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The differences between direct support specialists and direct support professionals can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a direct support specialist has an average salary of $37,771, which is higher than the $32,077 average annual salary of a direct support professional.
The top three skills for a direct support specialist include direct support, mental health and CPR. The most important skills for a direct support professional are direct support, developmental disabilities, and autism.
| Direct Support Specialist | Direct Support Professional | |
| Yearly salary | $37,771 | $32,077 |
| Hourly rate | $18.16 | $15.42 |
| Growth rate | 36% | 36% |
| Number of jobs | 95,560 | 142,034 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 4 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 44% | High School Diploma, 30% |
| Average age | 48 | 48 |
| Years of experience | - | - |
A direct support specialist provides care and assistance to individuals with intellectual and physical disabilities. They may work at nursing facilities, government institutions, or at the patients' homes. Their responsibilities usually revolve around helping patients with daily tasks such as bathing, dressing, going to the toilet, and attending appointments. They may also assist patients in taking medications, handle the laundry and dishes, cook and prepare meals according to nutrition plans, and run errands as necessary. Moreover, they are also responsible for coordinating with physicians, maintaining daily records, and processing documents.
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 specialists and direct support professionals have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Direct Support Specialist | Direct Support Professional | |
| Average salary | $37,771 | $32,077 |
| Salary range | Between $26,000 And $54,000 | Between $18,000 And $54,000 |
| Highest paying City | Seattle, WA | Santa Clara, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | California |
| Best paying company | BP America Inc | Meta |
| Best paying industry | Real Estate | Government |
There are a few differences between a direct support specialist and a direct support professional in terms of educational background:
| Direct Support Specialist | Direct Support Professional | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 44% | High School Diploma, 30% |
| Most common major | Psychology | Psychology |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between direct support specialists' and direct support professionals' demographics:
| Direct Support Specialist | Direct Support Professional | |
| Average age | 48 | 48 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 27.7% Female, 72.3% | Male, 24.4% Female, 75.6% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 10.3% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 16.8% Asian, 7.7% White, 59.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.1% | 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% |
| LGBT Percentage | 7% | 7% |