Best states for a direct care provider

Q: What is the best state for direct care providers?

The best state to be a direct care provider is Maine based on direct care provider salaries and job opportunities.

Q: What is the highest paying state for direct care providers?

The highest paying state for direct care providers is Alabama based on Zippia’s salary database.

Q: What is the worst state for direct care providers?

The worst state for direct care providers is Arkansas, due to a combination of low salaries and few job opportunities.

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Direct care provider opportunities vary in different parts of the country. In order to help you determine the best states for direct care providers, we ranked all fifty states from best to worst for direct care providers.Our research found that Maine is the best state for direct care providers, while Alaska and Idaho are ranked highest in terms of median salary. Maine has a median salary of $32,728 and Alaska has the highest median salary among all 50 states for direct care providers.

Maine is the best state for jobs for direct care providers, and Arkansas is the worst. The most common pay in Maine is $32,728, while the median pay in Arkansas is $21,730.Maine is the best state, and Juneau is the city with the highest pay for direct care providers.

10 best states for direct care providers in 2026

1. Maine
Total direct care provider jobs: 280
Average annual salary: $32,728
Lowest 10 percent earn: $25,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $41,000
Location Quotient:
1.5
Direct care provider jobs in Maine
2. Michigan
Total direct care provider jobs: 1,508
Average annual salary: $29,478
Lowest 10 percent earn: $21,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $39,000
Location Quotient:
1.38
Direct care provider jobs in Michigan
3. New York
Total direct care provider jobs: 2,886
Average annual salary: $30,549
Lowest 10 percent earn: $21,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $44,000
Location Quotient:
1.6
Direct care provider jobs in New York
4. New Hampshire
Total direct care provider jobs: 246
Average annual salary: $32,078
Lowest 10 percent earn: $23,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $43,000
Location Quotient:
1
Direct care provider jobs in New Hampshire
5. Oregon
Total direct care provider jobs: 607
Average annual salary: $31,946
Lowest 10 percent earn: $21,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $46,000
Location Quotient:
1.04
Direct care provider jobs in Oregon
6. Massachusetts
Total direct care provider jobs: 1,528
Average annual salary: $31,239
Lowest 10 percent earn: $22,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $43,000
Location Quotient:
1.18
Direct care provider jobs in Massachusetts
7. Idaho
Total direct care provider jobs: 185
Average annual salary: $33,401
Lowest 10 percent earn: $23,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $46,000
Location Quotient:
0.8
Direct care provider jobs in Idaho
8. Nevada
Total direct care provider jobs: 337
Average annual salary: $29,560
Lowest 10 percent earn: $19,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $43,000
Location Quotient:
1.14
Direct care provider jobs in Nevada
9. Wisconsin
Total direct care provider jobs: 1,004
Average annual salary: $28,449
Lowest 10 percent earn: $21,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $37,000
Location Quotient:
1.29
Direct care provider jobs in Wisconsin
10. Vermont
Total direct care provider jobs: 104
Average annual salary: $30,963
Lowest 10 percent earn: $23,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $40,000
Location Quotient:
0.96
Direct care provider jobs in Vermont

Direct care provider jobsNear Columbus, OH

How Zippia determines the best states to be a direct care provider

You can read about how the best state rankings are calculated here.

Detailed list of the best states for a direct care provider

Rank	State	Average salary	Lowest 10% earn	Population	Job count
1	Maine	$32,728	$25,000	1,335,907	280
2	Michigan	$29,478	$21,000	9,962,311	1,508
3	New York	$30,549	$21,000	19,849,399	2,886
4	New Hampshire	$32,078	$23,000	1,342,795	246
5	Oregon	$31,946	$21,000	4,142,776	607
6	Massachusetts	$31,239	$22,000	6,859,819	1,528
7	Idaho	$33,401	$23,000	1,716,943	185
8	Nevada	$29,560	$19,000	2,998,039	337
9	Wisconsin	$28,449	$21,000	5,795,483	1,004
10	Vermont	$30,963	$23,000	623,657	104
11	Rhode Island	$29,290	$20,000	1,059,639	193
12	Washington	$32,458	$23,000	7,405,743	860
13	New Jersey	$32,275	$22,000	9,005,644	1,002
14	Alaska	$33,613	$26,000	739,795	47
15	West Virginia	$26,794	$19,000	1,815,857	288
16	South Dakota	$27,706	$20,000	869,666	160
17	California	$32,874	$21,000	39,536,653	3,686
18	Delaware	$27,393	$19,000	961,939	276
19	Iowa	$26,158	$19,000	3,145,711	767
20	Arizona	$27,356	$19,000	7,016,270	961
21	Minnesota	$26,526	$20,000	5,576,606	1,551
22	Ohio	$25,882	$19,000	11,658,609	1,765
23	Connecticut	$30,403	$21,000	3,588,184	310
24	Pennsylvania	$26,734	$18,000	12,805,537	2,099
25	Wyoming	$26,707	$19,000	579,315	89
26	Hawaii	$32,479	$26,000	1,427,538	106
27	Montana	$26,166	$19,000	1,050,493	219
28	Maryland	$28,714	$20,000	6,052,177	918
29	Illinois	$27,002	$20,000	12,802,023	1,949
30	Kentucky	$26,388	$19,000	4,454,189	519
31	North Dakota	$24,731	$19,000	755,393	190
32	Utah	$27,333	$19,000	3,101,833	328
33	New Mexico	$26,104	$18,000	2,088,070	269
34	Missouri	$24,768	$18,000	6,113,532	1,090
35	District of Columbia	$29,420	$20,000	693,972	153
36	Nebraska	$25,097	$18,000	1,920,076	327
37	Colorado	$26,516	$19,000	5,607,154	680
38	Kansas	$24,858	$18,000	2,913,123	423
39	North Carolina	$23,458	$17,000	10,273,419	1,614
40	Indiana	$24,658	$18,000	6,666,818	756
41	Georgia	$24,114	$18,000	10,429,379	1,452
42	South Carolina	$23,143	$17,000	5,024,369	677
43	Oklahoma	$23,028	$17,000	3,930,864	445
44	Louisiana	$22,878	$16,000	4,684,333	460
45	Tennessee	$23,956	$17,000	6,715,984	436
46	Mississippi	$21,706	$15,000	2,984,100	392
47	Florida	$24,039	$17,000	20,984,400	1,037
48	Texas	$23,461	$16,000	28,304,596	1,165
49	Virginia	$22,685	$16,000	8,470,020	1,261
50	Alabama	$21,475	$15,000	4,874,747	528
51	Arkansas	$21,730	$16,000	3,004,279	137

Highest paying states for direct care providers

Rank	State	Avg. Direct Care Provider Salary
1	Maine	$32,728
2	Michigan	$29,478
3	New York	$30,549
4	New Hampshire	$32,078
5	Oregon	$31,946
6	Massachusetts	$31,239
7	Idaho	$33,401
8	Nevada	$29,560
9	Wisconsin	$28,449
10	Vermont	$30,963
11	Rhode Island	$29,290
12	Washington	$32,458
13	New Jersey	$32,275
14	Alaska	$33,613
15	West Virginia	$26,794
16	South Dakota	$27,706
17	California	$32,874
18	Delaware	$27,393
19	Iowa	$26,158
20	Arizona	$27,356
21	Minnesota	$26,526
22	Ohio	$25,882
23	Connecticut	$30,403
24	Pennsylvania	$26,734
25	Wyoming	$26,707
26	Hawaii	$32,479
27	Montana	$26,166
28	Maryland	$28,714
29	Illinois	$27,002
30	Kentucky	$26,388
31	North Dakota	$24,731
32	Utah	$27,333
33	New Mexico	$26,104
34	Missouri	$24,768
35	District of Columbia	$29,420
36	Nebraska	$25,097
37	Colorado	$26,516
38	Kansas	$24,858
39	North Carolina	$23,458
40	Indiana	$24,658
41	Georgia	$24,114
42	South Carolina	$23,143
43	Oklahoma	$23,028
44	Louisiana	$22,878
45	Tennessee	$23,956
46	Mississippi	$21,706
47	Florida	$24,039
48	Texas	$23,461
49	Virginia	$22,685
50	Alabama	$21,475
51	Arkansas	$21,730

Direct care provider best states FAQs

What is the best state for direct care providers?

What is the highest paying state for direct care providers?

What is the worst state for direct care providers?

Have more questions? See all answers to common personal care and attendants questions.

Search for direct care provider jobs

Updated January 8, 2025

Browse personal care and attendants jobs

Total direct care provider jobs:	280
Average annual salary:	$32,728
Lowest 10 percent earn:	$25,000
Highest 10 percent earn:	$41,000
Location Quotient:	1.5

Best states for a direct care provider

10 best states for direct care providers in 2026

1. Maine

2. Michigan

3. New York

4. New Hampshire

5. Oregon

6. Massachusetts

7. Idaho

8. Nevada

9. Wisconsin

10. Vermont