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

A Direct Support Professional's salary grows with experience: a Direct Support Professional (0-0 years)earns $35,510, a Home Care Aide I (0-1 years)earns $32,044, a Home Care Aide II (1-3 years)earns $38,507, a Home Care Aide III (3-5 years)earns $42,972, a Home Care Aide Coordinator (5+ years)earns $43,033,

What are the highest paying cities for a Direct Support Professional?

Direct Support Professional salary varies significantly by city. The top 3 highest paying cities in Maryland for Direct Support Professional roles are San Jose $44,685, San Francisco $44,195, Oakland $43,264.

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

Salaries for Direct Support Professional level roles vary by specialization: Direct Support Professional 2: $64,776; Direct Support Professional Supervisor: $62,328; Direct Support Professional Caregiver: $39,591; Direct Support Professional-SCL: $39,409; Direct Support Professional IDD: $38,755.

What specialized skills increase a Direct Support Professional's salary?

Skills with high demand and low supply, such as Social Work (up to 12% premium), Leadership (up to 9% premium), Analysis (up to 9% premium), directly translate to higher compensation. Employers pay more for these capabilities to gain a competitive edge.

Direct Support Professional Salary in Georgetown, MD

How much does a Direct Support Professional make in Georgetown, MD?

As of May 01, 2026, the average salary for a Direct Support Professional in Georgetown, MD is $35,695 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $17.

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

Top Earners (90th percentile): $40,522
Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $33,239 to $38,222
Entry-Level (10th percentile): $31,002

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Direct Support Professional Salaries by Percentile

	Annual Salary	Monthly Pay	Weekly Pay	Hourly Wage
75th Percentile	$38,222	$3,185	$735	$18
Average	$35,695	$2,975	$686	$17
25th Percentile	$33,239	$2,770	$639	$16

You may get higher pay by adjusting the following factors:

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Check out Direct Support Professional Job Openings in Georgetown, MD

Direct Support Professional - PRN

Catholic Charities of Baltimore - Glen Burnie, MD

Direct Support Professional: Sunday-Thursday Overnight (11pm-8:30am)

Anchor Home - , MD

PT Weekday Direct Support Professional (DSP)- Harford/ Havre De Grace

Richcroft, Inc. - Havre De Grace, MD

Direct Support Professional (DSP)

Aspire Living & Learning - Abingdon, MD

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Key Factors That Influence Direct Support Professional Salaries

A Direct Support Professional'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, skills and company size can directly affect your earning potential.

How Experience Level Affects Direct Support Professional Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of a Direct Support Professional'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): $35,510
Early Career (1-2 years): $32,044
Mid-Level (2-4 years): $38,507
Senior-Level (5-8 years): $42,972
Expert (over 8 years): $43,033

Levels	Salary
Direct Su... Level Direct Support Professional	$35,510
Home Care... Level Direct Support Professional	$32,044
Home Care... Level Direct Support Professional	$38,507
Home Care... Level Direct Support Professional	$42,972
Home Care... Level Direct Support Professional	$43,033

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What Am I Worth?

Top Paying Cities for Direct Support Professionals

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: $44,685
San Francisco: $44,195
Oakland: $43,264

San Jose, CA $44,685

San Francisco, CA $44,195

Oakland, CA $43,264

New York, NY $40,791

Paramus, NJ $40,295

Queens Village, NY $40,293

Passaic, NJ $40,259

Bergenfield, NJ $40,256

Stamford, CT $40,178

Huntington, NY $40,164

Newark, NJ $39,902

Bridgeport, CT $39,827

Vallejo, CA $39,757

New Brunswick, NJ $39,742

Petaluma, CA $39,721

Middlesex, NJ $39,654

Somerset, NJ $39,629

Santa Cruz, CA $39,583

Boston, MA $39,367

Monterey, CA $39,243

Seattle, WA $39,161

Santa Rosa, CA $39,154

Los Angeles, CA $39,144

Juneau, AK $39,052

Washington, DC $39,013

Orange, CA $38,887

Santa Ana, CA $38,793

Long Beach, CA $38,758

Anaheim, CA $38,750

Anchorage, AK $38,733

Santa Maria, CA $38,626

Everett, WA $38,619

Danbury, CT $38,495

Bremerton, WA $38,446

Tacoma, WA $38,318

New Suffolk, NY $38,318

Sacramento, CA $38,308

Santa Barbara, CA $38,269

Trenton, NJ $38,230

San Diego, CA $38,230

Brockton, MA $38,191

Fairbanks, AK $38,104

Lompoc, CA $38,014

Lowell, MA $37,985

Ventura, CA $37,978

Nashua, NH $37,971

Stockton, CA $37,968

Modesto, CA $37,709

Poughkeepsie, NY $37,631

Olympia, WA $37,564

Kennewick, WA $37,564

New Haven, CT $37,550

Lawrence, MA $37,422

Hartford, CT $37,387

Riverside, CA $37,379

New Bedford, MA $37,344

Richland, WA $37,344

Bakersfield, CA $37,294

San Bernardino, CA $37,280

New Britain, CT $37,277

Atlantic City, NJ $37,277

New London, CT $37,263

Norwich, CT $37,252

Portsmouth, NH $37,245

Boulder, CO $37,170

Portland, OR $37,121

Worcester, MA $37,117

Minneapolis, MN $37,007

Philadelphia, PA $36,958

Honolulu, HI $36,841

Saint Paul, MN $36,824

Vineland, NJ $36,816

Providence, RI $36,713

Chicago, IL $36,611

Bellingham, WA $36,568

Springfield, MA $36,540

Baltimore, MD $36,529

Chico, CA $36,441

Pittsfield, MA $36,345

Manchester, NH $36,278

Spokane, WA $36,122

Denver, CO $36,118

Albany, NY $35,952

Troy, NY $35,938

Nassau, NY $35,900

Schenectady, NY $35,863

Wilmington, DE $35,835

Burlington, VT $35,785

Salem, OR $35,771

Portland, ME $35,661

Yakima, WA $35,626

Rochester, MN $35,516

Reno, NV $35,498

Fresno, CA $35,498

Milwaukee, WI $35,466

Detroit, MI $35,431

Ann Arbor, MI $35,425

Allentown, PA $35,420

Colorado Springs, CO $35,360

Syracuse, NY $35,342

Carson City, NV $35,342

Houston, TX $35,293

Eugene, OR $35,275

Gary, IN $35,233

Springfield, OR $35,204

Bismarck, ND $35,197

Galveston, TX $35,172

Medford, OR $35,119

Fort Collins, CO $35,105

Concord, NH $35,087

Austin, TX $35,077

Mesa, AZ $35,002

Reading, PA $34,999

Phoenix, AZ $34,995

Dallas, TX $34,985

Saint Cloud, MN $34,951

Madison, WI $34,903

Utica, NY $34,807

Rochester, NY $34,751

Des Moines, IA $34,747

Raleigh, NC $34,744

Atlanta, GA $34,691

Battle Creek, MI $34,680

Salt Lake City, UT $34,669

Lancaster, PA $34,616

Harrisburg, PA $34,567

Kansas City, MO $34,531

Champaign, IL $34,524

Kansas City, KS $34,524

Fort Worth, TX $34,520

Columbus, OH $34,514

Boca Raton, FL $34,506

Pittsburgh, PA $34,492

Richmond, VA $34,478

Indianapolis, IN $34,471

Cleveland, OH $34,467

Las Vegas, NV $34,425

Cincinnati, OH $34,425

Petersburg, VA $34,372

Huntsville, AL $34,319

Lansing, MI $34,295

Lebanon, PA $34,290

Pueblo, CO $34,287

Appleton, WI $34,276

Buffalo, NY $34,262

Dayton, OH $34,251

Racine, WI $34,244

Charlotte, NC $34,241

Saint Louis, MO $34,230

York, PA $34,209

Elkhart, IN $34,209

Gastonia, NC $34,202

Billings, MT $34,193

Beaumont, TX $34,184

Lorain, OH $34,177

Benton Harbor, MI $34,170

Toledo, OH $34,163

Binghamton, NY $34,145

Rock Hill, SC $34,141

Rockford, IL $34,124

Springfield, IL $34,110

Elyria, OH $34,106

Fargo, ND $34,106

Flagstaff, AZ $34,081

Fort Lauderdale, FL $34,060

Duluth, MN $34,039

Miami, FL $34,039

Cheyenne, WY $34,014

Grand Forks, ND $34,014

Bangor, ME $33,936

Cedar Rapids, IA $33,897

Durham, NC $33,882

Louisville, KY $33,879

Grand Rapids, MI $33,872

Hialeah, FL $33,869

Casper, WY $33,819

Scranton, PA $33,776

New Orleans, LA $33,766

Virginia Beach, VA $33,762

Akron, OH $33,745

Peoria, IL $33,699

Sarasota, FL $33,691

Nashville, TN $33,667

Omaha, NE $33,667

Green Bay, WI $33,667

Baton Rouge, LA $33,649

Charleston, SC $33,642

Jamestown, NY $33,624

Davenport, IA $33,624

Tucson, AZ $33,606

Saint Petersburg, FL $33,585

Tampa, FL $33,578

Evansville, IN $33,557

Port Arthur, TX $33,557

Bradenton, FL $33,543

Santa Fe, NM $33,479

Orlando, FL $33,415

Clearwater, FL $33,404

Canton, OH $33,330

La Crosse, WI $33,330

Albuquerque, NM $33,309

Newport News, VA $33,305

High Point, NC $33,295

Ogden, UT $33,280

Corpus Christi, TX $33,252

Norfolk, VA $33,231

Laramie, WY $33,231

Rock Island, IL $33,210

Saginaw, MI $33,203

Jacksonville, FL $33,199

Salisbury, NC $33,192

Boise, ID $33,185

Moline, IL $33,167

Fort Myers, FL $33,157

Memphis, TN $33,149

Tulsa, OK $33,132

Waterloo, IA $33,110

Spartanburg, SC $33,075

Lincoln, NE $33,057

Fort Wayne, IN $33,050

Provo, UT $33,047

Cedar Falls, IA $33,004

San Antonio, TX $32,990

Greensboro, NC $32,976

South Bend, IN $32,972

Savannah, GA $32,933

Muskegon, MI $32,919

Birmingham, AL $32,916

Winston Salem, NC $32,898

Lake Charles, LA $32,813

Anderson, IN $32,806

Lexington, KY $32,795

Augusta, GA $32,785

Greenville, SC $32,785

Lima, OH $32,756

Wichita, KS $32,753

Tuscaloosa, AL $32,753

Columbia, SC $32,721

Springfield, OH $32,714

Asheville, NC $32,657

Bloomington, IN $32,632

Knoxville, TN $32,505

Shreveport, LA $32,501

Wilmington, NC $32,455

Roanoke, VA $32,455

Topeka, KS $32,391

Frankfort, KY $32,387

Oklahoma City, OK $32,363

Chillicothe, OH $32,349

Longview, TX $32,345

Melbourne, FL $32,342

Sioux Falls, SD $32,285

Mobile, AL $32,281

Terre Haute, IN $32,267

Altoona, PA $32,246

Amarillo, TX $32,221

Killeen, TX $32,211

Fayetteville, AR $32,182

Chattanooga, TN $32,172

Sioux City, IA $32,140

Idaho Falls, ID $32,133

Lynchburg, VA $32,104

Gainesville, FL $32,058

Portsmouth, OH $32,041

Little Rock, AR $32,033

Lafayette, LA $32,019

Youngstown, OH $32,019

Daytona Beach, FL $31,998

Clarksville, TN $31,994

Pensacola, FL $31,991

Temple, TX $31,988

Hopkinsville, KY $31,885

Erie, PA $31,878

Florence, SC $31,863

Charleston, WV $31,807

Great Falls, MT $31,789

Macon, GA $31,739

Tallahassee, FL $31,736

Fayetteville, NC $31,729

Waco, TX $31,722

Helena, MT $31,697

Pine Bluff, AR $31,683

Vincennes, IN $31,640

Lubbock, TX $31,626

Alamogordo, NM $31,605

Twin Falls, ID $31,573

Rapid City, SD $31,562

Jackson, MS $31,499

Huntington, WV $31,496

Greenville, MS $31,495

Parkersburg, WV $31,459

Montgomery, AL $31,452

Wichita Falls, TX $31,417

Springfield, MO $31,417

Biloxi, MS $31,399

Monroe, LA $31,364

Johnstown, PA $31,339

Sumter, SC $31,325

Columbus, GA $31,321

Pascagoula, MS $31,254

Abilene, TX $31,254

Kingsport, TN $31,162

Albany, GA $31,162

Gulfport, MS $31,151

Alexandria, LA $31,034

Fort Smith, AR $30,946

El Paso, TX $30,850

Las Cruces, NM $30,691

Harlingen, TX $30,601

Pocatello, ID $30,595

Florence, AL $30,549

Brownsville, TX $30,542

Mcallen, TX $30,468

Dothan, AL $30,418

Columbus, MS $30,208

Altus, OK $30,042

Lawton, OK $29,975

Pierre, SD $29,848

What Skills Can Increase a Direct Support Professional'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 Professional'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	$39,979	12%
Leadership	$38,908	9%
Analysis	$38,908	9%
Patient Care	$37,480	5%
Initiative	$37,123	4%
Written Communication	$37,123	4%

Get Latest Data

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

Understanding how a Direct Support Professional'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

$33,239

Average $35,695/year

$38,222

$2,770

Average $2,975/month

$3,185

$639

Average $686/week

$735

$16

Average $17/hour

$18

	Annual Salary	Monthly Pay	Weekly Pay	Hourly Wage
75th Percentile	$38,222	$3,185	$735	$18
Average	$35,695	$2,975	$686	$17
25th Percentile	$33,239	$2,770	$639	$16

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