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The differences between family caregivers and companions can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a family caregiver has an average salary of $32,827, which is higher than the $29,246 average annual salary of a companion.
The top three skills for a family caregiver include meal preparation, companionship and in-home care. The most important skills for a companion are companionship, patients, and home health.
| Family Caregiver | Companion | |
| Yearly salary | $32,827 | $29,246 |
| Hourly rate | $15.78 | $14.06 |
| Growth rate | 36% | 36% |
| Number of jobs | 126,188 | 75,753 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 48% | High School Diploma, 28% |
| Average age | 48 | 48 |
| Years of experience | - | - |
Family caregivers mainly provide care to families operating as health care system extensions. The caregivers perform complicated therapeutic and medical tasks and ensure recipients' compliance with their therapeutic regimens. They serve as home-based coordinators of care and personal care recipient advocates. It is their job to assess the needs of the families. They also prepare a care plan, help with housekeeping, provide companionship, monitor medications, and prepare meals.
A companion is responsible for assisting sick and recovered patients, as well as the elderly. Companions perform housekeeping duties, ensuring that a facility is well-maintained and safe for the use of the patients. They also monitor the patients' medication, prepare their meals based on a medical professional's prescription, support them on their daily activities, respond to the patients' needs and special requests as allowed, and report any developments to their family or guardians. A companion must be compassionate enough to extend physical and emotional support, depending on the client's condition.
Family caregivers and companions have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Family Caregiver | Companion | |
| Average salary | $32,827 | $29,246 |
| Salary range | Between $22,000 And $46,000 | Between $22,000 And $38,000 |
| Highest paying City | - | Boston, MA |
| Highest paying state | - | Washington |
| Best paying company | - | Merck |
| Best paying industry | - | Non Profits |
There are a few differences between a family caregiver and a companion in terms of educational background:
| Family Caregiver | Companion | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 48% | High School Diploma, 28% |
| Most common major | Business | Nursing |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between family caregivers' and companions' demographics:
| Family Caregiver | Companion | |
| Average age | 48 | 48 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 29.3% Female, 70.7% | Male, 12.1% Female, 87.9% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 10.1% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 18.6% Asian, 8.6% White, 56.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.3% | Black or African American, 11.1% Unknown, 4.2% Hispanic or Latino, 18.9% Asian, 7.7% White, 57.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 7% | 7% |