Lead Direct Support Professional Salary in the United States

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

As of February 01, 2026, the average salary for a Lead Direct Support Professional in the United States is $35,950 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $17.

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

  • Top Earners (90th percentile): $40,519
  • Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $33,215 to $38,342
  • Entry-Level (10th percentile): $30,726
Compensation Planning
Develop a Job Description
Pay Equity
2025 Compensation Trend
AI-Powered HR
Recruit with AI
Salary Salary + Bonus Benefits
Paid Annually Paid Monthly Paid Semimonthly Paid Biweekly Paid Weekly Paid Hourly
View as table View as graph 25% $33,215 10% $30,726 90% $40,519 75% $38,342 $35,950 50%(Median) Didn’t find job title? Click

Lead Direct Support Professional Salaries by Percentile

Annual
Salary		 Monthly
Pay		 Weekly
Pay		 Hourly
Wage
75th Percentile $38,342 $3,195 $737 $18
Average $35,950 $2,996 $691 $17
25th Percentile $33,215 $2,768 $639 $16
Check out Lead Direct Support Professional Job Openings in the United States
Direct Support Professional

Pinnacle Services, Inc. - MINNEAPOLIS, MN

Direct Support Professional

Pinnacle Services, Inc. - MINNEAPOLIS, MN

Direct Support Professional

Pinnacle Services, Inc. - MINNEAPOLIS, MN

Direct Support Professional

Accessible Space - DULUTH, MN

Search More Lead Direct Support Professional Jobs in the United States
Choose Similar Job
Choose Category
Cost of Living
Average Salary for United States
See it in Action

Key Factors That Influence Lead Direct Support Professional Salaries

A Lead 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 and company size can directly affect your earning potential.

How Experience Level Affects Lead Direct Support Professional Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of a Lead 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): $36,140
  • Early Career (1-2 years): $32,615
  • Mid-Level (2-4 years): $39,174
  • Senior-Level (5-8 years): $43,710
  • Expert (over 8 years): $43,779
Levels Salary
Lead Dire... Level Lead Direct Support Professional$36,140
Home Care... Level Lead Direct Support Professional$32,615
Home Care... Level Lead Direct Support Professional$39,174
Home Care... Level Lead Direct Support Professional$43,710
Home Care... Level Lead Direct Support Professional$43,779
$36,140 0 yr
$32,615 < 2 yrs
$39,174 2-4 yrs
$43,710 5-8 yrs
$43,779 > 8 yrs
View as Table
View as Graph

What Am I Worth?

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

  • District of Columbia: $39,804.
  • California: $39,653.
  • Massachusetts: $39,124.

Top Paying Cities for Lead 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: $45,343
  • San Francisco: $44,898
  • Oakland: $43,902

What Skills Can Increase a Lead 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 Lead 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
 $40,264
12%
Leadership
 $39,185
9%
Analysis
 $39,185
9%
Patient Care
 $37,747
5%
Initiative
 $37,388
4%
Written Communication
 $37,388
4%
Get Latest Data

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

Understanding how a Lead 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.

  • Hourly
  • Monthly
  • Weekly
  • Yearly
  • Table View
Last Updated on February 01, 2026
$33,215
Average $35,950/year
$38,342
$2,768
Average $2,996/month
$3,195
$639
Average $691/week
$737
$16
Average $17/hour
$18
Annual Salary Monthly Pay Weekly Pay Hourly Wage
75th Percentile $38,342 $3,195 $737 $18
Average $35,950 $2,996 $691 $17
25th Percentile $33,215 $2,768 $639 $16

Salaries of jobs related to Lead Direct Support Professional

Salary Trends for Lead Direct Support Professional

Salaries for a Lead Direct Support Professional can change over time, reflecting shifts in market demand and the overall economy. The median salary decreased from $40,951 in 2023 to around $40,794 in 2025, reflecting changes in demand, location, experience, and the wider economy. For a detailed analysis of Lead Direct Support Professional salary trends, .

Average Annual Salary of Lead Direct Support Professional Over Time

2022
$???
2023
$40,951
2024
$41,163
2025
$40,794
2026
$???
2027
$???
Year Average Annual Salary
2022
View More
2023 $40,951
2024 $41,163
2025 $40,794
2026
View More
2027
View More

Most common benefits for Lead Direct Support Professional

Social Security
401(k)
Disability
Healthcare
Pension
Time Off (days)
For Employers

If your compensation planning software is too rigid to deploy winning incentive strategies, it’s time to find an adaptable solution.

Compensation Planning

Common company salaries for Lead Direct Support Professional

Here are companies hiring for Lead Direct Support Professional and their salaries, click below for more details.

Find Your Next Lead Direct Support Professional Job

Ready to take the next step in your career? Browse thousands of current Lead Direct Support Professional job openings on our job board. Use the search bar below to find your perfect match.

United States
For Employees

Get a Salary Increase

Analyze the market and your qualifications to negotiate your salary with confidence.

Search Job Openings

Search thousands of open positions to find your next opportunity.

For Employers

Adjust Employee Salary

Individualize employee pay based on unique job requirements and personal qualifications.

Price My Industry Jobs

Get the latest market price for benchmark jobs and jobs in your industry.

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.

We offer detailed salary information across multiple percentiles for your reference. (Click here to learn Why the Salary Midpoint Formula Is Crucial for Achieving Pay Equity.)

With the most extensive online, real-time compensation data available, Salary.com helps you pinpoint your exact pay target.

Are you an HR manager or compensation specialist?

Salary.com's CompAnalyst platform offers:

  • Detailed skills and competency reports for specific positions
  • Job and employee pricing reports
  • Compensation data tools, salary structures, surveys and benchmarks.
Learn about CompAnalyst