Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
The differences between life skills trainers and direct care staffers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a life skills trainer has an average salary of $30,822, which is higher than the $30,480 average annual salary of a direct care staffer.
The top three skills for a life skills trainer include medication administration, therapeutic recreation and medical appointments. The most important skills for a direct care staffer are mental health, developmental disabilities, and CPR.
| Life Skills Trainer | Direct Care Staffer | |
| Yearly salary | $30,822 | $30,480 |
| Hourly rate | $14.82 | $14.65 |
| Growth rate | 19% | 36% |
| Number of jobs | 39,666 | 117,658 |
| Job satisfaction | 5 | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 53% | Bachelor's Degree, 31% |
| Average age | 37 | 48 |
| Years of experience | 12 | - |
Life skills trainers are personal health professionals who provide training assistance and supervision to patients, such as personal care, financial management, and social integration. These trainers are required to assist their clients with disabilities with daily living activities while documenting their behaviors and personal hygiene. They can organize therapeutic activities for individuals or groups to maximize their quality of life. Life skills trainers must also assist in meal preparation as well as perform tasks that include glucose monitoring, insulin therapy, and diabetes management.
A Direct Care Staffer specializes in providing personal care and supervision to the disabled or elderly. Among the responsibilities include administering medication, managing schedules, assisting in hygienic tasks, preparing meals, and doing light to moderate household chores. Furthermore, A Direct Care Staffer also helps in transportation and preparation of daily meals, running various errands, purchasing groceries and daily necessities, and as well as monitoring health conditions. It is also essential for a Daily Care Staffer to update supervisors and guardians regularly.
Life skills trainers and direct care staffers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Life Skills Trainer | Direct Care Staffer | |
| Average salary | $30,822 | $30,480 |
| Salary range | Between $22,000 And $41,000 | Between $19,000 And $47,000 |
| Highest paying City | - | Salem, OR |
| Highest paying state | - | Oregon |
| Best paying company | - | New York University |
| Best paying industry | - | Manufacturing |
There are a few differences between a life skills trainer and a direct care staffer in terms of educational background:
| Life Skills Trainer | Direct Care Staffer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 53% | Bachelor's Degree, 31% |
| Most common major | Psychology | Psychology |
| Most common college | University of Michigan - Ann Arbor | - |
Here are the differences between life skills trainers' and direct care staffers' demographics:
| Life Skills Trainer | Direct Care Staffer | |
| Average age | 37 | 48 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 33.9% Female, 66.1% | Male, 27.5% Female, 72.5% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 7.1% Unknown, 5.4% Hispanic or Latino, 10.6% Asian, 5.1% White, 71.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5% | Black or African American, 10.4% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 18.7% Asian, 8.2% White, 57.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 13% | 7% |