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The differences between counselors and residence counselors can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a counselor has an average salary of $36,225, which is higher than the $34,931 average annual salary of a residence counselor.
The top three skills for a counselor include patients, crisis intervention and substance abuse. The most important skills for a residence counselor are developmental disabilities, CPR, and community resources.
| Counselor | Residence Counselor | |
| Yearly salary | $36,225 | $34,931 |
| Hourly rate | $17.42 | $16.79 |
| Growth rate | 10% | 36% |
| Number of jobs | 77,536 | 78,872 |
| Job satisfaction | 2 | 3 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 59% | Bachelor's Degree, 57% |
| Average age | 44 | 41 |
| Years of experience | - | 4 |
Often, counselors are known to be the go-to person in times we are in need of emotional and psychological support. They help people to manage and overcome the issues which affect their mental health and well-being. Counselors face different kind of situations which may involve trauma, addiction, disabilities, abuse, suicide, anger management, career, and even personal relationships. They provide care, counseling, rehabilitation, and support services. Every counseling requires collaborative effort both from the counselor and client to become effective.
Residence counselors are professionals who are responsible for providing services such as one-to-one therapy and crisis support to clients who are living in group homes or assisted-living facilities. These counselors must assist adults with moderate intellectual disabilities to find employment while monitoring their work performance. They must facilitate and supervise daily personal care and activities for developmentally disabled adults. Residence counselors must also encourage clients to participate in community activities that can contribute to the development of skills necessary for independent living.
Counselors and residence counselors have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Counselor | Residence Counselor | |
| Average salary | $36,225 | $34,931 |
| Salary range | Between $19,000 And $67,000 | Between $28,000 And $43,000 |
| Highest paying City | - | Phoenix, AZ |
| Highest paying state | California | Washington |
| Best paying company | - | McLean Hospital |
| Best paying industry | Education | Education |
There are a few differences between a counselor and a residence counselor in terms of educational background:
| Counselor | Residence Counselor | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 59% | Bachelor's Degree, 57% |
| Most common major | Psychology | Psychology |
| Most common college | University of Pennsylvania | California State University - Long Beach |
Here are the differences between counselors' and residence counselors' demographics:
| Counselor | Residence Counselor | |
| Average age | 44 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 38.5% Female, 61.5% | Male, 34.5% Female, 65.5% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 15.6% Unknown, 5.1% Hispanic or Latino, 11.1% Asian, 3.5% White, 63.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.2% | Black or African American, 11.3% Unknown, 5.9% Hispanic or Latino, 12.2% Asian, 3.2% White, 67.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% |
| LGBT Percentage | 9% | 15% |