Relief counselor vs residential counselor

The differences between relief counselors and residential counselors can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 2-4 years to become both a relief counselor and a residential counselor. Additionally, a relief counselor has an average salary of $36,049, which is higher than the $34,117 average annual salary of a residential counselor.

The top three skills for a relief counselor include crisis intervention, ADL and behavior management. The most important skills for a residential counselor are direct care, medication administration, and mental health.

Relief counselor vs residential counselor overview

	Relief Counselor	Residential Counselor
Yearly salary	$36,049	$34,117
Hourly rate	$17.33	$16.40
Growth rate	36%	12%
Number of jobs	32,787	81,287
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 62%	Bachelor's Degree, 59%
Average age	41	41
Years of experience	4	4

Relief counselor vs residential counselor salary

Relief counselors and residential counselors have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Relief Counselor	Residential Counselor
Average salary	$36,049	$34,117
Salary range	Between $27,000 And $47,000	Between $27,000 And $42,000
Highest paying City	-	Seattle, WA
Highest paying state	-	Washington
Best paying company	-	The Evergreens
Best paying industry	-	Education

Differences between relief counselor and residential counselor education

There are a few differences between a relief counselor and a residential counselor in terms of educational background:

	Relief Counselor	Residential Counselor
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 62%	Bachelor's Degree, 59%
Most common major	Psychology	Psychology
Most common college	California State University - Long Beach	California State University - Long Beach

Relief counselor vs residential counselor demographics

Here are the differences between relief counselors' and residential counselors' demographics:

	Relief Counselor	Residential Counselor
Average age	41	41
Gender ratio	Male, 29.9% Female, 70.1%	Male, 33.0% Female, 67.0%
Race ratio	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%	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%

Differences between relief counselor and residential counselor duties and responsibilities

Relief counselor example responsibilities.

Lead recreational activities for adolescents with ADHD and other behavior disorders.
Evaluate the effectiveness of counseling programs and patients' progress in resolving identify problems and moving towards define objectives.
Provide leadership and direction to new and existing staff members; identify training development assuring that training/certification are obtained and maintain.

Residential counselor example responsibilities.

Lead recreational activities for adolescents with ADHD and other behavior disorders.
Engage, educate and empower participants to access community base resources in order to achieve greater self-determination, rehabilitation and recovery.
Train in AMAP, SCIP, and first aid procedures.
Assist residents with ADL, occasionally accompany to medical appointments, administer medications.
Refine an understanding of HIPAA and DMH programs.
Assist special needs students to reach their IEP and treatment plan goals in 1:1 and group settings.

Relief counselor vs residential counselor skills

Common relief counselor skills

Crisis Intervention, 14%
ADL, 11%
Behavior Management, 11%
Substance Abuse, 10%
Rehabilitation, 7%
Developmental Disabilities, 6%

Common residential counselor skills

Direct Care, 9%
Medication Administration, 9%
Mental Health, 8%
Social Work, 7%
Developmental Disabilities, 6%
Mental Illness, 6%

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Relief Counselor
Relief Counselor vs Residential Counselor

Updated January 8, 2025

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