Not all nurses work in hospitals or doctor’s offices. Some deliver care directly in patients’ homes. Home health nurses can work with senior citizens, adults recovering from injury or with chronic health conditions, or children and adults with disabilities.
While many nurses specialize in acute care, a home health nurse is an expert in ongoing care and wellness. Many of them see the same patients daily, offering help and support with medical needs and daily living activities.
It’s also not uncommon for home health nurses to build long-term relationships with their patients. They get to know them and their caregivers well and often become an extended part of the family.
From drawing blood and checking vital signs to providing wound care and mobility help, a home health nurse wears many hats. They provide all the same hands-on care as Registered Nurses in hospitals, but their work centers on caring for people’s needs as they live with chronic health conditions, illnesses, or other impairments.
As a home health nurse, you get to build close connections with your patients and become a trusted part of their healthcare team. As a result, this is one of the most rewarding and personal types of nursing out there. If you enjoy working with patients on a more personal, long-term basis, then being a home health nurse might be the right career path for you.
Working as a Home Health Care nurse can earn you an average of $58,448.63. We’ve compiled this figure based on the median annual wage in every state, according to Zippa.com (July 2022).
Recommended Reading - What is a Home Health Nurse (HHN) in the USA?
How much does a home health nurse make a year?
The average home health nurse earns $58,448.63 a year, based on the median annual salary across all 50 states. The salary range for home health nurses is $40,789 to $95,951. Zippia reports the average entry-level home health nurse salary to be $47,000.
How much does a home health nurse make an hour?
The average median hourly wage for a home health nurse is $28.10. Depending on your exact location, you can earn between $19.61 to $46.13 in this profession.
Home health nurse salary by state
Learn what states pay home health nurses the most with this table. You can use the percentage on the right to see how your state’s average compares to the national median salary.
State | Hourly median wage | Annual median wage | Compared To National Average |
|---|---|---|---|
Alabama | $20.71 | $43,073.00 | -26% |
Alaska | $39.50 | $82,157.00 | 41% |
Arizona | $29.30 | $60,938.00 | 4% |
Arkansas | $22.83 | $47,494.00 | -19% |
California | $46.13 | $95,951.00 | 64% |
Colorado | $28.70 | $59,703.00 | 2% |
Connecticut | $35.26 | $73,351.00 | 25% |
Delaware | $27.92 | $58,076.00 | -1% |
District of Columbia | $29.55 | $61,464.00 | 5% |
Florida | $19.85 | $41,288.00 | -29% |
Georgia | $23.40 | $48,671.00 | -17% |
Hawaii | $35.41 | $73,662.00 | 26% |
Idaho | $31.78 | $66,104.00 | 13% |
Illinois | $28.55 | $59,384.00 | 2% |
Indiana | $20.33 | $42,296.00 | -28% |
Iowa | $19.95 | $41,488.00 | -29% |
Kansas | $24.37 | $50,692.00 | -13% |
Kentucky | $21.64 | $45,010.00 | -23% |
Louisiana | $23.92 | $49,749.00 | -15% |
Maine | $31.98 | $66,519.00 | 14% |
Maryland | $25.41 | $52,852.00 | -10% |
Massachusetts | $35.85 | $74,560.00 | 28% |
Michigan | $28.43 | $59,139.00 | 1% |
Minnesota | $29.76 | $61,897.00 | 6% |
Mississippi | $21.12 | $43,938.00 | -25% |
Missouri | $22.91 | $47,644.00 | -18% |
Montana | $29.25 | $60,832.00 | 4% |
Nebraska | $22.25 | $46,281.00 | -21% |
Nevada | $34.80 | $72,387.00 | 24% |
New Hampshire | $34.06 | $70,845.00 | 21% |
New Jersey | $30.74 | $63,931.00 | 9% |
New Mexico | $25.43 | $52,886.00 | -10% |
New York | $33.73 | $70,158.00 | 20% |
North Carolina | $19.61 | $40,789.00 | -30% |
North Dakota | $27.32 | $56,820.00 | -3% |
Ohio | $23.26 | $48,373.00 | -17% |
Oklahoma | $22.75 | $47,314.00 | -19% |
Oregon | $45.78 | $95,231.00 | 63% |
Pennsylvania | $27.31 | $56,799.00 | -3% |
Rhode Island | $35.74 | $74,348.00 | 27% |
South Carolina | $22.59 | $46,986.00 | -20% |
South Dakota | $23.08 | $48,002.00 | -18% |
Tennessee | $19.86 | $41,314.00 | -29% |
Texas | $28.11 | $58,462.00 | 0% |
Utah | $27.50 | $57,205.00 | -2% |
Vermont | $29.90 | $62,194.00 | 6% |
Virginia | $22.98 | $47,804.00 | -18% |
Washington | $44.97 | $93,535.00 | 60% |
West Virginia | $23.73 | $49,359.00 | -16% |
Wisconsin | $26.49 | $55,103.00 | -6% |
Wyoming | $27.32 | $56,822.00 | -3% |
National Average | $28.10 | $58,448.63 |
|
Factors that affect how much a home health nurse makes
If you’re thinking of becoming a home health nurse, or if you’re already working as one, here are factors that affect your earnings:
1) Education level and years of experience
Home health nurses can either be LPNs (licensed practical nurses, known as licensed vocational nurses in California and Texas) or RNs. An LPN has a postsecondary award from an accredited LPN/LVN nursing program in their state; RNs have college degrees (associate’s or bachelor’s).
Being a home health nurse as an RN will entitle you to higher pay and greater job opportunities. While there is plenty of work for LPNs and LVNs, many employers choose RNs because they are qualified to provide higher levels of treatment.
Also, an RN can perform certain medical treatments that an LPN can’t. RNs actually supervise LPNs working with them.
Experience will also influence your salary or hourly pay. Nurses with more experience are naturally offered higher salaries because they’ve had time to refine their skills and develop strong nursing acumen.
2) State
All home health nurses work in patients’ homes, but each state has a different average annual and hourly wage. So, if you’re a nurse in North Carolina, you can expect to be paid an average of $19 an hour while a home health nurse in New York earns around $33 an hour.
3) Additional certifications
Studying for additional certifications can increase your job opportunity and qualify you to work with different patients. Home health nurses might specialize in mental health, medical/surgical nursing, pediatric care, gerontology (caring for elderly patients), or hospice and palliative care.
Below are the certifications for each type of home health nurse specialization:
Mental Health: PMH-BC
Medical/Surgical: MEDSURG-BC
Pediatric Care: PNCB
Gerontology: GERO-BC
Hospice and Palliative Care: CHPN
How quickly can you become a home health nurse and start earning?
The average time to become a home health nurse is two years. After completing your LPN training or degree, you will need to gain experience working before you can work with patients.
Some home healthcare agencies will hire new LPNs or RNs, but many employers require a minimum of two years’ clinical experience.
If you decide to earn additional certifications and specialize in a type of home healthcare, you can spend between two and three more years gaining the experience to sit for the certifying exam.
Some home health nurse specialties also require you to hold a bachelor’s degree in nursing (BSN).
Recommended Reading - How to become a Home Health Nurse (HHN) in The USA
Home health nurse salary vs other nursing professions
Curious how a home health nurse’s earnings compare to other nursing jobs? Here is the average salary of several other nursing titles.
Average home health nurse salary: $58,448.63
Registered Nurse: $76,944.90
Hospice Nurse: $70,717.94
LPN/LVN: $51,097.65
CNA (Certified Nursing Assistant): $32,500.98
Home health nurse salary FAQ
Am I being paid fairly as a home health nurse?
The best way to tell if you’re being paid fairly as a home health nurse is to compare your earnings with the state average. If you are paid less than your state’s average, then you are not being paid fairly. You can also compare your state’s average with the national average to decide how much compensation you’ll ask for from an employer.
You are also entitled to paid overtime for any hours over a standard 40-hour week as a home health nurse. This includes holidays and if you work extra hours on the weekend.
Are home health nurses mostly paid hourly or annually?
Some home health nurses are given a salary, but most receive an hourly wage. This will depend on your place of employment and the terms of your contract.
Do home health nurses get paid overtime?
All home health nurses should receive pay-and-a-half for overtime. Overtime is any work done over 40 hours a week. If your hourly wage is $25, then your overtime pay would be $37.50 an hour.
Do home health nurses get paid more privately or in hospitals?
Home health nurses all work privately. Their pay will vary based on location and the home healthcare agency they work for.
What state pays home health nurses the most per hour?
Home health nurses in California, with an average annual salary of $95,951. This salary is 64% higher than the national average for all other home health nurse salaries.
Below are the top 5 states with the highest home health nurse salaries.
State | Median Hourly Wage | Annual Median Salary |
|---|---|---|
California | $46.13 | $95,951 |
Oregon | $45.78 | $95,231 |
Washington | $44.97 | $93,535 |
Alaska | $39.50 | $82,157 |
Massachusetts | $35.85 | $74,560 |
Can you live off of a home health nurse’s salary in the USA?
To decide how well you can live off of a home health nurse’s salary, you might find it helpful to look at the cost-of-living index in your state.
The cost-of-living index rates states’ average cost of living compared to the national average (100). States above 100 are more expensive, and states with an index below 100 are more affordable than most.
Below is the cost-of-living index for all 50 states, along with the median annual nursing salary in each. If your nursing salary is 25 on the index, but your state’s cost of living puts it in 5th place, then you would likely have difficulty surviving off your income.
To strike the greatest balance financially, your average income should be on par with your state’s cost of living. To be well-off, then you would need to earn above your state’s cost of living. For example, a nurse earning the highest median annual salary would be financially better off in a rural state with a lower cost of living than in New York City or Los Angeles.
View the cost of living index to learn more!
Position | State | costIndex |
| Position | State | Median Avg Nursing Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Hawaii | 193.3 |
| 1 | California | $84,997.78 |
2 | New York | 148.2 |
| 2 | Washington | $80,067.11 |
3 | California | 142.2 |
| 3 | Oregon | $79,598.00 |
4 | Massachusetts | 135 |
| 4 | Alaska | $77,079.00 |
5 | Oregon | 130.1 |
| 5 | Connecticut | $76,783.89 |
6 | Alaska | 127.1 |
| 6 | Massachusetts | $75,788.44 |
7 | Maryland | 124 |
| 7 | New York | $75,587.89 |
8 | Connecticut | 121.6 |
| 8 | New Jersey | $75,395.67 |
9 | Rhode Island | 117.2 |
| 9 | District of Columbia | $72,408.78 |
10 | Vermont | 117 |
| 10 | Rhode Island | $72,072.78 |
11 | New Jersey | 115.2 |
| 11 | New Hampshire | $70,314.33 |
12 | Maine | 115 |
| 12 | North Dakota | $69,891.22 |
13 | Washington | 111.6 |
| 13 | Minnesota | $69,718.67 |
14 | New Hampshire | 109.9 |
| 14 | Nevada | $69,611.00 |
15 | Delaware | 107.9 |
| 15 | Maryland | $69,379.89 |
16 | Nevada | 106.3 |
| 16 | Michigan | $69,267.89 |
17 | Colorado | 105.3 |
| 17 | Hawaii | $68,994.22 |
18 | Arizona | 103.2 |
| 18 | Pennsylvania | $68,947.00 |
19 | Pennsylvania | 102.5 |
| 19 | Vermont | $68,873.00 |
20 | Idaho | 102.1 |
| 20 | Maine | $67,826.33 |
21 | Virginia | 101.8 |
| 21 | Arizona | $67,388.56 |
22 | South Dakota | 101 |
| 22 | Wisconsin | $67,343.78 |
23 | Montana | 100.7 |
| 23 | Delaware | $67,080.67 |
24 | Florida | 100.3 |
| 24 | Colorado | $66,904.67 |
25 | Minnesota | 100 |
| 25 | Illinois | $66,509.56 |
26 | Utah | 99 |
| 26 | Utah | $66,147.78 |
27 | North Dakota | 98.2 |
| 27 | New Mexico | $65,823.22 |
28 | Wisconsin | 96.4 |
| 28 | Texas | $64,157.00 |
29 | North Carolina | 95.7 |
| 29 | Ohio | $64,145.00 |
30 | Illinois | 94.3 |
| 30 | Wyoming | $62,866.33 |
31 | Wyoming | 94.3 |
| 31 | Idaho | $62,811.56 |
32 | Nebraska | 93.7 |
| 32 | Iowa | $62,781.56 |
33 | South Carolina | 93.6 |
| 33 | North Carolina | $62,711.56 |
34 | Kentucky | 93.1 |
| 34 | Indiana | $62,346.56 |
35 | Louisiana | 93 |
| 35 | Montana | $62,307.22 |
36 | Texas | 92.1 |
| 36 | Kentucky | $61,509.67 |
37 | Michigan | 91.3 |
| 37 | Georgia | $61,484.67 |
38 | Ohio | 91.3 |
| 38 | Oklahoma | $61,016.78 |
39 | New Mexico | 91 |
| 39 | Mississippi | $60,965.22 |
40 | Arkansas | 90.9 |
| 40 | West Virginia | $60,443.89 |
41 | Indiana | 90.6 |
| 41 | Missouri | $60,281.67 |
42 | West Virginia | 90.5 |
| 42 | Kansas | $59,949.00 |
43 | Iowa | 89.9 |
| 43 | South Dakota | $59,887.56 |
44 | Missouri | 89.8 |
| 44 | Nebraska | $59,798.11 |
45 | Tennessee | 89 |
| 45 | Florida | $59,653.67 |
46 | Georgia | 88.8 |
| 46 | Arkansas | $58,544.11 |
47 | Alabama | 87.9 |
| 47 | South Carolina | $58,357.33 |
48 | Oklahoma | 87.9 |
| 48 | Louisiana | $58,290.56 |
49 | Kansas | 86.5 |
| 49 | Tennessee | $57,799.00 |
50 | Mississippi | 83.3 |
| 50 | Virginia | $57,044.25 |
A note about our data. We use the median of the data gathered from The BLS at data.bls.gov and other salary data sources such as Salary.com, Indeed.com and Zippia.com. We believe that this is the best average to follow, rather than the mean or mode. The mean will find the average of all salaries in each state; the mode will favor the most frequently reported salaries. However, the median will find the middle. All data in this report will favor the middle salary from all ranges, which means 50% will fall below and 50% will be above the salary data reported below. On another note, we have removed data from Puerto Rico, Guam, and The Virgin Islands from the data we have sourced as we have focused on the 50 US States plus The District Of Colombia.
