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The differences between psychological assistants and residential 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 psychological assistant and a residential assistant. Additionally, a psychological assistant has an average salary of $68,862, which is higher than the $30,918 average annual salary of a residential assistant.
The top three skills for a psychological assistant include patients, crisis intervention and mental illness. The most important skills for a residential assistant are direct care, developmental disabilities, and mental health.
| Psychological Assistant | Residential Assistant | |
| Yearly salary | $68,862 | $30,918 |
| Hourly rate | $33.11 | $14.86 |
| Growth rate | 12% | 12% |
| Number of jobs | 90,785 | 91,326 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 52% | Bachelor's Degree, 53% |
| Average age | 43 | 43 |
| Years of experience | 12 | 12 |
A psychological assistant primarily performs support tasks to assist a psychologist in treating patients at a medical facility. Their duties focus on helping patients by answering inquiries, giving instructions, explaining procedures, gathering requirements, and conducting initial assessments. They can participate in serving the patients under the supervision and directives of a licensed psychologist. Additionally, a psychological assistant may also participate in conducting research, preparing and processing necessary paperwork, handling calls and other forms of correspondence, and attending meetings and seminars.
A residential assistant is in charge of overseeing the living conditions of students in a university or similar establishment. They are primarily responsible for assisting students and making them feel at ease within the dormitory or campus community. Moreover, a residential assistant must respond to inquiries and concerns, handle and settle any issues or problems, take part in organizing activities that are beneficial to the students, and keep them informed on all community-related updates. Furthermore, it is crucial to adhere to and implement the campus rules and regulations at all times, maintaining a safe environment for everyone.
Psychological assistants and residential assistants have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Psychological Assistant | Residential Assistant | |
| Average salary | $68,862 | $30,918 |
| Salary range | Between $44,000 And $105,000 | Between $25,000 And $37,000 |
| Highest paying City | Sparks, NV | Washington, DC |
| Highest paying state | Nevada | Hawaii |
| Best paying company | New York University | University of California |
| Best paying industry | Non Profits | Finance |
There are a few differences between a psychological assistant and a residential assistant in terms of educational background:
| Psychological Assistant | Residential Assistant | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 52% | Bachelor's Degree, 53% |
| Most common major | Psychology | Psychology |
| Most common college | Northwestern University | SUNY at Binghamton |
Here are the differences between psychological assistants' and residential assistants' demographics:
| Psychological Assistant | Residential Assistant | |
| Average age | 43 | 43 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 29.5% Female, 70.5% | Male, 34.4% Female, 65.6% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 12.9% Unknown, 5.9% Hispanic or Latino, 20.5% Asian, 6.9% White, 50.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 3.0% | Black or African American, 12.2% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 16.2% Asian, 7.1% White, 58.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.6% |
| LGBT Percentage | 11% | 11% |