Orderlies
Also called: Attendant, Cart Attendant, Clinical Support Associate, Emergency Room Orderly, Hospice Entrance Attendant, Hospital Corpsman, Hospital Orderly, Infirmary Attendant
Transport patients to areas such as operating rooms or x-ray rooms using wheelchairs, stretchers, or moveable beds.
What orderlies do
Typical tasks
- 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.
- Clean and sanitize patient rooms, bathrooms, examination rooms, or other patient areas.
- Collect and transport infectious or hazardous waste in closed containers for sterilization or disposal, in accordance with applicable law, standards, or policies.
- Transport specimens, laboratory items, or pharmacy items, ensuring proper documentation and delivery to authorized personnel.
- Collect soiled linen or trash.
Typical path into the job (BLS)
Orderlies salary
The median annual wage for orderlies is $38,290 (BLS OEWS May 2025; BLS Employment Projections 2025–35, national). The lowest 10 percent earn less than $32,240 and the highest 10 percent earn more than $50,600. The mean annual wage is $40,660.
The mean hourly wage of $19.00 is 2.6× the federal minimum wage of $7.25. State minimums are higher in most large states. Minimum wage by state →
How does your pay compare with people your age?
Your numbers are not sent or stored. The comparison uses this occupation's BLS wage percentiles, adjusted for age with BLS median weekly earnings by age group (Q3 2026).
Pay by percentile
Annual wage percentiles from the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS). Percentiles are a good proxy for pay by experience.
Projected pay for Orderlies (3, 5 and 10 years)est.
Today $38,290 → in 3 years $42,200 → in 5 years $45,000 → in 10 years $52,900 (10-year range $45,500–$61,400). The model assumes pay growth of +3.3% per year.
What drives the annual growth rate
Projected pay = current pay × (1 + annual growth)^years. The annual growth rate starts from a base wage-growth rate and adds or subtracts labor demand (BLS projected employment growth), wage momentum and AI replacement risk for each occupation. Projections are not guarantees. How it is calculated →
Outlook score for Orderlies
Each component is a percentile rank among all occupations in the same country (0–100). Weights: labor demand 25, wage momentum / openings 15, pay level 15, AI resistance 25, aging workforce 10 (Japan only), entry barrier 10.
Will AI replace Orderlies? AI replacement risk
How AI is changing this job
A written analysis for this occupation is being prepared.
AI replacement risk compares the parts of a job that are easy to hand to AI or software (processing information, documentation, repetitive computer work) with the parts that are hard to automate (physical work, working closely with people, judgment in unpredictable settings), using O*NET work activities, work context, skills and knowledge. The result is a relative position among all occupations in the country, scaled to 0–100%. Methodology →
Labor demand for Orderlies
Employment projections are from the BLS Employment Projections program (2025–35). Annual openings include both new jobs and replacement of workers who leave the occupation.
Skills, education and requirements for Orderlies
Key skills
O*NET skill level ratings (0–7).
Key knowledge areas
What the work involves
Important abilities
Education of workers
Training before entry
Related work experience
Job Zone 2 — some preparation needed (O*NET)
Difficulty of entry: ★☆☆☆☆ Easy to enter (from education, training, experience and Job Zone)
How to become orderlies
A step-by-step guide for this occupation is being prepared. The education, training and experience data above show the typical path.
Career path and how to earn more as orderlies
Career-path guidance is being prepared. Pay by percentile is shown in the Pay section.