Direct Care salary: $17.49/hr median.
Across 43,455 active postings · 3 titles with data · 103 states.
Browse Direct Care salary titles in Allied Health Professional, including posting volume, median pay, state coverage, and role-level comparisons.
How Direct Care pay is distributed across the market.
10% of postings pay under $13.50. The top 10% pay above $22.00.
How Direct Care pay has moved month over month.
Median pay moved from $17.49 in Nov 2025 to $18.00 in Apr 2026 (+2.9%). Bars show monthly posting volume; the line tracks the posting-weighted median.
Direct Care pay across every state with live data.
Showing all 50 states with live data. Bars scale to the highest-paying state.
The most common job titles in Direct Care.
These are the individual job titles that make up the Direct Care track, ranked by active posting volume over the last 180 days.
| Role | Category · Track | Median /hr | P25–P75 | Postings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Caregiver | Allied Health Professional · Direct Care | $17.50 | $16.00–$19.50 | 42,150 |
| Personal Care Aide | Allied Health Professional · Direct Care | $17.00 | $15.00–$19.50 | 1,267 |
| Home Health Aide (HHA) | Allied Health Professional · Direct Care | $18.00 | $15.13–$20.00 | 38 |
Highest-paying job titles in the Direct Care track.
| Role | Category · Track | Median /hr | P25–P75 | Postings | Δ pay |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Home Health Aide (HHA) | Allied Health Professional · Direct Care | $18.00 | $15.13–$20.00 | 38 | ▼ 9.1% |
| Caregiver | Allied Health Professional · Direct Care | $17.50 | $16.00–$19.50 | 42,150 | — 0.0% |
| Personal Care Aide | Allied Health Professional · Direct Care | $17.00 | $15.00–$19.50 | 1,267 | ▲ 9.1% |
How to become a Direct Care.
Allied Health Professionals are the licensed and credentialed clinicians who deliver therapy, diagnostic imaging, lab work, rehabilitation, and procedural support inside healthcare — everyone who isn't a physician, nurse, dentist, or pharmacist. The category spans physical and occupational therapy, speech-language pathology, radiology and sonography, lab science, respiratory therapy, surgical tech, and dozens more. Because each profession has its own education and credentialing pathway, this page covers the shared structure: degree → clinical hours → national exam → state license.
Every allied health profession has its own ladder, but the shape is consistent: complete an accredited program in your specialty (CAAHEP, CAPTE, ACOTE, ASHA, ARC-PA, NAACLS, etc.), log the required supervised clinical hours, sit for the national credentialing exam (NPTE, NBCOT, ASCP, ARRT, etc.), and apply for state licensure. Most professions also require continuing education to maintain credentials.
| Degree | Duration | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Certificate / Associate (AAS)Cert / AAS | 1-2 years | Entry point for technician-level allied roles — surgical tech, EKG tech, phlebotomy, medical assistant, sterile processing. Often combined with a credentialing exam. |
| Associate of Applied ScienceAAS | 2-3 years | Standard for radiologic technologist (RT), respiratory therapist (RRT entry route), and many lab tech roles. Includes supervised clinical hours. |
| Bachelor's degreeBS | 4 years | Required for clinical lab scientist (MLS), most sonography programs, radiation therapy, and the dietitian path. Often the prerequisite for graduate clinical programs. |
| Master's degreeMS / MOT / MSLP | 2-3 years post-bachelor | Required for entry to practice in occupational therapy (MOT/OTD), speech-language pathology (MSLP/CCC-SLP), and physician assistant programs. |
| Clinical doctorateDPT / OTD / AuD | 3 years post-bachelor | Required for physical therapy (DPT) and audiology (AuD) entry; the optional OTD elevates occupational therapists. The standard for several rehab professions today. |
Every clinical allied health profession requires a state-issued license. Eligibility almost always requires graduation from an accredited program plus passing a national credentialing exam.
Standard requirement for patient-facing allied health roles in hospital and clinic settings.
Examples: ARRT for radiologic technologists, NPTE for physical therapists, NBCOT for OTs, CCC-SLP for speech-language pathologists, ASCP for lab scientists, NBRC for respiratory therapists.
| Credential | Issued by | Pay impact |
|---|---|---|
| Specialty credential Advanced or sub-specialty credentialing Examples: orthopedic / neurologic / cardio specialty boards in PT, CT/MR/mammography modalities in radiology, IBCLC for lactation, RD for nutrition. Almost every allied profession has a credential that meaningfully moves pay and scope. | ABPTS, AOTA-BCG, ARRT post-primary, etc. | +5-15% |
| ACLS / PALS Advanced / Pediatric Life Support Required for ICU, ER, cath lab, and pediatric assignments in many imaging and respiratory roles. | American Heart Association | Setting-dependent |
- 0-1 yearsClinical fellow / new graduate
Newly licensed clinician working under mentorship. Many systems offer formal new-grad residencies (orthopedic, neuro, NICU, etc.).
- 1-4 yearsStaff clinician
Independent caseload across the standard scope of practice. Often the point at which clinicians pick a setting (acute, outpatient, school, home health) and start specialty CEUs.
- 4-7 yearsSenior / specialty clinician
Holds a board specialty or advanced credential. Takes on harder cases, supervises students/clinical fellows, and may lead specialty programs.
- 7-10 yearsLead / clinical coordinator
Oversees scheduling, protocols, and quality for a department or service line. Mentors staff and partners with physicians.
- 10+ yearsDepartment manager / director
Owns staffing, budget, and operations for a rehab, imaging, lab, or respiratory department. Often requires a master's or MHA.
Schedule. Outpatient roles run business hours; hospital roles include nights, weekends, and on-call coverage in imaging, lab, and respiratory. Therapy professions average 35-40 patient-care hours per week.
Physical demands. Varies by profession — therapy roles involve patient lifting and transfers, imaging and sonography require sustained standing and equipment positioning, and lab work is largely seated but visually demanding.
Allied health is one of the fastest-growing slices of healthcare. Physical therapy, occupational therapy, sonography, radiation therapy, and respiratory therapy all post above-average projected growth. An aging population, increased rehab demand, and imaging-driven diagnostics keep openings well above supply across most regions.