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Job outlook for direct support staff in the United States
Direct support staff job growth summary. After extensive research, interviews, and analysis, Zippia's data science team found that:
The projected direct support staff job growth rate is 36% from 2018-2028.
About 1,185,800 new jobs for direct support staff are projected over the next decade.
Direct support staff salaries have increased 26% for direct support staff in the last 5 years.
There are over 198,061 direct support staff currently employed in the United States.
There are 182,001 active direct support staff job openings in the US.
The average direct support staff salary is $31,268.
Are direct support staff jobs in demand?
Yes, direct support staff jobs are in demand. Direct support staff demand is projected to grow 36% from 2018 to 2028.
Direct support staff job and salary trends over time
Compare the number of direct support staff jobs and the average direct support staff salary over time.
Direct support staff jobs over time
Direct support staff job growth rate over time
| Year | # of jobs | % of population |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 198,061 | 0.06% |
| 2020 | 194,285 | 0.06% |
| 2019 | 230,636 | 0.07% |
| 2018 | 878,784 | 0.26% |
| 2017 | 810,196 | 0.25% |
Average direct support staff salary over time
Direct support staff salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $31,268 | $15.03 | +7.2% |
| 2025 | $29,155 | $14.02 | +7.4% |
| 2024 | $27,154 | $13.05 | +4.0% |
| 2023 | $26,114 | $12.55 | +5.4% |
| 2022 | $24,780 | $11.91 | +4.5% |
Direct support staff jobs by state
The map below shows you the number of direct support staff job openings in each state. The darker areas on the map show where direct support staff earn the highest salaries across all 50 states.
Average salary: Job openings:
Most common states for direct support staff
| Rank | State | Population | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Massachusetts | 6,859,819 | 2,341 | 34% |
| 2 | District of Columbia | 693,972 | 208 | 30% |
| 3 | Pennsylvania | 12,805,537 | 3,625 | 28% |
| 4 | Washington | 7,405,743 | 1,910 | 26% |
| 5 | Minnesota | 5,576,606 | 1,430 | 26% |
| 6 | Kansas | 2,913,123 | 727 | 25% |
| 7 | Delaware | 961,939 | 243 | 25% |
| 8 | Missouri | 6,113,532 | 1,468 | 24% |
| 9 | Rhode Island | 1,059,639 | 253 | 24% |
| 10 | Maine | 1,335,907 | 311 | 23% |
| 11 | South Dakota | 869,666 | 201 | 23% |
| 12 | California | 39,536,653 | 8,857 | 22% |
| 13 | New Mexico | 2,088,070 | 434 | 21% |
| 14 | New York | 19,849,399 | 3,943 | 20% |
| 15 | Michigan | 9,962,311 | 1,947 | 20% |
| 16 | New Jersey | 9,005,644 | 1,807 | 20% |
| 17 | Arkansas | 3,004,279 | 611 | 20% |
| 18 | South Carolina | 5,024,369 | 967 | 19% |
| 19 | Alabama | 4,874,747 | 922 | 19% |
| 20 | Nevada | 2,998,039 | 583 | 19% |
Most common cities for direct support staff
| Rank | City | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl | Avg. salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Framingham | 20 | 29% | $33,051 |
| 2 | Natick | 3 | 9% | $33,058 |
| 3 | Lexington | 2 | 6% | $32,926 |
| 4 | Brookline | 3 | 5% | $32,993 |
| 5 | Fitchburg | 2 | 5% | $32,905 |
| 6 | Marlborough | 2 | 5% | $33,038 |
| 7 | Davenport | 2 | 2% | $26,010 |
| 8 | Boston | 4 | 1% | $32,978 |
| 9 | Rochester | 2 | 1% | $31,105 |
| 10 | New York | 14 | 0% | $32,726 |