What are the main factors that influence a Direct Support Specialist's salary?

The primary factors are: 1) Experience Level, 2) Geographic Location, 3) Education/Skills, 4) Company Size & Industry

How does experience change A Direct Support Specialist's salary?

A Direct Support Specialist's salary grows with experience: a Direct Support Specialist (0-0 years)earns $35,265, a Home Care Aide I (0-1 years)earns $31,823, a Home Care Aide II (1-3 years)earns $38,242, a Home Care Aide III (3-5 years)earns $42,676, a Home Care Aide Coordinator (5+ years)earns $42,736,

What are the highest paying states for a Direct Support Specialist?

Direct Support Specialist salary varies significantly by state. The top 3 highest paying states for Direct Support Specialist roles are District of Columbia $38,431, California $38,285, Massachusetts $37,775. These tech hubs typically pay 10-15% above the national average.

How much do different types of Direct Support Specialist roles make?

Salaries for Direct Support Specialist level roles vary by specialization: Direct Support Professionals: $169,928; Direct Support Associate: $39,490; Direct Care Support: $39,070; Direct Support Worker: $38,679; Direct Support Assistant: $38,458.

How do different companies affect a Direct Support Specialist's salary?

Company size, industry, and compensation structure create significant salary variations for Direct Support Specialist roles. Large, established industry leaders like New York Police Department ($97,099) and State of New York - Metropolitan Transportation Authority ($95,962) offer base salaries 35-40% above the national average. In contrast, smaller firms or startups may offer closer to $75,106.

Direct Support Specialist Salary in the United States

How much does a Direct Support Specialist make in the United States?

As of May 01, 2026, the average salary for a Direct Support Specialist in the United States is $34,710 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $17.

However, a Direct Support Specialist's salary can vary significantly. Here’s a look at the typical salary range:

Top Earners (90th percentile): $39,223
Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $32,048 to $37,073
Entry-Level (10th percentile): $29,625

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Direct Support Specialist Salaries by Percentile

	Annual Salary	Monthly Pay	Weekly Pay	Hourly Wage
75th Percentile	$37,073	$3,089	$713	$18
Average	$34,710	$2,893	$668	$17
25th Percentile	$32,048	$2,671	$616	$15

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Key Factors That Influence Direct Support Specialist Salaries

A Direct Support 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 Support Specialist Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of a Direct Support 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): $35,265
Early Career (1-2 years): $31,823
Mid-Level (2-4 years): $38,242
Senior-Level (5-8 years): $42,676
Expert (over 8 years): $42,736

Levels	Salary
Direct Su... Level Direct Support Specialist	$35,265
Home Care... Level Direct Support Specialist	$31,823
Home Care... Level Direct Support Specialist	$38,242
Home Care... Level Direct Support Specialist	$42,676
Home Care... Level Direct Support Specialist	$42,736

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What Am I Worth?

How Do Direct Support 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 Support Specialists. For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:

District of Columbia: $38,431.
California: $38,285.
Massachusetts: $37,775.

District of Columbia $38,431 California $38,285 Massachusetts $37,775 Washington $37,636 New Jersey $37,622 Alaska $37,574 Connecticut $37,095 New York $36,900

Hawaii $36,279 Rhode Island $35,988 Maryland $35,790 Minnesota $35,519 Colorado $35,415 Illinois $35,380 Oregon $35,248 Delaware $35,151

New Hampshire $35,090 Virginia $34,953 Pennsylvania $34,554 Nevada $34,353 North Dakota $34,287 Michigan $34,183 Wisconsin $34,144 Vermont $34,068

Texas $33,856 Maine $33,842 Arizona $33,822 Ohio $33,797 Georgia $33,478 Indiana $33,318 Wyoming $33,287 Utah $33,238

Iowa $33,218 Kansas $33,051 Louisiana $33,002 North Carolina $32,985 Missouri $32,978 Florida $32,843 Montana $32,770 Nebraska $32,700

Kentucky $32,662 South Carolina $32,523 Tennessee $32,437 Idaho $32,402 New Mexico $32,149 Oklahoma $32,093 Alabama $31,888 South Dakota $31,545

Arkansas $31,357 West Virginia $31,257 Mississippi $30,955

Top Paying Cities for Direct Support 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: $43,780
San Francisco: $43,301
Oakland: $42,388

San Jose, CA $43,780

San Francisco, CA $43,301

Oakland, CA $42,388

New York, NY $39,965

Paramus, NJ $39,479

Queens Village, NY $39,477

Passaic, NJ $39,444

Bergenfield, NJ $39,441

Stamford, CT $39,365

Huntington, NY $39,351

Newark, NJ $39,094

Bridgeport, CT $39,021

Vallejo, CA $38,952

New Brunswick, NJ $38,938

Petaluma, CA $38,917

Middlesex, NJ $38,851

Somerset, NJ $38,827

Santa Cruz, CA $38,782

Boston, MA $38,570

Monterey, CA $38,448

Seattle, WA $38,369

Santa Rosa, CA $38,362

Los Angeles, CA $38,351

Juneau, AK $38,261

Washington, DC $38,223

Orange, CA $38,099

Santa Ana, CA $38,008

Long Beach, CA $37,973

Anaheim, CA $37,966

Anchorage, AK $37,949

Santa Maria, CA $37,845

Everett, WA $37,838

Danbury, CT $37,715

Bremerton, WA $37,668

Tacoma, WA $37,543

New Suffolk, NY $37,542

Sacramento, CA $37,532

Santa Barbara, CA $37,494

Trenton, NJ $37,456

San Diego, CA $37,456

Brockton, MA $37,418

Fairbanks, AK $37,333

Lompoc, CA $37,244

Lowell, MA $37,216

Ventura, CA $37,209

Nashua, NH $37,202

Stockton, CA $37,199

Modesto, CA $36,946

Poughkeepsie, NY $36,869

Olympia, WA $36,803

Kennewick, WA $36,803

New Haven, CT $36,789

Lawrence, MA $36,664

Hartford, CT $36,630

Riverside, CA $36,623

New Bedford, MA $36,588

Richland, WA $36,588

Bakersfield, CA $36,539

San Bernardino, CA $36,526

New Britain, CT $36,522

Atlantic City, NJ $36,522

New London, CT $36,508

Norwich, CT $36,498

Portsmouth, NH $36,491

Boulder, CO $36,417

Portland, OR $36,369

Worcester, MA $36,366

Minneapolis, MN $36,258

Philadelphia, PA $36,210

Honolulu, HI $36,095

Saint Paul, MN $36,078

Vineland, NJ $36,071

Providence, RI $35,970

Chicago, IL $35,870

Bellingham, WA $35,828

Springfield, MA $35,800

Baltimore, MD $35,790

Chico, CA $35,703

Pittsfield, MA $35,609

Manchester, NH $35,543

Spokane, WA $35,391

Denver, CO $35,387

Albany, NY $35,224

Troy, NY $35,210

Nassau, NY $35,173

Schenectady, NY $35,137

Wilmington, DE $35,109

Burlington, VT $35,061

Salem, OR $35,047

Portland, ME $34,939

Yakima, WA $34,905

Rochester, MN $34,797

Reno, NV $34,780

Fresno, CA $34,780

Milwaukee, WI $34,748

Detroit, MI $34,714

Ann Arbor, MI $34,708

Allentown, PA $34,703

Colorado Springs, CO $34,644

Syracuse, NY $34,627

Carson City, NV $34,627

Houston, TX $34,578

Eugene, OR $34,561

Gary, IN $34,519

Springfield, OR $34,492

Bismarck, ND $34,485

Galveston, TX $34,460

Medford, OR $34,408

Fort Collins, CO $34,394

Concord, NH $34,377

Austin, TX $34,367

Mesa, AZ $34,294

Reading, PA $34,290

Phoenix, AZ $34,287

Dallas, TX $34,276

Saint Cloud, MN $34,243

Madison, WI $34,196

Utica, NY $34,103

Rochester, NY $34,047

Des Moines, IA $34,044

Raleigh, NC $34,040

Atlanta, GA $33,988

Battle Creek, MI $33,978

Salt Lake City, UT $33,967

Lancaster, PA $33,915

Harrisburg, PA $33,867

Kansas City, MO $33,832

Champaign, IL $33,825

Kansas City, KS $33,825

Fort Worth, TX $33,822

Columbus, OH $33,816

Boca Raton, FL $33,808

Pittsburgh, PA $33,794

Richmond, VA $33,780

Indianapolis, IN $33,773

Cleveland, OH $33,770

Las Vegas, NV $33,728

Cincinnati, OH $33,728

Petersburg, VA $33,676

Huntsville, AL $33,624

Lansing, MI $33,601

Lebanon, PA $33,596

Pueblo, CO $33,593

Appleton, WI $33,582

Buffalo, NY $33,568

Dayton, OH $33,558

Racine, WI $33,551

Charlotte, NC $33,547

Saint Louis, MO $33,537

York, PA $33,516

Elkhart, IN $33,516

Gastonia, NC $33,510

Billings, MT $33,501

Beaumont, TX $33,492

Lorain, OH $33,485

Benton Harbor, MI $33,478

Toledo, OH $33,471

Binghamton, NY $33,454

Rock Hill, SC $33,450

Rockford, IL $33,433

Springfield, IL $33,419

Elyria, OH $33,416

Fargo, ND $33,416

Flagstaff, AZ $33,391

Fort Lauderdale, FL $33,370

Duluth, MN $33,350

Miami, FL $33,350

Cheyenne, WY $33,325

Grand Forks, ND $33,325

Bangor, ME $33,249

Cedar Rapids, IA $33,211

Durham, NC $33,196

Louisville, KY $33,193

Grand Rapids, MI $33,186

Hialeah, FL $33,183

Casper, WY $33,134

Scranton, PA $33,093

New Orleans, LA $33,082

Virginia Beach, VA $33,079

Akron, OH $33,061

Peoria, IL $33,016

Sarasota, FL $33,009

Nashville, TN $32,985

Omaha, NE $32,985

Green Bay, WI $32,985

Baton Rouge, LA $32,968

Charleston, SC $32,961

Jamestown, NY $32,943

Davenport, IA $32,943

Tucson, AZ $32,926

Saint Petersburg, FL $32,905

Tampa, FL $32,898

Evansville, IN $32,878

Port Arthur, TX $32,878

Bradenton, FL $32,864

Santa Fe, NM $32,801

Orlando, FL $32,739

Clearwater, FL $32,728

Canton, OH $32,655

La Crosse, WI $32,655

Albuquerque, NM $32,635

Newport News, VA $32,631

High Point, NC $32,621

Ogden, UT $32,607

Corpus Christi, TX $32,579

Norfolk, VA $32,558

Laramie, WY $32,558

Rock Island, IL $32,537

Saginaw, MI $32,530

Jacksonville, FL $32,527

Salisbury, NC $32,520

Boise, ID $32,513

Moline, IL $32,496

Fort Myers, FL $32,485

Memphis, TN $32,478

Tulsa, OK $32,461

Waterloo, IA $32,440

Spartanburg, SC $32,405

Lincoln, NE $32,388

Fort Wayne, IN $32,381

Provo, UT $32,378

Cedar Falls, IA $32,336

San Antonio, TX $32,322

Greensboro, NC $32,308

South Bend, IN $32,305

Savannah, GA $32,267

Muskegon, MI $32,253

Birmingham, AL $32,249

Winston Salem, NC $32,232

Lake Charles, LA $32,149

Anderson, IN $32,142

Lexington, KY $32,131

Augusta, GA $32,121

Greenville, SC $32,121

Lima, OH $32,093

Wichita, KS $32,090

Tuscaloosa, AL $32,090

Columbia, SC $32,058

Springfield, OH $32,051

Asheville, NC $31,996

Bloomington, IN $31,972

Knoxville, TN $31,847

Shreveport, LA $31,843

Wilmington, NC $31,798

Roanoke, VA $31,798

Topeka, KS $31,736

Frankfort, KY $31,732

Oklahoma City, OK $31,708

Chillicothe, OH $31,694

Longview, TX $31,690

Melbourne, FL $31,687

Sioux Falls, SD $31,631

Mobile, AL $31,628

Terre Haute, IN $31,614

Altoona, PA $31,593

Amarillo, TX $31,569

Killeen, TX $31,559

Fayetteville, AR $31,531

Chattanooga, TN $31,520

Sioux City, IA $31,489

Idaho Falls, ID $31,482

Lynchburg, VA $31,454

Gainesville, FL $31,409

Portsmouth, OH $31,392

Little Rock, AR $31,385

Lafayette, LA $31,371

Youngstown, OH $31,371

Daytona Beach, FL $31,350

Clarksville, TN $31,347

Pensacola, FL $31,343

Temple, TX $31,341

Hopkinsville, KY $31,239

Erie, PA $31,232

Florence, SC $31,218

Charleston, WV $31,163

Great Falls, MT $31,145

Macon, GA $31,097

Tallahassee, FL $31,093

Fayetteville, NC $31,086

Waco, TX $31,080

Helena, MT $31,055

Pine Bluff, AR $31,042

Vincennes, IN $31,000

Lubbock, TX $30,986

Alamogordo, NM $30,965

Twin Falls, ID $30,934

Rapid City, SD $30,923

Jackson, MS $30,861

Huntington, WV $30,858

Greenville, MS $30,857

Parkersburg, WV $30,822

Montgomery, AL $30,816

Wichita Falls, TX $30,781

Springfield, MO $30,781

Biloxi, MS $30,764

Monroe, LA $30,729

Johnstown, PA $30,705

Sumter, SC $30,691

Columbus, GA $30,687

Pascagoula, MS $30,621

Abilene, TX $30,621

Kingsport, TN $30,531

Albany, GA $30,531

Gulfport, MS $30,521

Alexandria, LA $30,406

Fort Smith, AR $30,319

El Paso, TX $30,226

Las Cruces, NM $30,069

Harlingen, TX $29,981

Pocatello, ID $29,976

Florence, AL $29,931

Brownsville, TX $29,924

Mcallen, TX $29,851

Dothan, AL $29,802

Columbus, MS $29,596

Altus, OK $29,434

Lawton, OK $29,368

Pierre, SD $29,243

What Skills Can Increase a Direct Support 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 Support 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	$38,875	12%
Leadership	$37,834	9%
Analysis	$37,834	9%
Patient Care	$36,446	5%
Initiative	$36,099	4%
Written Communication	$36,099	4%

Get Latest Data

Direct Support Specialist Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how a Direct Support 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.

Last Updated on May 01, 2026

$32,048

Average $34,710/year

$37,073

$2,671

Average $2,893/month

$3,089

$616

Average $668/week

$713

$15

Average $17/hour

$18

	Annual Salary	Monthly Pay	Weekly Pay	Hourly Wage
75th Percentile	$37,073	$3,089	$713	$18
Average	$34,710	$2,893	$668	$17
25th Percentile	$32,048	$2,671	$616	$15

Salaries of jobs related to Direct Support Specialist

Salary Trends for Direct Support Specialist

Salaries for a Direct Support Specialist can change over time, reflecting shifts in market demand and the overall economy. The median salary decreased from $39,973 in 2023 to around $39,819 in 2025, reflecting changes in demand, location, experience, and the wider economy. For a detailed analysis of Direct Support Specialist salary trends, .

Average Annual Salary of Direct Support Specialist Over Time

2022

$???

2023

$39,973

2024

$40,180

2025

$39,819

2026

$???

2027

$???

Year	Average Annual Salary
2022	View More
2023	$39,973
2024	$40,180
2025	$39,819
2026	View More
2027	View More

Most common benefits for Direct Support Specialist

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