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The differences between direct care staffers and personal care workers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a direct care staffer has an average salary of $30,480, which is higher than the $29,490 average annual salary of a personal care worker.
The top three skills for a direct care staffer include mental health, developmental disabilities and CPR. The most important skills for a personal care worker are patients, home health, and good communication.
| Direct Care Staffer | Personal Care Worker | |
| Yearly salary | $30,480 | $29,490 |
| Hourly rate | $14.65 | $14.18 |
| Growth rate | 36% | 36% |
| Number of jobs | 117,658 | 129,522 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 5 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 31% | High School Diploma, 36% |
| Average age | 48 | 48 |
| Years of experience | - | - |
A Direct Care Staffer specializes in providing personal care and supervision to the disabled or elderly. Among the responsibilities include administering medication, managing schedules, assisting in hygienic tasks, preparing meals, and doing light to moderate household chores. Furthermore, A Direct Care Staffer also helps in transportation and preparation of daily meals, running various errands, purchasing groceries and daily necessities, and as well as monitoring health conditions. It is also essential for a Daily Care Staffer to update supervisors and guardians regularly.
A personal care worker is responsible for providing quality health care services for elders and disabled persons. Personal care workers are usually employed in a private household setting or a special healthcare institution, assisting patients with their daily activities, and monitoring their conditions. They update the patients' medical charts, administer medication from the physician's prescriptions, and manage their food intake. A personal care worker must be highly-organized, especially when attending to patients' needs, inquiries, and concerns.
Direct care staffers and personal care workers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Direct Care Staffer | Personal Care Worker | |
| Average salary | $30,480 | $29,490 |
| Salary range | Between $19,000 And $47,000 | Between $22,000 And $38,000 |
| Highest paying City | Salem, OR | Lynn, MA |
| Highest paying state | Oregon | Massachusetts |
| Best paying company | New York University | Tyson Foods |
| Best paying industry | Manufacturing | Professional |
There are a few differences between a direct care staffer and a personal care worker in terms of educational background:
| Direct Care Staffer | Personal Care Worker | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 31% | High School Diploma, 36% |
| Most common major | Psychology | Nursing |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between direct care staffers' and personal care workers' demographics:
| Direct Care Staffer | Personal Care Worker | |
| Average age | 48 | 48 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 27.5% Female, 72.5% | Male, 16.4% Female, 83.6% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 10.4% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 18.7% Asian, 8.2% White, 57.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.1% | Black or African American, 8.4% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 12.5% Asian, 10.2% White, 63.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.3% |
| LGBT Percentage | 7% | 7% |