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The differences between program support 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 program support assistant and a resident assistant. Additionally, a program support assistant has an average salary of $41,107, which is higher than the $29,971 average annual salary of a resident assistant.
The top three skills for a program support assistant include patients, veterans and program support. The most important skills for a resident assistant are home health, CPR, and vital signs.
| Program Support Assistant | Resident Assistant | |
| Yearly salary | $41,107 | $29,971 |
| Hourly rate | $19.76 | $14.41 |
| Growth rate | 12% | 12% |
| Number of jobs | 163,716 | 19,033 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 4 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 49% | Bachelor's Degree, 60% |
| Average age | 43 | 43 |
| Years of experience | 12 | 12 |
A program support assistant is responsible for performing administrative functions to ensure a program's smooth operations. Program support assistants organize the necessary documents, create the expense sheet, respond to the clients' inquiries and concerns, negotiate with vendors and suppliers, and conduct data analysis. They also act as a liaison between the clients and the senior planners to resolve issues and address the clients' requests. A program support assistant maintains the accuracy of client information on the database and regularly updates the clients' files as needed.
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.
Program support assistants and resident assistants have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Program Support Assistant | Resident Assistant | |
| Average salary | $41,107 | $29,971 |
| Salary range | Between $30,000 And $54,000 | Between $22,000 And $39,000 |
| Highest paying City | Washington, DC | Roseville, CA |
| Highest paying state | Connecticut | California |
| Best paying company | New York State Restaurant Association | Mount St. Mary's University |
| Best paying industry | Government | Education |
There are a few differences between a program support assistant and a resident assistant in terms of educational background:
| Program Support Assistant | Resident Assistant | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 49% | Bachelor's Degree, 60% |
| Most common major | Business | Psychology |
| Most common college | Northwestern University | SUNY at Binghamton |
Here are the differences between program support assistants' and resident assistants' demographics:
| Program Support Assistant | Resident Assistant | |
| Average age | 43 | 43 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 27.7% Female, 72.3% | Male, 34.0% Female, 66.0% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 13.9% Unknown, 5.2% Hispanic or Latino, 17.7% Asian, 6.5% White, 54.4% 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% |