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The differences between residential aides and residential specialists can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a residential specialist has an average salary of $33,451, which is higher than the $26,176 average annual salary of a residential aide.
The top three skills for a residential aide include autism, developmental disabilities and compassion. The most important skills for a residential specialist are mental health, crisis intervention, and CPR.
| Residential Aide | Residential Specialist | |
| Yearly salary | $26,176 | $33,451 |
| Hourly rate | $12.58 | $16.08 |
| Growth rate | 36% | 12% |
| Number of jobs | 74,826 | 49,467 |
| Job satisfaction | 5 | - |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 29% | Bachelor's Degree, 49% |
| Average age | 48 | 43 |
| Years of experience | - | 12 |
A residential aide is responsible for assisting residents and patients in a community facility, supporting them in their daily activities and personal routines. Residential aides monitor the patients' health conditions, coordinate with medical professionals, and ensure that they receive the proper medications. They also assist the residents with their inquiries and concerns, as well as developing community programs and events, sustaining the healthy welfare of the citizens. A residential aide must have excellent communication and organizational skills, especially when communicating with management and other organizations for assistance on charity works.
The residential specialist job is to provide quality support services to consumers that enhance physical, emotional, intellectual, vocational, communication, and social skills according to the individual's needs, abilities, and choices. Their duties and responsibilities include following the guidelines given by their agencies and assisting clients as needed according to their daily plan and schedule.
Residential aides and residential specialists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Residential Aide | Residential Specialist | |
| Average salary | $26,176 | $33,451 |
| Salary range | Between $20,000 And $33,000 | Between $25,000 And $44,000 |
| Highest paying City | Beverly, MA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | Massachusetts | California |
| Best paying company | Mercy Housing and Shelter | University of California, Berkeley |
| Best paying industry | Education | Non Profits |
There are a few differences between a residential aide and a residential specialist in terms of educational background:
| Residential Aide | Residential Specialist | |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 29% | Bachelor's Degree, 49% |
| Most common major | Psychology | Psychology |
| Most common college | - | California State University - Long Beach |
Here are the differences between residential aides' and residential specialists' demographics:
| Residential Aide | Residential Specialist | |
| Average age | 48 | 43 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 26.8% Female, 73.2% | Male, 29.7% Female, 70.3% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 11.3% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 15.5% Asian, 8.1% White, 59.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.1% | Black or African American, 12.0% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 16.5% Asian, 6.4% White, 58.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.6% |
| LGBT Percentage | 7% | 11% |