Direct service provider vs direct care aide

The differences between direct service providers and direct care aides can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a direct care aide has an average salary of $30,429, which is higher than the $28,496 average annual salary of a direct service provider.

The top three skills for a direct service provider include direct care, mental illness and intellectual disabilities. The most important skills for a direct care aide are home health, foster care, and CPR.

Direct service provider vs direct care aide overview

	Direct Service Provider	Direct Care Aide
Yearly salary	$28,496	$30,429
Hourly rate	$13.70	$14.63
Growth rate	36%	36%
Number of jobs	49,939	178,038
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 40%	High School Diploma, 35%
Average age	48	48
Years of experience	-	-

Direct service provider vs direct care aide salary

Direct service providers and direct care aides have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Direct Service Provider	Direct Care Aide
Average salary	$28,496	$30,429
Salary range	Between $21,000 And $37,000	Between $22,000 And $41,000
Highest paying City	Juneau, AK	Springfield, MA
Highest paying state	Alaska	Vermont
Best paying company	North Carolina A&T State University	Univ Of Colorado-Colorado Spgs
Best paying industry	Professional	Energy

Differences between direct service provider and direct care aide education

There are a few differences between a direct service provider and a direct care aide in terms of educational background:

	Direct Service Provider	Direct Care Aide
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 40%	High School Diploma, 35%
Most common major	Psychology	Nursing
Most common college	-	-

Direct service provider vs direct care aide demographics

Here are the differences between direct service providers' and direct care aides' demographics:

	Direct Service Provider	Direct Care Aide
Average age	48	48
Gender ratio	Male, 28.6% Female, 71.4%	Male, 20.8% Female, 79.2%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 8.4% Unknown, 4.4% Hispanic or Latino, 16.6% Asian, 7.8% White, 61.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.2%	Black or African American, 12.1% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 13.3% Asian, 8.0% White, 61.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.1%
LGBT Percentage	7%	7%

Differences between direct service provider and direct care aide duties and responsibilities

Direct service provider example responsibilities.

Train and experience in adult and child first aid and CPR.
Certify medicine administer, CPR and first aid certify, CPI certify.
Assist residents in activities of daily living (ADL's) on a daily basis.
Prepare documents on the computer for annual ISP meetings with clients and their team members.
Pass medications, attend ISP meetings, help with personal hygiene, work on state goals.
Job duties include job coaching, skill training, ADL management, and implementing behavior management plans.

Direct care aide example responsibilities.

Provide individuals appropriate assistance in completing ADL's, such as showering, toileting, transferring, dressing, and feeding.
Assist mentally disable adults with ADL's such as showering, grooming, oral care, eating, dressing and toileting.
Provide emotional and mental support to unstable patients and are experience in dealing with aggressive residents
Provide caring and companionship to elderly and developmentally disable consumers and provide primary resident care and assistance with daily living activities.
Advocate for disable children, help them thrive through completion of goals and one-on-one supervision SCIP, AMAP and CPR certify.
Dispense and administer medication to patients according to AMAP policies and procedures.

Direct service provider vs direct care aide skills

Common direct service provider skills

Direct Care, 29%
Mental Illness, 20%
Intellectual Disabilities, 18%
Developmental Disabilities, 6%
Direct Services, 4%
CPR, 4%

Common direct care aide skills

Home Health, 17%
Foster Care, 10%
CPR, 9%
Patients, 7%
Meal Prep, 7%
Rehabilitation, 6%

Direct Service Provider vs. similar jobs

Direct Service Provider related careers

Direct Service Provider related jobs

What similar roles do

Zippia Careers
Personal Care and Attendants Industry
Direct Service Provider
Direct Service Provider vs Direct Care Aide

Updated January 8, 2025

Browse personal care and attendants jobs