Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
Direct support professional salary
Average direct support professional salary
$15.42
Understanding Direct Support Professional Salaries
A Direct Support Professional (DSP) plays a crucial role in supporting individuals with disabilities, helping them lead fulfilling lives. As of October 2025, the average salary for a DSP is around $32,077 per year. This figure can vary based on factors such as geographic location, years of experience, and the specific sector of employment.
For instance, some states offer higher compensation due to demand or cost of living adjustments. In regions like California and New York, DSPs often earn more than their counterparts in other states. Additionally, professionals with more experience typically command higher salaries. For example, those with five or more years in the field may see salaries increase to the mid-$40,000 range.
Direct support professionals can also explore various industries, including healthcare and social services, which often provide more competitive pay. Understanding the salary landscape is vital for career planning and can help prospective DSPs gauge their potential earnings.
Key Takeaways
- Average salary: $32,077/year or $15.42/hour
- Varies by state and experience
- Higher salaries found in healthcare and social services
Let Zippia find your next direct support professional job
Let Zippia find your next direct support professional job
Where can a Direct Support Professional earn more?
Direct support professional salary estimates from across the web
Average direct support professional salary by state
The highest-paying states for direct support professionals are California, Hawaii, and Arizona. The lowest average direct support professional salary states are Louisiana, Kansas, and Tennessee.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for direct support professionals
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | California | $54,935 | $26.41 |
| 2 | Nevada | $40,140 | $19.30 |
| 3 | Washington | $36,222 | $17.41 |
| 4 | Massachusetts | $34,731 | $16.70 |
| 5 | Hawaii | $42,775 | $20.56 |
| 6 | New York | $32,995 | $15.86 |
| 7 | Arizona | $41,250 | $19.83 |
| 8 | Alaska | $37,897 | $18.22 |
| 9 | Michigan | $29,805 | $14.33 |
| 10 | Oregon | $36,088 | $17.35 |
| 11 | North Dakota | $32,924 | $15.83 |
| 12 | Connecticut | $32,838 | $15.79 |
| 13 | Maine | $29,992 | $14.42 |
| 14 | Texas | $35,265 | $16.95 |
| 15 | Pennsylvania | $30,358 | $14.60 |
| 16 | New Mexico | $30,120 | $14.48 |
| 17 | South Dakota | $28,837 | $13.86 |
| 18 | New Jersey | $32,416 | $15.58 |
| 19 | West Virginia | $29,111 | $14.00 |
| 20 | Rhode Island | $31,263 | $15.03 |
| 21 | Minnesota | $29,593 | $14.23 |
| 22 | Oklahoma | $28,956 | $13.92 |
| 23 | New Hampshire | $31,846 | $15.31 |
| 24 | Vermont | $32,526 | $15.64 |
| 25 | Alabama | $28,064 | $13.49 |
| 26 | Delaware | $27,858 | $13.39 |
| 27 | Wisconsin | $26,994 | $12.98 |
| 28 | Idaho | $29,670 | $14.26 |
| 29 | Maryland | $29,754 | $14.30 |
| 30 | Colorado | $28,345 | $13.63 |
| 31 | Montana | $27,492 | $13.22 |
| 32 | South Carolina | $25,972 | $12.49 |
| 33 | Missouri | $26,107 | $12.55 |
| 34 | Florida | $27,612 | $13.28 |
| 35 | Iowa | $25,814 | $12.41 |
| 36 | Ohio | $26,456 | $12.72 |
| 37 | Illinois | $27,289 | $13.12 |
| 38 | Indiana | $25,754 | $12.38 |
| 39 | Utah | $27,633 | $13.29 |
| 40 | Louisiana | $25,186 | $12.11 |
| 41 | Wyoming | $25,253 | $12.14 |
| 42 | Kentucky | $26,233 | $12.61 |
| 43 | Arkansas | $24,083 | $11.58 |
| 44 | District of Columbia | $28,810 | $13.85 |
| 45 | Nebraska | $25,688 | $12.35 |
| 46 | Tennessee | $24,372 | $11.72 |
| 47 | Georgia | $25,356 | $12.19 |
| 48 | Virginia | $26,583 | $12.78 |
| 49 | Mississippi | $23,893 | $11.49 |
| 50 | Kansas | $24,454 | $11.76 |
| 51 | North Carolina | $23,789 | $11.44 |
Highest paying cities for direct support professionals
The highest-paying cities for direct support professionals are Santa Clara, CA, Phoenix, AZ, and Las Vegas, NV.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Santa Clara, CA | $60,753 | $29.21 |
| 2 | Phoenix, AZ | $41,435 | $19.92 |
| 3 | Las Vegas, NV | $39,677 | $19.08 |
| 4 | Olympia, WA | $37,057 | $17.82 |
| 5 | San Antonio, TX | $36,370 | $17.49 |
| 6 | Salem, OR | $36,067 | $17.34 |
| 7 | Lynn, MA | $34,511 | $16.59 |
| 8 | Plainview, NY | $33,196 | $15.96 |
| 9 | Trumbull, CT | $32,959 | $15.85 |
| 10 | Fargo, ND | $32,888 | $15.81 |
| 11 | Toms River, NJ | $32,250 | $15.50 |
| 12 | Salem, NH | $32,003 | $15.39 |
| 13 | Middletown, PA | $30,864 | $14.84 |
| 14 | Portland, ME | $30,105 | $14.47 |
| 15 | Baltimore, MD | $30,021 | $14.43 |
| 16 | Saint Cloud, MN | $29,949 | $14.40 |
| 17 | Sioux Falls, SD | $28,695 | $13.80 |
| 18 | Green Bay, WI | $27,996 | $13.46 |
| 19 | Bloomington, IL | $26,448 | $12.72 |
| 20 | Richmond, VA | $26,414 | $12.70 |
Direct Support Professionals are the most in-demand in these five cities:
Direct support professional salary details
A direct support professional's salary ranges from $18,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $54,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a direct support professional's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $54,000 | $4,500 | $26 |
| 75th Percentile | $42,000 | $3,500 | $20 |
| Average | $32,077 | $2,673 | $15 |
| 25th Percentile | $24,000 | $2,000 | $12 |
| 10th Percentile | $18,000 | $1,500 | $9 |
Highest paying direct support professional jobs
The highest paying types of direct support professionals are community support specialist, hair stylist, and direct support specialist.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Residential Aide | $26,176 | $2,181 | $12.58 | 74,826 |
| Hair Stylist | $38,221 | $3,185 | $18.38 | 49,578 |
| Child Care Worker | $31,284 | $2,607 | $15.04 | 136,963 |
| Support | $36,227 | $3,019 | $17.42 | 136,788 |
| Direct Care Counselor | $33,422 | $2,785 | $16.07 | 123,519 |
| Direct Care Worker | $29,343 | $2,445 | $14.11 | 140,788 |
Top companies hiring direct support professionals now:
Which companies pay direct support professionals the most?
Direct support professional salaries at Meta and Apple are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average direct support professional salary at companies like Google and Pixelworks are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Meta | $174,908 | $84.09 |
| 2 | Apple | $165,744 | $79.68 |
| 3 | $165,062 | $79.36 | |
| 4 | Pixelworks | $157,931 | $75.93 |
| 5 | Neuralink IT Solutions | $147,977 | $71.14 |
| 6 | Xilinx | $142,379 | $68.45 |
| 7 | Joby Aviation | $140,309 | $67.46 |
| 8 | Cadence Design Systems | $140,303 | $67.45 |
| 9 | Yahoo | $138,919 | $66.79 |
| 10 | Dolby Laboratories | $135,636 | $65.21 |
| 11 | Broadcom | $134,961 | $64.89 |
| 12 | Cisco | $132,813 | $63.85 |
| 13 | Cirrus Logic | $129,997 | $62.50 |
| 14 | Renesas Electronics | $129,733 | $62.37 |
| 15 | Microsemi | $129,629 | $62.32 |
| 16 | Intel | $129,617 | $62.32 |
| 17 | Synaptics | $129,004 | $62.02 |
| 18 | Rock Springs Elementary School | $127,878 | $61.48 |
| 19 | Capgemini | $127,359 | $61.23 |
| 20 | Nuance Communications | $127,112 | $61.11 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Direct Support Professional salary by industry
The average direct support professional salary varies across industries:
- The average direct support professional salary in the government industry is $29,464, the highest of any industry.
- The average direct support professional salary in the finance industry is $29,395.
- Direct support professionals in the non profits industry earn an average salary of $28,995, the lowest of any industry.
Highest paying industries for direct support professionals
| Rank | Industry | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Government | $29,464 | $14.17 |
| 2 | Professional | $29,395 | $14.13 |
| 3 | Health Care | $29,152 | $14.02 |
| 4 | Non Profits | $28,995 | $13.94 |
High paying direct support professional jobs
Direct support professional salary trends
The average direct support professional salary has risen by $9,196 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average direct support professional earned $22,881 annually, but today, they earn $32,077 a year. That works out to a 26% change in pay for direct support professionals over the last decade.
Compare direct support professional salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average direct support professional salary over time
Compare direct support professional salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Direct support professional salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $32,100 | $15.42 | +6.8% |
| 2024 | $29,900 | $14.38 | +6.9% |
| 2023 | $27,900 | $13.39 | +3.8% |
| 2022 | $26,800 | $12.88 | +5.1% |
| 2021 | $25,400 | $12.22 | +4.3% |
Recently added direct support professional salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Premier Community Supports | Direct Support Professional | Eugene, OR | 06/30/2025 | $48,001 |
| Region v Services | Direct Support Professional | Columbus, OH | 06/30/2025 | $31,952 |
| The Arc Western Montana | Direct Support Professional/Caregiver | Missoula, MT | 06/30/2025 | $35,479 |
| Region v Services | Direct Support Professional | Lincoln, NE | 06/30/2025 | $31,952 |
| Hillside Enterprises | Direct Support Professional I Fairport-Evenings & Weekends | Fairport, NY | 06/29/2025 | $37,566 |
| Graceworks Lutheran Services | DSP Care Giver 3Rd Shift Dayton OH | Dayton, OH | 06/29/2025 | $33,392 |
| Life Inc. | Direct Support PRN | Goldsboro, NC | 06/29/2025 | $36,523 |
| MBI | Direct Support Professional | Ione, WA | 06/29/2025 | $36,523 |
| The Salvation Army | Residential Direct Support Professional | Millsboro, DE | 06/29/2025 | $38,610 |
| J.M. Murray Center, Inc. | Consumer D DSP | Cortland, NY | 06/29/2025 | $32,349 |
Direct support professional salary FAQs
Search for direct support professional jobs