Direct care professional demographics and statistics in the US
Direct care professional demographics research summary. Zippia estimates direct care professional demographics and statistics in the United States by using a database of 30 million profiles. Our direct care professional 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 professionals after extensive research and analysis:
- There are over 210,994 direct care professionals currently employed in the United States.
- 74.0% of all direct care professionals are women, while 26.0% are men.
- The average direct care professional age is 47 years old.
- The most common ethnicity of direct care professionals is White (59.9%), followed by Hispanic or Latino (16.1%), Black or African American (10.9%) and Asian (7.9%).
- Direct care professionals are most in-demand in Leominster, MA.
- The government industry is the highest-paying for direct care professionals.
- Vacaville, CA pays an annual average wage of $33,506, the highest in the US.
- In 2022, women direct care professionals earned 98% of what men earned.
- 7% of all direct care professionals are LGBT.
- Maine is the best state for direct care professionals to live.
- Direct care professionals are 74% more likely to work at private companies in comparison to government companies.
On this page
Direct care professional demographics by:
Direct care professional gender statistics
74.0% of direct care professionals are women and 26.0% of direct care professionals are men.
- Female, 74.0%
- Male, 26.0%
Direct care professional gender ratio
| Gender | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Female | 74.0% |
| Male | 26.0% |
Direct care professional gender pay gap
Women earn 98¢ for every $1 earned by men
Male income
$31,276
Female income
$30,623
Direct care professional gender ratio over time
This data breaks down the percentage of men and women in direct care professional positions over time. Currently, 74.0% of direct care professionals are female.
Direct care professional gender ratio by year
| Year | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 21.09% | 78.91% |
| 2011 | 21.79% | 78.21% |
| 2012 | 24.46% | 75.54% |
| 2013 | 23.33% | 76.67% |
| 2014 | 23.59% | 76.41% |
| 2015 | 23.65% | 76.35% |
| 2016 | 24.43% | 75.57% |
| 2017 | 25.15% | 74.85% |
| 2018 | 24.45% | 75.55% |
| 2019 | 25.16% | 74.84% |
| 2020 | 28.33% | 71.67% |
| 2021 | 26.01% | 73.99% |
Direct care professional related jobs gender ratio
We compared direct care professionals 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 Professional | 26% | 74% |
| 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 professional demographics by race
The most common ethnicity among direct care professionals is White, which makes up 59.9% of all direct care professionals. Comparatively, 16.1% of direct care professionals are Hispanic or Latino and 10.9% of direct care professionals are Black or African American.
- White, 59.9%
- Hispanic or Latino, 16.1%
- Black or African American, 10.9%
- Asian, 7.9%
- Unknown, 4.2%
- American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.0%
Direct care professional race
| Direct care professional race | Percentages |
|---|---|
| White | 59.9% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 16.1% |
| Black or African American | 10.9% |
| Asian | 7.9% |
| Unknown | 4.2% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 1.0% |
Direct care professional race and ethnicity over time
See how direct care professional racial and ethnic diversity trended since 2010 according to the United States Census Bureau data.
Direct care professional race and ethnicity by year
| Year | White | Black or African American | Asian | Hispanic or Latino |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 68.37% | 12.67% | 4.80% | 11.51% |
| 2011 | 65.47% | 13.67% | 5.48% | 12.11% |
| 2012 | 66.08% | 12.78% | 5.43% | 12.56% |
| 2013 | 66.35% | 12.37% | 5.64% | 12.60% |
| 2014 | 66.59% | 11.68% | 5.90% | 12.64% |
| 2015 | 65.88% | 11.88% | 5.81% | 13.55% |
| 2016 | 64.64% | 11.82% | 6.50% | 14.04% |
| 2017 | 64.28% | 10.79% | 7.37% | 14.20% |
| 2018 | 64.75% | 11.75% | 6.65% | 13.87% |
| 2019 | 66.61% | 10.62% | 6.46% | 13.49% |
| 2020 | 62.83% | 11.12% | 7.36% | 13.47% |
| 2021 | 59.90% | 10.86% | 7.89% | 16.08% |
Direct care professional wage gap by race
According to our data, black or african american direct care professionals have the highest average salary compared to other ethnicities. Unknown direct care professionals have the lowest average salary at $30,599.
| Ethnicity | Salary |
|---|---|
| Unknown | $30,599 |
| White | $31,142 |
| Black or African American | $31,829 |
| Asian | $31,426 |
| Hispanic or Latino | $31,397 |
Average direct care professional age
See how the average age of direct care professionals varies based on ethnicity and gender.
Male
Female
Direct care professional 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 professional age breakdown
The average age of direct care professionals is 40+ years years old, representing 71% of the direct care professional population.
Direct care professional age breakdown
| Direct Care Professional Years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| 40+ years | 71% |
| 30-40 years | 16% |
| 20-30 years | 13% |
Direct care professional educational attainment
The most common degree for direct care professionals is bachelor's degree, with 35% of direct care professionals earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are high school diploma degree at 26% and high school diploma degree at 20%.
- Bachelor's, 35%
- High School Diploma, 26%
- Associate, 20%
- Diploma, 9%
- Other Degrees, 10%
Direct care professionals by degree level
| Direct care professional degree | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Bachelor's | 35% |
| High School Diploma | 26% |
| Associate | 20% |
| Diploma | 9% |
| Other Degrees | 10% |
Direct care professional jobs you might like
Direct care professional wage gap by degree level
According to the data, direct care professionals with a Master's degree earn more than those without, at $32,208 annually. With a Bachelor's degree, direct care professionals earn a median annual income of $31,753 compared to $31,458 for direct care professionals with an Associate degree.
| Education | Salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $32,208 |
| High School Diploma or Less | $30,683 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $31,753 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $31,458 |
Direct care professional employment statistics
Most direct care professionals work for a private in the health care industry.
Company size where direct care professionals work
Below, you can see the size of companies where direct care professionals work.
Direct care professional jobs by employer size
| Company size | Percentages |
|---|---|
| < 50 employees | 10% |
| 50 - 100 employees | 23% |
| 100 - 500 employees | 38% |
| 500 - 1,000 employees | 13% |
| 1,000 - 10,000 employees | 14% |
| > 10,000 employees | 2% |
Direct care professional jobs by company type
Employees with the direct care professional job title have their preferences when it comes to working for a company. For instance, most direct care professionals prefer to work at private companies over government companies.
Direct care professional jobs by sector
| Company type | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Education | 7% |
| Public | 4% |
| Private | 74% |
| Government | 15% |
Direct care professional jobs by industry
The most common industries for direct care professionals are health care, professional and non profits.
Direct care professional industry statistics
| Industry | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Health Care | 31% |
| Professional | 23% |
| Non Profits | 14% |
| Government | 9% |
| Education | 4% |
| Manufacturing | 3% |
| Finance | 2% |
| Hospitality | 2% |
| Technology | 2% |
| Start-up | 2% |
| Pharmaceutical | 1% |
| Media | 1% |
| Internet | 1% |
| Transportation | 1% |
| Construction | 1% |
| Retail | 1% |
| Fortune 500 | 1% |
| Insurance | 1% |
Direct care professional turnover and employment statistics
Direct care professional unemployment rate over time
The unemployment rate for direct care professionals between 2008 and the most recent data has varied, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Direct care professional unemployment rate by year
| Year | Direct care professional 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 professional tenure
The average direct care professional stays at their job for 1-2 years, based on the 4,989 direct care professionals resumes in Zippia's database.
Direct care professional tenure statistics
| Number of years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Less than 1 year | 27% |
| 1-2 years | 29% |
| 3-4 years | 13% |
| 5-7 years | 19% |
| 8-10 years | 6% |
| 11+ years | 6% |
Direct care professional LGBT ratio compared to similar jobs
Review the percent of direct care professionals 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Nursery Attendant | 4.43% | 45,644 |
| Ticket Dispenser Changer | 5.80% | 1,116 |
| Direct Care Professional | 6.73% | - |
| Group Worker | 8.12% | 30,214 |
| Resident Advisor | 12.72% | 44,792 |
| Fitness Attendant | 13.13% | 50,892 |
Similar direct care professional jobs LGBT demographics
| Profession | Percentages of LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Nursery Attendant | 4.43% | 45,644 |
| Ticket Dispenser Changer | 5.80% | 1,116 |
| Group Worker | 8.12% | 30,214 |
| Resident Advisor | 12.72% | 44,792 |
| Fitness Attendant | 13.13% | 50,892 |
Foreign languages spoken by direct care professionals
The most common foreign language among direct care professionals is Spanish at 64.0%. The second-most popular foreign language spoken is French at 14.9% and Portuguese is the third-most popular at 2.6%.
- Spanish, 64.0%
- French, 14.9%
- Portuguese, 2.6%
- German, 2.6%
- Hebrew, 2.6%
- Other, 13.3%
Direct care professional languages spoken
| Foreign language | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Spanish | 64.0% |
| French | 14.9% |
| Portuguese | 2.6% |
| German | 2.6% |
| Hebrew | 2.6% |
| Other | 13.3% |
