Occupation salary profile

Orderlies

SOC 31-1132 BLS OEWS May 2025

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).

National median · BLS
$38,290
▲ +1.56% YoY
H-1B sponsor median
—
Too few H-1B filings
Average salary · BLS
$40,660
Mean annual wage
U.S. employment
52,440
Jobs (BLS)
Highest-paying state (cost-adjusted) Loading…
Most jobs Loading…
Highest-paying metro (cost-adjusted) Loading…

Check your salary

Enter your pay and a location to see where you stand against BLS and H-1B pay, your estimated take-home pay, and your purchasing power.

Pay range for Orderlies

Annual base pay at each percentile. BLS covers all U.S. workers in this occupation.

Percentile All U.S. workers (BLS)
10th — entry pay$32,240
25th$35,570
Median (50th)$38,290
75th$44,560
90th — top pay$50,600

Hourly ⇄ annual pay

Type in either box; the other updates instantly.

Monthly—
Every 2 weeks—
Weekly—
Daily—
Based on hrs/week × weeks/year = 2,080 hrs
Projections 2025–2035

Job outlook for Orderlies

BLS projects employment of orderlies to grow 4% from 2025 to 2035, faster than the 3.5% average for all occupations. About 7,200 openings are projected each year, on average, from new jobs and from replacing workers who retire or move to other occupations.

Jobs 2025 → 2035
52,800 → 54,900
+2,100 jobs
Projected change
+4%
All occupations: +3.5%
Openings per year
7,200
Average, 2025–2035
Typical entry education
High school diploma or equivalent
No related experience required
On-the-job training
Short-term on-the-job training
Preparation needed (O*NET Job Zone 2)
Very Little to Some Preparation Needed. Usually requires a high school diploma or GED, though some occupations may not.
Fastest-growing jobs → Best-paying jobs that need a high school diploma →

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections 2025–2035 · BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook →

Skills & tools

Skills needed for Orderlies

How important each skill and knowledge area is for this job, rated by O*NET on a 1–5 scale from surveys of workers and occupational analysts.

Top skills
  • Service Orientation3.4
  • Social Perceptiveness3.4
  • Active Listening3.1
  • Speaking3.0
  • Coordination2.9
  • Critical Thinking2.8
  • Judgment and Decision Making2.6
  • Monitoring2.6
  • Writing2.6
  • Reading Comprehension2.5
Top knowledge areas
  • Customer and Personal Service4.2
  • Public Safety and Security3.1
  • English Language3.0
  • Transportation2.5
  • Education and Training2.4
  • Psychology2.4
  • Telecommunications2.2
  • Administration and Management2.2
Software and technology used
Microsoft ExcelMicrosoft Office softwareMicrosoft OutlookMicrosoft WindowsElectronic medical record EMR softwareGE Healthcare Centricity EMRMedical record charting software

Highlighted = in demand: frequently listed in employer job postings for this occupation (O*NET).

Source: O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.

About the job

What orderlies do

  • Lift or assist others to lift patients to move them on or off beds, examination tables, surgical tables, or stretchers.
  • Transport patients to treatment units, testing units, operating rooms, or other areas, using wheelchairs, stretchers, or moveable beds.
  • Disinfect or sterilize equipment or supplies, using germicides or sterilizing equipment.
  • Clean equipment, such as wheelchairs, hospital beds, or portable medical equipment, documenting needed repairs or maintenance.
  • Respond to emergency situations, such as emergency medical calls, security calls, or fire alarms.
  • Change soiled linens, such as bed linens, drapes, or cubicle curtains.
  • Carry messages or documents between departments.
  • Transport portable medical equipment or medical supplies between rooms or departments.
Also called
Patient Care Assistant (PCA)Patient Care Technician (PCT)Patient TransporterTransporterAttendantOperating Room AssistantOrderlyPatient EscortRadiology Transporter
More job titles for this occupation (33)
Cart AttendantClinical Support AssociateEmergency Room OrderlyHospice Entrance AttendantHospital CorpsmanHospital OrderlyInfirmary AttendantInstitutional AideMedical OrderlyMedical TransporterNew Patient EscortOperating Room AideOperating Room OrderlyPatient Care AssociatePatient ObserverPatient Safety AttendantPatient SitterPatient Transport AidePatient Transport OrderlyPCT PRN (Patient Care Technician Pro Re Nata)Psychiatric OrderlyRadiology AideRadiology OrderlySecurity OrderlySurgical OrderlyTransport AideTransport Technician (Transport Tech)Transportation AideTransporter PRN (Transporter Pro Re Nata)Ward AideWard AssistantWard AttendantWard Helper

Source: O*NET 31.0 (USDOL/ETA, CC BY 4.0). These are general job titles, not H-1B filings; for titles employers actually filed, see “Job titles” above.