SalariesWhat the occupation covers
Transport patients to areas such as operating rooms or x-ray rooms using wheelchairs, stretchers, or moveable beds. May maintain stocks of supplies or clean and transport equipment. Excludes “Nursing Assistants” (31-1131). Psychiatric orderlies are included in “Psychiatric Aides” (31-1133).
Official definition from the Standard Occupational Classification, code 31-1132.
The pay range
Pay differs a lot inside one occupation, with experience, employer and place. The table shows where the lines fall.
| Share of workers | A year | A month* | A week* | An hour |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lowest 10% earn less than | $32,240 | $2,687 | $620 | $15.50 |
| Lowest 25% earn less than | $35,570 | $2,964 | $684 | $17.10 |
| Median (half earn less, half more) | $38,290 | $3,191 | $736 | $18.41 |
| Top 25% earn more than | $44,560 | $3,713 | $857 | $21.42 |
| Top 10% earn more than | $50,600 | $4,217 | $973 | $24.33 |
* Month and week are the yearly figure divided by 12 and by 52, worked out here for convenience. BLS publishes the yearly and hourly figures.
How it compares
The median for all occupations in the United States was $50,980 a year. The median for Orderlies is $38,290, which is 25% lower. Among the 17 occupations of the field Healthcare Support, it ranks number 13 by median pay. With 52,440 jobs, it makes up about 3.4 of every 10,000 jobs in the country.
Orderlies pay by state
The highest median pay was in California ($49,920), Washington ($48,690) and Vermont ($48,120). The lowest was in Puerto Rico ($22,330), Louisiana ($27,330) and Mississippi ($29,790). The most jobs were in California (4,870), New York (4,680) and Florida (4,440). The occupation is most concentrated in Puerto Rico, where its share of all jobs is 2.0 times the national share.
No state matches.
| State | Jobs | Median a year | Average a year | Median an hour |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| California | 4,870 | $49,920 | $54,480 | $24.00 |
| Washington | 200 | $48,690 | $49,530 | $23.41 |
| Vermont | 70 | $48,120 | $45,430 | $23.13 |
| Hawaii | 80 | $47,130 | $44,610 | $22.66 |
| New York | 4,680 | $46,600 | $46,390 | $22.40 |
| Oregon | 500 | $45,120 | $46,160 | $21.69 |
| Minnesota | 430 | $44,550 | $44,340 | $21.42 |
| Delaware | 190 | $43,800 | $42,370 | $21.06 |
| Colorado | 540 | $43,570 | $43,090 | $20.95 |
| Maine | 150 | $42,530 | $42,880 | $20.45 |
| Wisconsin | 660 | $41,380 | $41,750 | $19.89 |
| New Hampshire | 140 | $40,850 | $43,380 | $19.64 |
| Pennsylvania | 3,550 | $40,140 | $41,030 | $19.30 |
| Rhode Island | 210 | $39,830 | $42,270 | $19.15 |
| Illinois | 2,110 | $39,450 | $40,070 | $18.97 |
| Alaska | 70 | $39,410 | $43,810 | $18.95 |
| District of Columbia | 120 | $39,250 | $41,100 | $18.87 |
| Massachusetts | 1,810 | $38,970 | $42,420 | $18.74 |
| North Carolina | 1,730 | $38,680 | $39,300 | $18.60 |
| New Jersey | 2,640 | $38,670 | $40,090 | $18.59 |
| Idaho | 300 | $38,650 | $40,610 | $18.58 |
| Indiana | 1,060 | $38,540 | $38,390 | $18.53 |
| North Dakota | 70 | $38,240 | $39,020 | $18.39 |
| Maryland | 1,580 | $38,210 | $39,640 | $18.37 |
| New Mexico | 130 | $37,650 | $38,890 | $18.10 |
| Texas | 2,320 | $37,650 | $37,600 | $18.10 |
| Connecticut | 980 | $37,550 | $39,130 | $18.06 |
| Wyoming | 50 | $37,410 | $35,510 | $17.98 |
| Arizona | 1,220 | $37,380 | $38,770 | $17.97 |
| Kansas | 200 | $37,140 | $37,710 | $17.86 |
| Ohio | 2,360 | $37,030 | $37,260 | $17.80 |
| Virginia | 900 | $36,960 | $40,550 | $17.77 |
| Iowa | 260 | $36,850 | $37,330 | $17.72 |
| South Carolina | 1,430 | $36,480 | $38,140 | $17.54 |
| Michigan | 1,700 | $36,220 | $37,280 | $17.42 |
| Georgia | 2,410 | $36,100 | $36,560 | $17.36 |
| Nevada | 470 | $35,850 | $37,710 | $17.24 |
| Missouri | 870 | $35,620 | $36,200 | $17.13 |
| Florida | 4,440 | $35,420 | $36,090 | $17.03 |
| Kentucky | 710 | $35,260 | $35,550 | $16.95 |
| Oklahoma | 370 | $34,430 | $35,090 | $16.55 |
| Tennessee | 1,200 | $31,840 | $35,010 | $15.31 |
| West Virginia | 250 | $31,770 | $33,460 | $15.28 |
| Arkansas | 170 | $31,540 | $32,480 | $15.16 |
| Alabama | 400 | $31,310 | $31,120 | $15.05 |
| Mississippi | 440 | $29,790 | $30,410 | $14.32 |
| Louisiana | 600 | $27,330 | $28,700 | $13.14 |
| Puerto Rico | 630 | $22,330 | $23,380 | $10.74 |
Sorted by median pay, highest first. "Not published" means BLS did not release that figure for the state, usually because too few employers were surveyed. "$239,200 or more" is the highest value BLS reports in the state tables.
Similar occupations by pay
- Nursing Assistants$42,260 a year
- Medical Transcriptionists$40,410 a year
- Occupational Therapy Aides$39,160 a year
- Veterinary Assistants and Laboratory Animal Caretakers$38,150 a year
- Pharmacy Aides$37,680 a year
- Home Health and Personal Care Aides$35,800 a year
Common questions
How much do Orderlies earn in the United States?
The median pay was $38,290 a year in May 2025, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $32,240 and the highest-paid 10% more than $50,600.
How many people work as Orderlies?
About 52,440 jobs in the United States in May 2025, not counting the self-employed.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Checked in November 2026. Figures are for employees, before tax, and leave out overtime pay and benefits. They are official statistics, not advice or a pay offer; see bls.gov/oes for the original tables.