Direct Care Specialist Salary in the United States
How much does a Direct Care Specialist make in the United States?
As of August 01, 2026, the average salary for a Direct Care Specialist in the United States is $35,491 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $17.
However, a Direct Care Specialist's salary can vary significantly. Here’s a look at the typical salary range:
Top Earners (90th percentile): $40,106
Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $32,764 to $37,907
Key Factors That Influence Direct Care Specialist Salaries
A Direct Care Specialist's salary isn't a fixed number.
It's shaped by several important factors.
Below, we'll explore how your years of experience, geographic location and company size can directly affect your earning potential.
How Experience Level Affects Direct Care Specialist Salaries?
Experience is a primary driver of a Direct Care Specialist's salary.
As you build your skills and take on more complex tasks, your compensation generally increases.
Here’s how the average salary grows at different career stages:
Entry-Level (less than 1 year): $36,059
Early Career (1-2 years): $32,537
Mid-Level (2-4 years): $39,118
Senior-Level (5-8 years): $43,659
Expert (over 8 years): $43,715
Levels
Salary
Direct Ca... Level Direct Care Specialist
$36,059
Home Care... Level Direct Care Specialist
$32,537
Home Care... Level Direct Care Specialist
$39,118
Home Care... Level Direct Care Specialist
$43,659
Home Care... Level Direct Care Specialist
$43,715
$36,0590 yr
$32,537< 2 yrs
$39,1182-4 yrs
$43,6595-8 yrs
$43,715> 8 yrs
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What Am I Worth?
How Do Direct Care Specialist Salaries Vary from State to State?
Your salary can change significantly depending on where you work.
States with a higher cost of living and strong industrial sectors
often pay more to attract Direct Care Specialists.
For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:
District of Columbia: $39,295.
California: $39,146.
Massachusetts: $38,625.
District of Columbia$39,295
California$39,146
Massachusetts$38,625
Washington$38,483
New Jersey$38,468
Alaska$38,419
Connecticut$37,929
New York$37,730
Hawaii$37,095
Rhode Island$36,797
Maryland$36,595
Minnesota$36,318
Colorado$36,211
Illinois$36,176
Oregon$36,041
Delaware$35,942
New Hampshire$35,879
Virginia$35,739
Pennsylvania$35,331
Nevada$35,125
North Dakota$35,058
Michigan$34,951
Wisconsin$34,912
Vermont$34,834
Texas$34,618
Maine$34,604
Arizona$34,582
Ohio$34,557
Georgia$34,231
Indiana$34,068
Wyoming$34,036
Utah$33,986
Iowa$33,965
Kansas$33,794
Louisiana$33,745
North Carolina$33,727
Missouri$33,720
Florida$33,581
Montana$33,507
Nebraska$33,436
Kentucky$33,397
South Carolina$33,255
Tennessee$33,166
Idaho$33,131
New Mexico$32,872
Oklahoma$32,815
Alabama$32,605
South Dakota$32,254
Arkansas$32,062
West Virginia$31,959
Mississippi$31,651
Top Paying Cities for Direct Care Specialists
Salaries can also vary between different cities.
Major metropolitan areas or cities with a high demand for technicians often offer more competitive pay.
Here are a few examples of average annual salaries in different U.S. cities:
San Jose: $44,765
San Francisco: $44,274
Oakland: $43,341
San Jose, CA$44,765
San Francisco, CA$44,274
Oakland, CA$43,341
New York, NY$40,864
Paramus, NJ$40,367
Queens Village, NY$40,365
Passaic, NJ$40,331
Bergenfield, NJ$40,328
Stamford, CT$40,250
Huntington, NY$40,236
Newark, NJ$39,973
Bridgeport, CT$39,898
Vallejo, CA$39,828
New Brunswick, NJ$39,814
Petaluma, CA$39,792
Middlesex, NJ$39,725
Somerset, NJ$39,700
Santa Cruz, CA$39,654
Boston, MA$39,437
Monterey, CA$39,313
Seattle, WA$39,232
Santa Rosa, CA$39,224
Los Angeles, CA$39,214
Juneau, AK$39,122
Washington, DC$39,082
Orange, CA$38,956
Santa Ana, CA$38,862
Long Beach, CA$38,827
Anaheim, CA$38,820
Anchorage, AK$38,802
Santa Maria, CA$38,696
Everett, WA$38,689
Danbury, CT$38,564
Bremerton, WA$38,515
Tacoma, WA$38,387
New Suffolk, NY$38,386
Sacramento, CA$38,376
Santa Barbara, CA$38,337
Trenton, NJ$38,298
San Diego, CA$38,298
Brockton, MA$38,259
Fairbanks, AK$38,172
Lompoc, CA$38,082
Lowell, MA$38,053
Ventura, CA$38,046
Nashua, NH$38,039
Stockton, CA$38,035
Modesto, CA$37,776
Poughkeepsie, NY$37,698
Olympia, WA$37,631
Kennewick, WA$37,631
New Haven, CT$37,617
Lawrence, MA$37,489
Hartford, CT$37,453
Riverside, CA$37,446
New Bedford, MA$37,411
Richland, WA$37,411
Bakersfield, CA$37,361
San Bernardino, CA$37,347
New Britain, CT$37,343
Atlantic City, NJ$37,343
New London, CT$37,329
Norwich, CT$37,319
Portsmouth, NH$37,311
Boulder, CO$37,236
Portland, OR$37,187
Worcester, MA$37,184
Minneapolis, MN$37,074
Philadelphia, PA$37,024
Honolulu, HI$36,907
Saint Paul, MN$36,890
Vineland, NJ$36,882
Providence, RI$36,779
Chicago, IL$36,676
Bellingham, WA$36,634
Springfield, MA$36,605
Baltimore, MD$36,595
Chico, CA$36,506
Pittsfield, MA$36,410
Manchester, NH$36,343
Spokane, WA$36,186
Denver, CO$36,183
Albany, NY$36,016
Troy, NY$36,002
Nassau, NY$35,964
Schenectady, NY$35,927
Wilmington, DE$35,899
Burlington, VT$35,849
Salem, OR$35,835
Portland, ME$35,725
Yakima, WA$35,690
Rochester, MN$35,580
Reno, NV$35,562
Fresno, CA$35,562
Milwaukee, WI$35,530
Detroit, MI$35,494
Ann Arbor, MI$35,488
Allentown, PA$35,484
Colorado Springs, CO$35,423
Syracuse, NY$35,406
Carson City, NV$35,406
Houston, TX$35,356
Eugene, OR$35,338
Gary, IN$35,296
Springfield, OR$35,267
Bismarck, ND$35,260
Galveston, TX$35,235
Medford, OR$35,182
Fort Collins, CO$35,168
Concord, NH$35,150
Austin, TX$35,139
Mesa, AZ$35,065
Reading, PA$35,061
Phoenix, AZ$35,058
Dallas, TX$35,047
Saint Cloud, MN$35,013
Madison, WI$34,966
Utica, NY$34,870
Rochester, NY$34,813
Des Moines, IA$34,809
Raleigh, NC$34,806
Atlanta, GA$34,753
Battle Creek, MI$34,742
Salt Lake City, UT$34,731
Lancaster, PA$34,678
Harrisburg, PA$34,628
Kansas City, MO$34,593
Champaign, IL$34,586
Kansas City, KS$34,586
Fort Worth, TX$34,582
Columbus, OH$34,576
Boca Raton, FL$34,568
Pittsburgh, PA$34,554
Richmond, VA$34,540
Indianapolis, IN$34,533
Cleveland, OH$34,529
Las Vegas, NV$34,486
Cincinnati, OH$34,486
Petersburg, VA$34,433
Huntsville, AL$34,380
Lansing, MI$34,356
Lebanon, PA$34,352
Pueblo, CO$34,348
Appleton, WI$34,337
Buffalo, NY$34,323
Dayton, OH$34,313
Racine, WI$34,305
Charlotte, NC$34,302
Saint Louis, MO$34,291
York, PA$34,270
Elkhart, IN$34,270
Gastonia, NC$34,263
Billings, MT$34,255
Beaumont, TX$34,245
Lorain, OH$34,238
Benton Harbor, MI$34,231
Toledo, OH$34,224
Binghamton, NY$34,206
Rock Hill, SC$34,202
Rockford, IL$34,185
Springfield, IL$34,171
Elyria, OH$34,167
Fargo, ND$34,167
Flagstaff, AZ$34,142
Fort Lauderdale, FL$34,121
Duluth, MN$34,100
Miami, FL$34,100
Cheyenne, WY$34,075
Grand Forks, ND$34,075
Bangor, ME$33,997
Cedar Rapids, IA$33,958
Durham, NC$33,943
Louisville, KY$33,940
Grand Rapids, MI$33,933
Hialeah, FL$33,929
Casper, WY$33,880
Scranton, PA$33,837
New Orleans, LA$33,826
Virginia Beach, VA$33,823
Akron, OH$33,805
Peoria, IL$33,759
Sarasota, FL$33,752
Nashville, TN$33,727
Omaha, NE$33,727
Green Bay, WI$33,727
Baton Rouge, LA$33,709
Charleston, SC$33,702
Jamestown, NY$33,684
Davenport, IA$33,684
Tucson, AZ$33,667
Saint Petersburg, FL$33,645
Tampa, FL$33,638
Evansville, IN$33,617
Port Arthur, TX$33,617
Bradenton, FL$33,603
Santa Fe, NM$33,539
Orlando, FL$33,475
Clearwater, FL$33,464
Canton, OH$33,390
La Crosse, WI$33,390
Albuquerque, NM$33,368
Newport News, VA$33,365
High Point, NC$33,354
Ogden, UT$33,340
Corpus Christi, TX$33,312
Norfolk, VA$33,290
Laramie, WY$33,290
Rock Island, IL$33,269
Saginaw, MI$33,262
Jacksonville, FL$33,258
Salisbury, NC$33,251
Boise, ID$33,244
Moline, IL$33,226
Fort Myers, FL$33,216
Memphis, TN$33,209
Tulsa, OK$33,191
Waterloo, IA$33,170
Spartanburg, SC$33,134
Lincoln, NE$33,116
Fort Wayne, IN$33,109
Provo, UT$33,106
Cedar Falls, IA$33,063
San Antonio, TX$33,049
Greensboro, NC$33,035
South Bend, IN$33,031
Savannah, GA$32,992
Muskegon, MI$32,978
Birmingham, AL$32,975
Winston Salem, NC$32,957
Lake Charles, LA$32,872
Anderson, IN$32,864
Lexington, KY$32,854
Augusta, GA$32,843
Greenville, SC$32,843
Lima, OH$32,815
Wichita, KS$32,811
Tuscaloosa, AL$32,811
Columbia, SC$32,779
Springfield, OH$32,772
Asheville, NC$32,715
Bloomington, IN$32,691
Knoxville, TN$32,563
Shreveport, LA$32,559
Wilmington, NC$32,513
Roanoke, VA$32,513
Topeka, KS$32,449
Frankfort, KY$32,445
Oklahoma City, OK$32,421
Chillicothe, OH$32,407
Longview, TX$32,403
Melbourne, FL$32,400
Sioux Falls, SD$32,343
Mobile, AL$32,339
Terre Haute, IN$32,325
Altoona, PA$32,304
Amarillo, TX$32,279
Killeen, TX$32,268
Fayetteville, AR$32,240
Chattanooga, TN$32,229
Sioux City, IA$32,197
Idaho Falls, ID$32,190
Lynchburg, VA$32,162
Gainesville, FL$32,116
Portsmouth, OH$32,098
Little Rock, AR$32,091
Lafayette, LA$32,077
Youngstown, OH$32,077
Daytona Beach, FL$32,055
Clarksville, TN$32,052
Pensacola, FL$32,048
Temple, TX$32,046
Hopkinsville, KY$31,942
Erie, PA$31,935
Florence, SC$31,920
Charleston, WV$31,864
Great Falls, MT$31,846
Macon, GA$31,796
Tallahassee, FL$31,793
Fayetteville, NC$31,786
Waco, TX$31,778
Helena, MT$31,754
Pine Bluff, AR$31,740
Vincennes, IN$31,697
Lubbock, TX$31,683
Alamogordo, NM$31,661
Twin Falls, ID$31,629
Rapid City, SD$31,619
Jackson, MS$31,555
Huntington, WV$31,552
Greenville, MS$31,551
Parkersburg, WV$31,515
Montgomery, AL$31,509
Wichita Falls, TX$31,473
Springfield, MO$31,473
Biloxi, MS$31,455
Monroe, LA$31,420
Johnstown, PA$31,395
Sumter, SC$31,381
Columbus, GA$31,377
Pascagoula, MS$31,310
Abilene, TX$31,310
Kingsport, TN$31,218
Albany, GA$31,218
Gulfport, MS$31,207
Alexandria, LA$31,090
Fort Smith, AR$31,001
El Paso, TX$30,905
Las Cruces, NM$30,746
Harlingen, TX$30,656
Pocatello, ID$30,650
Florence, AL$30,604
Brownsville, TX$30,597
Mcallen, TX$30,522
Dothan, AL$30,472
Columbus, MS$30,262
Altus, OK$30,096
Lawton, OK$30,029
Pierre, SD$29,901
What Skills Can Increase a Direct Care Specialist's Salary?
Demanded Skills for the Role:
Commitment (Mentioned in 5.83% Job Postings): An agreement or pledge to do something in the future a commitment to improve conditions at the prison especially : an engagement to assume a financial obligation at a future date.
Medication Administration (Mentioned in 5.59% Job Postings): Medication administration is the direct application of a prescribed medication whether by injection, inhalation, ingestion, or other means to the body of the individual by an individual legally authorized to do so.
Service Quality (Mentioned in 3.86% Job Postings): Service quality is a measure of how an organization delivers its services compared to the expectations of its customers.
See More Skills
Skills
Demand Percentage
Commitment
5.83%
Medication Administration
5.59%
Service Quality
3.86%
What skills can make your compensation higher?
Mastering certain specialized skills can lead to a significant increase in pay.
Here are examples of skills and the potential impact they can have on a Direct Care Specialist's salary.
Social Work: Can increase your salary by up to 12%.
Leadership: Can increase your salary by up to 9%.
Analysis: Can increase your salary by up to 9%.
Skill
Salary
Salary % Increase
Social Work
$39,750
12%
Leadership
$38,685
9%
Analysis
$38,685
9%
Patient Care
$37,265
5%
Initiative
$36,910
4%
Written Communication
$36,910
4%
Get Latest Data
Direct Care Specialist Salary by Industry: Top Paying Sectors
For Direct Care Specialist roles, the industry you choose can impact your earning potential
by as much as 40% (the gap between the highest and lowest paying industries).
Data shows that the highest-paying industry, Healthcare,
offers compensation 20% above the average. Conversely,
Direct Care Specialist positions in Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit typically offer lower base pay,
as this sector often view Direct Care Specialist as a support function rather than a direct revenue driver.
The top paying industry for a Direct Care Specialist
Industry Sector
Average Annual Salary
Average Hourly Rate
Pay vs.Avg
Healthcare
$42,589
$20.0
20%
Direct Care Specialist Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay
Understanding how a Direct Care Specialist's annual salary breaks down can help with budgeting.
Below, you can see the average hourly rate, weekly pay, and monthly pay for this role.
Use the buttons to switch between different pay periods.
Hourly
Monthly
Weekly
Yearly
Table View
Last Updated on August 01, 2026
$32,764
Average$35,491/year
$37,907
$2,730
Average$2,958/month
$3,159
$630
Average$683/week
$729
$16
Average$17/hour
$18
Annual Salary
Monthly Pay
Weekly Pay
Hourly Wage
75th Percentile
$37,907
$3,159
$729
$18
Average
$35,491
$2,958
$683
$17
25th Percentile
$32,764
$2,730
$630
$16
Salaries of jobs related to Direct Care Specialist
Salaries for a Direct Care Specialist can change over time,
reflecting shifts in market demand and the overall economy.
The median salary decreased from $40,885 in 2023
to around $40,728 in 2025,
reflecting changes in demand, location, experience, and the wider economy.
For a detailed analysis of Direct Care Specialist salary trends,
.
Average Annual Salary of Direct Care Specialist Over Time
2022
$???
2023
$40,885
2024
$41,097
2025
$40,728
2026
$???
2027
$???
Year
Average Annual Salary
2022
View More
2023
$40,885
2024
$41,097
2025
$40,728
2026
View More
2027
View More
Most common benefits for Direct Care Specialist
Social Security
401(k)
Disability
Healthcare
Pension
Time Off (days)
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Common company salaries for Direct Care Specialist
Here are companies hiring for Direct Care Specialist and their salaries, click below for more details.
N
$97,099/per year
New York Police Department
Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit
the United States
S
$95,962/per year
State of New York - Metropolitan Transportation Authority
Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit
the United States
U
$94,615/per year
US Department of Transportation
Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit
the United States
U
$93,141/per year
US General Services Administration
Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit
the United States
L
$92,342/per year
Los Angeles County
Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit
the United States
D
$92,011/per year
Department of Justice - Federal Bureau of Prisons
Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit
the United States
U
$91,967/per year
US Department of Commerce
Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit
the United States
U
$91,755/per year
US Department of Energy
Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit
the United States
F
$91,673/per year
Federal Bureau of Investigation
Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit
the United States
N
$90,276/per year
Naval Sea Systems Command
Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit
the United States
T
$88,975/per year
The US Immigration and Customs Enforcement
Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit
the United States
S
$88,721/per year
San Diego County
Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit
the United States
T
$88,664/per year
The TTB
Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit
the United States
L
$87,569/per year
Lutheran Services
Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit
the United States
M
$85,066/per year
Maryland Inc
Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit
the United States
S
$83,780/per year
State University of New York
Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit
the United States
N
$82,969/per year
New York State
Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit
the United States
P
$82,703/per year
Puerto Rico Department of Education
Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit
the United States
U
$80,526/per year
US Central Command
Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit
the United States
H
$80,286/per year
Health and Safety Executive Northern Ireland
Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit
the United States
A
$79,270/per year
Air Force Reserve
Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit
the United States
A
$78,505/per year
American Automobile Association (AAA)
Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit
the United States
S
$76,678/per year
State of Florida - Department of Health
Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit
the United States
N
$75,183/per year
New York State Department
Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit
the United States
S
$75,106/per year
State University System of Florida
Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit
the United States
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FAQ about Direct Care Specialist
1. What industry pays the highest salary for Direct Care Specialist?
The Healthcare industry offers the highest average compensation for Direct Care Specialist roles,
with salaries approximately 20% above the market median.
Where Does Our Salary Data Come From?
Salary.com provides salary estimates, histograms, trends, and comparisons using data from employer job postings and third-party sources.
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