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What is a resident manager and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
Quoted expert
Jeyoung (Jenny) Oh Ph.D.
introduction image

A resident manager is a general manager who lives in a rental property or a hotel. Your responsibilities include setting up a community environment and managing all resident files for renewal. Overseeing budgeting, training employees, handling problems on-site, and providing orientation to all new residents are also your responsibilities. You are to supervise all residents and take part in all off-site meetings, ensuring consistency in all processes. Additionally, you will supervise young staff in the day-to-day performance to ensure customer satisfaction, and you must be available to assist residents with their needs. Also, you must be a role model with regards to conduct, policies, acceptance of personal differences, diversity, and academic pursuit.

To be a resident manager, you need a bachelor's degree and about 5 years of experience in a related area. You must be able to deal politely with residents to ensure they are satisfied with the services they receive. You must also have excellent supervisory skills. Your average annual salary will be $40,250.

What general advice would you give to a resident manager?

Jeyoung (Jenny) Oh Ph.D.

Assistant Professor of Communication, University of Michigan-Flint

If you work from home, it could be hard to separate your work time from your personal time. Make sure to take some time off to take care of yourself. It is important not only for your work performance but also for your well-being. Also, remember that there are many people who are there to support you, so do not hesitate to ask for help and ask questions. Be proactive and reach out to your colleagues. Set a virtual coffee time with your colleagues or manager to get to know them. If possible, join as many virtual workshops provided to you as you can. Those will help you understand the culture of your organization, and it will also be a great way to get to know your colleagues.
ScoreResident ManagerUS Average
Salary
4.0

Avg. Salary $50,811

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level
8.4

Growth rate 3%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity
4.3
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.59%

Asian 5.21%

Black or African American 8.39%

Hispanic or Latino 17.25%

Unknown 4.11%

White 64.45%

Gender

female 60.43%

male 39.57%

Age - 49
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 49
Stress level
8.4

Stress level is high

7.1 - high

Complexity level
8.6

Complexity level is advanced

7 - challenging

Work life balance
4.8

Work life balance is fair

6.4 - fair

Resident manager career paths

Key steps to become a resident manager

  1. Explore resident manager education requirements

    Most common resident manager degrees

    Bachelor's

    48.2 %

    Associate

    22.6 %

    High School Diploma

    12.2 %
  2. Start to develop specific resident manager skills

    SkillsPercentages
    Resident Care10.22%
    CPR8.02%
    Medication Administration7.09%
    Developmental Disabilities6.46%
    Crisis Intervention5.27%
  3. Complete relevant resident manager training and internships

    Accountants spend an average of 3-6 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New resident managers learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a resident manager based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real resident manager resumes.
  4. Gain additional resident manager certifications

    Resident manager certifications can show employers you have a baseline of knowledge expected for the position. Certifications can also make you a more competitive candidate. Even if employers don't require a specific resident manager certification, having one may help you stand out relative to other applicants.

    The most common certifications for resident managers include Certified Property Manager (CPM) and Fair Housing Compliance (FHC).

    More About Certifications
  5. Research resident manager duties and responsibilities

    • Achieve low turnover and evictions by instituting consistent move-in compliance criteria.
    • Manage resident and facility accounts, budgets, social security applications, and Medicare and Medicaid benefits.
    • Monitor and maintain patient charts including, MDS per state, federal regulations along with facility policies and procedures.
    • Maintain and review incident reports and take appropriate actions according to department policy and OPWDD regulations.
  6. Prepare your resident manager resume

    When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your resident manager resume.

    You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a resident manager resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

    Choose from 10+ customizable resident manager resume templates

    Build a professional resident manager resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your resident manager resume.
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  7. Apply for resident manager jobs

    Now it's time to start searching for a resident manager job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

    1. Browse job boards for relevant postings
    2. Consult your professional network
    3. Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
    4. Watch out for job scams

How did you land your first resident manager job

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Average resident manager salary

The average resident manager salary in the United States is $50,811 per year or $24 per hour. Resident manager salaries range between $31,000 and $82,000 per year.

Average resident manager salary
$50,811 Yearly
$24.43 hourly

What am I worth?

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How do resident managers rate their job?

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Resident manager reviews

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A zippia user wrote a review on Dec 2022
Pros

I believe that as a property manager you are trusted with one of the most intimate areas of a persons life!… their home! That’s one heck of a responsibility because , at the end of the day everything starts and ends with home!

Cons

The only thing I don’t like about working in the property management field is having to turn people away or add them to a waitlist. The demand/need for affordable quality housing is so great… it’s nearly impossible to assist everyone you meet because the demand far exceeds the supply. That is so frustrating and leaves me feeling like I’ve let people down when I don’t have anything available. Sometimes hearing the desperation in their voices gets to me and I find myself upset when I am unable yo help them.


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A zippia user wrote a review on Sep 2020
Pros

Just being able to take care of rent and things that broke . Living on the premises

Cons

I love it


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A zippia user wrote a review on Jan 2020
Pros

Resolving conflict

Cons

Occasionally having to fight owner to buy the appropriate matereals when he’d prefer to save $ on it some stuff just has to be done correctly .


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Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

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