| Important Core Job Duties (in order of importance) For the Top 5 most important - How can you build experience and skill doing these? This will help now, to begin preparing for this type of occupation. |
|
| Importance (%) | Description |
| Importance: 100 (%) | Description: Provide physical support to assist patients to perform daily living activities, such as getting out of bed, bathing, dressing, using the toilet, standing, walking, or exercising. |
| Importance: 100 (%) | Description: Document or otherwise report observations of patient behavior, complaints, or physical symptoms to nurses. |
| Importance: 99 (%) | Description: Communicate with patients to ascertain feelings or need for assistance or social and emotional support. |
| Importance: 97 (%) | Description: Undress, wash, and dress patients who are unable to do so for themselves. |
| Importance: 97 (%) | Description: Change bed linens or make beds. |
| Importance: 96 (%) | Description: Feed patients or assist patients to eat or drink. |
| Importance: 95 (%) | Description: Turn or reposition bedridden patients. |
| Importance: 94 (%) | Description: Observe or examine patients to detect symptoms that may require medical attention, such as bruises, open wounds, or blood in urine. |
| Importance: 94 (%) | Description: Answer patient call signals, signal lights, bells, or intercom systems to determine patients' needs. |
| Importance: 94 (%) | Description: Prepare or serve food trays. |
| Importance: 92 (%) | Description: Gather information from caregivers, nurses, or physicians about patient condition, treatment plans, or appropriate activities. |
| Importance: 91 (%) | Description: Lift or assist others to lift patients to move them on or off beds, examination tables, surgical tables, or stretchers. |
| Importance: 90 (%) | Description: Review patients' dietary restrictions, food allergies, and preferences to ensure patient receives appropriate diet. |
| Importance: 86 (%) | Description: Restock patient rooms with personal hygiene items, such as towels, washcloths, soap, or toilet paper. |
| Importance: 86 (%) | Description: Record height or weight of patients. |
| Importance: 83 (%) | Description: Measure and record food and liquid intake or urinary and fecal output, reporting changes to medical or nursing staff. |
| Importance: 83 (%) | Description: Supply, collect, or empty bedpans. |
| Importance: 80 (%) | Description: Record vital signs, such as temperature, blood pressure, pulse, or respiration rate, as directed by medical or nursing staff. |
| Importance: 79 (%) | Description: Clean and sanitize patient rooms, bathrooms, examination rooms, or other patient areas. |
| Importance: 79 (%) | Description: Exercise patients who are comatose, paralyzed, or have restricted mobility. |
| Importance: 79 (%) | Description: Transport patients to treatment units, testing units, operating rooms, or other areas, using wheelchairs, stretchers, or moveable beds. |
| Importance: 78 (%) | Description: Wash, groom, shave, or drape patients to prepare them for surgery, treatment, or examination. |
| Importance: 71 (%) | Description: Remind patients to take medications or nutritional supplements. |
| Importance: 71 (%) | Description: Collect specimens, such as urine, feces, or sputum. |
| Importance: 69 (%) | Description: Assist nurses or physicians in the operation of medical equipment or provision of patient care. |
| Importance: 68 (%) | Description: Provide information, such as directions, visiting hours, or patient status information to visitors or callers. |
Associate Degree Entry Level Careers and Jobs
Explore Careers and Jobs Predominantly Filled by Those with an Associate's Degree or Less, having 1 year or less of work experience - All On One Page
Sorted by median annual U.S. salary, including % with Associate's Degree (or less), and % with 1 year experience (or less).
These entry-level roles are open to associate's degree graduates and offer a practical starting point for building experience and advancing. For recent graduates or career changers seeking their first role with a two-year degree. Compare starting salaries and degree-holder percentages, then access preparation resources built for new graduates.
Here is a short Helper Video
.
This page will take you through 4 steps, relative to an Associate's Degree, to (1) Select an entry-level career, (2) Find active job listings, (3) Prepare for the career you chose, and (4) Provide web resources specific to the career you chose.
Step 1: Select a Career: You will be presented with a listing of Associate's Degree entry-level careers. The list may be quite long. There are two ways you might like to use this list:
1) Filter - As you enter a word, you will filter (limit) the list of careers below
2) Browse the list (Don't Filter) - You can simply browse the list of careers. There may be many that you might never have considered. This may help you to discover entry-level careers that might be of interest.
Once you have identified a career of interest, simply click on it.
Step 2: Find a Job: After you have selected a career/job title above, you will see a form asking for your location. You will see several radio selection choices to utilize the job search site of your choice.
Step 3: Prepare For a Career: In this section you will gain access to detailed information to help you prepare for the career you selected. Information includes core and supplemental duties, general and specific work activities, knowledge required, essential and transferable skills required, day-in-the-life summaries, knowledge required, software skills required, preparation required, educational requirements, training and work experience required, local salary information, certifications, professional associations, current job listings for the job selected along with multiple similar job titles, and related careers (related to what they do, what they know, and what they're called).
Step 4: Career-Specific Resources (detailed and constantly updated): Continue to scroll down the page and you will find tabs that will provide detailed (updated) links to occupational information specific to the career you selected. This information includes:
Videos: Provides a listing of video links related to this career. A great way to get a quick overview of the occupation.
Resumes: Sources for resume materials and techniques. This can help to get you started.
Job Description: Sources that provide job descriptions, which are vital to resume and interview preparation.
Interviews: Provides links that can help you to prepare for and successfully complete the job interview.
Step by Step: Provides links to resources that can help to organize the career search process.
LinkedIn: One of the best professional social media sites that provides links, opportunities, and networking specifically for careers and career development.
Step 1 of 4: Select a Career
Leading Books About Associate Degree Jobs ![]()
What entry level jobs can you get with just an Associate's Degree? Scroll through the picklist (below). These are entry level careers (1 year or less work experience) related to the Associate's Degree level, with at least 30% of job holders having an Associate's Degree. - 426 specific careers are listed. Select those careers that may be of interest - you will then get links to matching active job listings, and detailed resources to help you prepare.
You can use this form two ways:
1) Enter a Keyword - As you enter a keyword, you will filter (limit) the listing to those occupations that contain the keyword entered
2) Browse the list (Don't enter a keyword) - You can simply browse the list of occupations. There may be many that you might never have considered. This may help you to discover jobs that might be of interest.
OR - leave blank and scroll through the choices:
Select a Job Title - Sorted by Annual Salary -(scroll and Select) :
Legend: Career Title Link / (% having Associate's Degree or less) / (% having less than 1 year experience) / (Median Annual U.S. Salary)
Step 2 of 4: Find a Job
Job Listings for: Nursing Assistants.
Step 3 of 4: Prepare For a Career
Prepare for the "Nursing Assistants" Career
The details below will provide a pathway to your specific job goal and help you to identify an appropriate career ladder.
Description: Provide or assist with basic care or support under the direction of onsite licensed nursing staff. Perform duties such as monitoring of health status, feeding, bathing, dressing, grooming, toileting, or ambulation of patients in a health or nursing facility. May include medication administration and other health-related tasks. Includes nursing care attendants, nursing aides, and nursing attendants.
Please click on a section below to expand and see detailed occupational information related to "Nursing Assistants":
U.S. Total Employment (2023):
1,396,700U.S. Total Employment (2033 est.):
1,512,000
Employment Change (2023-2033 est.):
115,300 (8.3%) Average Annual Job Openings (2023-2033 est.):
187,000
| Important Supplemental Job Duties (in order of importance)
For the Top 5 most important - How can you build experience and skill doing these? This will help now, to begin preparing for this type of occupation. |
|
| Importance (%) | Description |
| Importance: 61 (%) | Description: Apply clean dressings, slings, stockings, or support bandages, under direction of nurse or physician. |
| Importance: 55 (%) | Description: Explain medical instructions to patients or family members. |
| Importance: 52 (%) | Description: Set up treating or testing equipment, such as oxygen tents, portable radiograph (x-ray) equipment, or overhead irrigation bottles, as directed by a physician or nurse. |
| Importance: 52 (%) | Description: Stock or issue medical supplies, such as dressing packs or treatment trays. |
| Importance: 40 (%) | Description: Administer medications or treatments, such as catheterizations, suppositories, irrigations, enemas, massages, or douches, as directed by a physician or nurse. |
| Importance: 37 (%) | Description: Transport specimens, laboratory items, or pharmacy items, ensuring proper documentation and delivery to authorized personnel. |
| Importance: 32 (%) | Description: Position or hold patients in position for surgical preparation. |
| Important General Work Activities (in order of importance)
For the Top 5 most important - How can you build experience and skill doing these? This will help now, to begin preparing for this type of occupation. |
|
| Importance (%) | Description |
| Importance: 91 (%) | Description: Assisting and Caring for Others: Providing personal assistance, medical attention, emotional support, or other personal care to others such as coworkers, customers, or patients. |
| Importance: 83 (%) | Description: Getting Information: Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources. |
| Importance: 83 (%) | Description: Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates: Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person. |
| Importance: 81 (%) | Description: Documenting/Recording Information: Entering, transcribing, recording, storing, or maintaining information in written or electronic/magnetic form. |
| Importance: 79 (%) | Description: Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships: Developing constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time. |
| Importance: 76 (%) | Description: Performing General Physical Activities: Performing general physical activities includes doing activities that require considerable use of your arms and legs and moving your whole body, such as climbing, lifting, balancing, walking, stooping, and handling materials. |
| Importance: 75 (%) | Description: Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings: Monitoring and reviewing information from materials, events, or the environment, to detect or assess problems. |
| Importance: 74 (%) | Description: Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events: Identifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events. |
| Importance: 72 (%) | Description: Making Decisions and Solving Problems: Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems. |
| Importance: 72 (%) | Description: Developing and Building Teams: Encouraging and building mutual trust, respect, and cooperation among team members. |
| Importance: 71 (%) | Description: Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials: Inspecting equipment, structures, or materials to identify the cause of errors or other problems or defects. |
| Importance: 71 (%) | Description: Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards: Using relevant information and individual judgment to determine whether events or processes comply with laws, regulations, or standards. |
| Importance: 70 (%) | Description: Coordinating the Work and Activities of Others: Getting members of a group to work together to accomplish tasks. |
| Importance: 70 (%) | Description: Resolving Conflicts and Negotiating with Others: Handling complaints, settling disputes, and resolving grievances and conflicts, or otherwise negotiating with others. |
| Importance: 69 (%) | Description: Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge: Keeping up-to-date technically and applying new knowledge to your job. |
| Importance: 68 (%) | Description: Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work: Developing specific goals and plans to prioritize, organize, and accomplish your work. |
| Importance: 67 (%) | Description: Processing Information: Compiling, coding, categorizing, calculating, tabulating, auditing, or verifying information or data. |
| Importance: 66 (%) | Description: Training and Teaching Others: Identifying the educational needs of others, developing formal educational or training programs or classes, and teaching or instructing others. |
| Importance: 65 (%) | Description: Thinking Creatively: Developing, designing, or creating new applications, ideas, relationships, systems, or products, including artistic contributions. |
| Importance: 63 (%) | Description: Handling and Moving Objects: Using hands and arms in handling, installing, positioning, and moving materials, and manipulating things. |
| Importance: 63 (%) | Description: Interpreting the Meaning of Information for Others: Translating or explaining what information means and how it can be used. |
| Importance: 62 (%) | Description: Judging the Qualities of Objects, Services, or People: Assessing the value, importance, or quality of things or people. |
| Importance: 62 (%) | Description: Working with Computers: Using computers and computer systems (including hardware and software) to program, write software, set up functions, enter data, or process information. |
| Important Specific Work Activities
How can you begin to build experience and skill doing these? This will help now, to begin preparing for this type of occupation. Specific Work Activities appear below: |
|
| Adjust positions of patients on beds or tables. | |
| Administer basic health care or medical treatments. | |
| Administer therapy treatments to patients using hands or physical treatment aids. | |
| Analyze patient data to determine patient needs or treatment goals. | |
| Answer telephones to direct calls or provide information. | |
| Apply bandages, dressings, or splints. | |
| Assess physical conditions of patients to aid in diagnosis or treatment. | |
| Assist patients with daily activities. | |
| Assist practitioners to perform medical procedures. | |
| Clean patient rooms or patient treatment rooms. | |
| Collect biological specimens from patients. | |
| Collect medical information from patients, family members, or other medical professionals. | |
| Dispose of biomedical waste in accordance with standards. | |
| Explain technical medical information to patients. | |
| Feed patients. | |
| Give medications or immunizations. | |
| Hold patients to ensure proper positioning or safety. | |
| Interview patients to gather medical information. | |
| Monitor patients to detect health problems. | |
| Move patients to or from treatment areas. | |
| Operate medical equipment. | |
| Prepare medical instruments or equipment for use. | |
| Provide basic information to guests, visitors, or clients. | |
| Record vital statistics or other health information. | |
| Stock medical or patient care supplies. | |
| Transport biological or other medical materials. | |
| Knowledge Required (in order of importance)
For the Top 5 most important - How can you build experience and skill doing these? This will help now, to begin preparing for this type of occupation. |
|
| Importance (%) | Description |
| Importance: 77 (%) | Description: Customer and Personal Service: Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction. |
| Importance: 65 (%) | Description: Administration and Management: Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources. |
| Importance: 64 (%) | Description: English Language: Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, and rules of composition and grammar. |
| Importance: 62 (%) | Description: Public Safety and Security: Knowledge of relevant equipment, policies, procedures, and strategies to promote effective local, state, or national security operations for the protection of people, data, property, and institutions. |
| Importance: 62 (%) | Description: Medicine and Dentistry: Knowledge of the information and techniques needed to diagnose and treat human injuries, diseases, and deformities. This includes symptoms, treatment alternatives, drug properties and interactions, and preventive health-care measures. |
| Importance: 61 (%) | Description: Education and Training: Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects. |
| Importance: 59 (%) | Description: Therapy and Counseling: Knowledge of principles, methods, and procedures for diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation of physical and mental dysfunctions, and for career counseling and guidance. |
| Essential Skills (in order of importance)
These are the foundational skills most central to success in this occupation. For the Top 5 most important, how can you begin building experience and confidence using these skills now? |
|
| Importance (%) | Description |
| Importance: 60 (%) | Description: Active Listening: Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times. |
| Importance: 54 (%) | Description: Monitoring: Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action. |
| Importance: 52 (%) | Description: Reading Comprehension: Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents. |
| Importance: 52 (%) | Description: Speaking: Talking to others to convey information effectively. |
| Importance: 52 (%) | Description: Critical Thinking: Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems. |
| Transferable Skills (in order of importance)
These are skills that can transfer across occupations and industries. For the Top 5 most important, how can you strengthen these skills now so they support both this career and future career flexibility? |
|
| Importance (%) | Description |
| Importance: 66 (%) | Description: Service Orientation: Actively looking for ways to help people. |
| Importance: 60 (%) | Description: Social Perceptiveness: Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do. |
| Importance: 52 (%) | Description: Coordination: Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions. |
| Day-in-the-Life Summaries These summaries show the main types of activities you are likely to perform on a regular basis in this occupation. How can you imagine your typical workday — using these examples to see if this type of work fits you? |
| Activity: Administer basic health care or medical treatments. |
| Activity: Administer therapeutic treatments. |
| Activity: Analyze health or medical data. |
| Activity: Assist healthcare practitioners during medical procedures. |
| Activity: Assist individuals with special needs. |
| Activity: Clean tools, equipment, facilities, or work areas. |
| Activity: Collect environmental or biological samples. |
| Activity: Collect information about patients or clients. |
| Activity: Dispose of waste or debris. |
| Activity: Evaluate patient or client condition or treatment options. |
| Activity: Explain medical information to patients or family members. |
| Activity: Interview people to obtain information. |
| Activity: Maintain health or medical records. |
| Activity: Monitor health conditions of humans or animals. |
| Activity: Move materials, equipment, or supplies. |
| Activity: Operate medical equipment. |
| Activity: Prepare medical equipment or work areas for use. |
| Activity: Provide information to guests, clients, or customers. |
| Activity: Stock supplies or products. |
| Activity: Transport patients or clients. |
|
Software Skills These are examples of software tools commonly used in this occupation, organized from most to least important for your career preparation. How can you start learning or practicing the highest-priority tools so that you feel confident using them on the job? |
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| Emerging Tech Skills | ||||||
| Business intelligence and data analysis software: | ||||||
| Apache Spark | ||||||
| Electronic mail software: | ||||||
| Microsoft Outlook | ||||||
| Medical software: | ||||||
| Epic Systems MEDITECH software | ||||||
| Office suite software: | ||||||
| Microsoft Office software | ||||||
| Spreadsheet software: | ||||||
| Microsoft Excel | ||||||
| Word processing software: | ||||||
| Microsoft Word | ||||||
| General Software Tools | ||||||
| Billing and invoicing software: | ||||||
| Billing software | ||||||
| Data base user interface and query software: | ||||||
| Health information database software | ||||||
| Internet browser software: | ||||||
| Web browser software | ||||||
| Medical software (scroll table below): | ||||||
| ||||||
| Video conferencing software: | ||||||
| FaceTime | ||||||
| Video creation and editing software: | ||||||
| YouTube |
| Preparation Required - How much preparation is needed to obtain this type of job? |
| Job Zone Three: Medium Preparation Needed |
| Previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is required for these occupations. For example, an electrician must have completed three or four years of apprenticeship or several years of vocational training, and often must have passed a licensing exam, in order to perform the job. |
| Most occupations in this zone require training in vocational schools, related on-the-job experience, or an associate's degree. |
| Employees in these occupations usually need one or two years of training involving both on-the-job experience and informal training with experienced workers. A recognized apprenticeship program may be associated with these occupations. |
| These occupations usually involve using communication and organizational skills to coordinate, supervise, manage, or train others to accomplish goals. Examples include hydroelectric production managers, desktop publishers, electricians, agricultural technicians, barbers, court reporters and simultaneous captioners, and medical assistants. |
| Education Required - by frequency of educational attainment This shows you details about the level of education most commonly held by workers in this occupation. How can you begin planning the educational pathway that will prepare you best for this type of work? |
|
| Frequency of Attainment (%) | Level of Education |
| Frequency of Attainment: 38.7 (%) | Level of Education: High School Diploma - or the equivalent (for example, GED) |
| Frequency of Attainment: 24.0 (%) | Level of Education: Post-Secondary Certificate - awarded for training completed after high school (for example, in agriculture or natural resources, computer services, personal or culinary services, engineering technologies, healthcare, construction trades, mechanic and repair technologies, or precision production) |
| Frequency of Attainment: 12.2 (%) | Level of Education: Some College Courses |
| Frequency of Attainment: 9.8 (%) | Level of Education: Associate's Degree (or other 2-year degree) |
| Frequency of Attainment: 6.1 (%) | Level of Education: Bachelor's Degree |
| Frequency of Attainment: 3.8 (%) | Level of Education: First Professional Degree - awarded for completion of a program that: requires at least 2 years of college work before entrance into the program, includes a total of at least 6 academic years of work to complete, and provides all remaining academic requirements to begin practice in a profession. |
| Frequency of Attainment: 2.8 (%) | Level of Education: Master's Degree |
| Frequency of Attainment: 2.7 (%) | Level of Education: Less than a High School Diploma |
| Training and Experience Required - by frequency of training and work experience attainment This section shows you how often different types of training and work experience are required for this occupation. How can you start gaining the kinds of experience and training that are most common for this type of work? |
|
| Frequency of Attainment (%) | Level of Training and Work Experience |
| Frequency of Attainment: 26.7 (%) | Level of Training and Work Experience: None |
| Frequency of Attainment: 16.7 (%) | Level of Training and Work Experience: Over 1 month, up to and including 3 months |
| Frequency of Attainment: 15.7 (%) | Level of Training and Work Experience: Over 1 year, up to and including 2 years |
| Frequency of Attainment: 13.6 (%) | Level of Training and Work Experience: Over 3 months, up to and including 6 months |
| Frequency of Attainment: 12.3 (%) | Level of Training and Work Experience: Over 6 months, up to and including 1 year |
| Frequency of Attainment: 12.1 (%) | Level of Training and Work Experience: Up to and including 1 month |
| Frequency of Attainment: 2.8 (%) | Level of Training and Work Experience: Over 8 years, up to and including 10 years |
| Certifications These are examples of certifications that may be important for this occupation. How can you begin exploring which certifications fit your goals and what steps you would need to take to earn them? |
|
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Certified Alzheimer Caregiver | |
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Certified Hospice and Palliative Nursing Assistant | |
|
Certified Medical Examiner | |
|
National Nurse Aide Assessment Program | |
|
Patient Care Technician | |
|
Patient Care Technician Certification | |
|
STCW Medical First Aid Provider / PIC of Medical Care | |
Step 4 of 4: Career-Specific Resources (detailed and constantly updated)
This section contains detailed resources appropriate to "Nursing Assistants". Explore these resources to start learning more. Links are constantly updated, so bookmark this page.
Here is a listing of videos related to this career. A great way to get a quick overview of the occupation.
Here are resources that allow you to see example resumes for this occupation. It may be helpful to see examples from others who have this type of experience.
Here are resources that provide job descriptions, which are vital for resume and interview preparation.
There are many great resources that can help guide you through the interview process. These links provide help in preparing and performing an effective interview, specific to this occupation.
Here are links to help guide you, step-by-step, to become a(n): Nursing Assistants
Here are links to various posts and groups from LinkedIn ® that relate to this occupation. Great way to start building professional contacts in the field that might be most appropriate for you.
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