Resident assistants typically work in long-term care and retirement facilities. As a resident assistant, your job is to care for and serve the residents who live in these facilities. Typically, it's normal everyday things that we take for granted, like getting dressed, taking a bath, and even eating.

For the most part, there aren't any formal education requirements for this job. Sometimes an employer will require you to complete some specialized training and earn a state certification before you're able to work. While other employers just require some on-the-job training.

What Does a Resident Assistant Do

There are certain skills that many resident assistants have in order to accomplish their responsibilities. By taking a look through resumes, we were able to narrow down the most common skills for a person in this position. We discovered that a lot of resumes listed organizational skills, problem-solving skills and time-management skills.

Learn more about what a Resident Assistant does

How To Become a Resident Assistant

If you're interested in becoming a resident assistant, one of the first things to consider is how much education you need. We've determined that 59.7% of resident assistants have a bachelor's degree. In terms of higher education levels, we found that 4.3% of resident assistants have master's degrees. Even though most resident assistants have a college degree, it's possible to become one with only a high school degree or GED.

Learn More About How To Become a Resident Assistant

Resident Assistant Career Paths

Average Salary for a Resident Assistant

Resident Assistants in America make an average salary of $29,971 per year or $14 per hour. The top 10 percent makes over $39,000 per year, while the bottom 10 percent under $22,000 per year.
Average Resident Assistant Salary
$29,971 Yearly
$14.41 hourly

What Am I Worth?

salary-calculator

Roles and Types of Resident Assistant

The role of a resident assistant includes a wide range of responsibilities. These responsibilities can vary based on an individual's specific job, company, or industry.Here are some general resident assistant responsibilities:

  • Assist the resident with personal cares which may include all or some of the following: shampooing of hair, assist with shower, rubbing with lotions, transfers, incontinence cares, dressing, grooming, medication administration, redirection of a confused resident
  • Individuals serving in the position of residential assistant at st. camillus place are responsible for discovering new elements of a person’s life that he/she can influence
  • Assistance with transporting residents in wheelchairs only (no sba), passing of linen, making beds, tray delivery

There are several types of resident assistant, including:

Resident

Role:

A resident is a freshly graduated medical student, completing a physician fellowship under the supervision of medical professionals. Residency is a regular phase of medical education that lasts for three to seven years, depending on the specialization. In fact, there is around one resident for every five physicians active in healthcare facilities.

Residents are involved in patient care, do rounds and attend seminars, complete medical records, and perform any task assigned to them by healthcare staff. They examine patients and assess their health status, develop treatment plans, and assist in medical procedures and surgery.

As a new resident on the job, you are likely to feel a bit overwhelmed in the beginning. But not to worry, according to the latest regulations, the workload is limited to 80 hours a week, and the maximum length of shifts first-year residents are allowed to take is 28 hours.

  • Average Salary: $60,589
  • Degree: Bachelor's Degree

Resident Advisor

Role:

Resident assistants are enrolled students of universities and colleges who live on campus. They are responsible for helping their peers to get comfortable in their student residences and contribute to organizing community life on campus. They give a hand with studying and make sure everyone in the residence feels safe. Resident assistants will be the ones notified upon emergencies, and they are there to resolve any personal problem as well.

In most cases, as a resident assistant or RA, you will receive a discount or full waiver on your housing fees. It is a rewarding job that will allow you to make many connections during your studies. It might be a bit challenging to make time for your duties while not neglecting your studies, and sometimes you have to deal with serious problems like drugs, conflicts, or even violence.

Still, it is a great way to make the best of your college years while saving money on housing.

  • Average Salary: $25,324
  • Degree: Bachelor's Degree

States With The Most Resident Assistant Jobs

Mouse over a state to see the number of active resident assistant jobs in each state. The darker areas on the map show where resident assistants earn the highest salaries across all 50 states.

Average Salary: Job Openings:

Number Of Resident Assistant Jobs By State

Resident Assistant Education

Resident Assistant Majors

13.2 %
9.3 %

Resident Assistant Degrees

Bachelors

59.7 %

High School Diploma

15.3 %

Associate

11.1 %

Top Colleges for Resident Assistants

1. SUNY at Binghamton

Vestal, NY • Private

In-State Tuition

$9,808

Enrollment

13,990

2. Northwestern University

Evanston, IL • Private

In-State Tuition

$54,568

Enrollment

8,451

3. California State University - Dominguez Hills

Carson, CA • Private

In-State Tuition

$6,942

Enrollment

13,871

4. Duke University

Durham, NC • Private

In-State Tuition

$55,695

Enrollment

6,596

5. Howard University

Washington, DC • Private

In-State Tuition

$26,756

Enrollment

6,166

6. University of Southern California

Los Angeles, CA • Private

In-State Tuition

$56,225

Enrollment

19,548

7. University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, PA • Private

In-State Tuition

$55,584

Enrollment

10,764

8. California State University - Bakersfield

Bakersfield, CA • Private

In-State Tuition

$7,309

Enrollment

9,142

9. California State University - Long Beach

Long Beach, CA • Private

In-State Tuition

$6,798

Enrollment

31,503

10. University of Michigan - Ann Arbor

Ann Arbor, MI • Private

In-State Tuition

$15,262

Enrollment

30,079

Top Skills For a Resident Assistant

The skills section on your resume can be almost as important as the experience section, so you want it to be an accurate portrayal of what you can do. Luckily, we've found all of the skills you'll need so even if you don't have these skills yet, you know what you need to work on. Out of all the resumes we looked through, 16.2% of resident assistants listed home health on their resume, but soft skills such as organizational skills and problem-solving skills are important as well.

Choose From 10+ Customizable Resident Assistant Resume templates

Zippia allows you to choose from different easy-to-use Resident Assistant templates, and provides you with expert advice. Using the templates, you can rest assured that the structure and format of your Resident Assistant resume is top notch. Choose a template with the colors, fonts & text sizes that are appropriate for your industry.

Resident Assistant Resume
Resident Assistant Resume
Resident Assistant Resume
Resident Assistant Resume
Resident Assistant Resume
Resident Assistant Resume
Resident Assistant Resume
Resident Assistant Resume
Resident Assistant Resume
Resident Assistant Resume
Resident Assistant Resume
Resident Assistant Resume
Resident Assistant Resume
Resident Assistant Resume
Resident Assistant Resume
Resident Assistant Resume

Resident Assistant diversity

Resident Assistant Gender Distribution

Female
Female
66%
Male
Male
34%

After extensive research and analysis, Zippia's data science team found that:

  • Among resident assistants, 66.0% of them are women, while 34.0% are men.

  • The most common race/ethnicity among resident assistants is White, which makes up 58.3% of all resident assistants.

  • The most common foreign language among resident assistants is Spanish at 54.6%.

Online Courses For Resident Assistant That You May Like

Advertising Disclosure  

1. Conflict Resolution Skills

coursera

Resolving conflict in a positive manner is a skill that can be developed and practiced. Being heard can be one of the most important goals of someone engaged in conflict. Knowing how to listen and deploy appropriate communication tactics is determinative of whether a conflict will have a positive or negative resolution. Examine listening skills, appropriate and strategic verbal and non-verbal communication skills, and how to assemble a conflict management plan likely to yield positive...

2. Living with Dementia: Impact on Individuals, Caregivers, Communities and Societies

coursera

Health professionals and students, family caregivers, friends of and affected individuals, and others interested in learning about dementia and quality care will benefit from completing the course. Led by Drs. Nancy Hodgson and Laura Gitlin, participants will acquire foundational knowledge in the care of persons with Alzheimer’s Disease and other neurocognitive disorders...

3. Crisis Intervention Seminar

udemy
4.5
(369)

The emphasis is on the development of fundamental clinical skills in the area of crisis intervention...

Show More Online Courses For Resident Assistant
Job type you want
Full Time
Part Time
Internship
Temporary

Best States For a Resident Assistant

Some places are better than others when it comes to starting a career as a resident assistant. The best states for people in this position are California, Connecticut, North Dakota, and Alaska. Resident assistants make the most in California with an average salary of $34,915. Whereas in Connecticut and North Dakota, they would average $33,924 and $33,888, respectively. While resident assistants would only make an average of $32,819 in Alaska, you would still make more there than in the rest of the country. We determined these as the best states based on job availability and pay. By finding the median salary, cost of living, and using the Bureau of Labor Statistics' Location Quotient, we narrowed down our list of states to these four.

1. North Dakota

Total Resident Assistant Jobs: 59
Highest 10% Earn:
$42,000
Location Quotient:
1.36

2. Alaska

Total Resident Assistant Jobs: 68
Highest 10% Earn:
$39,000
Location Quotient:
1.75

3. Minnesota

Total Resident Assistant Jobs: 938
Highest 10% Earn:
$39,000
Location Quotient:
3.03
Full List Of Best States For Resident Assistants

How Do Resident Assistants Rate Their Jobs?

4/5

5 Stars

4 Stars

3 Stars

2 Stars

1 Star

Resident Assistant Reviews

4.0
May 2022
Pros

Not training

Cons

Sweatpants women an jeans 👖 for men long sleeve shirt 👕 on the time


4.0
Oct 2020
Pros

I like participating in the building up of a person. Also I like helping them to develop a success story for their lives.

Cons

I don't like working when there is no structure, such as rules. And standards are not provided for those who lack basic daily living principles.


Working as a Resident Assistant? Share your experience anonymously.
Overall Rating*
Career Growth
Work/Life balance
Pay/Salary

Top Resident Assistant Employers

Most Common Employers For Resident Assistant

RankCompanyAverage SalaryHourly RateJob Openings
1University of Connecticut$55,903$26.88121
2Florida State University$41,972$20.18111
3University of Delaware$34,803$16.73137
4University of Pittsburgh$33,294$16.01105
5Hofstra University$32,808$15.77116
6West Virginia University$31,300$15.05127
7Morningside$30,192$14.52143
8Boston University$29,546$14.20135
9Rutgers University$29,497$14.18142
10Miami University$29,477$14.17130

Resident Assistant Videos

Becoming a Resident Assistant FAQs

How Long Does It Take To Become A Resident Assistant?

It takes one year or less to become a resident assistant. That is the time it takes to learn specific resident assistant skills, but does not account for time spent in formal education. If you include the normal education requirements to complete a college degree, then it takes 4 to 6 years years to become a resident assistant.

Search For Resident Assistant Jobs