Best states for a direct support staff

Q: What is the best state for direct support staff?

The best state to be a direct support staff is California based on direct support staff salaries and job opportunities.

Q: What is the highest paying state for direct support staff?

The highest paying state for direct support staff is Kansas based on Zippia’s salary database.

Q: What is the worst state for direct support staff?

The worst state for direct support staff is Idaho, due to a combination of low salaries and few job opportunities.

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It seems like direct support staff are becoming more and more common across America. But working conditions and demand for direct support staff aren't the same everywhere in the U.S. We wanted to look at the best states for direct support staff -- where there are plenty of direct support staff jobs to go around and direct support staff get paid what they deserve during every phase of their career.

To that end, we dove into our dataset of job and salary numbers to figure out which states have the best opportunities for direct support staff. California is the best state for direct support staff, where the median salary is $43,292.We found that California is the best state for direct support staff jobs, whereas Idaho is the worst.

10 best states for direct support staff in 2026

1. California
Total direct support staff jobs: 8,857
Average annual salary: $43,292
Lowest 10 percent earn: $22,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $82,000
Location Quotient:
1.52
Direct support staff jobs in California
2. Washington
Total direct support staff jobs: 1,910
Average annual salary: $33,759
Lowest 10 percent earn: $21,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $52,000
Location Quotient:
1.31
Direct support staff jobs in Washington
3. New Mexico
Total direct support staff jobs: 434
Average annual salary: $32,703
Lowest 10 percent earn: $20,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $52,000
Location Quotient:
1.11
Direct support staff jobs in New Mexico
4. Nevada
Total direct support staff jobs: 583
Average annual salary: $31,358
Lowest 10 percent earn: $17,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $57,000
Location Quotient:
1.4
Direct support staff jobs in Nevada
5. Massachusetts
Total direct support staff jobs: 2,341
Average annual salary: $33,042
Lowest 10 percent earn: $19,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $55,000
Location Quotient:
1.28
Direct support staff jobs in Massachusetts
6. New York
Total direct support staff jobs: 3,943
Average annual salary: $32,622
Lowest 10 percent earn: $18,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $58,000
Location Quotient:
1.54
Direct support staff jobs in New York
7. Kentucky
Total direct support staff jobs: 789
Average annual salary: $30,751
Lowest 10 percent earn: $21,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $44,000
Location Quotient:
1.08
Direct support staff jobs in Kentucky
8. New Jersey
Total direct support staff jobs: 1,807
Average annual salary: $32,320
Lowest 10 percent earn: $18,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $57,000
Location Quotient:
1.14
Direct support staff jobs in New Jersey
9. Pennsylvania
Total direct support staff jobs: 3,625
Average annual salary: $29,643
Lowest 10 percent earn: $16,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $51,000
Location Quotient:
1.57
Direct support staff jobs in Pennsylvania
10. Ohio
Total direct support staff jobs: 1,584
Average annual salary: $31,655
Lowest 10 percent earn: $20,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $48,000
Location Quotient:
0.78
Direct support staff jobs in Ohio

Direct support staff jobsNear Columbus, OH

How Zippia determines the best states to be a direct support staff

You can read about how the best state rankings are calculated here.

Detailed list of the best states for a direct support staff

Rank	State	Average salary	Lowest 10% earn	Population	Job count
1	California	$43,292	$22,000	39,536,653	8,857
2	Washington	$33,759	$21,000	7,405,743	1,910
3	New Mexico	$32,703	$20,000	2,088,070	434
4	Nevada	$31,358	$17,000	2,998,039	583
5	Massachusetts	$33,042	$19,000	6,859,819	2,341
6	New York	$32,622	$18,000	19,849,399	3,943
7	Kentucky	$30,751	$21,000	4,454,189	789
8	New Jersey	$32,320	$18,000	9,005,644	1,807
9	Pennsylvania	$29,643	$16,000	12,805,537	3,625
10	Ohio	$31,655	$20,000	11,658,609	1,584
11	Oregon	$33,026	$19,000	4,142,776	664
12	Hawaii	$40,162	$32,000	1,427,538	114
13	Rhode Island	$30,708	$17,000	1,059,639	253
14	Connecticut	$32,557	$18,000	3,588,184	549
15	Maryland	$33,546	$19,000	6,052,177	1,007
16	West Virginia	$28,779	$18,000	1,815,857	247
17	Alaska	$35,959	$27,000	739,795	79
18	South Dakota	$27,852	$20,000	869,666	201
19	Alabama	$27,974	$18,000	4,874,747	922
20	Wisconsin	$29,166	$20,000	5,795,483	782
21	Vermont	$31,460	$20,000	623,657	87
22	Missouri	$26,053	$18,000	6,113,532	1,468
23	Delaware	$28,179	$16,000	961,939	243
24	Montana	$28,628	$20,000	1,050,493	148
25	Minnesota	$26,703	$19,000	5,576,606	1,430
26	Florida	$28,007	$17,000	20,984,400	2,356
27	Arizona	$28,821	$16,000	7,016,270	810
28	Texas	$28,334	$17,000	28,304,596	2,726
29	South Carolina	$25,720	$17,000	5,024,369	967
30	Michigan	$24,786	$16,000	9,962,311	1,947
31	Iowa	$25,860	$18,000	3,145,711	531
32	Maine	$25,257	$16,000	1,335,907	311
33	Tennessee	$25,714	$17,000	6,715,984	866
34	Louisiana	$24,900	$15,000	4,684,333	721
35	New Hampshire	$26,941	$16,000	1,342,795	241
36	Colorado	$27,682	$19,000	5,607,154	720
37	Arkansas	$23,718	$16,000	3,004,279	611
38	District of Columbia	$29,078	$17,000	693,972	208
39	North Carolina	$25,642	$17,000	10,273,419	1,189
40	Nebraska	$25,613	$17,000	1,920,076	295
41	North Dakota	$25,011	$18,000	755,393	122
42	Oklahoma	$24,149	$16,000	3,930,864	622
43	Mississippi	$23,625	$15,000	2,984,100	466
44	Virginia	$27,455	$16,000	8,470,020	1,117
45	Kansas	$22,319	$15,000	2,913,123	727
46	Utah	$24,118	$15,000	3,101,833	441
47	Indiana	$22,820	$15,000	6,666,818	1,101
48	Georgia	$23,173	$15,000	10,429,379	1,526
49	Illinois	$22,906	$15,000	12,802,023	1,911
50	Wyoming	$23,543	$16,000	579,315	64
51	Idaho	$23,758	$15,000	1,716,943	176

Highest paying states for direct support staff

Rank	State	Avg. Direct Support Staff Salary
1	California	$43,292
2	Washington	$33,759
3	New Mexico	$32,703
4	Nevada	$31,358
5	Massachusetts	$33,042
6	New York	$32,622
7	Kentucky	$30,751
8	New Jersey	$32,320
9	Pennsylvania	$29,643
10	Ohio	$31,655
11	Oregon	$33,026
12	Hawaii	$40,162
13	Rhode Island	$30,708
14	Connecticut	$32,557
15	Maryland	$33,546
16	West Virginia	$28,779
17	Alaska	$35,959
18	South Dakota	$27,852
19	Alabama	$27,974
20	Wisconsin	$29,166
21	Vermont	$31,460
22	Missouri	$26,053
23	Delaware	$28,179
24	Montana	$28,628
25	Minnesota	$26,703
26	Florida	$28,007
27	Arizona	$28,821
28	Texas	$28,334
29	South Carolina	$25,720
30	Michigan	$24,786
31	Iowa	$25,860
32	Maine	$25,257
33	Tennessee	$25,714
34	Louisiana	$24,900
35	New Hampshire	$26,941
36	Colorado	$27,682
37	Arkansas	$23,718
38	District of Columbia	$29,078
39	North Carolina	$25,642
40	Nebraska	$25,613
41	North Dakota	$25,011
42	Oklahoma	$24,149
43	Mississippi	$23,625
44	Virginia	$27,455
45	Kansas	$22,319
46	Utah	$24,118
47	Indiana	$22,820
48	Georgia	$23,173
49	Illinois	$22,906
50	Wyoming	$23,543
51	Idaho	$23,758

Direct support staff best states FAQs

What is the best state for direct support staff?

What is the highest paying state for direct support staff?

What is the worst state for direct support staff?

Have more questions? See all answers to common personal care and attendants questions.

Search for direct support staff jobs

Updated January 8, 2025

Browse personal care and attendants jobs

Total direct support staff jobs:	8,857
Average annual salary:	$43,292
Lowest 10 percent earn:	$22,000
Highest 10 percent earn:	$82,000
Location Quotient:	1.52

Best states for a direct support staff

10 best states for direct support staff in 2026

1. California

2. Washington

3. New Mexico

4. Nevada

5. Massachusetts

6. New York

7. Kentucky

8. New Jersey

9. Pennsylvania

10. Ohio