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Residential Advisors: Career Profile
Coordinate activities in resident facilities in secondary school and college dormitories, group homes, or similar establishments. Order supplies and determine need for maintenance, repairs, and furnishings. May maintain household records and assign rooms. May assist residents with problem solving or refer them to counseling resources.
The Daily Work of Residential Advisors Take On?
The day-to-day responsibilities of residential advisors include:
- Communicate with other staff to resolve problems with individual students.
- Observe students to detect and report unusual behavior.
- Supervise, train, and evaluate residence hall staff, including resident assistants, participants in work-study programs, and other student workers.
- Provide emergency first aid and summon medical assistance when necessary.
- Make regular rounds to ensure that residents and areas are safe and secure.
- Mediate interpersonal problems between residents.
- Enforce rules and regulations to ensure the smooth and orderly operation of dormitory programs.
- Determine the need for facility maintenance and repair, and notify appropriate personnel.
Key Skills and Knowledge
Top residential advisors draw on a mix of skills and domain knowledge.
Key Skills
The abilities most central to this role, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Top Knowledge Areas
Types of Residential Advisors Jobs
This career also goes by job titles like:
- Cottage Parent
- Cottage Supervisor
- Dormitory Counselor
- Dormitory Supervisor
- Hall Coordinator
- Hall Director
- House Father
- House Mother
Job Outlook
There are roughly 461,409 residential advisors working in the United States today. This occupation is expected to grow by +5.5% over the projection horizon.
Salary for Residential Advisors
| Statistic | Value |
|---|---|
| Annual median | $46,273 |
| Hourly median | $22.25 |
| 10th percentile | $28,487 |
| 25th percentile | $37,380 |
| 75th percentile | $55,165 |
| 90th percentile | $64,058 |
Wages vary widely based on experience, location, and industry.
Residential Advisors Salary by State
| State | Annual median salary |
|---|---|
| Oregon | $47,620 |
| North Dakota | $47,520 |
| Massachusetts | $47,120 |
| Washington | $47,110 |
| California | $46,850 |
| Minnesota | $46,800 |
| Alaska | $45,730 |
| Connecticut | $44,660 |
| New York | $44,420 |
| Montana | $43,870 |
| Rhode Island | $43,420 |
| Maine | $43,050 |
| Nebraska | $41,440 |
| Virginia | $41,360 |
| New Hampshire | $40,590 |
| Nevada | $40,410 |
| New Jersey | $40,320 |
| Colorado | $39,780 |
| Illinois | $39,730 |
| Utah | $39,520 |
| Vermont | $38,530 |
| Arkansas | $38,340 |
| Indiana | $38,240 |
| Maryland | $38,240 |
| Pennsylvania | $38,220 |
| District of Columbia | $38,160 |
| Michigan | $38,150 |
| South Carolina | $37,930 |
| Wisconsin | $37,880 |
| Florida | $37,660 |
| Kansas | $37,320 |
| Iowa | $37,260 |
| Texas | $37,180 |
| South Dakota | $36,780 |
| North Carolina | $36,590 |
| Ohio | $36,270 |
| Arizona | $36,180 |
| Missouri | $36,180 |
| New Mexico | $35,710 |
| Georgia | $35,450 |
| Idaho | $35,430 |
| Delaware | $34,390 |
| Wyoming | $33,630 |
| Hawaii | $33,440 |
| Oklahoma | $32,720 |
| Tennessee | $32,090 |
| Louisiana | $30,850 |
| Mississippi | $29,660 |
| West Virginia | $29,400 |
| Kentucky | $28,800 |
| Puerto Rico | $28,410 |
| Alabama | $27,750 |
Where Residential Advisors Earn the Most
Pay for residential advisors vary by region. These regions lead on median pay:
| Region | Median annual wage | Share of U.S. jobs | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|
| Far Western US | $45,828 | 13.5% | 0.91 |
| New England | $45,664 | 9.2% | 2.05 |
| Plains States | $41,924 | 9.5% | 2.95 |
| Middle Atlantic | $40,326 | 19.1% | 1.37 |
| Rocky Mountains | $38,808 | 3.6% | 1.01 |
| Great Lakes | $37,965 | 11.7% | 0.86 |
| Southwest | $36,111 | 7.7% | 0.76 |
| Southeast | $34,338 | 25.7% | 1.36 |
Where the Jobs Cluster
| Metro area | State | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | CA | $55,310 | 350 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | CA | $55,120 | 1,110 |
| Stockton-Lodi, CA | CA | $53,840 | 90 |
| Salinas, CA | CA | $53,590 | 50 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | WA | $52,330 | 830 |
| Minot, ND | ND | $52,150 | 50 |
| Ithaca, NY | NY | $51,360 | 110 |
| Barnstable Town, MA | MA | $51,080 | 80 |
Industry Breakdown
The largest employers of residential advisors are concentrated in the following sectors:
| Industry | Employment | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Health Care and Social Assistance | 59,220 | $38,720 |
| Educational Services | 14,140 | $39,340 |
| Real Estate and Rental and Leasing | 2,270 | $40,510 |
| Other Services (except Public Administration) | 1,110 | $38,000 |
| Accommodation and Food Services | 1,050 | $41,700 |
| Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services | 540 | $38,730 |
| Management of Companies and Enterprises | 360 | $52,040 |
Residential Advisors work in the following industries:
Tech Stack
- Word processing software: Google Docs (hot technology)
- Spreadsheet software: Microsoft Excel (hot technology)
- Office suite software: Microsoft Office software (hot technology)
- Electronic mail software: Microsoft Outlook (hot technology)
- Presentation software: Microsoft PowerPoint (hot technology)
- Word processing software: Microsoft Word (hot technology)
Work Environment
The on-the-job environment of residential advisors is shaped by the following characteristics:
- Contact With Others
- Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams
- Work With or Contribute to a Work Group or Team
- Telephone Conversations
How to Become Residential Advisors
Most residential advisors positions require a postsecondary nondegree award as the typical entry-level education. This career aligns with Medium Preparation Needed (Job Zone 3), indicating the level of preparation typically expected.
Similar Occupations
Similar Occupations
- Education and Childcare Administrators, Preschool and Daycare (Supplemental)
- Education Administrators, Kindergarten through Secondary (Supplemental)
- Education Administrators, Postsecondary (Supplemental)
- Social and Community Service Managers (Primary-Short)
- Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and Advisors (Primary-Short)
- Mental Health Counselors (Supplemental)
- Rehabilitation Counselors (Primary-Short)
- Child, Family, and School Social Workers (Primary-Short)
References
Data on this page comes from the following authoritative sources:
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) for employment and wage data by state and industry.
- BLS Employment Projections for total employment and growth forecasts.
- O*NET (Occupational Information Network) for skills, knowledge, tasks, work activities, work context, technology, and education-zone data.
SOC code: 39-9041.00 (Residential Advisors).
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