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The differences between senior caregivers 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 $28,771 average annual salary of a senior caregiver.
The top three skills for a senior caregiver include companionship, senior care and in-home care. The most important skills for a direct support professional are direct support, developmental disabilities, and autism.
| Senior Caregiver | Direct Support Professional | |
| Yearly salary | $28,771 | $32,077 |
| Hourly rate | $13.83 | $15.42 |
| Growth rate | 36% | 36% |
| Number of jobs | 67,227 | 142,034 |
| Job satisfaction | 2 | 4 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 37% | High School Diploma, 30% |
| Average age | 48 | 48 |
| Years of experience | - | - |
A senior caregiver is responsible for supporting the elderly, disabled patients, and other persons with illnesses or has difficulty managing themselves alone and assist them with their daily activities. Senior caregivers monitor the patients' behaviors, keep records of health conditions, administer medications, and prepare the patients for medical procedures. They also coordinate with the attending physicians and other medical health professionals in developing quality care plans and services for the patients, following the standard procedures and health safety requirements.
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.
Senior caregivers and direct support professionals have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Senior Caregiver | Direct Support Professional | |
| Average salary | $28,771 | $32,077 |
| Salary range | Between $22,000 And $37,000 | Between $18,000 And $54,000 |
| Highest paying City | Portland, OR | Santa Clara, CA |
| Highest paying state | Vermont | California |
| Best paying company | CARE | Meta |
| Best paying industry | Health Care | Government |
There are a few differences between a senior caregiver and a direct support professional in terms of educational background:
| Senior Caregiver | Direct Support Professional | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 37% | High School Diploma, 30% |
| Most common major | Business | Psychology |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between senior caregivers' and direct support professionals' demographics:
| Senior Caregiver | Direct Support Professional | |
| Average age | 48 | 48 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 12.2% Female, 87.8% | Male, 24.4% Female, 75.6% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 10.0% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 20.1% Asian, 8.0% White, 56.4% 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% |