Direct support specialist demographics and statistics in the US
Direct support specialist demographics research summary. Zippia estimates direct support specialist demographics and statistics in the United States by using a database of 30 million profiles. Our direct support specialist 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 support specialists after extensive research and analysis:
- There are over 210,795 direct support specialists currently employed in the United States.
- 72.3% of all direct support specialists are women, while 27.7% are men.
- The average direct support specialist age is 47 years old.
- The most common ethnicity of direct support specialists is White (59.8%), followed by Hispanic or Latino (16.8%), Black or African American (10.3%) and Asian (7.7%).
- Direct support specialists are most in-demand in Waterloo, IA.
- The real estate industry is the highest-paying for direct support specialists.
- Seattle, WA pays an annual average wage of $50,328, the highest in the US.
- In 2022, women direct support specialists earned 98% of what men earned.
- 7% of all direct support specialists are LGBT.
- Nevada is the best state for direct support specialists to live.
- Direct support specialists are 65% more likely to work at private companies in comparison to government companies.
On this page
Direct support specialist demographics by:
Direct support specialist gender statistics
72.3% of direct support specialists are women and 27.7% of direct support specialists are men.
- Female, 72.3%
- Male, 27.7%
Direct support specialist gender ratio
| Gender | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Female | 72.3% |
| Male | 27.7% |
Direct support specialist gender pay gap
Women earn 98¢ for every $1 earned by men
Male income
$39,276
Female income
$38,333
Direct support specialist gender ratio over time
This data breaks down the percentage of men and women in direct support specialist positions over time. Currently, 72.3% of direct support specialists are female.
Direct support specialist gender ratio by year
| Year | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 22.53% | 77.47% |
| 2011 | 23.26% | 76.74% |
| 2012 | 26.05% | 73.95% |
| 2013 | 24.88% | 75.12% |
| 2014 | 25.15% | 74.85% |
| 2015 | 25.21% | 74.79% |
| 2016 | 26.02% | 73.98% |
| 2017 | 26.78% | 73.22% |
| 2018 | 26.04% | 73.96% |
| 2019 | 26.78% | 73.22% |
| 2020 | 30.08% | 69.92% |
| 2021 | 27.67% | 72.33% |
Direct support specialist related jobs gender ratio
We compared direct support specialists 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 Support Specialist | 28% | 72% |
| Intramural Director | 82% | 18% |
| Valet | 85% | 15% |
| Camp Boss | 88% | 12% |
Male
Female
100%
75%
50%
25%
0%
0%
25%
50%
75%
100%
Direct support specialist demographics by race
The most common ethnicity among direct support specialists is White, which makes up 59.8% of all direct support specialists. Comparatively, 16.8% of direct support specialists are Hispanic or Latino and 10.3% of direct support specialists are Black or African American.
- White, 59.8%
- Hispanic or Latino, 16.8%
- Black or African American, 10.3%
- Asian, 7.7%
- Unknown, 4.3%
- American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.1%
Direct support specialist race
| Direct support specialist race | Percentages |
|---|---|
| White | 59.8% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 16.8% |
| Black or African American | 10.3% |
| Asian | 7.7% |
| Unknown | 4.3% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 1.1% |
Direct support specialist race and ethnicity over time
See how direct support specialist racial and ethnic diversity trended since 2010 according to the United States Census Bureau data.
Direct support specialist race and ethnicity by year
| Year | White | Black or African American | Asian | Hispanic or Latino |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 68.28% | 12.11% | 4.64% | 12.26% |
| 2011 | 65.38% | 13.12% | 5.31% | 12.86% |
| 2012 | 65.99% | 12.22% | 5.26% | 13.31% |
| 2013 | 66.25% | 11.81% | 5.47% | 13.34% |
| 2014 | 66.49% | 11.13% | 5.73% | 13.39% |
| 2015 | 65.79% | 11.32% | 5.65% | 14.30% |
| 2016 | 64.55% | 11.27% | 6.33% | 14.79% |
| 2017 | 64.18% | 10.23% | 7.21% | 14.95% |
| 2018 | 64.65% | 11.20% | 6.48% | 14.62% |
| 2019 | 66.52% | 10.06% | 6.29% | 14.24% |
| 2020 | 62.74% | 10.56% | 7.20% | 14.22% |
| 2021 | 59.80% | 10.30% | 7.73% | 16.83% |
Direct support specialist wage gap by race
According to our data, black or african american direct support specialists have the highest average salary compared to other ethnicities. Unknown direct support specialists have the lowest average salary at $38,298.
| Ethnicity | Salary |
|---|---|
| Unknown | $38,298 |
| White | $39,082 |
| Black or African American | $40,076 |
| Asian | $39,493 |
| Hispanic or Latino | $39,451 |
Average direct support specialist age
See how the average age of direct support specialists varies based on ethnicity and gender.
Male
Female
Direct support specialist 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 support specialist age breakdown
The average age of direct support specialists is 40+ years years old, representing 71% of the direct support specialist population.
Direct support specialist age breakdown
| Direct Support Specialist Years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| 40+ years | 71% |
| 30-40 years | 16% |
| 20-30 years | 13% |
Direct support specialist educational attainment
The most common degree for direct support specialists is bachelor's degree, with 44% of direct support specialists earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are associate degree degree at 24% and associate degree degree at 17%.
- Bachelor's, 44%
- Associate, 24%
- High School Diploma, 17%
- Diploma, 5%
- Other Degrees, 10%
Direct support specialists by degree level
| Direct support specialist degree | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Bachelor's | 44% |
| Associate | 24% |
| High School Diploma | 17% |
| Diploma | 5% |
| Other Degrees | 10% |
Direct support specialist jobs you might like
Direct support specialist wage gap by degree level
According to the data, direct support specialists with a Master's degree earn more than those without, at $40,627 annually. With a Bachelor's degree, direct support specialists earn a median annual income of $39,967 compared to $39,540 for direct support specialists with an Associate degree.
| Education | Salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $40,627 |
| High School Diploma or Less | $38,419 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $39,967 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $39,540 |
Direct support specialist employment statistics
Most direct support specialists work for a private in the health care industry.
Company size where direct support specialists work
Below, you can see the size of companies where direct support specialists work.
Direct support specialist jobs by employer size
| Company size | Percentages |
|---|---|
| < 50 employees | 9% |
| 50 - 100 employees | 19% |
| 100 - 500 employees | 40% |
| 500 - 1,000 employees | 13% |
| 1,000 - 10,000 employees | 15% |
| > 10,000 employees | 4% |
Direct support specialist jobs by company type
Employees with the direct support specialist job title have their preferences when it comes to working for a company. For instance, most direct support specialists prefer to work at private companies over government companies.
Direct support specialist jobs by sector
| Company type | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Education | 8% |
| Public | 9% |
| Private | 65% |
| Government | 18% |
Direct support specialist jobs by industry
The most common industries for direct support specialists are health care, professional and non profits.
Direct support specialist industry statistics
| Industry | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Health Care | 26% |
| Professional | 17% |
| Non Profits | 16% |
| Government | 11% |
| Hospitality | 4% |
| Education | 4% |
| Retail | 3% |
| Fortune 500 | 3% |
| Media | 2% |
| Finance | 2% |
| Manufacturing | 2% |
| Start-up | 2% |
| Technology | 2% |
| Pharmaceutical | 1% |
| Internet | 1% |
| Construction | 1% |
| Telecommunication | 1% |
| Real Estate | 1% |
Direct support specialist turnover and employment statistics
Direct support specialist unemployment rate over time
The unemployment rate for direct support specialists between 2008 and the most recent data has varied, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Direct support specialist unemployment rate by year
| Year | Direct support specialist 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 support specialist tenure
The average direct support specialist stays at their job for 1-2 years, based on the 2,334 direct support specialists resumes in Zippia's database.
Direct support specialist tenure statistics
| Number of years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Less than 1 year | 25% |
| 1-2 years | 34% |
| 3-4 years | 13% |
| 5-7 years | 16% |
| 8-10 years | 6% |
| 11+ years | 5% |
Direct support specialist LGBT ratio compared to similar jobs
Review the percent of direct support specialists 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Nanny/Housekeeper | 4.43% | 126,310 |
| Servant | 5.80% | 1,162 |
| Direct Support Specialist | 6.73% | - |
| Director Of Therapeutic Recreation | 8.12% | 8,237 |
| Residential Supervisor | 12.72% | 8,846 |
| Pilates Instructor | 13.13% | 25,496 |
Similar direct support specialist jobs LGBT demographics
| Profession | Percentages of LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Nanny/Housekeeper | 4.43% | 126,310 |
| Servant | 5.80% | 1,162 |
| Director Of Therapeutic Recreation | 8.12% | 8,237 |
| Residential Supervisor | 12.72% | 8,846 |
| Pilates Instructor | 13.13% | 25,496 |
Foreign languages spoken by direct support specialists
The most common foreign language among direct support specialists is Spanish at 65.5%. The second-most popular foreign language spoken is French at 21.8% and Polish is the third-most popular at 5.5%.
- Spanish, 65.5%
- French, 21.8%
- Polish, 5.5%
- Portuguese, 1.8%
- Turkish, 1.8%
- Other, 3.6%
Direct support specialist languages spoken
| Foreign language | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Spanish | 65.5% |
| French | 21.8% |
| Polish | 5.5% |
| Portuguese | 1.8% |
| Turkish | 1.8% |
| Other | 3.6% |
