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The differences between residential aides and direct support professionals can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a direct support professional has an average salary of $32,077, which is higher than the $26,176 average annual salary of a residential aide.
The top three skills for a residential aide include autism, developmental disabilities and compassion. The most important skills for a direct support professional are direct support, developmental disabilities, and autism.
| Residential Aide | Direct Support Professional | |
| Yearly salary | $26,176 | $32,077 |
| Hourly rate | $12.58 | $15.42 |
| Growth rate | 36% | 36% |
| Number of jobs | 74,826 | 142,034 |
| Job satisfaction | 5 | 4 |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 29% | High School Diploma, 30% |
| Average age | 48 | 48 |
| Years of experience | - | - |
A residential aide is responsible for assisting residents and patients in a community facility, supporting them in their daily activities and personal routines. Residential aides monitor the patients' health conditions, coordinate with medical professionals, and ensure that they receive the proper medications. They also assist the residents with their inquiries and concerns, as well as developing community programs and events, sustaining the healthy welfare of the citizens. A residential aide must have excellent communication and organizational skills, especially when communicating with management and other organizations for assistance on charity works.
Direct support professionals are responsible for taking care of patients with physical or mental limitations. They do a variety of tasks for their patients, such as doing household chores, running errands for them, cooking for them, feeding them, bathing and dressing them, and helping them with their medication, among others. They also provide their patients with companionship, accompanying their patients to appointments, providing emotional support, and being with their patients for the most part of the day. They should be familiar with their patients' prescribed medicines, meal plans, therapy schedules, and other items related to the betterment of the patients' condition. Direct support professionals help the patients overcome their challenges and assist them in acclimating themselves with their current environment.
Residential aides and direct support professionals have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Residential Aide | Direct Support Professional | |
| Average salary | $26,176 | $32,077 |
| Salary range | Between $20,000 And $33,000 | Between $18,000 And $54,000 |
| Highest paying City | Beverly, MA | Santa Clara, CA |
| Highest paying state | Massachusetts | California |
| Best paying company | Mercy Housing and Shelter | Meta |
| Best paying industry | Education | Government |
There are a few differences between a residential aide and a direct support professional in terms of educational background:
| Residential Aide | Direct Support Professional | |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 29% | High School Diploma, 30% |
| Most common major | Psychology | Psychology |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between residential aides' and direct support professionals' demographics:
| Residential Aide | Direct Support Professional | |
| Average age | 48 | 48 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 26.8% Female, 73.2% | Male, 24.4% Female, 75.6% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 11.3% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 15.5% Asian, 8.1% White, 59.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.1% | Black or African American, 9.7% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 15.1% Asian, 8.3% White, 61.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 7% | 7% |