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Direct support associate salary
Average direct support associate salary
$14.39
Understanding Direct Support Associate Salaries
The average salary for a Direct Support Associate stands at $29,934 per year, translating to about $14 per hour. Salaries vary significantly based on factors such as geographic location, level of experience, and the industry in which one works. For example, states like California and New York often offer higher compensation rates compared to other regions.
Salary by State
In states where the demand for Direct Support Associates is high, salaries can exceed the national average. For instance, in Washington, professionals can earn upwards of $35,000 annually. Cities like Seattle and San Francisco report some of the highest salaries in this field, reflecting the cost of living and demand for caregiving services.
Career Advancement Opportunities
Advancing in this field often involves gaining additional certifications or experience, which can lead to higher-paying roles such as supervisory positions or specialized support roles. Understanding these dynamics will help you navigate your career effectively in the Direct Support Associate sector.
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Where can a Direct Support Associate earn more?
Average direct support associate salary by state
The average direct support associate salary in California, Hawaii, and New York are the highest in the U.S. The lowest average direct support associate salary states are South Carolina, Utah, and Wyoming.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for direct support associates
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New York | $35,988 | $17.30 |
| 2 | California | $38,195 | $18.36 |
| 3 | Pennsylvania | $31,132 | $14.97 |
| 4 | New Mexico | $31,576 | $15.18 |
| 5 | Maine | $29,989 | $14.42 |
| 6 | Washington | $30,901 | $14.86 |
| 7 | Connecticut | $33,147 | $15.94 |
| 8 | Oregon | $33,655 | $16.18 |
| 9 | Massachusetts | $31,294 | $15.05 |
| 10 | West Virginia | $28,440 | $13.67 |
| 11 | Nevada | $28,942 | $13.91 |
| 12 | Maryland | $33,119 | $15.92 |
| 13 | Texas | $30,846 | $14.83 |
| 14 | Kentucky | $30,557 | $14.69 |
| 15 | Hawaii | $37,658 | $18.10 |
| 16 | Michigan | $26,859 | $12.91 |
| 17 | Minnesota | $28,709 | $13.80 |
| 18 | Alabama | $27,894 | $13.41 |
| 19 | South Dakota | $26,625 | $12.80 |
| 20 | Arizona | $31,286 | $15.04 |
| 21 | Vermont | $31,046 | $14.93 |
| 22 | New Hampshire | $29,037 | $13.96 |
| 23 | Rhode Island | $28,388 | $13.65 |
| 24 | Montana | $27,972 | $13.45 |
| 25 | Ohio | $26,979 | $12.97 |
| 26 | Delaware | $27,767 | $13.35 |
| 27 | Alaska | $30,284 | $14.56 |
| 28 | Missouri | $25,674 | $12.34 |
| 29 | Wisconsin | $25,617 | $12.32 |
| 30 | Indiana | $25,539 | $12.28 |
| 31 | Tennessee | $25,326 | $12.18 |
| 32 | Colorado | $28,542 | $13.72 |
| 33 | New Jersey | $27,113 | $13.04 |
| 34 | Louisiana | $24,666 | $11.86 |
| 35 | North Carolina | $26,042 | $12.52 |
| 36 | Mississippi | $23,625 | $11.36 |
| 37 | North Dakota | $24,673 | $11.86 |
| 38 | Oklahoma | $23,825 | $11.45 |
| 39 | Arkansas | $23,650 | $11.37 |
| 40 | South Carolina | $23,516 | $11.31 |
| 41 | Virginia | $27,266 | $13.11 |
| 42 | Iowa | $23,648 | $11.37 |
| 43 | District of Columbia | $28,704 | $13.80 |
| 44 | Kansas | $22,064 | $10.61 |
| 45 | Georgia | $24,353 | $11.71 |
| 46 | Florida | $24,392 | $11.73 |
| 47 | Wyoming | $23,259 | $11.18 |
| 48 | Nebraska | $23,943 | $11.51 |
| 49 | Illinois | $22,955 | $11.04 |
| 50 | Utah | $23,346 | $11.22 |
| 51 | Idaho | $23,042 | $11.08 |
Highest paying cities for direct support associates
The highest-paying cities for direct support associates are San Francisco, CA, New York, NY, and Cheshire, CT.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Francisco, CA | $40,674 | $19.55 |
| 2 | New York, NY | $36,128 | $17.37 |
| 3 | Cheshire, CT | $33,109 | $15.92 |
| 4 | San Antonio, TX | $32,041 | $15.40 |
| 5 | Brockton, MA | $31,400 | $15.10 |
| 6 | Manchester, NH | $29,023 | $13.95 |
| 7 | Washington, DC | $28,721 | $13.81 |
| 8 | Portsmouth, VA | $27,254 | $13.10 |
| 9 | Saint George, UT | $27,014 | $12.99 |
| 10 | Mount Laurel, NJ | $26,778 | $12.87 |
| 11 | Greenville, NC | $26,310 | $12.65 |
| 12 | Knoxville, TN | $25,380 | $12.20 |
| 13 | Lake Charles, LA | $25,118 | $12.08 |
| 14 | Woodstock, GA | $24,193 | $11.63 |
| 15 | Jacksonville, FL | $24,035 | $11.56 |
| 16 | Lincoln, NE | $23,941 | $11.51 |
| 17 | Benton, AR | $23,752 | $11.42 |
| 18 | Chicago, IL | $22,999 | $11.06 |
| 19 | Wichita, KS | $22,147 | $10.65 |
Direct support associate salary details
A direct support associate's salary ranges from $16,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $52,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a direct support associate's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $52,000 | $4,333 | $25 |
| 75th Percentile | $40,000 | $3,333 | $19 |
| Average | $29,934 | $2,495 | $14 |
| 25th Percentile | $22,000 | $1,833 | $11 |
| 10th Percentile | $16,000 | $1,333 | $8 |
Highest paying direct support associate jobs
The highest paying types of direct support associates are provider, support associate, and direct support specialist.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Attending, Ambulatory Care | $29,626 | $2,469 | $14.24 | 169,412 |
| Companion | $29,246 | $2,437 | $14.06 | 75,753 |
| Provider | $61,912 | $5,159 | $29.77 | 112,186 |
| Care Provider | $29,652 | $2,471 | $14.26 | 169,562 |
| Direct Care Provider | $29,470 | $2,456 | $14.17 | 117,168 |
| Direct Care Staffer | $30,480 | $2,540 | $14.65 | 117,658 |
Top companies hiring direct support associates now:
Which companies pay direct support associates the most?
Direct support associate salaries at The Carlyle Group and First Republic Bank are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average direct support associate salary at companies like HarbourVest and JPMorgan Chase & Co. are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Carlyle Group | $159,675 | $76.77 |
| 2 | First Republic Bank | $146,901 | $70.63 |
| 3 | HarbourVest | $132,455 | $63.68 |
| 4 | JPMorgan Chase & Co. | $129,693 | $62.35 |
| 5 | Deutsche Bank | $98,328 | $47.27 |
| 6 | Prudential Bank | $51,124 | $24.58 |
| 7 | ARES | $45,848 | $22.04 |
| 8 | Maxim Healthcare Group | $34,795 | $16.73 |
| 9 | The Mosaic Company | $33,015 | $15.87 |
| 10 | Pediatric Partners, now a member of the Sevita family | $30,697 | $14.76 |
| 11 | Lifesteps | $30,645 | $14.73 |
| 12 | Bancroft | $30,085 | $14.46 |
| 13 | National Mentor Holdings Inc. | $29,686 | $14.27 |
| 14 | The Arc Of Livingston-wyoming | $29,474 | $14.17 |
| 15 | Citizens Options Unlimited | $29,324 | $14.10 |
| 16 | Golub Capital | $29,114 | $14.00 |
| 17 | Texas | $29,073 | $13.98 |
| 18 | Chrysalis | $29,007 | $13.95 |
| 19 | Fidelity Bank MA | $28,935 | $13.91 |
| 20 | RHA Health Services | $28,418 | $13.66 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Direct Support Associate salary by industry
The average direct support associate salary varies across industries:
- The average direct support associate salary in the manufacturing industry is $33,034, the highest of any industry.
- The average direct support associate salary in the finance industry is $30,113.
- Direct support associates in the professional industry earn an average salary of $28,301, the lowest of any industry.
Highest paying industries for direct support associates
| Rank | Industry | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Manufacturing | $33,034 | $15.88 |
| 2 | Telecommunication | $30,113 | $14.48 |
| 3 | Real Estate | $29,205 | $14.04 |
| 4 | Health Care | $28,908 | $13.90 |
| 5 | Non Profits | $28,785 | $13.84 |
| 6 | Professional | $28,301 | $13.61 |
High paying direct support associate jobs
Direct support associate salary trends
The average direct support associate salary has risen by $8,582 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average direct support associate earned $21,352 annually, but today, they earn $29,934 a year. That works out to a 26% change in pay for direct support associates over the last decade.
Compare direct support associate salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average direct support associate salary over time
Compare direct support associate salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Direct support associate salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $29,900 | $14.39 | +6.8% |
| 2025 | $27,900 | $13.42 | +6.9% |
| 2024 | $26,000 | $12.50 | +3.8% |
| 2023 | $25,000 | $12.02 | +5.1% |
| 2022 | $23,700 | $11.40 | +4.3% |
Recently added direct support associate salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Arc of Southern Maryland | Direct Support Associate-Weekends) | Prince Frederick, MD | 06/29/2025 | $41,740 |
| Horry County Disabilities & Special Needs | Substitute Direct Support Prof. (Residential, 3Rd Shift) | Myrtle Beach, SC | 06/29/2025 | $32,265 |
| Easter Seals New Hampshire | Direct Support Associate | Concord, CA | 06/28/2025 | $41,740 |
| Sevita | Direct Support Position | Fairmont, MN | 06/27/2025 | $33,392 |
| Easter Seals New Hampshire | Direct Support Associate | Rochester, NY | 06/22/2025 | $47,208 |
| Easter Seals New Hampshire | Direct Support Associate | Manchester, NH | 06/22/2025 | $39,653 |
| Easter Seals New Hampshire | Direct Support Associate | Durham, NC | 06/22/2025 | $47,208 |
| Life Inc. | Direct Support | New Bern, NC | 06/21/2025 | $36,523 |
| Bancroft | ABA Direct Support Associate-Linden's Pediatric and Adolescent 3Pm-11Pm Shift | Mount Laurel, NJ | 06/17/2025 | $43,180 |
| Amergis | Direct Support Personnel-Western Massachusetts | North Adams, MA | 06/13/2025 | $41,740 |
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