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Best states for a direct care aide
- Rank 1 - 10
- 11 - 20
- 21 - 30
- 31 - 40
- 41 - 51
It seems like direct care aides are becoming more and more common across America. But working conditions and demand for direct care aides aren't the same everywhere in the U.S. This way, if you are newly entering the job market, or you are looking to change jobs, you know which places are the best for direct care aide jobs.
To that end, we dove into our dataset of job and salary numbers to figure out which states have the best opportunities for direct care aides. New Jersey is the best state for direct care aides, where the median salary is $36,068.We found that the South is best for direct care aides, and the Northeast is the worst. Springfield, MA is the best city in the country for direct care aide jobs, where as New Jersey is the best state in the country.
10 best states for direct care aides in 2025
1. New Jersey
Total direct care aide jobs: 1,713 Average annual salary: $36,068 Lowest 10 percent earn: $27,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $47,000 Location Quotient: 1.02
2. Maine
Total direct care aide jobs: 365 Average annual salary: $32,179 Lowest 10 percent earn: $27,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $37,000 Location Quotient: 1.29
3. Massachusetts
Total direct care aide jobs: 2,160 Average annual salary: $34,053 Lowest 10 percent earn: $28,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $40,000 Location Quotient: 1.11
4. Wisconsin
Total direct care aide jobs: 1,348 Average annual salary: $31,157 Lowest 10 percent earn: $23,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $40,000 Location Quotient: 1.15
5. Michigan
Total direct care aide jobs: 2,241 Average annual salary: $29,491 Lowest 10 percent earn: $22,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $38,000 Location Quotient: 1.36
6. West Virginia
Total direct care aide jobs: 383 Average annual salary: $29,425 Lowest 10 percent earn: $20,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $41,000 Location Quotient: 1.18
7. Vermont
Total direct care aide jobs: 136 Average annual salary: $36,206 Lowest 10 percent earn: $31,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $42,000 Location Quotient: 0.83
8. Minnesota
Total direct care aide jobs: 2,039 Average annual salary: $29,689 Lowest 10 percent earn: $23,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $38,000 Location Quotient: 1.44
9. Montana
Total direct care aide jobs: 391 Average annual salary: $28,922 Lowest 10 percent earn: $22,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $38,000 Location Quotient: 1.59
10. Kansas
Total direct care aide jobs: 688 Average annual salary: $30,014 Lowest 10 percent earn: $21,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $41,000 Location Quotient: 1.07
Direct care aide jobsNear Columbus, OH
How Zippia determines the best states to be a direct care aide
You can read about how the best state rankings are calculated here.
Detailed list of the best states for a direct care aide
| Rank | State | Average salary | Lowest 10% earn | Population | Job count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New Jersey | $36,068 | $27,000 | 9,005,644 | 1,713 |
| 2 | Maine | $32,179 | $27,000 | 1,335,907 | 365 |
| 3 | Massachusetts | $34,053 | $28,000 | 6,859,819 | 2,160 |
| 4 | Wisconsin | $31,157 | $23,000 | 5,795,483 | 1,348 |
| 5 | Michigan | $29,491 | $22,000 | 9,962,311 | 2,241 |
| 6 | West Virginia | $29,425 | $20,000 | 1,815,857 | 383 |
| 7 | Vermont | $36,206 | $31,000 | 623,657 | 136 |
| 8 | Minnesota | $29,689 | $23,000 | 5,576,606 | 2,039 |
| 9 | Montana | $28,922 | $22,000 | 1,050,493 | 391 |
| 10 | Kansas | $30,014 | $21,000 | 2,913,123 | 688 |
| 11 | Oregon | $31,438 | $22,000 | 4,142,776 | 825 |
| 12 | Maryland | $34,121 | $24,000 | 6,052,177 | 1,211 |
| 13 | Pennsylvania | $27,621 | $20,000 | 12,805,537 | 5,251 |
| 14 | New York | $29,343 | $22,000 | 19,849,399 | 4,505 |
| 15 | Illinois | $28,533 | $21,000 | 12,802,023 | 3,408 |
| 16 | Connecticut | $32,746 | $26,000 | 3,588,184 | 526 |
| 17 | Iowa | $27,377 | $20,000 | 3,145,711 | 966 |
| 18 | Delaware | $27,709 | $20,000 | 961,939 | 319 |
| 19 | Washington | $31,247 | $23,000 | 7,405,743 | 1,136 |
| 20 | New Hampshire | $30,604 | $25,000 | 1,342,795 | 304 |
| 21 | Rhode Island | $29,376 | $24,000 | 1,059,639 | 229 |
| 22 | South Dakota | $28,159 | $21,000 | 869,666 | 199 |
| 23 | Ohio | $26,918 | $19,000 | 11,658,609 | 2,391 |
| 24 | North Carolina | $26,027 | $18,000 | 10,273,419 | 2,351 |
| 25 | North Dakota | $25,560 | $20,000 | 755,393 | 257 |
| 26 | Florida | $28,899 | $20,000 | 20,984,400 | 1,610 |
| 27 | Utah | $28,432 | $19,000 | 3,101,833 | 383 |
| 28 | Indiana | $25,817 | $18,000 | 6,666,818 | 1,602 |
| 29 | Tennessee | $24,363 | $17,000 | 6,715,984 | 1,500 |
| 30 | Alaska | $27,457 | $24,000 | 739,795 | 180 |
| 31 | California | $29,093 | $19,000 | 39,536,653 | 4,521 |
| 32 | Alabama | $25,819 | $18,000 | 4,874,747 | 794 |
| 33 | Nebraska | $24,792 | $18,000 | 1,920,076 | 480 |
| 34 | District of Columbia | $29,204 | $20,000 | 693,972 | 183 |
| 35 | Arizona | $24,977 | $16,000 | 7,016,270 | 1,215 |
| 36 | Hawaii | $27,583 | $22,000 | 1,427,538 | 156 |
| 37 | Virginia | $26,640 | $18,000 | 8,470,020 | 1,449 |
| 38 | Wyoming | $24,205 | $17,000 | 579,315 | 112 |
| 39 | Missouri | $23,210 | $16,000 | 6,113,532 | 1,405 |
| 40 | Colorado | $26,171 | $18,000 | 5,607,154 | 897 |
| 41 | Kentucky | $22,586 | $16,000 | 4,454,189 | 787 |
| 42 | Oklahoma | $22,876 | $16,000 | 3,930,864 | 589 |
| 43 | Georgia | $23,251 | $16,000 | 10,429,379 | 2,055 |
| 44 | New Mexico | $22,691 | $15,000 | 2,088,070 | 456 |
| 45 | Nevada | $23,533 | $15,000 | 2,998,039 | 389 |
| 46 | Idaho | $23,186 | $16,000 | 1,716,943 | 287 |
| 47 | Mississippi | $21,550 | $15,000 | 2,984,100 | 494 |
| 48 | South Carolina | $21,950 | $15,000 | 5,024,369 | 862 |
| 49 | Arkansas | $22,567 | $15,000 | 3,004,279 | 222 |
| 50 | Texas | $22,059 | $15,000 | 28,304,596 | 2,172 |
| 51 | Louisiana | $21,496 | $14,000 | 4,684,333 | 550 |
Highest paying states for direct care aides
| Rank | State | Avg. Direct Care Aide Salary |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | New Jersey | $36,068 |
| 2 | Maine | $32,179 |
| 3 | Massachusetts | $34,053 |
| 4 | Wisconsin | $31,157 |
| 5 | Michigan | $29,491 |
| 6 | West Virginia | $29,425 |
| 7 | Vermont | $36,206 |
| 8 | Minnesota | $29,689 |
| 9 | Montana | $28,922 |
| 10 | Kansas | $30,014 |
| 11 | Oregon | $31,438 |
| 12 | Maryland | $34,121 |
| 13 | Pennsylvania | $27,621 |
| 14 | New York | $29,343 |
| 15 | Illinois | $28,533 |
| 16 | Connecticut | $32,746 |
| 17 | Iowa | $27,377 |
| 18 | Delaware | $27,709 |
| 19 | Washington | $31,247 |
| 20 | New Hampshire | $30,604 |
| 21 | Rhode Island | $29,376 |
| 22 | South Dakota | $28,159 |
| 23 | Ohio | $26,918 |
| 24 | North Carolina | $26,027 |
| 25 | North Dakota | $25,560 |
| 26 | Florida | $28,899 |
| 27 | Utah | $28,432 |
| 28 | Indiana | $25,817 |
| 29 | Tennessee | $24,363 |
| 30 | Alaska | $27,457 |
| 31 | California | $29,093 |
| 32 | Alabama | $25,819 |
| 33 | Nebraska | $24,792 |
| 34 | District of Columbia | $29,204 |
| 35 | Arizona | $24,977 |
| 36 | Hawaii | $27,583 |
| 37 | Virginia | $26,640 |
| 38 | Wyoming | $24,205 |
| 39 | Missouri | $23,210 |
| 40 | Colorado | $26,171 |
| 41 | Kentucky | $22,586 |
| 42 | Oklahoma | $22,876 |
| 43 | Georgia | $23,251 |
| 44 | New Mexico | $22,691 |
| 45 | Nevada | $23,533 |
| 46 | Idaho | $23,186 |
| 47 | Mississippi | $21,550 |
| 48 | South Carolina | $21,950 |
| 49 | Arkansas | $22,567 |
| 50 | Texas | $22,059 |
| 51 | Louisiana | $21,496 |
Direct care aide best states FAQs
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Updated January 8, 2025