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Direct care professional salary
Average direct care professional salary
$14.54
Understanding Direct Care Professional Salaries
Direct Care Professionals (DCPs) play a critical role in supporting individuals with various needs, from disabilities to chronic illnesses. As of October 2025, the average annual salary for a DCP stands at $30,233, translating to about $15 per hour. However, salaries can differ based on several factors, including geographical location, experience, and specific industry sectors.
Salary Variations Across States
In states like California and New York, DCPs may earn significantly higher wages compared to other regions. For instance, the highest paying states for this profession often reflect living costs and demand for quality care.
Opportunities for Advancement
With experience, DCPs can pursue higher-paying roles within specialized fields such as mental health support, substance abuse treatment, or geriatric care. As the demand for skilled professionals in these areas grows, so does the potential for increased earnings.
Conclusion
Overall, a career as a Direct Care Professional not only offers a competitive salary but also the chance to make a meaningful impact in the lives of others.
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Where can a Direct Care Professional earn more?
Direct care professional salary estimates from across the web
Average direct care professional salary by state
The highest-paying states for direct care professionals are Washington, Hawaii, and Oregon. The lowest average direct care professional salary states are Arkansas, Indiana, and Louisiana.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for direct care professionals
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Maine | $29,786 | $14.32 |
| 2 | Kentucky | $30,405 | $14.62 |
| 3 | Montana | $29,436 | $14.15 |
| 4 | West Virginia | $28,511 | $13.71 |
| 5 | Minnesota | $29,168 | $14.02 |
| 6 | Oregon | $32,821 | $15.78 |
| 7 | Washington | $33,595 | $16.15 |
| 8 | Arizona | $29,233 | $14.05 |
| 9 | Ohio | $29,322 | $14.10 |
| 10 | Maryland | $32,339 | $15.55 |
| 11 | Vermont | $30,701 | $14.76 |
| 12 | Pennsylvania | $30,277 | $14.56 |
| 13 | New Mexico | $31,323 | $15.06 |
| 14 | Alaska | $29,642 | $14.25 |
| 15 | Hawaii | $33,422 | $16.07 |
| 16 | South Dakota | $28,539 | $13.72 |
| 17 | New York | $30,531 | $14.68 |
| 18 | Michigan | $27,180 | $13.07 |
| 19 | Connecticut | $31,758 | $15.27 |
| 20 | Massachusetts | $29,552 | $14.21 |
| 21 | Wisconsin | $27,082 | $13.02 |
| 22 | California | $32,152 | $15.46 |
| 23 | Iowa | $26,260 | $12.63 |
| 24 | Delaware | $26,637 | $12.81 |
| 25 | Nevada | $26,960 | $12.96 |
| 26 | Tennessee | $25,074 | $12.05 |
| 27 | North Dakota | $25,005 | $12.02 |
| 28 | Rhode Island | $27,279 | $13.11 |
| 29 | Alabama | $26,403 | $12.69 |
| 30 | Colorado | $26,909 | $12.94 |
| 31 | New Jersey | $28,773 | $13.83 |
| 32 | Wyoming | $24,548 | $11.80 |
| 33 | Nebraska | $26,094 | $12.55 |
| 34 | Virginia | $27,440 | $13.19 |
| 35 | Texas | $26,336 | $12.66 |
| 36 | Missouri | $24,295 | $11.68 |
| 37 | Georgia | $25,391 | $12.21 |
| 38 | District of Columbia | $28,035 | $13.48 |
| 39 | New Hampshire | $25,970 | $12.49 |
| 40 | North Carolina | $24,818 | $11.93 |
| 41 | Illinois | $23,906 | $11.49 |
| 42 | Utah | $25,105 | $12.07 |
| 43 | Idaho | $24,725 | $11.89 |
| 44 | Mississippi | $22,244 | $10.69 |
| 45 | Oklahoma | $23,726 | $11.41 |
| 46 | Louisiana | $22,564 | $10.85 |
| 47 | Kansas | $22,548 | $10.84 |
| 48 | South Carolina | $22,380 | $10.76 |
| 49 | Indiana | $22,772 | $10.95 |
| 50 | Arkansas | $23,206 | $11.16 |
| 51 | Florida | $23,675 | $11.38 |
Highest paying cities for direct care professionals
The highest-paying cities for direct care professionals are Vacaville, CA, New Britain, CT, and Poughkeepsie, NY.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Vacaville, CA | $33,506 | $16.11 |
| 2 | New Britain, CT | $31,714 | $15.25 |
| 3 | Poughkeepsie, NY | $30,571 | $14.70 |
| 4 | Reading, PA | $30,401 | $14.62 |
| 5 | South Portland, ME | $29,852 | $14.35 |
| 6 | Chicopee, MA | $29,706 | $14.28 |
| 7 | Toledo, OH | $29,670 | $14.26 |
| 8 | Livingston, NJ | $28,880 | $13.88 |
| 9 | Washington, MI | $27,568 | $13.25 |
| 10 | Boulder, CO | $26,926 | $12.95 |
| 11 | San Antonio, TX | $26,741 | $12.86 |
| 12 | Tampa, FL | $23,884 | $11.48 |
| 13 | Indianapolis, IN | $22,669 | $10.90 |
Direct care professional salary details
A direct care professional's salary ranges from $21,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $41,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a direct care professional's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $41,000 | $3,417 | $20 |
| 75th Percentile | $35,000 | $2,917 | $17 |
| Average | $30,233 | $2,519 | $15 |
| 25th Percentile | $25,000 | $2,083 | $12 |
| 10th Percentile | $21,000 | $1,750 | $10 |
Highest paying direct care professional jobs
The highest paying types of direct care professionals are provider, direct support specialist, and habilitation specialist.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Provider | $61,912 | $5,159 | $29.77 | 112,186 |
| Support Staff | $31,772 | $2,648 | $15.28 | 161,915 |
| Attending, Ambulatory Care | $29,626 | $2,469 | $14.24 | 169,412 |
| Direct Support Staff | $31,268 | $2,606 | $15.03 | 182,001 |
| Child Care Attendant | $27,542 | $2,295 | $13.24 | 156,197 |
| Home Care Attendant | $26,059 | $2,172 | $12.53 | 235,912 |
Which companies pay direct care professionals the most?
Direct care professional salaries at Halliburton and Univ Of Colorado-Colorado Spgs are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average direct care professional salary at companies like Unified Community Connections and Medical Billing are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Halliburton | $38,869 | $18.69 |
| 2 | Univ Of Colorado-Colorado Spgs | $38,644 | $18.58 |
| 3 | Unified Community Connections | $33,704 | $16.20 |
| 4 | Medical Billing | $33,138 | $15.93 |
| 5 | Lifesteps | $33,070 | $15.90 |
| 6 | Mr. Cooper | $32,300 | $15.53 |
| 7 | Liberty Mutual Insurance | $32,168 | $15.47 |
| 8 | University of Michigan Health System | $32,046 | $15.41 |
| 9 | OSF HealthCare | $32,032 | $15.40 |
| 10 | Spectrum Health | $31,665 | $15.22 |
| 11 | Beltone | $31,583 | $15.18 |
| 12 | The Center for Health Care Services | $31,428 | $15.11 |
| 13 | SEARHC | $30,905 | $14.86 |
| 14 | Liberty Healthcare | $30,818 | $14.82 |
| 15 | Pediatric Partners, now a member of the Sevita family | $30,816 | $14.82 |
| 16 | Penquis Community Action Progr | $30,800 | $14.81 |
| 17 | Lifetime Assistance | $30,737 | $14.78 |
| 18 | The GEO Group | $30,655 | $14.74 |
| 19 | ChildServe | $30,649 | $14.74 |
| 20 | Bon Secours Community Hospital | $30,499 | $14.66 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Direct Care Professional salary by industry
The average direct care professional salary varies across industries:
- The average direct care professional salary in the government industry is $29,735, the highest of any industry.
- The average direct care professional salary in the finance industry is $29,555.
- Direct care professionals in the non profits industry earn an average salary of $28,738, the lowest of any industry.
Highest paying industries for direct care professionals
| Rank | Industry | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Government | $29,735 | $14.30 |
| 2 | Professional | $29,555 | $14.21 |
| 3 | Health Care | $29,291 | $14.08 |
| 4 | Non Profits | $28,738 | $13.82 |
High paying direct care professional jobs
Direct care professional salary trends
The average direct care professional salary has risen by $8,667 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average direct care professional earned $21,566 annually, but today, they earn $30,233 a year. That works out to a 26% change in pay for direct care professionals over the last decade.
Compare direct care professional salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average direct care professional salary over time
Compare direct care professional salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Direct care professional salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $30,200 | $14.53 | +6.8% |
| 2024 | $28,200 | $13.55 | +6.9% |
| 2023 | $26,300 | $12.62 | +3.8% |
| 2022 | $25,200 | $12.14 | +5.1% |
| 2021 | $24,000 | $11.52 | +4.3% |
Recently added direct care professional salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sevita | Direct Care Professional | Baltimore, OH | 06/28/2025 | $37,879 |
| Angels' Place | Direct Care Professional-Afternoons | Southfield, MI | 06/28/2025 | $39,340 |
| Devereux Advanced Behavioral Health | Direct Care Professional | Orlando, FL | 06/27/2025 | $36,481 |
| Devereux Advanced Behavioral Health | Direct Care Professional (Overnight Weekends) | Tucson, AZ | 06/26/2025 | $35,479 |
| People Incorporated | Direct Care Professional Overnights R324 | Taunton, MA | 06/20/2025 | $41,740 |
| Opportunityalliance | Mental Health Direct Care Professionals (RST)-The Bridge | Portland, ME | 06/20/2025 | $42,784 |
| Peopleorporated | Direct Care Professional Overnights R324 | Rowe, MA | 06/20/2025 | $41,740 |
| Touching Hearts | Care Professional | Omaha, NE | 06/19/2025 | $31,305 |
| Childrens Home of Jefferson | Direct Care Professional-Overnight Shift | Watertown, NY | 06/19/2025 | $44,871 |
| Home Instead of The Black Hills | Caregiver/Care Professional | Rapid City, SD | 06/18/2025 | $35,479 |
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