What are the top 10 cities with the highest pay for Direct Support Staff?

We've identified 10 cities in the United States where Direct Support Staff jobs typically pay above the area average. Topping the list is Hettinger, ND (23.6% above average), followed by Berkeley, CA and San Francisco, CA. City Annual Salary Monthly Pay Weekly Pay Hourly Wage Hettinger, ND $41,866 $3,488 $805 $20.13 Berkeley, CA $41,473 $3,456 $797 $19.94 San Francisco, CA $39,906 $3,325 $767 $19.19 Chester, NH $39,799 $3,316 $765 $19.13 Sunnyvale, CA $39,753 $3,312 $764 $19.11 Livermore, CA $39,730 $3,310 $764 $19.10 Waimea, HI $39,505 $3,292 $759 $18.99 Glendale, CA $39,172 $3,264 $753 $18.83 Arlington, VA $38,967 $3,247 $749 $18.73 Oakland, CA $38,900 $3,241 $748 $18.70

Direct Support Staff

Direct Support Staff Salary

Q: How much does a Direct Support Staff make?

The average annual pay for a direct support staff in the United States is $33,871 a year — that works out to approximately $16.28 an hour. The middle 80% of Direct Support Staffs earn between $27,500 (10th percentile) and $40,000 (90th percentile) per year, depending on experience and employer.

Q: What are Top 5 Best Paying Related Direct Support Staff Jobs in the United States?

We found several jobs related to Direct Support Staff in the United States that pay more on average. Topping the list is Cpap Consultant at $49,418 (145.9%) above Direct Support Staff. Job Title Annual Salary Monthly Pay Weekly Pay Hourly Wage Cpap Consultant $83,289 $6,940 $1,601 $40.04 Ssw $57,056 $4,754 $1,097 $27.43 Direct Care Professional $34,887 $2,907 $670 $16.77 Dsp Supervisor $33,871 $2,822 $651 $16.28 Animal Physical Therapy $30,014 $2,501 $577 $14.43

$20.5K

$34K

$43K

$33,871

/year

$16.28

/hour

Direct Support Staff Salary Comparison by Location

Nationwide

United States

$33,871

Columbus

Ohio

$32,716

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How much does a Direct Support Staff make?

As of Sep 1, 2026, the average annual pay for a Direct Support Staff in the United States is $33,871 a year.

Just in case you need a simple salary calculator, that works out to be approximately $16.28 an hour. This is the equivalent of $651/week or $2,822/month.

While ZipRecruiter is seeing annual salaries as high as $43,000 and as low as $20,500, the majority of Direct Support Staff salaries currently range between $30,000 (25th percentile) to $36,500 (75th percentile) with top earners (90th percentile) making $40,000 annually across the United States. The average pay range for a Direct Support Staff varies little (about 6500), which suggests that regardless of location, there are not many opportunities for increased pay or advancement, even with several years of experience.

A Direct Support Staff in your area makes on average $32,716 per year, or $1,155 (3.410%) less than the national average annual salary of $33,871. Ohio ranks number 30 out of 50 states nationwide for Direct Support Staff salaries.

To estimate the most accurate annual salary range for Direct Support Staff jobs, ZipRecruiter continuously scans its database of millions of active jobs published locally throughout America.

Find your next high paying job as a Direct Support Staff on ZipRecruiter today.

What are Top 10 Highest Paying Cities for Direct Support Staff Jobs

We've identified 10 cities where the typical salary for a Direct Support Staff job is above the national average. Topping the list is Hettinger, ND, , with Berkeley, CA, and San Francisco, CA, close behind in the second and third positions. San Francisco, CA, beats the national average by $6,035 (17.8%), and Hettinger, ND, furthers that trend with another $7,995 (23.6%) above the $33,871 average.

With these 10 cities having average salaries higher than the national average, the opportunities for economic advancement by changing locations as a Direct Support Staff appears to be exceedingly fruitful.

Finally, another factor to consider is the average salary for these top 10 cities varies very little at 7% between Hettinger, ND, and Oakland, CA, , reinforcing the limited potential for much wage advancement. The possibility of a lower cost of living may be the best factor to use when considering location and salary for a Direct Support Staff role.

City	Annual Salary	Monthly Pay	Weekly Pay	Hourly Wage
Hettinger, ND	$41,866	$3,488	$805	$20.13
Berkeley, CA	$41,473	$3,456	$797	$19.94
San Francisco, CA	$39,906	$3,325	$767	$19.19
Chester, NH	$39,799	$3,316	$765	$19.13
Sunnyvale, CA	$39,753	$3,312	$764	$19.11
Livermore, CA	$39,730	$3,310	$764	$19.10
Waimea, HI	$39,505	$3,292	$759	$18.99
Glendale, CA	$39,172	$3,264	$753	$18.83
Arlington, VA	$38,967	$3,247	$749	$18.73
Oakland, CA	$38,900	$3,241	$748	$18.70

What are Top 5 Best Paying Related Direct Support Staff Jobs in the U.S.

We found a few related jobs that pay more than jobs in the Direct Support Staff category.

For example Cpap Consultant jobs pay as much as $49,418 (145.9%) more than the average Direct Support Staff salary of $33,871. If you're qualified, finding work as a Cpap Consultant may help you make more money than that of the average Direct Support Staff position.

Job Title	Annual Salary	Monthly Pay	Weekly Pay	Hourly Wage
Cpap Consultant	$83,289	$6,940	$1,601	$40.04
Ssw	$57,056	$4,754	$1,097	$27.43
Direct Care Professional	$34,887	$2,907	$670	$16.77
Dsp Supervisor	$33,871	$2,822	$651	$16.28
Animal Physical Therapy	$30,014	$2,501	$577	$14.43

About Our Data

ZipRecruiter salary estimates, histograms, trends and comparisons are derived from both employer job postings and third party data sources.

Infographic detailing Direct Support Staff salary across the United States as of August 2026. Displays a bar chart with salary percentiles, a national average salary of $33,871 per year or $16.28 an hour, and a color-coded map showing state-by-state salary variations.

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