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The differences between residential advisors and residence directors can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a residence director has an average salary of $48,265, which is higher than the $33,593 average annual salary of a residential advisor.
The top three skills for a residential advisor include patrol, substance abuse and behavior management. The most important skills for a residence director are state regulations, customer service, and oversight.
| Residential Advisor | Residence Director | |
| Yearly salary | $33,593 | $48,265 |
| Hourly rate | $16.15 | $23.20 |
| Growth rate | 12% | 7% |
| Number of jobs | 47,150 | 6,007 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 57% | Bachelor's Degree, 67% |
| Average age | 26 | 26 |
| Years of experience | - | - |
Residential advisors are responsible for coordinating activities in various residential buildings and facilities, such as group homes and dormitories. They perform various tasks that include ordering supplies, determining the need for maintenance and repair, and assigning rooms. Residential advisors may help residents with solving their problems or connect them to counseling services or resources. Also, they are responsible for providing first aid or seeking medical assistance in times of emergency, and mediating conflicts between residents. They are also expected to implement rules and regulations for the orderly and smooth operation of residential facilities.
A Residence Director serves as the supervisor of a residence hall community on campus. They supervise the day-to-day operations of a residence hall, including staff supervision, organizational planning, programming, and counseling.
Residential advisors and residence directors have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Residential Advisor | Residence Director | |
| Average salary | $33,593 | $48,265 |
| Salary range | Between $25,000 And $44,000 | Between $32,000 And $71,000 |
| Highest paying City | Edison, NJ | Bellingham, WA |
| Highest paying state | North Dakota | North Dakota |
| Best paying company | Dynamic Educational Systems, Inc. | University of California |
| Best paying industry | Manufacturing | - |
There are a few differences between a residential advisor and a residence director in terms of educational background:
| Residential Advisor | Residence Director | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 57% | Bachelor's Degree, 67% |
| Most common major | Psychology | Nursing |
| Most common college | Howard University | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between residential advisors' and residence directors' demographics:
| Residential Advisor | Residence Director | |
| Average age | 26 | 26 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 42.3% Female, 57.7% | Male, 38.5% Female, 61.5% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 14.0% Unknown, 5.8% Hispanic or Latino, 14.6% Asian, 7.7% White, 57.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9% | Black or African American, 14.3% Unknown, 5.7% Hispanic or Latino, 13.6% Asian, 7.3% White, 58.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9% |
| LGBT Percentage | 13% | 13% |