9 of the Most Popular Types of Direct Support Worker Jobs in 2026

See what kind of roles similar to Direct Support Worker jobs are hiring now

Top Types Of Direct Support Worker Jobs

• Direct Support Professional

  Salary range: $30,000 - $36,500

  Direct support professionals (DSPs) provide non-medical care and services to intellectually or physically disabled persons. These services may be in the patient's home, at assisted living facilities, or in government institutions. The primary duties of DSPs are to help the patient with everyday tasks, such as taking medication, providing transportation to doctor's appointments, and running errands. DSPs also aim to teach patients life skills, including light housework and meal preparation, to enable them to be a little more independent.

• Caregiver

  Salary range: $28,500 - $36,000

  Caregivers are professionals who help clients that cannot care for themselves, oftentimes with non-medical needs. Typical Caregiving responsibilities include tasks such as running errands, helping with personal hygiene, and working on mobility and exercise, but specific duties depend on the client and type of assistance needed. For example, an in-home Caregiver might focus on non-medical care, such as companionship, meal preparation, and light cleaning and organizing. Caregivers may work in client homes or in assisted living facilities. Ultimately, the focus of a Caregiver is to improve the quality of life of the client.

• Direct Care Professional

  Salary range: $31,000 - $37,000

  A direct care professional, or a personal care assistant, works with patients who have chronic illnesses or long-term disabilities. In this role, your duties include running errands, providing transportation, and performing basic home health care for clients. You also help with daily activities, such as dress and undressing, cooking and cleaning, and bathing. The main career qualifications for this job are a high school diploma and background as a care worker. Sometimes a bachelor’s degree in a field like psychology is required. You need strong communication and organizational skills as well as compassion and empathy.

• Overnight Direct Support Professional

  Salary range: $30,000 - $36,500

  Overnight Direct Support Professional is a typical job search query Most salaries for Overnight Direct Support Professional jobs pay between $30,000 (25th percentile) and $36,500 (75th percentile) annually. Take a look at the variety of open positions nationwide for Overnight Direct Support Professional job searches hiring now on ZipRecruiter.

• Dsp

  Salary range: $30,000 - $36,500

  Dsp is a popular job search query. Most salaries for Dsp jobs pay between $30,000 (25th percentile) and $36,500 (75th percentile) annually. Currently, there are not many open positions nationwide for Dsp job searches hiring now on ZipRecruiter. You can take a look at what is available and find similar job searches in this list.

• Developmental Service Worker

  Salary range: $36,000 - $50,000

  Developmental Service Worker is a popular job search query. Most salaries for Developmental Service Worker jobs pay between $36,000 (25th percentile) and $50,000 (75th percentile) annually. Currently, there are not many open positions nationwide for Developmental Service Worker job searches hiring now on ZipRecruiter. You can take a look at what is available and find similar job searches in this list.

• No Experience Dsp

  Salary range: $30,000 - $36,500

  No Experience Dsp is a more unusual job search query but still may give you interesting job results. Most salaries for No Experience Dsp jobs pay between $30,000 (25th percentile) and $36,500 (75th percentile) annually. Currently, there are not many open positions nationwide for No Experience Dsp job searches hiring now on ZipRecruiter. You can take a look at what is available and find similar job searches in this list.

• Dsw

  Salary range: $30,500 - $39,000

  Dsw is a popular job search query. Most salaries for Dsw jobs pay between $30,500 (25th percentile) and $39,000 (75th percentile) annually. Currently, there are not many open positions nationwide for Dsw job searches hiring now on ZipRecruiter. You can take a look at what is available and find similar job searches in this list.

• Personal Support Worker

  Salary range: $30,000 - $37,500

  A personal support worker provides care for the elderly, patients with long-term illnesses, and people who are recovering from surgery or accidents. As a personal support worker, you are responsible for helping patients with their daily activities, such as bathing, eating, and going to the bathroom. You also help administer medications and oversee any rehabilitation plans, and may even provide services that patients cannot perform, such as laundry, driving, and house upkeep.