Orderlies
Orderlies (SOC 31-1132) earn a median $38,290 a year ($18.41 an hour) in the United States, with 52,440 employed as of May 2025; the highest-paying state is California.
What orderlies do
Orderlies transport patients to areas such as operating rooms or x-ray rooms using wheelchairs, stretchers or moveable beds, and may maintain stocks of supplies or clean and transport equipment. They lift or help lift patients on and off beds, examination tables, surgical tables and stretchers. They disinfect or sterilize equipment and supplies, clean equipment such as wheelchairs, hospital beds and portable medical equipment, and document needed repairs or maintenance. Other duties include changing soiled linens such as bed linens, drapes and cubicle curtains, carrying messages or documents between departments, and moving portable equipment or supplies between rooms. They respond to emergency situations such as medical calls, security calls or fire alarms. The SOC excludes nursing assistants, who provide basic patient care, and counts psychiatric orderlies with psychiatric aides. O*NET alternate titles include hospital orderly, emergency room orderly, medical orderly, infirmary attendant and hospital corpsman. About nine in ten respondents report a high school diploma or the equivalent. Moving people and equipment, rather than giving direct nursing care, is what defines the job.
Typical entry: O*NET respondents most often report a high school diploma or equivalent as the typical level of education for this occupation (89 percent).
Also called: Attendant, Cart Attendant, Clinical Support Associate, Emergency Room Orderly, Hospice Entrance Attendant.
National wage percentiles, May 2025
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||
| United States | Hourly | $15.50 | $17.10 | $18.41 | $21.42 | $24.33 | $19.55 | 52,440 |
| Annual | $32,240 | $35,570 | $38,290 | $44,560 | $50,600 | $40,660 | ||
Employment per 1,000 jobs and the location quotient are area measures; they appear in the state and metro tables below. To see what a wage in this range leaves after tax, use FastCalc's take-home pay calculator.
Where orderlies earn and work most
Five highest-paying states
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| California | Hourly | $19.05 | $22.56 | $24.00 | $30.29 | $35.58 | $26.19 | 4,870 | 0.27 | 0.79 |
| Annual | $39,630 | $46,920 | $49,920 | $63,010 | $74,010 | $54,480 | ||||
| Washington | Hourly | $17.00 | $19.66 | $23.41 | $27.55 | $29.12 | $23.81 | 200 | 0.06 | 0.17 |
| Annual | $35,360 | $40,890 | $48,690 | $57,300 | $60,570 | $49,530 | ||||
| Vermont | Hourly | $16.55 | $20.56 | $23.13 | $23.13 | $27.79 | $21.84 | 70 | 0.22 | 0.65 |
| Annual | $34,420 | $42,770 | $48,120 | $48,120 | $57,810 | $45,430 | ||||
| Hawaii | Hourly | $20.23 | $20.23 | $22.66 | $22.67 | $22.92 | $21.45 | 80 | 0.12 | 0.36 |
| Annual | $42,080 | $42,080 | $47,130 | $47,160 | $47,680 | $44,610 | ||||
| New York | Hourly | $17.38 | $18.89 | $22.40 | $24.79 | $26.82 | $22.30 | 4,680 | 0.48 | 1.43 |
| Annual | $36,150 | $39,290 | $46,600 | $51,570 | $55,790 | $46,390 | ||||
Five states with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| California | Hourly | $19.05 | $22.56 | $24.00 | $30.29 | $35.58 | $26.19 | 4,870 | 0.27 | 0.79 |
| Annual | $39,630 | $46,920 | $49,920 | $63,010 | $74,010 | $54,480 | ||||
| New York | Hourly | $17.38 | $18.89 | $22.40 | $24.79 | $26.82 | $22.30 | 4,680 | 0.48 | 1.43 |
| Annual | $36,150 | $39,290 | $46,600 | $51,570 | $55,790 | $46,390 | ||||
| Florida | Hourly | $15.68 | $16.44 | $17.03 | $17.61 | $18.71 | $17.35 | 4,440 | 0.45 | 1.32 |
| Annual | $32,610 | $34,180 | $35,420 | $36,630 | $38,930 | $36,090 | ||||
| Pennsylvania | Hourly | $17.47 | $18.39 | $19.30 | $21.27 | $21.85 | $19.73 | 3,550 | 0.59 | 1.74 |
| Annual | $36,350 | $38,240 | $40,140 | $44,230 | $45,450 | $41,030 | ||||
| New Jersey | Hourly | $16.72 | $17.72 | $18.59 | $21.08 | $22.11 | $19.28 | 2,640 | 0.62 | 1.83 |
| Annual | $34,770 | $36,860 | $38,670 | $43,850 | $45,980 | $40,090 | ||||
Five highest-paying metropolitan areas
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | Hourly | $23.26 | $27.08 | $33.59 | $36.09 | $38.43 | $31.92 | 480 | 0.20 | 0.61 |
| Annual | $48,370 | $56,320 | $69,870 | $75,070 | $79,940 | $66,390 | ||||
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | Hourly | $27.05 | $31.60 | $31.63 | $33.14 | $37.42 | $32.17 | 300 | 0.26 | 0.78 |
| Annual | $56,250 | $65,720 | $65,790 | $68,940 | $77,830 | $66,910 | ||||
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | Hourly | $23.69 | $23.69 | $30.66 | $33.19 | $33.19 | $28.79 | 40 | 0.21 | 0.62 |
| Annual | $49,270 | $49,270 | $63,780 | $69,030 | $69,030 | $59,870 | ||||
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | Hourly | $22.90 | $24.82 | $29.99 | $32.39 | $33.69 | $28.55 | 370 | 0.34 | 1.01 |
| Annual | $47,630 | $51,630 | $62,380 | $67,370 | $70,080 | $59,390 | ||||
| Bakersfield-Delano, CA | Hourly | $17.65 | $20.85 | $24.09 | $27.08 | $37.05 | $24.56 | 80 | 0.23 | 0.68 |
| Annual | $36,710 | $43,370 | $50,110 | $56,330 | $77,060 | $51,090 | ||||
Five metropolitan areas with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | Hourly | $17.90 | $18.77 | $22.04 | $24.79 | $26.89 | $22.26 | 4,970 | 0.52 | 1.55 |
| Annual | $37,230 | $39,050 | $45,850 | $51,570 | $55,930 | $46,300 | ||||
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | Hourly | $19.30 | $22.57 | $23.93 | $27.37 | $31.17 | $24.92 | 1,890 | 0.30 | 0.89 |
| Annual | $40,140 | $46,940 | $49,760 | $56,920 | $64,840 | $51,830 | ||||
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | Hourly | $17.12 | $18.29 | $19.06 | $21.47 | $21.68 | $19.70 | 1,770 | 0.39 | 1.16 |
| Annual | $35,610 | $38,030 | $39,640 | $44,660 | $45,100 | $40,980 | ||||
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | Hourly | $17.22 | $18.76 | $20.95 | $21.63 | $22.54 | $20.30 | 1,740 | 0.60 | 1.78 |
| Annual | $35,810 | $39,010 | $43,570 | $44,980 | $46,880 | $42,210 | ||||
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | Hourly | $18.03 | $18.34 | $19.14 | $22.52 | $24.61 | $20.92 | 1,330 | 0.49 | 1.46 |
| Annual | $37,510 | $38,150 | $39,800 | $46,840 | $51,180 | $43,520 | ||||
Top industries employing orderlies
General Medical and Surgical Hospitals employ 83.8% of orderlies nationally (43,940 jobs) at a median $38,310 a year ($18.42 an hour), followed by Nursing Care Facilities (Skilled Nursing Facilities) (2.6%) and Offices of Physicians (2.0%).
| Industry | Employment | Share of occupation | Median annual | Median hourly |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| General Medical and Surgical Hospitals NAICS 622100 | 43,940 | 83.8% | $38,310 | $18.42 |
| Nursing Care Facilities (Skilled Nursing Facilities) NAICS 623100 | 1,370 | 2.6% | $36,080 | $17.34 |
| Offices of Physicians NAICS 621100 | 1,030 | 2.0% | $37,510 | $18.04 |
| Outpatient Care Centers NAICS 621400 | 1,010 | 1.9% | $46,290 | $22.25 |
| Special Food Services NAICS 722300 | 1,000 | 1.9% | $37,280 | $17.93 |
Share is the industry's employment over the occupation's national employment (52,440). Industries whose employment BLS withheld are not ranked.
Published medians, May 2021 to May 2025
BLS published a median annual wage of $29,990 for orderlies in May 2021 and $38,290 in May 2025, with employment of 45,160 and 52,440.
| Release | Median annual | Median hourly | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 2021 | $29,990 | $14.42 | 45,160 |
| May 2022 | $34,520 | $16.60 | 44,790 |
| May 2023 | $36,830 | $17.71 | 48,710 |
| May 2024 | $37,700 | $18.12 | 53,020 |
| May 2025 | $38,290 | $18.41 | 52,440 |
BLS does not design OEWS as a time series: each release pools three years of samples, and occupational classifications, area definitions and estimation methods change between releases, so a difference between two releases is not a measure of change over time. The figures are shown as published, side by side, and nothing is computed from them. See how often OEWS is updated.
Every state, by median wage
47 states and DC publish a row for this occupation. A linked state has its own page with the within-state metro table and comparison; the others appear here only.
| Rank | State | Median hourly | Median annual | 10th pct (annual) | 90th pct (annual) | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | California profile | $24.00 | $49,920 | $39,630 | $74,010 | 4,870 | 0.27 | 0.79 |
| 2 | Washington profile | $23.41 | $48,690 | $35,360 | $60,570 | 200 | 0.06 | 0.17 |
| 3 | Vermont profile | $23.13 | $48,120 | $34,420 | $57,810 | 70 | 0.22 | 0.65 |
| 4 | Hawaii profile | $22.66 | $47,130 | $42,080 | $47,680 | 80 | 0.12 | 0.36 |
| 5 | New York profile | $22.40 | $46,600 | $36,150 | $55,790 | 4,680 | 0.48 | 1.43 |
| 6 | Oregon profile | $21.69 | $45,120 | $39,530 | $55,850 | 500 | 0.26 | 0.75 |
| 7 | Minnesota profile | $21.42 | $44,550 | $36,610 | $51,190 | 430 | 0.15 | 0.43 |
| 8 | Delaware profile | $21.06 | $43,800 | $36,620 | $43,800 | 190 | 0.40 | 1.19 |
| 9 | Colorado profile | $20.95 | $43,570 | $37,610 | $47,220 | 540 | 0.19 | 0.56 |
| 10 | Maine profile | $20.45 | $42,530 | $39,410 | $45,980 | 150 | 0.23 | 0.68 |
| 11 | Wisconsin profile | $19.89 | $41,380 | $35,960 | $47,230 | 660 | 0.22 | 0.66 |
| 12 | New Hampshire profile | $19.64 | $40,850 | $35,900 | $48,530 | 140 | 0.20 | 0.59 |
| 13 | Pennsylvania profile | $19.30 | $40,140 | $36,350 | $45,450 | 3,550 | 0.59 | 1.74 |
| 14 | Rhode Island profile | $19.15 | $39,830 | $36,490 | $48,620 | 210 | 0.42 | 1.23 |
| 15 | Illinois profile | $18.97 | $39,450 | $34,870 | $44,920 | 2,110 | 0.35 | 1.02 |
| 16 | Alaska profile | $18.95 | $39,410 | $38,350 | $52,560 | 70 | 0.21 | 0.62 |
| 17 | District of Columbia profile | $18.87 | $39,250 | $36,670 | $46,160 | 120 | 0.17 | 0.50 |
| 18 | Massachusetts profile | $18.74 | $38,970 | $36,660 | $48,310 | 1,810 | 0.50 | 1.48 |
| 19 | North Carolina profile | $18.60 | $38,680 | $33,570 | $46,230 | 1,730 | 0.35 | 1.04 |
| 20 | New Jersey profile | $18.59 | $38,670 | $34,770 | $45,980 | 2,640 | 0.62 | 1.83 |
| 21 | Idaho profile | $18.58 | $38,650 | $37,530 | $46,700 | 300 | 0.34 | 1.02 |
| 22 | Indiana profile | $18.53 | $38,540 | $32,120 | $41,450 | 1,060 | 0.33 | 0.98 |
| 23 | North Dakota profile | $18.39 | $38,240 | $33,170 | $43,210 | 70 | 0.16 | 0.49 |
| 24 | Maryland profile | $18.37 | $38,210 | $33,900 | $49,050 | 1,580 | 0.57 | 1.69 |
| 25 | New Mexico profile | $18.10 | $37,650 | $35,020 | $45,920 | 130 | 0.15 | 0.45 |
| 26 | Texas profile | $18.10 | $37,650 | $30,680 | $44,820 | 2,320 | 0.17 | 0.49 |
| 27 | Connecticut profile | $18.06 | $37,550 | $34,890 | $46,710 | 980 | 0.58 | 1.72 |
| 28 | Wyoming profile | $17.98 | $37,410 | $31,330 | $37,410 | 50 | 0.17 | 0.52 |
| 29 | Arizona profile | $17.97 | $37,380 | $34,350 | $46,360 | 1,220 | 0.38 | 1.12 |
| 30 | Kansas profile | $17.86 | $37,140 | $31,200 | $45,150 | 200 | 0.14 | 0.42 |
| 31 | Ohio profile | $17.80 | $37,030 | $33,880 | $42,270 | 2,360 | 0.43 | 1.26 |
| 32 | Virginia profile | $17.77 | $36,960 | $30,840 | $51,230 | 900 | 0.22 | 0.65 |
| 33 | Iowa profile | $17.72 | $36,850 | $33,570 | $43,580 | 260 | 0.16 | 0.49 |
| 34 | South Carolina profile | $17.54 | $36,480 | $29,640 | $46,300 | 1,430 | 0.62 | 1.84 |
| 35 | Michigan profile | $17.42 | $36,220 | $32,740 | $41,940 | 1,700 | 0.39 | 1.15 |
| 36 | Georgia profile | $17.36 | $36,100 | $30,020 | $45,160 | 2,410 | 0.49 | 1.46 |
| 37 | Nevada profile | $17.24 | $35,850 | $31,270 | $47,550 | 470 | 0.30 | 0.89 |
| 38 | Missouri profile | $17.13 | $35,620 | $31,770 | $42,020 | 870 | 0.30 | 0.88 |
| 39 | Florida profile | $17.03 | $35,420 | $32,610 | $38,930 | 4,440 | 0.45 | 1.32 |
| 40 | Kentucky profile | $16.95 | $35,260 | $30,150 | $40,500 | 710 | 0.35 | 1.05 |
| 41 | Oklahoma profile | $16.55 | $34,430 | $31,050 | $38,960 | 370 | 0.22 | 0.65 |
| 42 | Tennessee profile | $15.31 | $31,840 | $26,720 | $45,030 | 1,200 | 0.37 | 1.08 |
| 43 | West Virginia profile | $15.28 | $31,770 | $29,280 | $35,990 | 250 | 0.35 | 1.04 |
| 44 | Arkansas profile | $15.16 | $31,540 | $25,650 | $37,330 | 170 | 0.13 | 0.39 |
| 45 | Alabama profile | $15.05 | $31,310 | $26,590 | $35,270 | 400 | 0.19 | 0.57 |
| 46 | Mississippi profile | $14.32 | $29,790 | $26,840 | $36,980 | 440 | 0.38 | 1.11 |
| 47 | Louisiana profile | $13.14 | $27,330 | $24,230 | $33,740 | 600 | 0.31 | 0.93 |
Related occupations
Occupations in the same SOC broad group (31-1130), with their national median annual wage.
Part of Healthcare Support Occupations. Compare any area in the wage explorer.
Source and notes
Data: BLS OEWS May 2025, released 2026-05-15. Cross-industry estimates, all ownerships. BLS page: OEWS 31-1132 Orderlies.
- Annual wages assume 2,080 hours a year at the hourly rate; occupations BLS publishes on one basis only show an en dash (–) on the other.
- Employment is rounded to the nearest 10 by BLS. Where BLS withholds a cell, nothing is estimated in its place.
- Top industries: nat4d_M2025_dl.xlsx in oesm25in4.zip (BLS OEWS May 2025, national, 4-digit NAICS, cross-ownership). Employment is the industry's rounded total for this occupation; industries whose employment BLS withheld (**) are not ranked.
- Published medians: national_M2021_dl.xlsx to national_M2024_dl.xlsx in oesm21nat.zip to oesm24nat.zip (BLS OEWS May 2021 to May 2024, national, cross-industry, all ownerships) and the May 2025 spine. Each release is shown as published; nothing is computed between them.
Sources
- BLS Standard Occupational Classification 2018, definition of 31-1132, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- O*NET 30.1 Database, 31-1132.00, National Center for O*NET Development, USDOL/ETA (CC BY 4.0).
- OEWS May 2025 national industry-specific estimates, 4-digit NAICS (oesm25in4.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2021 national estimates (oesm21nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2022 national estimates (oesm22nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2023 national estimates (oesm23nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2024 national estimates (oesm24nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2025 national estimates (oesm25nat.zip), the site's data spine, US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
Includes information from O*NET 30.1 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration, used under the CC BY 4.0 license.
Description written 2026-10-17 in our own words from the sources above.