Prepare for your career as a home health aide in California with this helpful guide.
Learn about some of the ways to train as a home health aide so you can be the best at what you do.
Then find out how much you can anticipate earning for your first year as a home health aide in CA.
Finally, discover a few fun facts about work and life as a home health aide living and working on the West Coast.
Page Navigation
- 5 Home Health Aide Schools in California
- Valley School of Nursing for Certified Home Health Aide
- SisuCare for Certified Nursing Assistant Program
- Advanced Career Academy for Home Health Aide Training
- Pacific Health Education for Home Health Aide Classes
- Nursing Assistant Training Academy
- Home Health Aide Schools in California – Summary Table
- Top 5 Schools in California
- Salary
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Do I need to be licensed to be a home caregiver in California?
- How long does it typically take to become a home health aide in California?
- Will I have to go to training in person or can I complete HHA training online in CA?
- What is the difference between home health aides and caregivers in California?
- What are the licensing fees for home health aides in CA?
5 Home Health Aide Schools in California
Valley School of Nursing for Certified Home Health Aide
The Valley School of Nursing in Lake Balboa, CA in Los Angeles offers three different training programs for healthcare workers.
This includes certified home health aide (CHHA) with 20 hours of clinical practice and 20 hours of theory.
Coursework is provided in person at the Valley School of Nursing where there is a three-bed skills lab.
This program meets the HHA licensing requirements of the State of California.
SisuCare for Certified Nursing Assistant Program
At SisuCare, applicants can enroll in the online certified nursing assistant training course.
This program is $1,800 for the coursework.
The training is two to four weeks of online classes followed by three to seven weeks of clinical in-person.
Students may be eligible for full tuition reimbursement pending employment after training is concluded.
Certified nursing assistant (CNA) training is equivalent to home health aide training in California.
Therefore, this CNA training qualifies as a replacement option for HHA training in CA.
Advanced Career Academy for Home Health Aide Training
The Advanced Career Academy (ACA) in Fresno, CA offers a home health aide training program.
The coursework is super short–spend only one week on the program before you are ready to start your job as a home health aide.
There is one requirement that students must be enrolled in the school’s certified nursing assistant program.
The total cost of the program is approximately $700 and covers tuition, supplies, and books.
Pacific Health Education for Home Health Aide Classes
Pacific Health Education in Fresno, CA specializes in home health aide and certified nursing assistant training.
Complete coursework in 22 days and be certified as a home health aide in California.
The 40-hour program covers 20 hours of theoretical instruction and 20 clinical hours.
The program is called Educating the Future Generation (Caregiving) and is $500.
This includes fingerprinting and a background check.
Nursing Assistant Training Academy
At the Nursing Assistant Training Academy, also in Fresno, CA, students train as home health aides.
The home health aide program is a five-day class that includes a Zoom orientation session.
The total cost is $500 and does not include books and supplies.
Home Health Aide Schools in California – Summary Table
Top 5 Schools in California
| School Name | Address |
|---|---|
| Valley School of Nursing for Certified Home Health Aide | 17400 Vanowen St, Lake Balboa, CA 91406 |
| SisuCare for Certified Nursing Assistant Program | 4101 Rosemead Blvd, Pico Rivera, CA 90660 |
| ADVANCED CAREER ACADEMY | 8050 N. Palm Ave., Suite 300 Fresno, CA 93711 |
| Pacific Health Education | 5108 E. Clinton Way Suite #115 Fresno, California 93727 |
| NURSING ASSISTANT TRAINING ACADEMY | 3636 N First Street, Suite 129 Fresno CA 93726 |
Salary
In the US, a home healthcare aide makes a median salary of $27,553 as of 2022.
This salary is based on a range of $25,621 to $30,556 earned annually.
Compare this to the salary of a home health aide in San Francisco, CA, which is the most expensive city to live in in the US.
In the San Francisco Bay area, home health aides earn $34,441 based on a range from $32,026 to $38,195.
HHAs earn approximately $5,000 more a year in San Francisco compared to the rest of the US. Y
et the concern is whether this is enough of an increase to cover the steep cost of living which is 38 percent higher in the Bay Area.
Annual Salary Range:Average Salary of Home Health Aides in California
| City Name | Salary |
|---|---|
| San Diego | $29,734 |
| San Francisco | $34,441 |
| Los Angeles | $31,162 |
| Long Beach | $30,722 |
| Sacramento | $29,782 |
| Fresno | $27,410 |
| Oakland | $32,788 |
| Santa Ana | $30,749 |
| Anaheim | $30,790 |
| San Jose | $34,579 |
Regional Salary in California
| Region | Employed | Avg. Annual Salary | Avg. Hourly Pay | Top 10% Annual Salary | Bottom 10% Annual Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bakersfield, CA | 11,390 | $30,890 | $14.85 | $33,530 | $29,140 |
| Chico, CA | 5,160 | $30,710 | $14.76 | $34,000 | $29,120 |
| El Centro, CA | 6,070 | $30,520 | $14.67 | $31,300 | $30,040 |
| Fresno, CA | 24,760 | $31,180 | $14.99 | $34,050 | $29,120 |
| Hanford-Corcoran, CA | 2,540 | $29,970 | $14.41 | $33,880 | $29,130 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | 320,500 | $32,610 | $15.68 | $34,760 | $29,830 |
| Madera, CA | 2,490 | $30,060 | $14.45 | $31,210 | $29,650 |
| Merced, CA | 3,630 | $31,310 | $15.05 | $42,780 | $29,130 |
| Modesto, CA | 7,780 | $30,470 | $14.65 | $34,130 | $29,130 |
| Napa, CA | 2,280 | $37,190 | $17.88 | $52,000 | $29,140 |
| Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA | 10,820 | $32,080 | $15.42 | $36,830 | $29,130 |
| Redding, CA | 4,230 | $30,120 | $14.48 | $32,600 | $29,120 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | 74,720 | $31,490 | $15.14 | $35,010 | $29,120 |
| Sacramento--Roseville--Arden-Arcade, CA | 47,270 | $31,800 | $15.29 | $35,510 | $29,130 |
| Salinas, CA | 5,790 | $31,600 | $15.19 | $35,300 | $29,510 |
| San Diego-Carlsbad, CA | 42,760 | $33,760 | $16.23 | $37,330 | $31,200 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA | 96,730 | $34,540 | $16.61 | $39,510 | $30,180 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | 40,150 | $35,870 | $17.24 | $40,430 | $30,700 |
| San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles-Arroyo Grande, CA | 3,110 | $32,000 | $15.39 | $35,040 | $29,120 |
| Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA | 3,950 | $32,150 | $15.46 | $36,000 | $29,130 |
| Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA | 5,340 | $33,440 | $16.08 | $35,940 | $29,120 |
| Santa Rosa, CA | 7,910 | $34,360 | $16.52 | $40,340 | $29,470 |
| Stockton-Lodi, CA | 9,180 | $31,250 | $15.03 | $35,370 | $29,440 |
| Vallejo-Fairfield, CA | 6,480 | $35,880 | $17.25 | $59,930 | $29,140 |
| Visalia-Porterville, CA | 6,130 | $31,660 | $15.22 | $34,480 | $29,130 |
| Yuba City, CA | 2,640 | $30,290 | $14.56 | $34,200 | $29,120 |
* Employment conditions in your area may vary.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need to be licensed to be a home caregiver in California?
Yes, you will need to get a home health aide license to seek employment in California.
How long does it typically take to become a home health aide in California?
The California Department of Public Health states that a home health aide has to have the same certificate as a certified nursing assistant (CNA) for licensing.
Therefore, in CA, these two occupations hold the same licensing.
That means you can look at schools for certified nursing assistants for training if you want to become a home health aide in CA.
In order to apply for an HHA license in California, the licensing requirements are 24 hours of continuing education units or in-service training hours.
Will I have to go to training in person or can I complete HHA training online in CA?
You can complete home health aide (HHA) training online or in person in California.
Either option is valid and works with the licensing application requirements.
What is the difference between home health aides and caregivers in California?
A home health aide in California is a paid healthcare professional trained to assist with activities of daily living or ADLs.
A caregiver is also a paid healthcare professional who is trained to take care of someone who is ill, injured, disabled, or a senior.
As explained by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), activities of daily living include walking, eating, bathing, dressing, and assistance with mobility.
If you are providing ADLs, you will be trained as a home health aide.
Caregivers do not have the advanced level of training that covers ADLs.
What are the licensing fees for home health aides in CA?
The cost to register and apply for a home health aide application is $35 paid to the California Department of Social Services (CDSS).
The home health aide license is valid for up to two years.
After that, a renewal for a home health aide license in CA is $35.
If you are establishing a home health aide organization, the fee is $5,603 for a license that is also valid for two years.
