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The differences between mental health technicians and residence counselors can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a residence counselor has an average salary of $34,931, which is higher than the $32,118 average annual salary of a mental health technician.
The top three skills for a mental health technician include patients, vital signs and CPR. The most important skills for a residence counselor are developmental disabilities, CPR, and community resources.
| Mental Health Technician | Residence Counselor | |
| Yearly salary | $32,118 | $34,931 |
| Hourly rate | $15.44 | $16.79 |
| Growth rate | 9% | 36% |
| Number of jobs | 103,710 | 78,872 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 3 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 52% | Bachelor's Degree, 57% |
| Average age | 34 | 41 |
| Years of experience | - | 4 |
A mental health technician's primary responsibility is to provide care and assistance to patients with mental health issues. Their tasks mainly revolve around administering scheduled and prescribed medication, monitoring vital signs, assisting during therapy sessions, and assessing patients' progress and behavior. They may also have administrative support tasks such as processing necessary documentation, preparing reports, managing schedules, and even reaching out to patients' guardians and families. A mental health technician may also build a healthy rapport with patients, giving them guidance and positive influence.
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.
Mental health technicians and residence counselors have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Mental Health Technician | Residence Counselor | |
| Average salary | $32,118 | $34,931 |
| Salary range | Between $25,000 And $39,000 | Between $28,000 And $43,000 |
| Highest paying City | Sacramento, CA | Phoenix, AZ |
| Highest paying state | Vermont | Washington |
| Best paying company | CARE | McLean Hospital |
| Best paying industry | Health Care | Education |
There are a few differences between a mental health technician and a residence counselor in terms of educational background:
| Mental Health Technician | Residence Counselor | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 52% | Bachelor's Degree, 57% |
| Most common major | Psychology | Psychology |
| Most common college | California State University - Long Beach | California State University - Long Beach |
Here are the differences between mental health technicians' and residence counselors' demographics:
| Mental Health Technician | Residence Counselor | |
| Average age | 34 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 36.0% Female, 64.0% | Male, 34.5% Female, 65.5% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 14.3% Unknown, 6.2% Hispanic or Latino, 20.1% Asian, 6.4% White, 51.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.1% | 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 | 15% | 15% |