Direct care worker vs direct care counselor

The differences between direct care workers and direct care counselors can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a direct care counselor has an average salary of $33,422, which is higher than the $29,343 average annual salary of a direct care worker.

The top three skills for a direct care worker include direct care, patients and CPR. The most important skills for a direct care counselor are crisis intervention, autism, and CPR.

Direct care worker vs direct care counselor overview

	Direct Care Worker	Direct Care Counselor
Yearly salary	$29,343	$33,422
Hourly rate	$14.11	$16.07
Growth rate	36%	36%
Number of jobs	140,788	123,519
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 32%	Bachelor's Degree, 50%
Average age	48	48
Years of experience	-	-

What does a direct care worker do?

A Direct Care Worker's responsibility revolves around overseeing clients' welfare and health care from different ages and conditions. Most of the duties will involve assistance in basic hygienic tasks such as bathing or going to the toilet, performing light chores such as preparing healthy meals and cleaning a bedroom, and ensuring the patient's medication intake aligns with the schedule. Furthermore, it is also the duty of a Direct Care Worker to empathize and build rapport with clients to make them feel more at ease.

What does a direct care counselor do?

A direct care counselor provides direct counseling and assistance to the elderly or individuals with disabilities and mental issues. They usually work at rehabilitation centers or care facilities and work together with nurses or caregivers to administer different treatment plans, monitor and support the patients' progress, and help the patients carry out daily activities such as performing hygienic or routine living tasks. Moreover, a direct care counselor may also develop and implement various healthcare programs and recreational activities while adhering to the facility's policies and regulations.

Direct care worker vs direct care counselor salary

Direct care workers and direct care counselors have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Direct Care Worker	Direct Care Counselor
Average salary	$29,343	$33,422
Salary range	Between $23,000 And $36,000	Between $22,000 And $49,000
Highest paying City	Portland, ME	-
Highest paying state	Washington	-
Best paying company	Arizona Training & Evaluation Center	-
Best paying industry	Professional	-

Differences between direct care worker and direct care counselor education

There are a few differences between a direct care worker and a direct care counselor in terms of educational background:

	Direct Care Worker	Direct Care Counselor
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 32%	Bachelor's Degree, 50%
Most common major	Psychology	Psychology
Most common college	-	-

Direct care worker vs direct care counselor demographics

Here are the differences between direct care workers' and direct care counselors' demographics:

	Direct Care Worker	Direct Care Counselor
Average age	48	48
Gender ratio	Male, 23.4% Female, 76.6%	Male, 31.5% Female, 68.5%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 12.6% Unknown, 4.0% Hispanic or Latino, 13.7% Asian, 7.6% White, 61.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9%	Black or African American, 11.4% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 17.6% Asian, 8.3% White, 57.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.1%
LGBT Percentage	7%	7%

Differences between direct care worker and direct care counselor duties and responsibilities

Direct care worker example responsibilities.

Provide caring companionship to elderly and developmentally disable patients with or without chronic health diagnosis.
Assist individuals with developmental/intellectual disabilities with ADL's.
Conduct socialization groups to aid individuals in development of ADL and socialization skills.
Prepare daily documents administer medications handle patients hygiene house cleaning and provide transportation to and from appointment
Provide caring and companionship to elderly and developmentally disable consumers and provide primary resident care and assistance with daily living activities.
Provide day to day services that include transport, nutrition, hygiene, housekeeping and activities to MRDD clients.

Direct care counselor example responsibilities.

Obtain SCIP-R, CPR, and AMAP certifications.
Provide training to residents in improving ADL and independent living skills per the IHP and any/all relate behavior or medical requirements.
Obtain AMAP certification and administer medications under the supervision of assign nursing staff.
Provide direct care assistance for campers with autism, intellectual disabilities, and/or developmental delays.
Perform one-on-one supervision of children with disabilities including autism, complex mental health problems, and complex behavioral problems.
Help develop and carry-out treatment goals for individual clients as outlined in treatment plans and/or ISP goals and objectives.

Direct care worker vs direct care counselor skills

Common direct care worker skills

Direct Care, 22%
Patients, 11%
CPR, 7%
Developmental Disabilities, 4%
Crisis Intervention, 4%
Vital Signs, 4%

Common direct care counselor skills

Crisis Intervention, 12%
Autism, 11%
CPR, 10%
Developmental Disabilities, 10%
Incident Reports, 9%
Data Collection, 8%

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Personal Care and Attendants Industry
Direct Care Worker
Direct Care Worker vs Direct Care Counselor

Updated January 8, 2025

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