Healthcare Hiring Hub

Permanent Home Health Nurse Salary by State

Written by Moira K. McGhee | Aug 29, 2022

Many people prefer receiving healthcare within the comfort of their homes instead of in an institutional setting. Hence, the popularity of home health care. Like every corner of the healthcare industry, staffing shortages abound in home health, which was further exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic and recruitment and retention problems. When comparing the salaries of permanent staff in traditional healthcare roles and perm home health nurse wages, home health nurses often earn slightly less overall. Like all nursing roles, home health salaries differ by state, facility and travel nursing agency. 

 

What Is Home Health Care?

Home health is a non-traditional work environment in which home health nurses care for patients with a wide array of medical needs. Services primarily take place in patients’ homes, but home health nurses may also care for patients in retirement communities, assisted living facilities and other healthcare institutions. While many patients receiving home health care are older, home health nurses serve individuals of all ages with acute or chronic health conditions. Home health being just for geriatrics is one of the most common myths surrounding home health care

 

Breakdown of Home Health Nurse Wages by State

Nationwide, average home health nurse wages ran $37.24 per hour based on an estimate sourced from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and featured on Vivian’s comprehensive salary tracker. However, salaries vastly differ by state, ranging from an average weekly rate of $2,177.60 in California to $984.40 in Arkansas when working 40 hours a week.

State

Average Hourly Home Health Nurse Wages

Weekly Home Health Nurse Salary

Max Hourly Home Health Nurse Wages

Max Weekly Home Health Nurse Salary

Alabama

$28.96

$1,158.40

$42

$1,680

Alaska

$43.51

$1,740.40

$61

$2,440

Arizona

$37.66

$1,506.40

$49

$1,960

Arkansas

$24.61

$984.40

$42

$1,680

California

$54.44

$2,177.60

$95

$3,800

Colorado

$36.65

$1,466.00

$50

$2,000

Connecticut

$40.12

$1,604.80

$61

$2,440

Delaware

$35.63

$1,425.20

$49

$1,960

Florida

$32.50

$1,300.00

$50

$2,000

Georgia

$31.13

$1,245.20

$48

$1,920

Hawaii

$50.03

$2,001.20

$64

$2,560

Idaho

$33.40

$1,336.00

$48

$1,920

Illinois

$35.34

$1,413.60

$50

$2,000

Indiana

$28.33

$1,133.20

$50

$2,000

Iowa

$29.13

$1,165.20

$43

$1,720

Kansas

$30.02

$1,200.80

$44

$1,760

Kentucky

$30.65

$1,226.00

$46

$1,840

Louisiana

$30.74

$1,229.60

$45

$1,800

Maine

$33.54

$1,341.60

$48

$1,920

Maryland

$37.46

$1,498.40

$53

$2,120

Massachusetts

$44.79

$1,791.60

$100

$4,000

Michigan

$35.19

$1,407.60

$100

$4,000

Minnesota

$38.52

$1,540.80

$53

$2,120

Mississippi

$28.73

$1,149.20

$42

$1,680

Missouri

$25.80

$1,032.00

$43

$1,720

Montana

$33.34

$1,333.60

$46

$1,840

Nebraska

$32.04

$1,281.60

$43

$1,720

Nevada

$42.49

$1,699.60

$59

$2,360

New Hampshire

$35.52

$1,420.80

$71

$2,840

New Jersey

$40.52

$1,620.80

$61

$2,440

New Mexico

$34.18

$1,367.20

$48

$1,920

New York

$32.54

$1,301.60

$61

$2,440

North Carolina

$31.94

$1,277.60

$100

$4,000

North Dakota

$31.87

$1,274.80

$41

$1,640

Ohio

$32.80

$1,312.00

$45

$1,800

Oklahoma

$31.15

$1,246.00

$40

$1,600

Oregon

$44.69

$1,787.60

$60

$2,400

Pennsylvania

$27.56

$1,102.40

$49

$1,960

Rhode Island

$39.57

$1,582.80

$56

$2,240

South Carolina

$31.17

$1,246.80

$68

$2,720

South Dakota

$28.63

$1,145.20

$38

$1,520

Tennessee

$30.08

$1,203.20

$42

$1,680

Texas

$35.84

$1,433.60

$50

$2,000

Utah

$32.68

$1,307.20

$45

$1,800

Vermont

$33.77

$1,350.80

$46

$1,840

Virginia

$34.56

$1,382.40

$53

$2,120

Washington

$41.43

$1,657.20

$60

$2,400

West Virginia

$30.39

$1,215.60

$53

$2,120

Wisconsin

$28.68

$1,147.20

$53

$2,120

Wyoming

$33.03

$1,321.20

$48

$1,920

 

Highest Paying States 

The previous table shows that some states have much higher home health nurse wages than others. The five states with the highest hourly home health care salaries are identical to wages earned by medical-surgical nurses working in traditional healthcare roles.

 

5 States with Highest Home Health Nurse Wages

Average Hourly Home Health Nurse Wages

Average Weekly Home Health Nurse Wages

California

$54.44

$2,177.60

Hawaii

$50.03

$2,001.20

Massachusetts

$44.79

$1,791.60

Oregon

$44.69

$1,787.60

Alaska

$43.51

$1,740.40

 

By contrast, home health nurse wages in the states with the lowest weekly rates are often lower compared to medical-surgical nurse wages in those states. In Arkansas, Missouri and Indiana, hourly home health salaries are about $5 less per hour than med-surg wages. Pennsylvania’s hourly home health nurse wages are even less, by nearly $7 compared to med-surg nurses. South Dakota is the only state that differs in that the hourly rates for both types of registered nurses are identical.

 

5 States with Lowest Nurse Wages

Average Hourly Home Health Nurse Wages

Average Weekly Home Health Nurse Wages

Average Hourly Med-Surg Nurse Wages

Average Weekly Med-Surg Nurse Wages

Arkansas

$24.61

$984.40

$29.49

$1,179.60

Missouri

$25.80

$1,032.00

$30.85

$1,234.00

Pennsylvania

$27.56

$1,102.40

$34.33

$1,373.20

Indiana

$28.33

$1,133.20

$32.00

$1,280.00

South Dakota

$28.63

$1,145.20

$28.63

$1,145.20

 

Highest Paying Facilities

Registered home health nurses in permanent staff positions earn more based on the geographical location of the job and the facility doing the hiring. The following five facilities had the highest average home health rates in late August 2022.

 

Top 5 Facilities by Salary

Average Hourly Rate

Average Weekly Rate

Houston Methodist

$46

$1,840

Baylor Scott & White Health

$45

$1,800

Memorial Hermann Health System

$44

$1,760

St. Luke's Health System

$43

$1,720

AccentCare

$42

$1,680


Highest Paying Agencies

Perm home health nurses may earn more when employed by certain staffing agencies. The following four staffing agencies with permanent home health nursing roles boasted the highest wages during the last half of August 2022.

 

Top 4 Agencies by Salary

Average Hourly Rate

Average Weekly Rate

CGS Federal

$56

$2,240

Insight Global

$48

$1,920

Cross Country Search

$46

$1,840

Ardor Health Solutions

$45

$1,800


Schedule a demo with Vivian Health to learn how we can help you with your home health recruiting endeavors.