Hiring guide · Healthcare
How to Hire an Orderly
Pay benchmarks, qualifications, sourcing, screening and interview questions for hiring orderlies, plus a plan to get them productive fast.
Write a clear job description, offer competitive pay (the national median is $38,290), recruit through community college and vocational program career centers, verify BLS CPR where applicable, run a structured interview with a practical skills check, and onboard with a 30-60-90 day plan.
Pay data: BLS OEWS, May 2025 · Outlook: BLS 2025–35 · Checked October 15, 2026
The hiring market for orderlies
There are about 52,800 orderlies employed in the U.S., with roughly 7,200 openings each year. Employment is projected to change +4.0% from 2025–35 (about as fast as average). Most openings come from replacing workers who retire or change careers, so a steady pipeline matters.
Pay benchmarks for offers
| Candidate level | Annual | Hourly* |
|---|---|---|
| Entry level (10th–25th percentile) | $32,240–$35,570 | $15.50–$17.10 |
| Typical / mid-career (median) | $38,290 | $18.41 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $44,560 | $21.42 |
| Top of market (90th percentile) | $50,600 | $24.33 |
*Annual ÷ 2,080 hours except median. National BLS data; adjust for your state and metro area. Many states and cities now require pay ranges in job postings.
What to look for
Must-haves
- High school diploma or equivalent (typical entry level)
- Safe patient handling
- Reliability
Nice-to-haves
- BLS CPR
- Safe patient handling training
- Certified Patient Care Technician
- Experience with wheelchairs
Where to find orderlies
- Community college and vocational program career centers
- Clinical externship and student-placement partnerships
- State nurse aide registries and healthcare job boards
- Employee referral programs
- Job postings that use common alternate titles: Patient Transporter, Hospital Orderly, Patient Care Aide, Transport Aide
Screening checklist
- Verify certifications and state registry or license status with the issuing body
- Background checks and federal exclusion-list (OIG LEIE) screening as required for your organization
- Immunization records, TB testing and drug screening according to policy and law
- Current BLS/CPR certification
Follow federal, state and local rules on background checks, drug testing and fair-chance hiring, and apply screening consistently to all candidates for the role.
Interview questions to ask
Ask every candidate the same questions and score answers on a structured scorecard.
1. “Why healthcare?”
What a strong answer includes: Share motivation.
2. “Can you work shifts?”
What a strong answer includes: Be honest.
3. “How do you stay safe lifting?”
What a strong answer includes: Explain.
4. “How do you treat patients with dignity?”
What a strong answer includes: Give examples.
5. “Are you CPR certified?”
What a strong answer includes: Share.
Practical skills checks
A short demonstration beats a perfect resume. Ask candidates to talk you through, or perform under supervision, tasks such as:
- Transport a Patient by Wheelchair (see the steps)
- Help Reposition a Patient (see the steps)
- Enter an Isolation Room (see the steps)
Red flags
- Can’t describe basic safety practices for the role
- Vague or inconsistent work history with no explanation
- Unfamiliar with core terms such as Transport, Stretcher, Patient lift
- Negative talk about every past employer or coworker
Onboard for retention
The first 90 days decide whether a new hire stays. Use our Orderly 30-60-90 day onboarding plan and give every new hire the same foundation with Orderly training. Show them the path forward: Orderly → Patient Care Technician → CNA or LPN → Registered Nurse.
Hiring orderlies: FAQ
How much should I pay an orderly?
The U.S. median wage for orderlies is $38,290 per year ($18.41/hour), according to BLS May 2025 data. Entry-level offers often fall near the 25th percentile ($35,570), while experienced hires command closer to the 75th percentile ($44,560). Adjust for your local market.
What qualifications should an orderly have?
BLS lists “high school diploma or equivalent” as the typical entry-level education. Look for BLS CPR and Safe patient handling training where relevant, plus skills such as safe patient handling, wheelchair and stretcher use, and infection control.
How long does it take to train a new orderly?
Becoming qualified typically takes 1–4 weeks. After hire, plan for a structured 30-60-90 day onboarding period; BLS classifies on-the-job training for this occupation as “short-term on-the-job training.”