Direct care worker demographics and statistics in the US
Direct care worker demographics research summary. Zippia estimates direct care worker demographics and statistics in the United States by using a database of 30 million profiles. Our direct care worker 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 workers after extensive research and analysis:
- There are over 283,827 direct care workers currently employed in the United States.
- 76.6% of all direct care workers are women, while 23.4% are men.
- The average direct care worker age is 47 years old.
- The most common ethnicity of direct care workers is White (61.1%), followed by Hispanic or Latino (13.7%), Black or African American (12.6%) and Asian (7.6%).
- In 2022, women earned 98% of what men earned.
- 7% of all direct care workers are LGBT.
- Direct care workers are 83% more likely to work at private companies in comparison to public companies.
On this page
Direct care worker demographics by:
Direct care worker gender statistics
76.6% of direct care workers are women and 23.4% of direct care workers are men.
- Female, 76.6%
- Male, 23.4%
Direct care worker gender ratio
| Gender | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Female | 76.6% |
| Male | 23.4% |
Direct care worker gender pay gap
Women earn 98¢ for every $1 earned by men
Male income
$30,069
Female income
$29,616
Direct care worker gender ratio over time
This data breaks down the percentage of men and women in direct care worker positions over time. Currently, 76.6% of direct care workers are female.
Direct care worker gender ratio by year
| Year | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 18.85% | 81.15% |
| 2011 | 19.49% | 80.51% |
| 2012 | 21.96% | 78.04% |
| 2013 | 20.92% | 79.08% |
| 2014 | 21.16% | 78.84% |
| 2015 | 21.21% | 78.79% |
| 2016 | 21.93% | 78.07% |
| 2017 | 22.61% | 77.39% |
| 2018 | 21.95% | 78.05% |
| 2019 | 22.61% | 77.39% |
| 2020 | 25.58% | 74.42% |
| 2021 | 23.40% | 76.60% |
Direct care worker related jobs gender ratio
We compared direct care workers 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 Worker | 23% | 77% |
| 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 worker demographics by race
The most common ethnicity among direct care workers is White, which makes up 61.1% of all direct care workers. Comparatively, 13.7% of direct care workers are Hispanic or Latino and 12.6% of direct care workers are Black or African American.
- White, 61.1%
- Hispanic or Latino, 13.7%
- Black or African American, 12.6%
- Asian, 7.6%
- Unknown, 4.0%
- American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.0%
Direct care worker race
| Direct care worker race | Percentages |
|---|---|
| White | 61.1% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 13.7% |
| Black or African American | 12.6% |
| Asian | 7.6% |
| Unknown | 4.0% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 1.0% |
Direct care worker race and ethnicity over time
See how direct care worker racial and ethnic diversity trended since 2010 according to the United States Census Bureau data.
Direct care worker race and ethnicity by year
| Year | White | Black or African American | Asian | Hispanic or Latino |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 69.60% | 14.39% | 4.56% | 9.17% |
| 2011 | 66.70% | 15.39% | 5.24% | 9.77% |
| 2012 | 67.32% | 14.50% | 5.18% | 10.22% |
| 2013 | 67.58% | 14.09% | 5.39% | 10.25% |
| 2014 | 67.82% | 13.40% | 5.65% | 10.30% |
| 2015 | 67.12% | 13.60% | 5.57% | 11.21% |
| 2016 | 65.87% | 13.54% | 6.26% | 11.70% |
| 2017 | 65.51% | 12.51% | 7.13% | 11.86% |
| 2018 | 65.98% | 13.47% | 6.40% | 11.53% |
| 2019 | 67.85% | 12.34% | 6.22% | 11.15% |
| 2020 | 64.07% | 12.84% | 7.12% | 11.13% |
| 2021 | 61.13% | 12.58% | 7.65% | 13.74% |
Direct care worker wage gap by race
According to our data, black or african american direct care workers have the highest average salary compared to other ethnicities. Unknown direct care workers have the lowest average salary at $29,598.
| Ethnicity | Salary |
|---|---|
| Unknown | $29,598 |
| White | $29,976 |
| Black or African American | $30,452 |
| Asian | $30,174 |
| Hispanic or Latino | $30,154 |
Average direct care worker age
See how the average age of direct care workers varies based on ethnicity and gender.
Male
Female
Direct care worker 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 worker age breakdown
The average age of direct care workers is 40+ years years old, representing 71% of the direct care worker population.
Direct care worker age breakdown
| Direct Care Worker Years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| 40+ years | 71% |
| 30-40 years | 16% |
| 20-30 years | 13% |
Direct care worker educational attainment
The most common degree for direct care workers is high school diploma, with 32% of direct care workers earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are bachelor's degree degree at 25% and bachelor's degree degree at 19%.
- High School Diploma, 32%
- Bachelor's, 25%
- Associate, 19%
- Diploma, 12%
- Other Degrees, 12%
Direct care workers by degree level
| Direct care worker degree | Percentages |
|---|---|
| High School Diploma | 32% |
| Bachelor's | 25% |
| Associate | 19% |
| Diploma | 12% |
| Other Degrees | 12% |
Direct care worker jobs you might like
Direct care worker wage gap by degree level
According to the data, direct care workers with a Master's degree earn more than those without, at $30,713 annually. With a Bachelor's degree, direct care workers earn a median annual income of $30,400 compared to $30,196 for direct care workers with an Associate degree.
| Education | Salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $30,713 |
| High School Diploma or Less | $29,657 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $30,400 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $30,196 |
Direct care worker employment statistics
Most direct care workers work for a private in the health care industry.
Company size where direct care workers work
Below, you can see the size of companies where direct care workers work.
Direct care worker jobs by employer size
| Company size | Percentages |
|---|---|
| < 50 employees | 8% |
| 50 - 100 employees | 22% |
| 100 - 500 employees | 34% |
| 500 - 1,000 employees | 16% |
| 1,000 - 10,000 employees | 16% |
| > 10,000 employees | 4% |
Direct care worker jobs by company type
Employees with the direct care worker job title have their preferences when it comes to working for a company. For instance, most direct care workers prefer to work at private companies over public companies.
Direct care worker jobs by sector
| Company type | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Education | 4% |
| Public | 7% |
| Private | 83% |
| Government | 6% |
Direct care worker jobs by industry
The most common industries for direct care workers are health care, professional and non profits.
Direct care worker industry statistics
| Industry | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Health Care | 39% |
| Professional | 18% |
| Non Profits | 12% |
| Manufacturing | 5% |
| Government | 4% |
| Technology | 4% |
| Hospitality | 3% |
| Education | 3% |
| Pharmaceutical | 2% |
| Finance | 2% |
| Fortune 500 | 2% |
| Internet | 1% |
| Transportation | 1% |
| Utilities | 1% |
| Construction | 1% |
| Retail | 1% |
| Agriculture | 1% |
| Real Estate | 1% |
| Insurance | 1% |
Direct care worker turnover and employment statistics
Direct care worker unemployment rate over time
The unemployment rate for direct care workers between 2008 and the most recent data has varied, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Direct care worker unemployment rate by year
| Year | Direct care worker 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 worker tenure
The average direct care worker stays at their job for 1-2 years, based on the 30,126 direct care workers resumes in Zippia's database.
Direct care worker tenure statistics
| Number of years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Less than 1 year | 28% |
| 1-2 years | 32% |
| 3-4 years | 14% |
| 5-7 years | 16% |
| 8-10 years | 5% |
| 11+ years | 5% |
Direct care worker LGBT ratio compared to similar jobs
Review the percent of direct care workers 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Live-Out Nanny | 4.43% | 69,328 |
| Escalator Operator | 5.80% | 25,633 |
| Direct Care Worker | 6.73% | - |
| Assistant Athletic Director | 8.12% | 7,384 |
| Community Advisor | 12.72% | 51,226 |
| Fitness Teacher | 13.13% | 57,374 |
Similar direct care worker jobs LGBT demographics
| Profession | Percentages of LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Live-Out Nanny | 4.43% | 69,328 |
| Escalator Operator | 5.80% | 25,633 |
| Assistant Athletic Director | 8.12% | 7,384 |
| Community Advisor | 12.72% | 51,226 |
| Fitness Teacher | 13.13% | 57,374 |
Foreign languages spoken by direct care workers
The most common foreign language among direct care workers is Spanish at 69.3%. The second-most popular foreign language spoken is French at 11.0% and Russian is the third-most popular at 2.6%.
- Spanish, 69.3%
- French, 11.0%
- Russian, 2.6%
- Portuguese, 1.9%
- Hebrew, 1.6%
- Other, 13.6%
Direct care worker languages spoken
| Foreign language | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Spanish | 69.3% |
| French | 11.0% |
| Russian | 2.6% |
| Portuguese | 1.9% |
| Hebrew | 1.6% |
| Other | 13.6% |
