If you’re thinking of becoming a home health aide, here’s the good news: Nearly 4 million people work in that profession, as of 2024.
And here’s some less encouraging news: The median pay for a home health or personal care aide is only $34,900.
And so it goes for many of the most common jobs in America: Lots of positions, not a lot of pay.
Of the 20 most prevalent jobs in the nation, only two pay six figures, according to data on median salary from the federal Bureau of Labor Statistics. Only five pay more than $50,000 a year.
“You’re looking at things like cashiers or home health aides or retail sales,” said Michelle Holder, an associate professor of economics at John Jay College, City University of New York. “Somebody’s got to do it, right? This is a service economy. The jobs are dictated by our wants and needs.”
