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The differences between resident 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 resident assistant and a residential assistant. Additionally, a residential assistant has an average salary of $30,918, which is higher than the $29,971 average annual salary of a resident assistant.
The top three skills for a resident assistant include home health, CPR and vital signs. The most important skills for a residential assistant are direct care, developmental disabilities, and mental health.
| Resident Assistant | Residential Assistant | |
| Yearly salary | $29,971 | $30,918 |
| Hourly rate | $14.41 | $14.86 |
| Growth rate | 12% | 12% |
| Number of jobs | 19,033 | 91,326 |
| Job satisfaction | 4 | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 60% | Bachelor's Degree, 53% |
| Average age | 43 | 43 |
| Years of experience | 12 | 12 |
Resident assistants help manage peers or younger students who live in a particular residence hall on campus. They are usually in charge of welcoming fellow students, providing residence hall tours, and helping students cope with their new environment. To help students become more at ease with their environment, resident assistants usually act as buddies. They answer inquiries that the students may have and act as the bridge between the students and the residence hall management. They assist with administrative activities in the residence hall, such as handing out forms for students and ensuring documents are correctly filled out.
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.
Resident assistants and residential assistants have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Resident Assistant | Residential Assistant | |
| Average salary | $29,971 | $30,918 |
| Salary range | Between $22,000 And $39,000 | Between $25,000 And $37,000 |
| Highest paying City | Roseville, CA | Washington, DC |
| Highest paying state | California | Hawaii |
| Best paying company | Mount St. Mary's University | University of California |
| Best paying industry | Education | Finance |
There are a few differences between a resident assistant and a residential assistant in terms of educational background:
| Resident Assistant | Residential Assistant | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 60% | Bachelor's Degree, 53% |
| Most common major | Psychology | Psychology |
| Most common college | SUNY at Binghamton | SUNY at Binghamton |
Here are the differences between resident assistants' and residential assistants' demographics:
| Resident Assistant | Residential Assistant | |
| Average age | 43 | 43 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 34.0% Female, 66.0% | Male, 34.4% Female, 65.6% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 11.7% Unknown, 5.1% Hispanic or Latino, 16.1% Asian, 6.7% White, 58.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 2.1% | 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% |