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What is a group home manager and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025
5 min read

A group home manager oversees the daily operations of a group home for individuals with disabilities or mental health issues, or those who are homeless. They are responsible for managing the staff, ensuring residents receive proper care and support, and maintaining the home's physical and emotional environment. They work closely with social workers, medical professionals, and other service providers to create a comprehensive plan for each resident's care and development.

ScoreGroup Home ManagerUS Average
Salary
3.0

Avg. Salary $38,616

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level
9.7

Growth rate 12%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity
5.5
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.88%

Asian 5.16%

Black or African American 12.28%

Hispanic or Latino 14.42%

Unknown 5.39%

White 61.87%

Gender

female 68.12%

male 31.88%

Age - 45
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 45
Stress level
9.7

Stress level is very high

7.1 - high

Complexity level
8.8

Complexity level is advanced

7 - challenging

Work life balance
5.0

Work life balance is fair

6.4 - fair

What are the pros and cons of being a group home manager?

Pros

  • Opportunities to make a positive impact on the lives of residents

  • Ability to develop leadership and organizational skills

  • Access to professional development opportunities

  • Opportunities for career advancement within the organization

  • Chance to be creative and implement new ideas for improving resident care and quality of life

Cons

  • High levels of stress and emotional demands

  • Long work hours, including weekends and holidays

  • Need for flexibility in managing staffing schedules and unexpected issues or emergencies

  • Challenges in managing staff turnover and maintaining a cohesive team environment

  • Difficulty in balancing the needs of residents with the financial constraints of the organization

Group home manager career paths

Key steps to become a group home manager

  1. Explore group home manager education requirements

    Most common group home manager degrees

    Bachelor's

    50.1 %

    Associate

    19.0 %

    High School Diploma

    13.6 %
  2. Start to develop specific group home manager skills

    SkillsPercentages
    Developmental Disabilities14.19%
    Medication Administration9.56%
    Direct Supervision6.63%
    Behavioral Issues6.08%
    Social Work5.79%
  3. Complete relevant group home manager training and internships

    Accountants spend an average of 6-12 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New group home managers learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a group home manager based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real group home manager resumes.
  4. Research group home manager duties and responsibilities

    • Manage a residential facility for adolescents with severe autism and psychiatric conditions.
    • Schedule CPR, and first aide for employees.
    • Help clients with ADL's (bathing, dressing, toileting, wheelchair transfers, etc.
    • Conduct ISP meeting monthly with case managers updating on teens progress in the facility.
  5. Prepare your group home manager resume

    When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your group home manager resume.

    You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a group home manager resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

    Choose from 10+ customizable group home manager resume templates

    Build a professional group home manager resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your group home manager resume.
    Group Home Manager Resume
    Group Home Manager Resume
    Group Home Manager Resume
    Group Home Manager Resume
    Group Home Manager Resume
    Group Home Manager Resume
    Group Home Manager Resume
    Group Home Manager Resume
    Group Home Manager Resume
  6. Apply for group home manager jobs

    Now it's time to start searching for a group home manager job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

    1. Browse job boards for relevant postings
    2. Consult your professional network
    3. Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
    4. Watch out for job scams

How did you land your first group home manager job

Zippi

Are you a group home manager?

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Average group home manager salary

The average group home manager salary in the United States is $38,616 per year or $19 per hour. Group home manager salaries range between $29,000 and $50,000 per year.

Average group home manager salary
$38,616 Yearly
$18.57 hourly

What am I worth?

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How do group home managers rate their job?

4/5

Out of 1 Group Home Manager reviews, 100% were positive.

5 stars

4 stars

3 stars

2 stars

1 star

Based on 1 ratings

Overall rating
4.0
Career growth
3.0
Pay / salary
2.0
Work/life balance
1.0

Group home manager reviews

profile
4.0
A zippia user wrote a review on Jan 2024
Pros

Building relationships with the clients, learn better money management skills, help the clients have an overall better quality of life

Cons

on call all the time, staffing issues, paperwork is a lot, no work life balance, the pay really isn't nearly what it should be for the amount of work you put in


profile
A zippia user wrote a review on May 2019
Pros

Being able to bring things into proper order. Training others to do the same.

Cons

Things getting out of order


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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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