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The differences between residence hall directors and student services 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 student services director. Additionally, a student services director has an average salary of $68,307, 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 student services director are professional development, financial aid, and support services.
| Residence Hall Director | Student Services Director | |
| Yearly salary | $47,193 | $68,307 |
| Hourly rate | $22.69 | $32.84 |
| Growth rate | 7% | 7% |
| Number of jobs | 6,713 | 69,818 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 73% | Bachelor's Degree, 60% |
| Average age | 47 | 47 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 6 |
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.
In learning institutions, a Student Services Director spearheads and oversees the student services office's daily operations. They directly handle student affairs, from academic endeavors to student discipline, including expulsions and suspensions, school security, child welfare, internships, and alternative education. A Student Services Director also participates in developing academic projects and programs, coordinating with internal and external parties to make them possible. Moreover, they also have the authority to implement policies and regulations, developing new ones as necessary.
Residence hall directors and student services directors have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Residence Hall Director | Student Services Director | |
| Average salary | $47,193 | $68,307 |
| Salary range | Between $31,000 And $70,000 | Between $43,000 And $106,000 |
| Highest paying City | Newark, NJ | Berkeley, CA |
| Highest paying state | Massachusetts | New Jersey |
| Best paying company | School of Visual Concepts | Los Alamos National Laboratory |
| Best paying industry | - | - |
There are a few differences between a residence hall director and a student services director in terms of educational background:
| Residence Hall Director | Student Services Director | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 73% | Bachelor's Degree, 60% |
| Most common major | Psychology | Business |
| Most common college | University of Pennsylvania | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between residence hall directors' and student services directors' demographics:
| Residence Hall Director | Student Services Director | |
| Average age | 47 | 47 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 46.9% Female, 53.1% | Male, 37.4% Female, 62.6% |
| Race ratio | Black 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, 10.4% Unknown, 4.0% Hispanic or Latino, 14.0% Asian, 4.3% White, 66.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% |
| LGBT Percentage | 16% | 16% |