How much do family caregivers get paid in Massachusetts?
Around $19.50–$23.25/hr.
Your pay is not a posted wage. It comes out of a care budget that Massachusetts sets from your relative's assessed needs, which is why two caregivers in the same town can be paid differently.
What Massachusetts pays family caregivers
$19.50–$23.25/hr
Source: Massachusetts Medicaid program data · Updated September 2026
What sets your number
PCA: self-directed — consumer is the employer, works with a Personal Care Management agency and a fiscal intermediary (e.g., Tempus Unlimited) for payroll; AFC: caregiver must go through a MassHealth-contracted AFC provider agency
- Spouse can be paid?
- Not right now
- Parent paid for a child?
- Not right now
- Waitlist
- No waitlist.
Where the money comes from
This is Medicaid money, not a grant and not a charity. In Massachusetts it runs through PCA Program, Adult Foster Care (AFC), Frail Elder Waiver, administered by MassHealth / Executive Office of Health and Human Services (EOHHS), 800-841-2900
1.3 million people in Massachusetts — 19% of the state — are 65 or older, spread across 14 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 Massachusetts program fits, and roughly what it pays.
- usually weeks
Medicaid + care assessment
Massachusetts 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 Massachusetts: Apply for MassHealth via the Application for Health Coverage for Seniors/Long-Term Care to a MassHealth Enrollment Center, then get a PCA evaluation through a Personal Care Management agency (or contact an AFC provider agency for AFC).
Massachusetts pay questions, answered honestly
How much do family caregivers get paid in Massachusetts?
Family caregivers in Massachusetts are generally paid $19.50–$23.25/hr.
What decides my exact hourly rate?
Three things: how much help your relative is assessed as needing, which Massachusetts program they are on, and who administers the payroll. PCA: self-directed — consumer is the employer, works with a Personal Care Management agency and a fiscal intermediary (e.g., Tempus Unlimited) for payroll; AFC: caregiver must go through a MassHealth-contracted AFC provider agency
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?
In Massachusetts, some of this pay is reported as tax-free under the IRS difficulty-of-care rules when the caregiver lives with the person receiving care. It depends on your household, so confirm with a tax preparer — but do ask, because many families overpay by not asking.
Can I be paid to care for my spouse in Massachusetts?
no — spouse barred as legally responsible relative in both PCA and AFC There is a full page on this: see spousal caregiver pay in Massachusetts.
Can a parent be paid for caring for their own child in Massachusetts?
no — parent of a minor member cannot be paid PCA (legally responsible relative); parents of ADULT children can be paid
Is there a waitlist in Massachusetts?
PCA is an entitlement — no waitlist; AFC no waitlist reported
How do I apply in Massachusetts?
Apply for MassHealth via the Application for Health Coverage for Seniors/Long-Term Care to a MassHealth Enrollment Center, then get a PCA evaluation through a Personal Care Management agency (or contact an AFC provider agency for AFC).
Married and caring for your husband or wife? Read the spouse rules for Massachusetts →
Sources: medicaidplanningassistance.org · medicaidplanningassistance.org · mass.gov · Population figures from the U.S. Census Bureau · Updated September 2026. Rates change — always confirm with the program.
Where most Massachusetts caregivers are
Counties with the most residents aged 65 and older. The rules are the same everywhere in Massachusetts — 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.