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Residence hall director vs finance aid director

The differences between residence hall directors and finance aid directors can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 4-6 years to become both a residence hall director and a finance aid director. Additionally, a finance aid director has an average salary of $58,644, which is higher than the $47,193 average annual salary of a residence hall director.

The top three skills for a residence hall director include residence life, desk assistants and student development. The most important skills for a finance aid director are financial aid programs, title iv, and state regulations.

Residence hall director vs finance aid director overview

Residence Hall DirectorFinance Aid Director
Yearly salary$47,193$58,644
Hourly rate$22.69$28.19
Growth rate7%7%
Number of jobs6,71398,523
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 73%Bachelor's Degree, 63%
Average age4747
Years of experience66

What does a residence hall director do?

A Residence Hall Director spearheads and oversees campus residential areas' daily operations to ensure students' safety and welfare. They are responsible for managing staff, setting goals and guidelines, establishing budgets and timelines, delegating duties among managers, implementing programs and protocols, and monitoring all procedures, resolving issues and concerns if any arise. Moreover, a Residence Hall Director encourages staff to reach goals while implementing policies and regulations to help maintain a healthy and safe community for the students.

What does a finance aid director do?

A finance aid director oversees finance aid officers that deal with student loans, fees, scholarship grants, insurance, and other loans. They organize cash flow for all funds available. They analyze applications, grant scholarships and loans to students, and provide information on benefits and restrictions included with financial aid. They also help students resolve loan defaults or underpayments. They must have good communication skills to facilitate talks between students and universities.

Residence hall director vs finance aid director salary

Residence hall directors and finance aid directors have different pay scales, as shown below.

Residence Hall DirectorFinance Aid Director
Average salary$47,193$58,644
Salary rangeBetween $31,000 And $70,000Between $37,000 And $92,000
Highest paying CityNewark, NJWashington, DC
Highest paying stateMassachusettsNew Jersey
Best paying companySchool of Visual ConceptsCommonwealth
Best paying industry-Education

Differences between residence hall director and finance aid director education

There are a few differences between a residence hall director and a finance aid director in terms of educational background:

Residence Hall DirectorFinance Aid Director
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 73%Bachelor's Degree, 63%
Most common majorPsychologyBusiness
Most common collegeUniversity of PennsylvaniaUniversity of Pennsylvania

Residence hall director vs finance aid director demographics

Here are the differences between residence hall directors' and finance aid directors' demographics:

Residence Hall DirectorFinance Aid Director
Average age4747
Gender ratioMale, 46.9% Female, 53.1%Male, 30.9% Female, 69.1%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 12.2% Unknown, 4.1% Hispanic or Latino, 13.1% Asian, 4.7% White, 65.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7%Black or African American, 11.4% Unknown, 4.0% Hispanic or Latino, 14.3% Asian, 4.4% White, 65.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7%
LGBT Percentage16%16%

Differences between residence hall director and finance aid director duties and responsibilities

Residence hall director example responsibilities.

  • Motivate, train and lead a team of nine ministry coordinators.
  • Develop nightly social programs and weekly educational programs to encourage healthy lifestyle choices and embracement of multicultural diversity.
  • Direct resident relations by providing oversight of resident retention, leasing and marketing programs.
  • Cultivate, coordinate, and assist in the development of student leadership and responsibility through programming and direct involvement with students.

Finance aid director example responsibilities.

  • Manage cash flow for all funds including, FFEL, PELL, FSEOG, alternative loans, and cash.
  • Manage a majority of payroll ensuring that there are accurate accruals and necessary deductions.
  • Review and determine outcome of all financial aid appeals.
  • Assist students, parents, and staff with navigating the financial aid process, by providing guidance with the FAFSA.
  • Resolve student appeals and special circumstance requests.
  • Maintain Pell grant accounts from application processing to monthly reconciliation.
  • Show more

Residence hall director vs finance aid director skills

Common residence hall director skills
  • Residence Life, 12%
  • Desk Assistants, 7%
  • Student Development, 6%
  • Community Development, 6%
  • Student Conduct, 4%
  • Professional Development, 3%
Common finance aid director skills
  • Financial Aid Programs, 9%
  • Title IV, 8%
  • State Regulations, 5%
  • Enrollment Management, 5%
  • Student Loans, 4%
  • Federal Regulations, 4%

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