technician (PCT), Patient Escort, Patient Transporter, Radiology Transporter. O*NET OnLine
  22. O*NET task list for Orderlies. O*NET OnLine
  23. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, largest employers of nursing assistants and orderlies in 2025: Hospitals; state, local, and private 86%. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  24. Occupational Outlook Handbook, Work Environment. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  25. Occupational Outlook Handbook, Work Environment: Injuries and Illnesses. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  26. Occupational Outlook Handbook, Work Environment: Work Schedules. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  27. BLS Employment Projections: employment in all occupations is projected to grow 3.5% from 2025 to 2035. BLS Employment Projections
  28. BLS Employment Projections, 2025-35 annual average for Orderlies: 5.8% of workers leave the labor force each year and 7.1% move to a different occupation. BLS Employment Projections
  29. Related occupations (O*NET) with BLS pay, growth and entry education. O*NET OnLine

Notes are for reading the data only. They are not facts and cannot be cited: use the wage_scope and percentile_meaning facts instead. OEWS employment (jobs in May 2025) and Employment Projections employment (2025, includes self-employed) are different measures and can differ. O*NET education shares come from a small survey of workers in the occupation, not from all workers. The Occupational Outlook Handbook text covers a wider group of occupations than this page.

This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. CareerFacts has modified all or some of this information. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.