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Best states for a direct support specialist
- Rank 1 - 10
- 11 - 20
- 21 - 30
- 31 - 40
- 41 - 51
Are you wondering which place in the United States is the best state for direct support specialists? Knowing how challenging it is to figure out where to start your career or where to move to advance your career, we decided to bring you a list of best states for direct support specialist jobs.Our research shows that Nevada is the best state in the country for direct support specialists.
We figured that the best places for direct support specialist jobs has three things everyone would agree on. There would be high annual wages, good career prospects (no matter what phase of the career you are in), and a lot of job opportunities.Nevada is the best state, and Monterey is the city with the highest pay for direct support specialists.
10 best states for direct support specialists in 2025
1. Nevada
Total direct support specialist jobs: 428 Average annual salary: $46,711 Lowest 10 percent earn: $31,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $69,000 Location Quotient: 1.34
2. California
Total direct support specialist jobs: 5,304 Average annual salary: $56,455 Lowest 10 percent earn: $38,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $83,000 Location Quotient: 1.19
3. Alaska
Total direct support specialist jobs: 128 Average annual salary: $52,006 Lowest 10 percent earn: $44,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $61,000 Location Quotient: 1.01
4. Hawaii
Total direct support specialist jobs: 121 Average annual salary: $55,392 Lowest 10 percent earn: $43,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $70,000 Location Quotient: 0.95
5. South Dakota
Total direct support specialist jobs: 205 Average annual salary: $41,908 Lowest 10 percent earn: $30,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $56,000 Location Quotient: 1.26
6. Arizona
Total direct support specialist jobs: 716 Average annual salary: $47,835 Lowest 10 percent earn: $33,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $69,000 Location Quotient: 0.8
7. Maine
Total direct support specialist jobs: 304 Average annual salary: $39,744 Lowest 10 percent earn: $29,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $53,000 Location Quotient: 1.5
8. Oregon
Total direct support specialist jobs: 509 Average annual salary: $48,364 Lowest 10 percent earn: $34,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $68,000 Location Quotient: 0.81
9. Idaho
Total direct support specialist jobs: 192 Average annual salary: $46,472 Lowest 10 percent earn: $33,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $65,000 Location Quotient: 0.77
10. New Mexico
Total direct support specialist jobs: 353 Average annual salary: $41,147 Lowest 10 percent earn: $28,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $59,000 Location Quotient: 1.18
Direct support specialist jobsNear Columbus, OH
How Zippia determines the best states to be a direct support specialist
You can read about how the best state rankings are calculated here.
Detailed list of the best states for a direct support specialist
| Rank | State | Average salary | Lowest 10% earn | Population | Job count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nevada | $46,711 | $31,000 | 2,998,039 | 428 |
| 2 | California | $56,455 | $38,000 | 39,536,653 | 5,304 |
| 3 | Alaska | $52,006 | $44,000 | 739,795 | 128 |
| 4 | Hawaii | $55,392 | $43,000 | 1,427,538 | 121 |
| 5 | South Dakota | $41,908 | $30,000 | 869,666 | 205 |
| 6 | Arizona | $47,835 | $33,000 | 7,016,270 | 716 |
| 7 | Maine | $39,744 | $29,000 | 1,335,907 | 304 |
| 8 | Oregon | $48,364 | $34,000 | 4,142,776 | 509 |
| 9 | Idaho | $46,472 | $33,000 | 1,716,943 | 192 |
| 10 | New Mexico | $41,147 | $28,000 | 2,088,070 | 353 |
| 11 | Wyoming | $41,286 | $29,000 | 579,315 | 92 |
| 12 | Washington | $50,089 | $36,000 | 7,405,743 | 669 |
| 13 | Massachusetts | $40,554 | $28,000 | 6,859,819 | 2,463 |
| 14 | New Jersey | $42,476 | $28,000 | 9,005,644 | 1,266 |
| 15 | Iowa | $38,229 | $28,000 | 3,145,711 | 618 |
| 16 | Michigan | $37,393 | $26,000 | 9,962,311 | 1,646 |
| 17 | Texas | $43,067 | $30,000 | 28,304,596 | 1,945 |
| 18 | Utah | $42,439 | $29,000 | 3,101,833 | 359 |
| 19 | New York | $39,805 | $26,000 | 19,849,399 | 3,543 |
| 20 | Montana | $40,320 | $29,000 | 1,050,493 | 164 |
| 21 | Minnesota | $37,952 | $28,000 | 5,576,606 | 1,345 |
| 22 | Colorado | $43,549 | $31,000 | 5,607,154 | 576 |
| 23 | Pennsylvania | $35,583 | $23,000 | 12,805,537 | 2,555 |
| 24 | New Hampshire | $39,751 | $28,000 | 1,342,795 | 214 |
| 25 | North Dakota | $35,558 | $26,000 | 755,393 | 170 |
| 26 | Connecticut | $39,006 | $26,000 | 3,588,184 | 473 |
| 27 | Nebraska | $36,992 | $26,000 | 1,920,076 | 328 |
| 28 | Delaware | $37,008 | $24,000 | 961,939 | 238 |
| 29 | West Virginia | $36,289 | $25,000 | 1,815,857 | 203 |
| 30 | Maryland | $38,986 | $26,000 | 6,052,177 | 829 |
| 31 | Rhode Island | $37,061 | $25,000 | 1,059,639 | 168 |
| 32 | District of Columbia | $39,966 | $27,000 | 693,972 | 208 |
| 33 | Wisconsin | $35,623 | $26,000 | 5,795,483 | 741 |
| 34 | Missouri | $34,674 | $25,000 | 6,113,532 | 1,154 |
| 35 | Kansas | $35,670 | $26,000 | 2,913,123 | 375 |
| 36 | Illinois | $38,356 | $27,000 | 12,802,023 | 1,314 |
| 37 | Oklahoma | $33,395 | $24,000 | 3,930,864 | 532 |
| 38 | Vermont | $37,934 | $27,000 | 623,657 | 80 |
| 39 | Indiana | $34,291 | $24,000 | 6,666,818 | 977 |
| 40 | Ohio | $35,471 | $25,000 | 11,658,609 | 1,100 |
| 41 | Arkansas | $30,531 | $22,000 | 3,004,279 | 528 |
| 42 | Louisiana | $32,002 | $22,000 | 4,684,333 | 519 |
| 43 | Mississippi | $30,154 | $21,000 | 2,984,100 | 392 |
| 44 | South Carolina | $30,537 | $22,000 | 5,024,369 | 718 |
| 45 | Tennessee | $32,256 | $23,000 | 6,715,984 | 666 |
| 46 | Virginia | $34,098 | $23,000 | 8,470,020 | 987 |
| 47 | Georgia | $32,321 | $23,000 | 10,429,379 | 1,170 |
| 48 | Florida | $32,324 | $22,000 | 20,984,400 | 1,836 |
| 49 | Alabama | $29,204 | $21,000 | 4,874,747 | 655 |
| 50 | North Carolina | $30,804 | $22,000 | 10,273,419 | 1,104 |
| 51 | Kentucky | $30,475 | $22,000 | 4,454,189 | 342 |
Highest paying states for direct support specialists
| Rank | State | Avg. Direct Support Specialist Salary |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nevada | $46,711 |
| 2 | California | $56,455 |
| 3 | Alaska | $52,006 |
| 4 | Hawaii | $55,392 |
| 5 | South Dakota | $41,908 |
| 6 | Arizona | $47,835 |
| 7 | Maine | $39,744 |
| 8 | Oregon | $48,364 |
| 9 | Idaho | $46,472 |
| 10 | New Mexico | $41,147 |
| 11 | Wyoming | $41,286 |
| 12 | Washington | $50,089 |
| 13 | Massachusetts | $40,554 |
| 14 | New Jersey | $42,476 |
| 15 | Iowa | $38,229 |
| 16 | Michigan | $37,393 |
| 17 | Texas | $43,067 |
| 18 | Utah | $42,439 |
| 19 | New York | $39,805 |
| 20 | Montana | $40,320 |
| 21 | Minnesota | $37,952 |
| 22 | Colorado | $43,549 |
| 23 | Pennsylvania | $35,583 |
| 24 | New Hampshire | $39,751 |
| 25 | North Dakota | $35,558 |
| 26 | Connecticut | $39,006 |
| 27 | Nebraska | $36,992 |
| 28 | Delaware | $37,008 |
| 29 | West Virginia | $36,289 |
| 30 | Maryland | $38,986 |
| 31 | Rhode Island | $37,061 |
| 32 | District of Columbia | $39,966 |
| 33 | Wisconsin | $35,623 |
| 34 | Missouri | $34,674 |
| 35 | Kansas | $35,670 |
| 36 | Illinois | $38,356 |
| 37 | Oklahoma | $33,395 |
| 38 | Vermont | $37,934 |
| 39 | Indiana | $34,291 |
| 40 | Ohio | $35,471 |
| 41 | Arkansas | $30,531 |
| 42 | Louisiana | $32,002 |
| 43 | Mississippi | $30,154 |
| 44 | South Carolina | $30,537 |
| 45 | Tennessee | $32,256 |
| 46 | Virginia | $34,098 |
| 47 | Georgia | $32,321 |
| 48 | Florida | $32,324 |
| 49 | Alabama | $29,204 |
| 50 | North Carolina | $30,804 |
| 51 | Kentucky | $30,475 |
Direct support specialist best states FAQs
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Updated January 8, 2025