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The differences between companions and sitters can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a companion has an average salary of $29,246, which is higher than the $28,724 average annual salary of a sitter.
The top three skills for a companion include companionship, patients and home health. The most important skills for a sitter are patients, kids, and CPR.
| Companion | Sitter | |
| Yearly salary | $29,246 | $28,724 |
| Hourly rate | $14.06 | $13.81 |
| Growth rate | 36% | 36% |
| Number of jobs | 75,753 | 85,152 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 28% | High School Diploma, 32% |
| Average age | 48 | 48 |
| Years of experience | - | - |
A companion is responsible for assisting sick and recovered patients, as well as the elderly. Companions perform housekeeping duties, ensuring that a facility is well-maintained and safe for the use of the patients. They also monitor the patients' medication, prepare their meals based on a medical professional's prescription, support them on their daily activities, respond to the patients' needs and special requests as allowed, and report any developments to their family or guardians. A companion must be compassionate enough to extend physical and emotional support, depending on the client's condition.
A sitter is responsible for assisting medical needs under the supervision of an attending physician, registered nurses, and other health professionals. Sitters monitor the patients' daily activities and perform medical duties such as taking the patient's temperature, administering medications, monitoring food intake, helping with bathing needs, and responding to the patients' inquiries, concerns, and requests. They also keep track of medical charts to report the patients' health condition and progress to the senior staff.
Companions and sitters have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Companion | Sitter | |
| Average salary | $29,246 | $28,724 |
| Salary range | Between $22,000 And $38,000 | Between $20,000 And $39,000 |
| Highest paying City | Boston, MA | Fair Lawn, NJ |
| Highest paying state | Washington | Massachusetts |
| Best paying company | Merck | Southcoast Health |
| Best paying industry | Non Profits | Non Profits |
There are a few differences between a companion and a sitter in terms of educational background:
| Companion | Sitter | |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 28% | High School Diploma, 32% |
| Most common major | Nursing | Nursing |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between companions' and sitters' demographics:
| Companion | Sitter | |
| Average age | 48 | 48 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 12.1% Female, 87.9% | Male, 13.9% Female, 86.1% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 11.1% Unknown, 4.2% Hispanic or Latino, 18.9% Asian, 7.7% White, 57.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.1% | Black or African American, 17.3% Unknown, 4.1% Hispanic or Latino, 15.5% Asian, 8.0% White, 54.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9% |
| LGBT Percentage | 7% | 7% |