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Resident services director education requirements

Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read

There are several educational requirements to become a resident services director. Resident services directors usually study nursing, business, or social work. 48% of resident services directors hold a bachelor's degree, and 20% hold an associate degree. We analyzed 2,246 real resident services director resumes to see exactly what resident services director education sections show.

The most common colleges for resident services directors are the University of Phoenix and the University of Phoenix.

There are also many online resident services director courses to help get the education required to be a resident services director.

There are certain resident services director certifications that you should consider. These resident services director certifications include Certified Billing and Coding Specialist (CBCS) and Certified Therapeutic Recreation Specialist (CTRS).

What education do you need to become a resident services director?

What degree do you need to be a resident services director?

The most common degree for resident services directors is bachelor's degree, with 48% of resident services directors earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are associate degree degree at 20% and associate degree degree at 12%.
  • Bachelor's, 48%
  • Associate, 20%
  • Master's, 12%
  • Diploma, 8%
  • Other Degrees, 12%

What should I major in to become a resident services director?

You should major in nursing to become a resident services director. 31% of resident services directors major in nursing. Other common majors for a resident services director include business and social work.

Most common colleges for resident services directors

Resident services directors often get their degrees at University of Phoenix, Michigan State University, and Western Washington University. Here are the most common colleges for resident services directors in the US based on their resumes.
Resident services director common collegePercentages
University of Phoenix16.79%
Michigan State University6.57%
Western Washington University6.57%
Northern Arizona University5.11%
Illinois State University5.11%

Best majors for resident services directors

RankMajorPercentages
1Nursing30.9%
2Business11.5%
3Social Work10.9%
4Psychology7.4%
5Sociology3.8%

Best colleges for resident services directors

The best colleges for resident services directors are Stanford University, University of Pennsylvania, and Duke University.

A resident services director with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for resident services directors. We based this list on several metrics: admissions rate, retention rate, mean earnings of graduates, the ratio of working vs. non-working students ten years after admission, the average cost of attendance, and median debt for graduates who become resident services directors.

1. University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, PA • Private

In-state tuition

$55,584

Enrollment

10,764

2. University of Southern California

Los Angeles, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$56,225

Enrollment

19,548

3. University of Michigan - Ann Arbor

Ann Arbor, MI • Private

In-state tuition

$15,262

Enrollment

30,079

4. Stanford University

Stanford, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$51,354

Enrollment

7,083

5. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Chapel Hill, NC • Private

In-state tuition

$8,987

Enrollment

18,946

6. Duke University

Durham, NC • Private

In-state tuition

$55,695

Enrollment

6,596

7. SUNY Stony Brook

Stony Brook, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$9,625

Enrollment

17,407

8. University of Minnesota - Twin Cities

Minneapolis, MN • Private

In-state tuition

$14,760

Enrollment

31,451

9. University of California, Irvine

Irvine, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$13,700

Enrollment

29,722

10. University of Virginia

Charlottesville, VA • Private

In-state tuition

$17,653

Enrollment

16,405

20 best online courses for resident services directors

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Top 10 most affordable universities for resident services directors

The most affordable schools for resident services directors are University of Florida, baruch college of the city university of new york, and california state university - long beach.

If the best universities for resident services directors are out of your price range, check out these affordable schools. After factoring in in-state tuition and fees, the average cost of attendance, admissions rate, average net price, and mean earnings after six years, we found that these are the most affordable schools for resident services directors.

1. University of Florida

Gainesville, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,381

Cost of attendance

21,034

2. Baruch College of the City University of New York

New York, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$7,262

Cost of attendance

14,046

3. California State University - Long Beach

Long Beach, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,798

Cost of attendance

18,306

4. California State University - Los Angeles

Los Angeles, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,749

Cost of attendance

14,823

5. California State University - Bakersfield

Bakersfield, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$7,309

Cost of attendance

16,714

6. University of South Florida

Tampa, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,410

Cost of attendance

20,456

7. California State University - Dominguez Hills

Carson, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,942

Cost of attendance

14,469

8. Brigham Young University

Provo, UT • Private

In-state tuition

$5,620

Cost of attendance

18,136

9. SUNY Farmingdale

Farmingdale, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$8,306

Cost of attendance

16,091

10. Hunter College of the City University of New York

New York, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$7,182

Cost of attendance

13,998

Top 10 hardest universities to get into for resident services directors

The hardest universities for resident services directors to get into are Stanford University, University of Pennsylvania, and Duke University.

Some great schools for resident services directors are hard to get into, but they also set your career up for greater success. The list below shows the most challenging universities to get into for resident services directors based on an institution's admissions rates, average SAT scores accepted, median ACT scores accepted, and mean earnings of students six years after admission.

1. Stanford University

Stanford, CA • Private

Admissions rate

4%

SAT average

1,497

2. University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, PA • Private

Admissions rate

8%

SAT average

1,492

3. Duke University

Durham, NC • Private

Admissions rate

9%

SAT average

1,516

4. Columbia University in the City of New York

New York, NY • Private

Admissions rate

6%

SAT average

1,512

5. Johns Hopkins University

Baltimore, MD • Private

Admissions rate

11%

SAT average

1,513

6. Northwestern University

Evanston, IL • Private

Admissions rate

8%

SAT average

1,508

7. Georgetown University

Washington, DC • Private

Admissions rate

15%

SAT average

1,456

8. Vanderbilt University

Nashville, TN • Private

Admissions rate

10%

SAT average

1,514

9. Harvard University

Cambridge, MA • Private

Admissions rate

5%

SAT average

1,520

10. University of Southern California

Los Angeles, CA • Private

Admissions rate

13%

SAT average

1,445

Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for resident services directors

The easiest schools for resident services directors to get into are D'Youville College, mount saint mary's university, and barry university.

Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a resident services director without much hassle, check out the list of schools where you will be accepted in no time. We compiled admissions rates, average SAT scores, average ACT scores, and average salary of students six years after graduation to uncover which were the easiest schools to get into for resident services directors.

1. D'Youville College

Buffalo, NY • Private

Admissions rate

100%

SAT average

1,072

2. Mount Saint Mary's University

Los Angeles, CA • Private

Admissions rate

84%

SAT average

1,031

3. Barry University

Miami, FL • Private

Admissions rate

91%

SAT average

1,006

4. Felician University

Lodi, NJ • Private

Admissions rate

81%

SAT average

999

5. University of the Incarnate Word

San Antonio, TX • Private

Admissions rate

88%

SAT average

1,044

6. Gwynedd Mercy University

Gwynedd Valley, PA • Private

Admissions rate

92%

SAT average

1,031

7. Curry College

Milton, MA • Private

Admissions rate

93%

SAT average

1,026

8. Saint Joseph's College of Maine

Standish, ME • Private

Admissions rate

84%

SAT average

1,069

9. Marymount University

Arlington, VA • Private

Admissions rate

91%

SAT average

1,065

10. University of Baltimore

Baltimore, MD • Private

Admissions rate

78%

SAT average

1,020

Average resident services director salary by education level

According to our data, resident services directors with a Doctorate degree earn the highest average salary, at $110,058 annually. Resident services directors with a Master's degree earn an average annual salary of $84,420.
Resident services director education levelResident services director salary
Master's Degree$84,420
Bachelor's Degree$68,746
Doctorate Degree$110,058
Some College/ Associate Degree$58,276

Resident services director education FAQs

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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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