How much do family caregivers get paid in Alaska?
Around $24–$26/hr — and here is what moves that number.
Your pay is not a posted wage. It comes out of a care budget that Alaska sets from your relative's assessed needs, which is why two caregivers in the same town can be paid differently.
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?
- Not right now
- 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?
no — spouses (and legal guardians) are prohibited from being hired under PCS/CDPCS; other relatives such as adult children may be hired 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 — historically barred under PCS, but Sept 2024 waiver amendments (CCMC, IDD, ISW) allow parents/guardians to be paid for personal care, tube feedings, trach care and meds for waiver-enrolled children
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.
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.