What family caregivers are paid in Alaska
Around $24–$26/hr. Your pay is not a posted wage — it comes out of a care budget Alaska sets from your relative's assessed needs, which is why two caregivers on the same street can be paid differently.
Alaska at a glance
- Reported pay
- $24–$26/hr
- Programs
- 3
- Spouse pay
- Sometimes
- Waitlist
- None
set inside the care plan
that can pay a relative
full rule on the spouse page
apply early either way
- 50 + DC
- states covered
- 3,144
- counties with local data
- $0
- it is always free to apply
- 2 min
- to see if you qualify
Population figures from the U.S. Census Bureau · Rules from each state's published Medicaid program
What Alaska pays family caregivers
$24–$26/hr
Your exact pay is set by the program and your care plan. We'll tell you your real number before you enroll.
Source: Alaska Medicaid program data · Updated September 2026
What sets your number
self-directed under CDPCS — participant hires, trains, supervises, fires; a Consumer Directed Provider Agency acts as fiscal agent for tax withholding and caregiver payments
- Spouse can be paid?
- Sometimes
- Parent paid for a child?
- Sometimes
- Waitlist
- No waitlist.
Where the money comes from
This is Medicaid money, not a grant and not a charity. In Alaska it runs through Personal Care Services (PCS), Community First Choice (CFC), Children's waivers (CCMC & IDD), administered by Alaska Department of Health, Division of Senior and Disabilities Services (SDS), 907-269-3666
109,200 people in Alaska — 15% of the state — are 65 or older, spread across 30 counties. The programs on this page exist because caring for them at home costs the state far less than a nursing home does.
From first call to first paycheck
- 2 minutes
Check eligibility
Five questions tell you which Alaska program fits, and roughly what it pays.
- usually weeks
Medicaid + care assessment
Alaska confirms your relative qualifies and how much help they need. The hours in that assessment become your paid hours.
- after approval
Enrol and hire
Your relative enrols, then names you as their caregiver. Background check, paperwork, done.
- every pay period
Get paid
You log the hours you already work and are paid for them, like any job.
How to start in Alaska: Contact a PCS provider agency or SDS to complete the PCA-08 Initial Application (doh.sds.info@alaska.gov, 907-269-3666); an Aging and Disability Resource Center can help; approval can take ~3 months.
Alaska pay questions, answered honestly
How much do family caregivers get paid in Alaska?
Figures reported for Alaska land around $24–$26/hr, but that is a range, not a promise. Your rate is set inside your relative's care plan and budget. We tell you your real number before you enroll.
What decides my exact hourly rate?
Three things: how much help your relative is assessed as needing, which Alaska program they are on, and who administers the payroll. self-directed under CDPCS — participant hires, trains, supervises, fires; a Consumer Directed Provider Agency acts as fiscal agent for tax withholding and caregiver payments
How many hours a week can I be paid for?
Hours come from the care assessment, not from how many you actually work. That is the single biggest thing families get wrong — an honest assessment is worth more than any negotiation later. We help you prepare for it.
Is family caregiver pay taxable?
Usually yes — it is normally treated as wages, with taxes withheld. One exception is worth asking about: the IRS difficulty-of-care rule can make some payments tax-free when the caregiver lives with the person receiving care.
Can I be paid to care for my spouse in Alaska?
limited — since 8/1/2025 a spouse can be paid for Community First Choice personal care when hired through a CFC personal-care agency (SDS memo 6/27/2025); State Plan PCS still bars spouses There is a full page on this: see spousal caregiver pay in Alaska.
Can a parent be paid for caring for their own child in Alaska?
limited — since 8/1/2025 parents of children older than 6 can be paid for CFC personal care through an agency, and for In-Home Supports on the children's waivers; State Plan PCS still bars them
Is there a waitlist in Alaska?
no waitlist — PCS and CFC are state-plan entitlements
How do I apply in Alaska?
Contact a PCS provider agency or SDS to complete the PCA-08 Initial Application (doh.sds.info@alaska.gov, 907-269-3666); an Aging and Disability Resource Center can help; approval can take ~3 months.
Married and caring for your husband or wife? Read the spouse rules for Alaska →
Sources: medicaidplanningassistance.org · health.alaska.gov · Population figures from the U.S. Census Bureau · Updated September 2026. Rates change — always confirm with the program.
Guides
For Alaska families
Start with the Alaska caregiver program, then read how the pieces fit together.
Where most Alaska caregivers are
Counties with the most residents aged 65 and older. The rules are the same everywhere in Alaska — pick yours for the local picture.
Find out in 2 minutes
Answer 5 easy questions. See your programs and pay before you share any contact info.