Wage Facts
Direct Support Professionals in Louisiana:
Facts about Wages
A Direct Support Professional (DSP) is a person who assists an individual with a disability to lead a self-directed life, contribute to the community, and encourages attitudes and behaviors that enhance community inclusion. A DSP may provide supports to a person with a disability at home, work, school, church, and other community places.
Survey Conducted
In March 2001, sixty agencies having contracts with Louisiana Regional OCDD offices and employing more than 4, 237 DSPs, responded to a survey conducted by the LSUHSC’s Human Development Center. State Developmental Center DSP wage information was not included in this survey.
Survey Results:
- The average entry level wage for DSPs was $5.56 per h our. The median wage was $5.30 per hour.
- 42% of agencies surveyed, reported the highest wage they paid any DSP as $7.00 per hour.
- Only 7% (i.e., 311 of $4,237) of DSPs included in the survey purchased health benefits from their employer. 75% of agencies reported frequent turnover within two weeks of hiring date.
- More than 1/3 of the agencies reported they had at least one DSP who had worked for them for more than 10 years. However, more than ½ of DSPs included in this survey worked more than one job.
Summary:
Unfortunately, these data indicated that DSPs receive wages at minimum wage or slightly above, contributing to high turnover in the workforce. In addition, those individuals who choose to remain working as a DSP must often work more than one job to make ends meet.
DSP Wage and Benefit Comparison
- Louisiana ranks last in the nation in DSP wages and benefits. [1]
- When Developmental Center wages for DSPs are included, the LA average “market rate” is $7.89 [1]
- The average LA “market rate” for Retail Sales workers is $7.98 per hour. [2]
- The average LA “market rate” for Janitors is $8.13 per hour [2]
- Average LA “market rate for Food Service Workers is $8.63 per hour. [2]
Livable Wages in Louisiana
A Livable Wage is defined as a wage a full-time worker would need to earn to support a family at 100% to130% of federal poverty. This income provides no money for life insurance, the purchase of a home, children’s college education, retirement, or vacation. In Louisiana the Livable Wage for a family of four (2 adults, 2 children) is $28,714.00. This amount is 33% less than the average family income in Louisiana of $40,628.3 Federal poverty level wages are $8.19 per hour.4
Current DSP salaries in Louisiana of $7.00 to $7.89 per hour are well below both these figures.
1 William Mercer Study, 2001
2 Louisiana Works: Labor Market Information. Louisiana Department
of Labor, February 2001
3 Working Hard, Earning Less. Voluime 1 Series 2, National Priorities Project,
December 1998
4 State of Working America, 2000-2001. Economic Policy Institute,
January 2001.