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The differences between disability specialists and residential specialists can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 6-12 months to become both a disability specialist and a residential specialist. Additionally, a disability specialist has an average salary of $48,662, which is higher than the $33,451 average annual salary of a residential specialist.
The top three skills for a disability specialist include social work, rehabilitation and developmental disabilities. The most important skills for a residential specialist are mental health, crisis intervention, and CPR.
| Disability Specialist | Residential Specialist | |
| Yearly salary | $48,662 | $33,451 |
| Hourly rate | $23.40 | $16.08 |
| Growth rate | 12% | 12% |
| Number of jobs | 24,669 | 49,467 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 60% | Bachelor's Degree, 49% |
| Average age | 43 | 43 |
| Years of experience | 12 | 12 |
A disability examiner is primarily in charge of conducting assessments and examinations to determine an applicant's eligibility for disability benefits and programs. Their duties usually include reviewing medical and health records, conducting interviews, and evaluating applications. There are also times when a disability examiner must directly coordinate with healthcare providers to obtain and assess records. Moreover, as a disability examiner, it is essential to assist clients by answering inquiries, providing instructions and advice, and helping them understand the extent of procedures.
The residential specialist job is to provide quality support services to consumers that enhance physical, emotional, intellectual, vocational, communication, and social skills according to the individual's needs, abilities, and choices. Their duties and responsibilities include following the guidelines given by their agencies and assisting clients as needed according to their daily plan and schedule.
Disability specialists and residential specialists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Disability Specialist | Residential Specialist | |
| Average salary | $48,662 | $33,451 |
| Salary range | Between $29,000 And $80,000 | Between $25,000 And $44,000 |
| Highest paying City | Washington, DC | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | Illinois | California |
| Best paying company | Stanford University | University of California, Berkeley |
| Best paying industry | Government | Non Profits |
There are a few differences between a disability specialist and a residential specialist in terms of educational background:
| Disability Specialist | Residential Specialist | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 60% | Bachelor's Degree, 49% |
| Most common major | Business | Psychology |
| Most common college | SUNY at Binghamton | California State University - Long Beach |
Here are the differences between disability specialists' and residential specialists' demographics:
| Disability Specialist | Residential Specialist | |
| Average age | 43 | 43 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 23.7% Female, 76.3% | Male, 29.7% Female, 70.3% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 12.6% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 17.6% Asian, 6.8% White, 56.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.7% | Black or African American, 12.0% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 16.5% Asian, 6.4% White, 58.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.6% |
| LGBT Percentage | 11% | 11% |