Direct care aide demographics and statistics in the US
Direct care aide demographics research summary. Zippia estimates direct care aide demographics and statistics in the United States by using a database of 30 million profiles. Our direct care aide estimates are verified against BLS, Census, and current job openings data for accuracy. Zippia's data science team found the following key facts about direct care aides after extensive research and analysis:
- There are over 280,468 direct care aides currently employed in the United States.
- 79.2% of all direct care aides are women, while 20.8% are men.
- The average direct care aide age is 47 years old.
- The most common ethnicity of direct care aides is White (61.3%), followed by Hispanic or Latino (13.3%), Black or African American (12.1%) and Asian (8.0%).
- In 2022, women earned 98% of what men earned.
- 7% of all direct care aides are LGBT.
- Direct care aides are 78% more likely to work at private companies in comparison to government companies.
On this page
Direct care aide demographics by:
Direct care aide gender statistics
79.2% of direct care aides are women and 20.8% of direct care aides are men.
- Female, 79.2%
- Male, 20.8%
Direct care aide gender ratio
| Gender | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Female | 79.2% |
| Male | 20.8% |
Direct care aide gender pay gap
Women earn 98¢ for every $1 earned by men
Male income
$31,482
Female income
$30,823
Direct care aide gender ratio over time
This data breaks down the percentage of men and women in direct care aide positions over time. Currently, 79.2% of direct care aides are female.
Direct care aide gender ratio by year
| Year | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 16.68% | 83.32% |
| 2011 | 17.26% | 82.74% |
| 2012 | 19.51% | 80.49% |
| 2013 | 18.56% | 81.44% |
| 2014 | 18.78% | 81.22% |
| 2015 | 18.83% | 81.17% |
| 2016 | 19.49% | 80.51% |
| 2017 | 20.11% | 79.89% |
| 2018 | 19.50% | 80.50% |
| 2019 | 20.11% | 79.89% |
| 2020 | 22.84% | 77.16% |
| 2021 | 20.84% | 79.16% |
Direct care aide related jobs gender ratio
We compared direct care aides with similar job titles to see how gender ratios vary. As you can see, camp boss and valet have the biggest gender ratio gaps.
| Job title | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| Infant Childcare Provider | 3% | 97% |
| Daycare Owner | 4% | 96% |
| Professional Nanny | 5% | 95% |
| Direct Care Aide | 21% | 79% |
| Intramural Director | 82% | 18% |
| Valet | 85% | 15% |
| Camp Boss | 88% | 12% |
Male
Female
100%
75%
50%
25%
0%
0%
25%
50%
75%
100%
Direct care aide demographics by race
The most common ethnicity among direct care aides is White, which makes up 61.3% of all direct care aides. Comparatively, 13.3% of direct care aides are Hispanic or Latino and 12.1% of direct care aides are Black or African American.
- White, 61.3%
- Hispanic or Latino, 13.3%
- Black or African American, 12.1%
- Asian, 8.0%
- Unknown, 4.3%
- American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.0%
Direct care aide race
| Direct care aide race | Percentages |
|---|---|
| White | 61.3% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 13.3% |
| Black or African American | 12.1% |
| Asian | 8.0% |
| Unknown | 4.3% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 1.0% |
Direct care aide race and ethnicity over time
See how direct care aide racial and ethnic diversity trended since 2010 according to the United States Census Bureau data.
Direct care aide race and ethnicity by year
| Year | White | Black or African American | Asian | Hispanic or Latino |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 69.77% | 13.89% | 4.90% | 8.74% |
| 2011 | 66.87% | 14.89% | 5.58% | 9.34% |
| 2012 | 67.49% | 14.00% | 5.53% | 9.79% |
| 2013 | 67.75% | 13.59% | 5.73% | 9.82% |
| 2014 | 67.99% | 12.90% | 5.99% | 9.87% |
| 2015 | 67.28% | 13.10% | 5.91% | 10.78% |
| 2016 | 66.04% | 13.04% | 6.60% | 11.27% |
| 2017 | 65.68% | 12.01% | 7.47% | 11.43% |
| 2018 | 66.15% | 12.97% | 6.74% | 11.10% |
| 2019 | 68.02% | 11.84% | 6.56% | 10.72% |
| 2020 | 64.23% | 12.34% | 7.46% | 10.70% |
| 2021 | 61.30% | 12.08% | 7.99% | 13.31% |
Direct care aide wage gap by race
According to our data, black or african american direct care aides have the highest average salary compared to other ethnicities. Unknown direct care aides have the lowest average salary at $30,798.
| Ethnicity | Salary |
|---|---|
| Unknown | $30,798 |
| White | $31,346 |
| Black or African American | $32,040 |
| Asian | $31,634 |
| Hispanic or Latino | $31,605 |
Average direct care aide age
See how the average age of direct care aides varies based on ethnicity and gender.
Male
Female
Direct care aide age by race and gender
| Race | Male age | Female age |
|---|---|---|
| Black or African American | 45 | 48 |
| Unknown | 37 | 47 |
| Asian | 56 | 54 |
| Hispanic or Latino | 41 | 49 |
| White | 47 | 51 |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 45 | 47 |
Direct care aide age breakdown
The average age of direct care aides is 40+ years years old, representing 71% of the direct care aide population.
Direct care aide age breakdown
| Direct Care Aide Years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| 40+ years | 71% |
| 30-40 years | 16% |
| 20-30 years | 13% |
Direct care aide educational attainment
The most common degree for direct care aides is high school diploma, with 35% of direct care aides earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are associate degree degree at 20% and associate degree degree at 19%.
- High School Diploma, 35%
- Associate, 20%
- Bachelor's, 19%
- Diploma, 14%
- Other Degrees, 12%
Direct care aides by degree level
| Direct care aide degree | Percentages |
|---|---|
| High School Diploma | 35% |
| Associate | 20% |
| Bachelor's | 19% |
| Diploma | 14% |
| Other Degrees | 12% |
Direct care aide jobs you might like
Direct care aide wage gap by degree level
According to the data, direct care aides with a Master's degree earn more than those without, at $32,423 annually. With a Bachelor's degree, direct care aides earn a median annual income of $31,964 compared to $31,666 for direct care aides with an Associate degree.
| Education | Salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $32,423 |
| High School Diploma or Less | $30,883 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $31,964 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $31,666 |
Direct care aide employment statistics
Most direct care aides work for a private in the health care industry.
Company size where direct care aides work
Below, you can see the size of companies where direct care aides work.
Direct care aide jobs by employer size
| Company size | Percentages |
|---|---|
| < 50 employees | 11% |
| 50 - 100 employees | 28% |
| 100 - 500 employees | 31% |
| 500 - 1,000 employees | 11% |
| 1,000 - 10,000 employees | 14% |
| > 10,000 employees | 4% |
Direct care aide jobs by company type
Employees with the direct care aide job title have their preferences when it comes to working for a company. For instance, most direct care aides prefer to work at private companies over government companies.
Direct care aide jobs by sector
| Company type | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Education | 6% |
| Public | 5% |
| Private | 78% |
| Government | 12% |
Direct care aide jobs by industry
The most common industries for direct care aides are health care, professional and non profits.
Direct care aide industry statistics
| Industry | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Health Care | 35% |
| Professional | 13% |
| Non Profits | 10% |
| Government | 9% |
| Manufacturing | 5% |
| Hospitality | 4% |
| Education | 4% |
| Finance | 3% |
| Construction | 3% |
| Technology | 3% |
| Retail | 2% |
| Start-up | 2% |
| Pharmaceutical | 1% |
| Media | 1% |
| Internet | 1% |
| Automotive | 1% |
| Utilities | 1% |
| Fortune 500 | 1% |
Direct care aide turnover and employment statistics
Direct care aide unemployment rate over time
The unemployment rate for direct care aides between 2008 and the most recent data has varied, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Direct care aide unemployment rate by year
| Year | Direct care aide unemployment rate |
|---|---|
| 2010 | 10.10% |
| 2011 | 11.06% |
| 2012 | 9.90% |
| 2013 | 8.83% |
| 2014 | 7.61% |
| 2015 | 6.51% |
| 2016 | 5.54% |
| 2017 | 5.18% |
| 2018 | 4.93% |
| 2019 | 4.32% |
| 2020 | 5.81% |
| 2021 | 7.35% |
Average direct care aide tenure
The average direct care aide stays at their job for 1-2 years, based on the 2,401 direct care aides resumes in Zippia's database.
Direct care aide tenure statistics
| Number of years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Less than 1 year | 29% |
| 1-2 years | 35% |
| 3-4 years | 13% |
| 5-7 years | 13% |
| 8-10 years | 4% |
| 11+ years | 5% |
Direct care aide LGBT ratio compared to similar jobs
Review the percent of direct care aides that are members of the LGBT community. You can see how this compares to similar jobs in the chart below.
| Job title | LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Family Nanny | 4.43% | 136,280 |
| Home Organizer | 5.80% | 40,603 |
| Direct Care Aide | 6.73% | - |
| Camp Counselor | 8.12% | 28,182 |
| Residence Life Coordinator | 12.72% | 19,501 |
| Certified Personal Trainer | 13.13% | 65,615 |
Similar direct care aide jobs LGBT demographics
| Profession | Percentages of LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Family Nanny | 4.43% | 136,280 |
| Home Organizer | 5.80% | 40,603 |
| Camp Counselor | 8.12% | 28,182 |
| Residence Life Coordinator | 12.72% | 19,501 |
| Certified Personal Trainer | 13.13% | 65,615 |
Foreign languages spoken by direct care aides
The most common foreign language among direct care aides is Spanish at 66.7%. The second-most popular foreign language spoken is Italian at 8.3% and Swedish is the third-most popular at 4.2%.
- Spanish, 66.7%
- Italian, 8.3%
- Swedish, 4.2%
- Portuguese, 4.2%
- Vietnamese, 4.2%
- Other, 12.4%
Direct care aide languages spoken
| Foreign language | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Spanish | 66.7% |
| Italian | 8.3% |
| Swedish | 4.2% |
| Portuguese | 4.2% |
| Vietnamese | 4.2% |
| Other | 12.4% |
