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The differences between career assistants and resident assistants can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 6-12 months to become both a career assistant and a resident assistant. Additionally, a resident assistant has an average salary of $29,971, which is higher than the $29,098 average annual salary of a career assistant.
The top three skills for a career assistant include scheduling appointments, career services and assistance program. The most important skills for a resident assistant are home health, CPR, and vital signs.
| Career Assistant | Resident Assistant | |
| Yearly salary | $29,098 | $29,971 |
| Hourly rate | $13.99 | $14.41 |
| Growth rate | 12% | 12% |
| Number of jobs | 17,117 | 19,033 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 4 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 59% | Bachelor's Degree, 60% |
| Average age | 43 | 43 |
| Years of experience | 12 | 12 |
A career assistant is responsible for conducting one-on-one coaching for students to determine their career aspirations according to their skills and interests. Career assistants support and advise the students in searching for jobs or internships they qualify for, help them create a smart resume, invite them to career seminars and orientations, and manage the students' weaknesses that hinder them from professional growth. A career assistant must have excellent communication and organizational skills, especially in keeping records of students' information and filing reports as necessary.
Resident assistants help manage peers or younger students who live in a particular residence hall on campus. They are usually in charge of welcoming fellow students, providing residence hall tours, and helping students cope with their new environment. To help students become more at ease with their environment, resident assistants usually act as buddies. They answer inquiries that the students may have and act as the bridge between the students and the residence hall management. They assist with administrative activities in the residence hall, such as handing out forms for students and ensuring documents are correctly filled out.
Career assistants and resident assistants have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Career Assistant | Resident Assistant | |
| Average salary | $29,098 | $29,971 |
| Salary range | Between $16,000 And $51,000 | Between $22,000 And $39,000 |
| Highest paying City | - | Roseville, CA |
| Highest paying state | - | California |
| Best paying company | - | Mount St. Mary's University |
| Best paying industry | - | Education |
There are a few differences between a career assistant and a resident assistant in terms of educational background:
| Career Assistant | Resident Assistant | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 59% | Bachelor's Degree, 60% |
| Most common major | Business | Psychology |
| Most common college | Northwestern University | SUNY at Binghamton |
Here are the differences between career assistants' and resident assistants' demographics:
| Career Assistant | Resident Assistant | |
| Average age | 43 | 43 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 29.2% Female, 70.8% | Male, 34.0% Female, 66.0% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 12.3% Unknown, 5.2% Hispanic or Latino, 21.5% Asian, 6.6% White, 52.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 2.2% | Black or African American, 11.7% Unknown, 5.1% Hispanic or Latino, 16.1% Asian, 6.7% White, 58.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 2.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 11% | 11% |