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The differences between direct support specialists and living specialists 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 $36,759 average annual salary of a living specialist.
The top three skills for a direct support specialist include direct support, mental health and CPR. The most important skills for a living specialist are independent living, community resources, and autism.
| Direct Support Specialist | Living Specialist | |
| Yearly salary | $37,771 | $36,759 |
| Hourly rate | $18.16 | $17.67 |
| Growth rate | 36% | 12% |
| Number of jobs | 95,560 | 49,916 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 44% | Bachelor's Degree, 54% |
| Average age | 48 | 43 |
| Years of experience | - | 12 |
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.
A living specialist is a person who is responsible for assisting and guiding individuals that have difficulties caring for themselves. They are the person who helps them in doing household chores and guiding them throughout the cleaning process. This career is an important position in society because it provides care for those who are in need.
Direct support specialists and living specialists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Direct Support Specialist | Living Specialist | |
| Average salary | $37,771 | $36,759 |
| Salary range | Between $26,000 And $54,000 | Between $28,000 And $47,000 |
| Highest paying City | Seattle, WA | New York, NY |
| Highest paying state | California | New York |
| Best paying company | BP America Inc | Terros Health |
| Best paying industry | Real Estate | Non Profits |
There are a few differences between a direct support specialist and a living specialist in terms of educational background:
| Direct Support Specialist | Living Specialist | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 44% | Bachelor's Degree, 54% |
| Most common major | Psychology | Psychology |
| Most common college | - | SUNY at Binghamton |
Here are the differences between direct support specialists' and living specialists' demographics:
| Direct Support Specialist | Living Specialist | |
| Average age | 48 | 43 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 27.7% Female, 72.3% | Male, 29.5% Female, 70.5% |
| 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, 10.2% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 16.1% Asian, 6.8% White, 60.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.6% |
| LGBT Percentage | 7% | 11% |