Massachusetts · home health aide (HHA)
How to become a home health aide in Massachusetts: the routes that qualify you, who regulates home health agencies in Massachusetts, pay, free training options, and all 108 state-approved CNA programs, since a CNA certification also qualifies you as a home health aide.
Your route
Home health agencies in Massachusetts are licensed by the Massachusetts Department of Public Health. Medicare and Medicaid agencies must use aides who completed one of the federally approved routes. These are the two most common.
Fastest route
CNA
Agency route
75 hrs
Why we list CNA programs: under federal rules, a state-approved CNA program plus good standing on the Massachusetts nurse aide registry qualifies you as a home health aide. It’s the route that opens the most doors. See our Massachusetts CNA guide.
The steps
The general path for most new aides.
Keep your hours up. Federal rules require at least 12 hours of in-service training a year, and if you go 24 months in a row without paid aide work, you must retrain.
Home health aide vs. CNA
The two jobs overlap, but the settings and pay differ.
| Home health aide | CNA | |
|---|---|---|
| Where you work | Clients’ homes, through home health and hospice agencies | Nursing homes and hospitals |
| Training | 75 hours federal minimum, or a CNA certification | State-approved CNA program |
| Official record | Your agency’s training and competency records | The Massachusetts nurse aide registry |
| Median pay (MA) | $19.67 an hour* | $22.44 an hour |
*Federal pay data groups home health aides with personal care aides. About 117,940 of them work in Massachusetts.
Help paying
Ways to cover the cost of training.
Many home health agencies train aides they hire, and nursing homes that hire you can’t charge you for CNA training under federal rules.
Directory
All 108 programs from our Massachusetts CNA guide. Finishing one, passing the exam, and staying in good standing on the state registry also qualifies you as a home health aide for Medicare and Medicaid agencies.
| Program | City | County | Phone |
|---|---|---|---|
| Advinia Care Northbridge | Northbridge | Worcester | (508) 234-9771 |
| Agawam West Rehab And Nursing | Agawam | Hampden | (618) 562-4727 |
| Alliance Health At Baldwinville | Baldwinville | Worcester | (978) 939-2196 |
| Alternative Training Center | Attleboro | Bristol | (508) 639-5901 |
| Assabet After Dark | Marlborough | Middlesex | (508) 263-9651 |
| B. Sullivan Nurse Assistant Training | Hyannis | Barnstable | (508) 827-7298 |
| Baypath Of Duxbury Nursing & Rehab Center | Duxbury | Plymouth | (781) 585-5561 |
| Berkshire Health Systems At Berkshire Community College | Pittsfield | Berkshire | (413) 447-2165 |
| Boston Healthcare Institute | Dorchester | Suffolk | (617) 756-6840 |
| Boston Missionary Baptist Community Center, Inc | Brockton | Plymouth | (617) 756-4413 |
| Bristol Community College | Fall River | Bristol | (774) 357-2663 |
| Broad Reach At Liberty Commons | North Chatham | Barnstable | (508) 945-1611 |
| Bunker Hill Community College At Chelsea | Chelsea | Suffolk | (617) 228-2473 |
| C&S Healthcare Training & Staffing | Hyde Park | Suffolk | (617) 272-3676 |
| Cape Cod Community College/north Bldg | West Barnstable | Barnstable | (508) 362-2131 |
| Care One At Redstone | East Longmeadow | Hampden | (978) 844-7288 |
| Care Path Training Academy | Amesbury | Essex | (978) 660-6916 |
| Catholic Charities At Boston | Boston | Suffolk | (617) 464-8554 |
| Catholic Charities At Brockton | Brockton | Plymouth | (617) 464-8544 |
| Catholic Charities At Laboure Center | Boston | Suffolk | (617) 464-8500 |
| Chelsea Jewish Lifecare | Chelsea | Suffolk | (203) 641-8680 |
| Coastal Career Academy At Fall River | Fall River | Bristol | (774) 627-0116 |
| Divine Watch Training School LLC | Randolph | Norfolk | (781) 885-2021 |
| Essex North Shore Agricultural & Technical School – Eveningninge | Danvers | Essex | (978) 304-4700 |
| Excel Training Institute Hybrid Program | Wilbraham | Hampden | (413) 583-2005 |
| First Choice Academy | Holyoke | Hampden | (413) 998-3176 |
| Fitchburg Healthcare | Fitchburg | Worcester | (978) 345-0146 |
| Genesis Healthcare At Hawthorne Hill Center | Danvers | Essex | (603) 498-1495 |
| Grafton Job Corps Career Academy | North Grafton | Worcester | (508) 887-7300 |
| Greenfield Community College | Greenfield | Franklin | (413) 575-3558 |
| Habile Healthcare Training | Randolph | Norfolk | (857) 340-1557 |
| Hands-On Community Care | Billerica | Middlesex | (617) 386-9803 |
| Hannah B.G. Shaw Home | Middleboro | Plymouth | (508) 947-0332 |
| Harbor House Nursing & Rehab Center | Hingham | Plymouth | (617) 750-3116 |
| Health & Home Care Training Center Of Ma | Wakefield | Middlesex | (781) 222-5500 |
| Health & Home Care Training Of New England | Brockton | Plymouth | (508) 846-2387 |
| Health & Home Care Training Of New England | Fall River | Bristol | (508) 846-2387 |
| Healthcare Training Centers Of America Inc. | Chelmsford | Middlesex | (978) 455-9400 |
| Healthcare-Edu LLC | Brockton | Plymouth | (508) 593-0968 |
| Helping Hands To Cna At Blair House | Worcester | Worcester | (508) 791-5543 |
| Helping Hands To Cna At West Side House | Worcester | Worcester | (978) 992-7395 |
| Holyoke Community College – Jump Start Program | Holyoke | Hampden | (413) 552-2005 |
| Integritus Healthcare Blended NATP | Pittsfield | Berkshire | (413) 395-7920 |
| International Health Care Training & Services | Attleboro | Bristol | (978) 655-3637 |
| International Health Training Center | Lawrence | Essex | (781) 913-8005 |
| Joseph P. Keefe Tech High School Evening | Framingham | Middlesex | (508) 416-2265 |
| K & K Healthcare Training Center | Brockton | Plymouth | (508) 584-2805 |
| Laboure College Nurse Aide Training Program | Milton | Norfolk | (617) 207-3630 |
| Lare Institute | Chelsea | Suffolk | (978) 685-2151 |
| Life Care Center Of Plymouth | Plymouth | Plymouth | (508) 747-9800 |
| Lifestream Employment & Training Services | New Bedford | Bristol | (508) 991-4503 |
| Madison Park Tech Voc High School Dept Of Adult Ed | Boston | Suffolk | (617) 635-8970 |
| Martha's Vineyard Regional High School- Adult Education | Oak Bluffs | Dukes | (503) 693-1033 |
| Massachusetts Bay Community College-Bridge | Framingham | Middlesex | (508) 270-4103 |
| Medical Career Center-Lynn | Lynn | Essex | (781) 325-3427 |
| Metrowest Healthcare Academy At Framingham | Framingham | Middlesex | (508) 872-5973 |
| Metrowest Healthcare Academy At Milford | Milford | Worcester | (508) 872-5973 |
| Middlesex Community College – Eveningning | Lowell | Middlesex | (781) 861-6500 |
| Minuteman Regional Vocational Tech School – Eveningning | Lexington | Middlesex | (978) 630-9363 |
| Mount Wachusett Community College | Gardner | Worcester | (978) 630-9363 |
| Mount Wachusett Community College – Devens | Devens | Worcester | (978) 630-9226 |
| Mount Wachusett Community College – Leominster Campus | Leominster | Worcester | (978) 630-9226 |
| Multicultural Counseling Center Inc | Dedham | Norfolk | Call the program |
| NATP At Genesis At Sutton Hill | North Andover | Essex | Call the program |
| Nextstep At Oakhill Healthcare | Middleboro | Plymouth | (978) 809-0603 |
| North Shore Community College – Lynn Campus – Eveningning | Lynn | Essex | (978) 236-1235 |
| North Shore Community College At Beverly Hospital And Anchor Point Housing | Beverly | Essex | (978) 236-1235 |
| North Shore Community College NAT Danvers -Evening | Danvers | Essex | (978) 236-1235 |
| Northeast Metropolitan Regional Vocational School | Wakefield | Middlesex | (781) 246-0180 |
| Northern Essex Community College | Lawrence | Essex | (603) 489-8907 |
| Notre Dame Education Center / ENAP (ESOL Nurse Aide Program) | Lawrence | Essex | Call the program |
| Open Door Healthcare Services Inc | Chelmsford | Middlesex | (978) 226-8208 |
| Overlook Academy Inc | Norwood | Norfolk | (781) 473-3662 |
| Peak Medical Academy | Worcester | Worcester | (508) 753-8302 |
| Quincy College ARLAB | Boston | Suffolk | (617) 405-5961 |
| Quincy College At Plymouth Campus | Plymouth | Plymouth | (617) 405-5961 |
| Quincy College NATP | Quincy | Norfolk | (617) 984-1754 |
| Quinsigamond Community College Training & Education Center | Worcester | Worcester | (508) 854-2735 |
| Regis College- Blended | Weston | Middlesex | (781) 768-7291 |
| Restoration Health Institute | Worcester | Worcester | (508) 304-0052 |
| Roxbury Community College | Boston | Suffolk | (857) 701-1607 |
| Royal Health Braintree | Braintree | Norfolk | (508) 322-8679 |
| Royal Health Cape Cod NATP | Buzzards Bay | Barnstable | (508) 322-8679 |
| Royal Health Care Institute At Framingham | Framingham | Middlesex | (978) 224-2981 |
| Royal Health Care Institute At Salem | Salem | Essex | (978) 224-2981 |
| Royal Healthcare Institute At Lowell | Lowell | Middlesex | (978) 224-2982 |
| Royal Megansett Nursing & Retirement Home | Falmouth | Barnstable | (508) 685-6329 |
| Salmon Health And Retirement Westborough | Westborough | Worcester | (508) 244-2348 |
| Seacoast Nursing And Rehabilitation Center | Gloucester | Essex | Call the program |
| Smith Vocational And Agricultural High School – Adult Education | Northampton | Hampshire | (413) 587-1414 |
| South Cove Manor Nursing & Rehabilitation Home | Quincy | Norfolk | (617) 423-0590 |
| Southcoast Health At St. Luke's Hospital | New Bedford | Bristol | (508) 973-5559 |
| Spectrum Healthcare Training Center Inc | Lynn | Essex | (781) 593-3900 |
| Springfield Technical Community College | Springfield | Hampden | (413) 755-4522 |
| Springfield Technical Community College – Afternoon Program | Springfield | Hampden | (413) 755-4522 |
| Springfield Technical Community College – Eveningning Program | Springfield | Hampden | (413) 755-4522 |
| Springfield Technical Community College – Friday & Saturday Program | Springfield | Hampden | (413) 755-4522 |
| Springside Rehabilitation And Skilled Care Center | Pittsfield | Berkshire | (413) 499-2334 |
| Strive Healthcare Training Center | Middleboro | Plymouth | Call the program |
| The Fieldstone School At Orleans | Fitchburg | Worcester | (774) 253-0912 |
| The Fieldstone School At Worcester | Worcester | Worcester | (774) 253-0912 |
| The Terraces In Orleans | Orleans | Barnstable | Call the program |
| Timberlyn Heights – PM Program | Great Barrington | Berkshire | (413) 428-2650 |
| Tri-County Regional Vocational Tech High School – Eveningning | Franklin | Norfolk | (508) 528-5400 |
| Universal Health Care Center | Malden | Middlesex | (617) 571-4807 |
| Upper Cape Cod Tech School – Adult Ed | Bourne | Barnstable | (508) 432-4500 |
| Whittier Regional Vocational Technical High School – Eveningning | Haverhill | Essex | (978) 374-5700 |
| Woburn Rehab & Nursing Center/ Salter Hc | Woburn | Middlesex | Call the program |
Tip: ask each program whether it also offers a home health aide add-on. For details, costs, and exam steps, see our Massachusetts CNA guide.
FAQ
Short answers to what people ask most.
Home health aides in Massachusetts work for home health agencies licensed by the Massachusetts Department of Public Health. Medicare and Medicaid agencies must hire aides who meet the federal training and competency rules. Ask the agency you're applying to which credential it requires.
The two most common routes are completing a 75-hour home health aide training and competency evaluation, or becoming a CNA. Federal rules count a CNA in good standing on the Massachusetts nurse aide registry as a qualified home health aide.
The median pay for home health and personal care aides in Massachusetts is $19.67 an hour, about $40,910 a year, based on the May 2025 federal wage survey. Massachusetts CNAs earn a median $22.44 an hour.
Yes, for Medicare and Medicaid home health agencies, if the CNA completed a state-approved program and is listed in good standing on the state nurse aide registry.
Yes. Federal rules require at least 12 hours of in-service training every 12 months for aides at Medicare and Medicaid agencies.