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The differences between residential assistants and service assistants can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 6-12 months to become both a residential assistant and a service assistant. Additionally, a service assistant has an average salary of $31,928, 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 service assistant are excellent interpersonal, basic math, and customer satisfaction.
| Residential Assistant | Service Assistant | |
| Yearly salary | $30,918 | $31,928 |
| Hourly rate | $14.86 | $15.35 |
| Growth rate | 12% | 12% |
| Number of jobs | 91,326 | 69,115 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 53% | Bachelor's Degree, 49% |
| Average age | 43 | 43 |
| Years of experience | 12 | 12 |
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 Service Assistant's responsibility depends on the line of work or industry involved. However, the primary responsibility of a Service Assistant is to respond to a customer's inquiry and offer them assistance, a suggestion, or a solution. Aside from ensuring customer satisfaction, a Service Assistant may also process payments, discuss product information, and sell products or services in adherence to the company's policies and regulations. Furthermore, A Service Assistant needs to keep records of transactions at all times and report to management or supervisors.
Residential assistants and service assistants have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Residential Assistant | Service Assistant | |
| Average salary | $30,918 | $31,928 |
| Salary range | Between $25,000 And $37,000 | Between $23,000 And $43,000 |
| Highest paying City | Washington, DC | Washington, DC |
| Highest paying state | Hawaii | Hawaii |
| Best paying company | University of California | Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center |
| Best paying industry | Finance | Government |
There are a few differences between a residential assistant and a service assistant in terms of educational background:
| Residential Assistant | Service Assistant | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 53% | Bachelor's Degree, 49% |
| Most common major | Psychology | Business |
| Most common college | SUNY at Binghamton | Northwestern University |
Here are the differences between residential assistants' and service assistants' demographics:
| Residential Assistant | Service Assistant | |
| Average age | 43 | 43 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 34.4% Female, 65.6% | Male, 35.8% Female, 64.2% |
| 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, 5.2% Hispanic or Latino, 20.4% Asian, 6.7% White, 54.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 2.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 11% | 11% |