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The differences between residential assistants and program counselors can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 6-12 months to become a residential assistant, becoming a program counselor takes usually requires 2-4 years. Additionally, a program counselor has an average salary of $43,820, which is higher than the $30,918 average annual salary of a residential assistant.
The top three skills for a residential assistant include direct care, developmental disabilities and mental health. The most important skills for a program counselor are developmental disabilities, patients, and community integration.
| Residential Assistant | Program Counselor | |
| Yearly salary | $30,918 | $43,820 |
| Hourly rate | $14.86 | $21.07 |
| Growth rate | 12% | 10% |
| Number of jobs | 91,326 | 133,491 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 53% | Bachelor's Degree, 60% |
| Average age | 43 | 41 |
| Years of experience | 12 | 4 |
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.
A Program Counselor is an essential part of a school's faculty. It's the counselor's responsibility to ensure that students are benefiting from the school's educational curriculum. This person is also tasked to help students resolve issues and problems that may hinder any educational progress. They are also part of the disciplinary team intended to instill good morals, ethics, and decency in students. The Program Counselor is one of the teacher or professor who has expertise or has a high educational degree in a particular subject or field.
Residential assistants and program counselors have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Residential Assistant | Program Counselor | |
| Average salary | $30,918 | $43,820 |
| Salary range | Between $25,000 And $37,000 | Between $33,000 And $58,000 |
| Highest paying City | Washington, DC | New York, NY |
| Highest paying state | Hawaii | New York |
| Best paying company | University of California | Russell Sage College |
| Best paying industry | Finance | Health Care |
There are a few differences between a residential assistant and a program counselor in terms of educational background:
| Residential Assistant | Program Counselor | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 53% | Bachelor's Degree, 60% |
| Most common major | Psychology | Psychology |
| Most common college | SUNY at Binghamton | California State University - Long Beach |
Here are the differences between residential assistants' and program counselors' demographics:
| Residential Assistant | Program Counselor | |
| Average age | 43 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 34.4% Female, 65.6% | Male, 35.9% Female, 64.1% |
| Race ratio | 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% | Black or African American, 11.3% Unknown, 5.9% Hispanic or Latino, 12.2% Asian, 3.2% White, 67.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% |
| LGBT Percentage | 11% | 15% |