Post job

Personal support worker vs direct care staffer

The differences between personal support workers and direct care staffers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a personal support worker has an average salary of $37,301, which is higher than the $30,480 average annual salary of a direct care staffer.

The top three skills for a personal support worker include CPR, meal preparation and home health. The most important skills for a direct care staffer are mental health, developmental disabilities, and CPR.

Personal support worker vs direct care staffer overview

Personal Support WorkerDirect Care Staffer
Yearly salary$37,301$30,480
Hourly rate$17.93$14.65
Growth rate36%36%
Number of jobs126,563117,658
Job satisfaction5-
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 46%Bachelor's Degree, 31%
Average age4848
Years of experience--

Personal support worker vs direct care staffer salary

Personal support workers and direct care staffers have different pay scales, as shown below.

Personal Support WorkerDirect Care Staffer
Average salary$37,301$30,480
Salary rangeBetween $25,000 And $54,000Between $19,000 And $47,000
Highest paying City-Salem, OR
Highest paying state-Oregon
Best paying company-New York University
Best paying industry-Manufacturing

Differences between personal support worker and direct care staffer education

There are a few differences between a personal support worker and a direct care staffer in terms of educational background:

Personal Support WorkerDirect Care Staffer
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 46%Bachelor's Degree, 31%
Most common majorPsychologyPsychology
Most common college--

Personal support worker vs direct care staffer demographics

Here are the differences between personal support workers' and direct care staffers' demographics:

Personal Support WorkerDirect Care Staffer
Average age4848
Gender ratioMale, 28.7% Female, 71.3%Male, 27.5% Female, 72.5%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 9.2% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 16.0% Asian, 8.3% White, 61.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.1%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 Percentage7%7%

Differences between personal support worker and direct care staffer duties and responsibilities

Personal support worker example responsibilities.

  • Assist patient in performing ADL's daily.
  • Perform first aid or CPR when need.
  • SKIP, CPR, Defibulator and CDL certify.
  • Provide assistance for patients with alzheimer's and dementia in their home.
  • Provide community support, ADL care, medication administration, clinical documentation
  • Dispense medication to individuals with disabilities by distributing and administering medications according to the AMAP policy and procedures.
  • Show more

Direct care staffer example responsibilities.

  • Provide and care for highly volatile patients, administering CPI when require.
  • Train and supervise individuals with autism and other developmental disabilities.
  • Assist consumers in development and maintenance of adaptive daily living skills.
  • Maintain client and community safety through appropriate application of CPI NVCI training.
  • Assist residence with disabilities, by bathing them, feeding and showing compassion.
  • Work with Kronos (timekeeping system) and making schedules for the DSP.
  • Show more

Personal support worker vs direct care staffer skills

Common personal support worker skills
  • CPR, 15%
  • Meal Preparation, 15%
  • Home Health, 15%
  • Developmental Disabilities, 11%
  • Direct Care, 8%
  • Support Person, 6%
Common direct care staffer skills
  • Mental Health, 14%
  • Developmental Disabilities, 8%
  • CPR, 8%
  • Patients, 6%
  • Autism, 6%
  • Crisis Intervention, 5%

Browse personal care and attendants jobs