Direct Care Worker Education Requirements

Updated January 8, 2025
2 min read
Usually, direct care workers don't need a college education. The most common degree for direct care workers is high school diploma with 32% graduates, with only 25% direct care worker graduates earning bachelor's degree. Direct care workers who decided to graduate from college often finish University of Phoenix or Baker College. Some good skills to have in this position include direct care, patients and cpr.

Popular direct care worker certifications include Medical Assistant, Patient Care Technician, or Certified Medical Administrative Assistant (CMAA). To improve direct care worker qualification and skills, we prepared some online courses to help in direct care worker education paths.

What education do you need to become a direct care worker?

What degree do you need to be a direct care worker?

The most common degree for direct care workers is high school diploma, with 32% of direct care workers earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are bachelor's degree degree at 25% and bachelor's degree degree at 19%.
  • High School Diploma, 32%
  • Bachelor's, 25%
  • Associate, 19%
  • Diploma, 12%
  • Other Degrees, 12%

What should I major in to become a direct care worker?

You should major in psychology to become a direct care worker. 12% of direct care workers major in psychology. Other common majors for a direct care worker include general studies and nursing.

Best majors for direct care workers

Rank
ascdesc
Major
ascdesc
Percentages
ascdesc
1Psychology11.6%
2General Studies11.0%
3Nursing9.9%
4Business9.7%
5Medical Assisting Services9.5%

20 best online courses for direct care workers

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1. Health After Cancer: Cancer Survivorship for Primary Care

coursera

This course presents basic principles of cancer survivorship to primary-care physicians. Developed by a team of experts in caring for cancer survivors, and narrated by a primary-care physician, this course provides practical tips and tools that can be easily integrated into medical practice. You will learn about the complex physical and psychosocial needs and concerns of the growing number of cancer survivors, along with the key role that primary care physicians have in guiding these patients...

2. Health for All Through Primary Health Care

coursera

This course explores why primary health care is central for achieving Health for All. It provides examples of how primary health care has been instrumental in approaching this goal in selected populations and how the principles of primary health care can guide future policies and actions. Two of the most inspiring, least understood, and most often derided terms in global health discourse are “Health for All” and “Primary Health Care.” In this course, we will explore these terms in the context...

3. Providing Trauma-Informed Care

udemy
4.7
(1,276)

Exploring psychological trauma and how to provide care and compassion to trauma survivors...

4. The Key to Happiness: Self Care

udemy
4.6
(413)

Discover Self Care as a tool for creating positive change in your mental health, behaviours, and well-being...

5. Palliative Care Always Capstone Course

coursera

The Palliative Care Always Capstone course is designed to let you test your knowledge about palliative and help others understand the value of palliative care, while showing your creative side. In this course, you will impact community awareness about palliative care, promote self-care and wellness, show-off your communication skills in a virtual environment, and finish the course off by proving your thoughts on ways to offer psychosocial support to a patient and family...

6. Palliative Care Always

coursera

Palliative Care Always is a specialization for health care practitioners, patients and caregivers. We’ve designed this specialization to demonstrate how palliative medicine integrates with patient care, and to help you develop primary palliative care skills. Over the next five courses, you will develop skills in symptom management, goals of care and effective communication to improve the quality of life for patients and families suffering with serious illness. Our hope is that you feel...

7. Coping Skills and Self-Care for Mental Health

udemy
4.5
(443)

Essential skills to manage intense emotions and develop a self-care practice to promote mental health...

8. Self-Care Life Coach Certification (Boundary Setting)

udemy
4.6
(466)

Empower Your Life Coach Your Clients to Develop Self-Care, Self-Love, Boundary Setting and How to Say No...

9. Trauma Emergencies and Care

coursera

Welcome to Trauma Emergencies and Care. In this course, you will learn about some of the mechanics and physics of trauma on the human body, and how this can cause injury. You will continue to expand your new vocabulary with medical terminology, and learn how to describe the different injuries you may see. You will also learn about the trauma system itself- and when it is important to transport patients to a trauma center. Then we will dive into specific injuries based on what part of the body...

10. Emergency Care: Pregnancy, Infants, and Children

coursera

Welcome to the final course of lectures in your quest to master EMT basics. In this course, we will cover some of the highest-stress patient populations: pregnant patients and kids, also known as pediatrics. To wrap up your EMT knowledge we will end this course with information about hazmat situations, extricating patients from tight spots and finally how you write a note about your patient care. You will learn to ensure it communicates what your assessment of the patient was, what...

Average direct care worker salary by education level

Direct care workers with a Master's degree earn more than those without, at $30,713 annually. With a Bachelor's degree, direct care workers earn a median annual income of $30,400 compared to $30,196 for direct care workers with an Associate degree.
Direct Care Worker education level
ascdesc
Direct Care Worker salary
ascdesc
Master's Degree$30,713
High School Diploma or Less$29,657
Bachelor's Degree$30,400
Some College/ Associate Degree$30,196

Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

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