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The differences between direct support professionals and direct support associates can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a direct support professional has an average salary of $32,077, which is higher than the $29,934 average annual salary of a direct support associate.
The top three skills for a direct support professional include direct support, developmental disabilities and autism. The most important skills for a direct support associate are intellectual disabilities, emotional support, and developmental disabilities.
| Direct Support Professional | Direct Support Associate | |
| Yearly salary | $32,077 | $29,934 |
| Hourly rate | $15.42 | $14.39 |
| Growth rate | 36% | 36% |
| Number of jobs | 142,034 | 111,451 |
| Job satisfaction | 4 | - |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 30% | Bachelor's Degree, 31% |
| Average age | 48 | 48 |
| Years of experience | - | - |
Direct support professionals are responsible for taking care of patients with physical or mental limitations. They do a variety of tasks for their patients, such as doing household chores, running errands for them, cooking for them, feeding them, bathing and dressing them, and helping them with their medication, among others. They also provide their patients with companionship, accompanying their patients to appointments, providing emotional support, and being with their patients for the most part of the day. They should be familiar with their patients' prescribed medicines, meal plans, therapy schedules, and other items related to the betterment of the patients' condition. Direct support professionals help the patients overcome their challenges and assist them in acclimating themselves with their current environment.
Direct Support Associates are responsible for aiding individuals with developmental, mental, or physical disabilities in their daily living activities. Their duties include administering prescribed medications, coach patients to develop money management, housekeeping, and social skills, and provide feedback to patients in areas of improvement. They are also involved in supervising skills-building activities, meal preparations, schedule organization, and produces patient progress report. Direct Support Associates also maintain a supportive relationship with the client to foster social engagement and community inclusion.
Direct support professionals and direct support associates have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Direct Support Professional | Direct Support Associate | |
| Average salary | $32,077 | $29,934 |
| Salary range | Between $18,000 And $54,000 | Between $16,000 And $52,000 |
| Highest paying City | Santa Clara, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | California |
| Best paying company | Meta | The Carlyle Group |
| Best paying industry | Government | Manufacturing |
There are a few differences between a direct support professional and a direct support associate in terms of educational background:
| Direct Support Professional | Direct Support Associate | |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 30% | Bachelor's Degree, 31% |
| Most common major | Psychology | Business |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between direct support professionals' and direct support associates' demographics:
| Direct Support Professional | Direct Support Associate | |
| Average age | 48 | 48 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 24.4% Female, 75.6% | Male, 26.2% Female, 73.8% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 9.7% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 15.1% Asian, 8.3% White, 61.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.1% | Black or African American, 10.3% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 14.8% Asian, 8.8% White, 60.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.3% |
| LGBT Percentage | 7% | 7% |