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Direct support specialist salary
Average direct support specialist salary
$37,771
Understanding the Salary of Direct Support Specialists
As of October 2025, the average salary for a Direct Support Specialist stands at $37,771 per year, which equates to about $18 per hour. This salary can vary significantly based on several factors, such as geographic location, years of experience, and the specific industry in which one works.
Factors Influencing Salary
In many states, salaries for direct support specialists can differ. For instance, states like California and New York tend to offer higher wages due to higher living costs. Additionally, specialists working in healthcare facilities may earn more than those in community services.
Opportunities for Growth
The demand for direct support specialists is growing, especially in urban areas. Career advancement is achievable through further education and specialized training, enabling professionals to take on supervisory roles or specialized positions within the industry. With a commitment to patient care and support, direct support specialists play a crucial role in improving the quality of life for individuals with disabilities.
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Where can a Direct Support Specialist earn more?
Average direct support specialist salary by state
The highest-paying states for direct support specialists are California, Hawaii, and Alaska. The lowest average direct support specialist salary states are North Carolina, South Carolina, and Arkansas.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for direct support specialists
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nevada | $46,711 | $22.46 |
| 2 | California | $56,455 | $27.14 |
| 3 | Alaska | $52,006 | $25.00 |
| 4 | Hawaii | $55,392 | $26.63 |
| 5 | South Dakota | $41,908 | $20.15 |
| 6 | Arizona | $47,835 | $23.00 |
| 7 | Maine | $39,744 | $19.11 |
| 8 | Oregon | $48,364 | $23.25 |
| 9 | Idaho | $46,472 | $22.34 |
| 10 | New Mexico | $41,147 | $19.78 |
| 11 | Wyoming | $41,286 | $19.85 |
| 12 | Washington | $50,089 | $24.08 |
| 13 | Massachusetts | $40,554 | $19.50 |
| 14 | New Jersey | $42,476 | $20.42 |
| 15 | Iowa | $38,229 | $18.38 |
| 16 | Michigan | $37,393 | $17.98 |
| 17 | Texas | $43,067 | $20.71 |
| 18 | Utah | $42,439 | $20.40 |
| 19 | New York | $39,805 | $19.14 |
| 20 | Montana | $40,320 | $19.38 |
| 21 | Minnesota | $37,952 | $18.25 |
| 22 | Colorado | $43,549 | $20.94 |
| 23 | Pennsylvania | $35,583 | $17.11 |
| 24 | New Hampshire | $39,751 | $19.11 |
| 25 | North Dakota | $35,558 | $17.10 |
| 26 | Connecticut | $39,006 | $18.75 |
| 27 | Nebraska | $36,992 | $17.78 |
| 28 | Delaware | $37,008 | $17.79 |
| 29 | West Virginia | $36,289 | $17.45 |
| 30 | Maryland | $38,986 | $18.74 |
| 31 | Rhode Island | $37,061 | $17.82 |
| 32 | District of Columbia | $39,966 | $19.21 |
| 33 | Wisconsin | $35,623 | $17.13 |
| 34 | Missouri | $34,674 | $16.67 |
| 35 | Kansas | $35,670 | $17.15 |
| 36 | Illinois | $38,356 | $18.44 |
| 37 | Oklahoma | $33,395 | $16.06 |
| 38 | Vermont | $37,934 | $18.24 |
| 39 | Indiana | $34,291 | $16.49 |
| 40 | Ohio | $35,471 | $17.05 |
| 41 | Arkansas | $30,531 | $14.68 |
| 42 | Louisiana | $32,002 | $15.39 |
| 43 | Mississippi | $30,154 | $14.50 |
| 44 | South Carolina | $30,537 | $14.68 |
| 45 | Tennessee | $32,256 | $15.51 |
| 46 | Virginia | $34,098 | $16.39 |
| 47 | Georgia | $32,321 | $15.54 |
| 48 | Florida | $32,324 | $15.54 |
| 49 | Alabama | $29,204 | $14.04 |
| 50 | North Carolina | $30,804 | $14.81 |
| 51 | Kentucky | $30,475 | $14.65 |
Highest paying cities for direct support specialists
The highest-paying cities for direct support specialists are Seattle, WA, Portland, OR, and Denver, CO.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Seattle, WA | $50,328 | $24.20 |
| 2 | Portland, OR | $48,204 | $23.18 |
| 3 | Denver, CO | $43,521 | $20.92 |
| 4 | Houston, TX | $41,876 | $20.13 |
| 5 | Newton, MA | $40,498 | $19.47 |
| 6 | New York, NY | $39,982 | $19.22 |
| 7 | Trumbull, CT | $39,159 | $18.83 |
| 8 | Moorhead, MN | $38,979 | $18.74 |
| 9 | Waterloo, IA | $38,651 | $18.58 |
| 10 | Warwick, RI | $37,082 | $17.83 |
| 11 | Philadelphia, PA | $35,858 | $17.24 |
| 12 | Columbia, MO | $34,726 | $16.70 |
| 13 | Virginia Beach, VA | $33,804 | $16.25 |
| 14 | Lake Charles, LA | $32,508 | $15.63 |
| 15 | Bristol, TN | $31,536 | $15.16 |
Direct support specialist salary details
A direct support specialist's salary ranges from $26,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $54,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a direct support specialist's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $54,000 | $4,500 | $26 |
| 75th Percentile | $45,000 | $3,750 | $22 |
| Average | $37,771 | $3,148 | $18 |
| 25th Percentile | $31,000 | $2,583 | $15 |
| 10th Percentile | $26,000 | $2,167 | $13 |
Highest paying direct support specialist jobs
The highest paying types of direct support specialists are specialist, developmental specialist, and support specialist.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Direct Care Provider | $29,470 | $2,456 | $14.17 | 117,168 |
| Direct Care Counselor | $33,422 | $2,785 | $16.07 | 123,519 |
| Support | $36,227 | $3,019 | $17.42 | 136,788 |
| Support Worker | $37,039 | $3,087 | $17.81 | 112,754 |
| Direct Care Worker | $29,343 | $2,445 | $14.11 | 140,788 |
| Direct Care Staffer | $30,480 | $2,540 | $14.65 | 117,658 |
Top companies hiring direct support specialists now:
Which companies pay direct support specialists the most?
Direct support specialist salaries at BP America Inc and The Kennedy Center Inc. are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average direct support specialist salary at companies like Minnesota State Fair and ADAPT Community Network are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | BP America Inc | $89,959 | $43.25 |
| 2 | The Kennedy Center Inc. | $49,958 | $24.02 |
| 3 | Minnesota State Fair | $48,705 | $23.42 |
| 4 | ADAPT Community Network | $45,987 | $22.11 |
| 5 | Salal Credit Union | $45,549 | $21.90 |
| 6 | The Home For Little Wanderers | $44,807 | $21.54 |
| 7 | East Bay Innovations | $44,147 | $21.22 |
| 8 | The State of Oregon | $41,223 | $19.82 |
| 9 | Texas | $39,261 | $18.88 |
| 10 | Kelly Services | $38,968 | $18.73 |
| 11 | Urban League of Rochester | $37,735 | $18.14 |
| 12 | Eastridge Workforce Solutions | $37,468 | $18.01 |
| 13 | Lincoln Financial Group | $37,263 | $17.91 |
| 14 | The Mosaic Company | $36,444 | $17.52 |
| 15 | Bridgewell | $34,833 | $16.75 |
| 16 | Capitol Care | $34,334 | $16.51 |
| 17 | Devereux Arizona | $33,906 | $16.30 |
| 18 | Pediatric Partners, now a member of the Sevita family | $33,896 | $16.30 |
| 19 | Resources for Human Development | $33,600 | $16.15 |
| 20 | The Reserves Network | $33,400 | $16.06 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Direct Support Specialist salary by industry
The average direct support specialist salary varies across industries:
- The average direct support specialist salary in the real estate industry is $36,378, the highest of any industry.
- The average direct support specialist salary in the finance industry is $36,329.
- Direct support specialists in the health care industry earn an average salary of $32,784, the lowest of any industry.
Highest paying industries for direct support specialists
| Rank | Industry | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Real Estate | $36,378 | $17.49 |
| 2 | Manufacturing | $36,329 | $17.47 |
| 3 | Government | $35,035 | $16.84 |
| 4 | Professional | $34,571 | $16.62 |
| 5 | Non Profits | $32,939 | $15.84 |
| 6 | Hospitality | $32,872 | $15.80 |
| 7 | Health Care | $32,784 | $15.76 |
High paying direct support specialist jobs
Direct support specialist salary trends
The average direct support specialist salary has risen by $10,828 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average direct support specialist earned $26,943 annually, but today, they earn $37,771 a year. That works out to a 26% change in pay for direct support specialists over the last decade.
Compare direct support specialist salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average direct support specialist salary over time
Compare direct support specialist salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Direct support specialist salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $37,800 | $18.16 | +6.8% |
| 2024 | $35,200 | $16.93 | +6.9% |
| 2023 | $32,800 | $15.77 | +3.8% |
| 2022 | $31,500 | $15.17 | +5.1% |
| 2021 | $29,900 | $14.39 | +4.3% |
Recently added direct support specialist salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Horry County Disabilities & Special Needs | Direct Support Prof. (Crcf ND Shift) | Conway, SC | 06/29/2025 | $32,265 |
| Horry County Disabilities & Special Needs | Direct Support Prof. Residential (Slpii RD Shift) | Conway, SC | 06/28/2025 | $32,265 |
| West Bay Ri | Direct Support Specialist I/DD | Warwick, RI | 06/27/2025 | $46,958 |
| Amergis | Direct Support Personnel I-Non-Driving | Eastham, MA | 06/27/2025 | $52,175 |
| Amergis | Direct Support Personnel | Brattleboro, VT | 06/27/2025 | $50,088 |
| West Bay Residential Services, Inc. | Direct Support Specialist I/DD | Warwick, RI | 06/26/2025 | $46,958 |
| Amergis | Direct Support Personnel Positions In Nova! | Falls Church, VA | 06/21/2025 | $45,914 |
| Sevita | Direct Support Professioanl | Bellville, TX | 06/20/2025 | $18,783 |
| Amergis | Direct Support Personnel Needed | Palm Bay, FL | 06/20/2025 | $39,653 |
| Amergis | Direct Support Personnel I-Non-Driving | Fairfax, VA | 06/20/2025 | $45,914 |
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