How much do family caregivers get paid in North Dakota?
Around $21.76/hr — and here is what moves that number.
Your pay is not a posted wage. It comes out of a care budget that North Dakota sets from your relative's assessed needs, which is why two caregivers in the same town can be paid differently.
What North Dakota pays family caregivers
$21.76/hr
Your exact pay is set by the program and your care plan. We'll tell you your real number before you enroll.
Source: North Dakota Medicaid program data · Updated September 2026
What sets your number
no home-care agency, but the family caregiver must enroll as a Qualified Service Provider (QSP) with ND HHS; the waiver has no fully self-directed option
- Spouse can be paid?
- Yes
- Parent paid for a child?
- Yes
- Waitlist
- Some programs have no waitlist.
Where the money comes from
This is Medicaid money, not a grant and not a charity. In North Dakota it runs through HCBS Waiver — Family Personal Care, Qualified Service Provider (QSP), Family Paid Caregiver Pilot (children), administered by North Dakota Health and Human Services, Aging Services Division; Aging and Disability Resource Link 1-855-462-5465
137,800 people in North Dakota — 17% of the state — are 65 or older, spread across 53 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 North Dakota program fits, and roughly what it pays.
- usually weeks
Medicaid + care assessment
North Dakota 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 North Dakota: Apply for the HCBS waiver online or through your local Human Service Zone office; the pilot is applied for through the Family Paid Caregiver Portal (familycaregiver.hhs.nd.gov).
North Dakota pay questions, answered honestly
How much do family caregivers get paid in North Dakota?
Figures reported for North Dakota land around $21.76/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 North Dakota program they are on, and who administers the payroll. no home-care agency, but the family caregiver must enroll as a Qualified Service Provider (QSP) with ND HHS; the waiver has no fully self-directed option
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 North Dakota?
yes — HCBS waiver Family Personal Care pays a spouse, adult child, or adult grandchild who lives with the participant; spouses and legal guardians are excluded from MSP-PC; pilot also covers spouses as LRIs There is a full page on this: see spousal caregiver pay in North Dakota.
Can a parent be paid for caring for their own child in North Dakota?
yes via pilot — Family Paid Caregiver Pilot pays legally responsible individuals (parent/guardian) providing extraordinary care on the Autism Birth-17, Medically Fragile, Children's Hospice, and Traditional IID/DD waivers
Is there a waitlist in North Dakota?
HCBS waiver is not an entitlement (~930 slots/yr) and a waitlist forms when full; pilot is capacity-limited (reported 75 families enrolled of 550+ applicants)
How do I apply in North Dakota?
Apply for the HCBS waiver online or through your local Human Service Zone office; the pilot is applied for through the Family Paid Caregiver Portal (familycaregiver.hhs.nd.gov).
Married and caring for your husband or wife? Read the spouse rules for North Dakota →
Sources: medicaidplanningassistance.org · hhs.nd.gov · hhs.nd.gov · Population figures from the U.S. Census Bureau · Updated September 2026. Rates change — always confirm with the program.
Where most North Dakota caregivers are
Counties with the most residents aged 65 and older. The rules are the same everywhere in North Dakota — 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.