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Residential assistant salary
Average residential assistant salary
$14.86
Understanding Residential Assistant Salaries
As of October 2025, the average annual salary for a Residential Assistant stands at $30,918, translating to about $15 per hour. This figure represents a baseline that varies based on several factors, including geographic location, years of experience, and the specific employer. For example, residential assistants in metropolitan areas typically earn higher wages due to the increased cost of living.
Salary by Experience Level
Entry-level positions may offer starting salaries closer to $25,000 annually, while those with several years of experience can earn upwards of $35,000. Advancing your skills through additional training or certifications can further enhance earning potential.
Top Paying Locations
States such as California and New York consistently report higher salaries for residential assistants, reflecting their demand and cost of living. If you're considering a career in this field, exploring job openings in these regions may provide valuable opportunities.
Job Outlook
The demand for residential assistants is expected to grow, driven by an aging population and the need for care services. Prospective candidates should take advantage of resources like Zippia to explore job listings and salary insights tailored to their qualifications.
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Where can a Residential Assistant earn more?
Residential assistant salaries by experience level
| Experience level | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|
| Entry-level residential assistant | $21,500 | $10.31 |
| Mid-level residential assistant | $30,500 | $14.64 |
| Senior-level residential assistant | $35,000 | $16.81 |
Average residential assistant salary by state
The average residential assistant salary in Hawaii, Washington, and New Mexico are the highest in the U.S. The lowest average residential assistant salary states are South Carolina, West Virginia, and Iowa.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for residential assistants
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Washington | $34,629 | $16.65 |
| 2 | Nevada | $33,715 | $16.21 |
| 3 | New Jersey | $32,892 | $15.81 |
| 4 | New Mexico | $34,443 | $16.56 |
| 5 | North Dakota | $33,362 | $16.04 |
| 6 | Maryland | $33,347 | $16.03 |
| 7 | Arkansas | $31,407 | $15.10 |
| 8 | Hawaii | $35,830 | $17.23 |
| 9 | Pennsylvania | $29,975 | $14.41 |
| 10 | Minnesota | $30,316 | $14.57 |
| 11 | Illinois | $31,646 | $15.21 |
| 12 | Oklahoma | $33,717 | $16.21 |
| 13 | Maine | $29,823 | $14.34 |
| 14 | Colorado | $31,141 | $14.97 |
| 15 | New York | $30,798 | $14.81 |
| 16 | Idaho | $30,749 | $14.78 |
| 17 | Wisconsin | $31,264 | $15.03 |
| 18 | Oregon | $31,615 | $15.20 |
| 19 | Massachusetts | $30,275 | $14.56 |
| 20 | Florida | $30,633 | $14.73 |
| 21 | District of Columbia | $36,389 | $17.49 |
| 22 | California | $32,531 | $15.64 |
| 23 | Arizona | $29,669 | $14.26 |
| 24 | Michigan | $28,239 | $13.58 |
| 25 | Kansas | $31,515 | $15.15 |
| 26 | Texas | $30,039 | $14.44 |
| 27 | Connecticut | $29,487 | $14.18 |
| 28 | Nebraska | $29,017 | $13.95 |
| 29 | Tennessee | $27,788 | $13.36 |
| 30 | Indiana | $28,029 | $13.48 |
| 31 | Rhode Island | $28,610 | $13.75 |
| 32 | Ohio | $26,913 | $12.94 |
| 33 | Alaska | $27,494 | $13.22 |
| 34 | New Hampshire | $27,775 | $13.35 |
| 35 | Wyoming | $27,013 | $12.99 |
| 36 | North Carolina | $28,093 | $13.51 |
| 37 | West Virginia | $24,700 | $11.88 |
| 38 | Georgia | $27,508 | $13.22 |
| 39 | Missouri | $28,217 | $13.57 |
| 40 | Utah | $25,716 | $12.36 |
| 41 | Alabama | $27,133 | $13.04 |
| 42 | Delaware | $28,100 | $13.51 |
| 43 | Louisiana | $26,146 | $12.57 |
| 44 | Montana | $25,820 | $12.41 |
| 45 | Virginia | $26,616 | $12.80 |
| 46 | Vermont | $26,400 | $12.69 |
| 47 | Iowa | $24,620 | $11.84 |
| 48 | Mississippi | $22,787 | $10.96 |
| 49 | South Carolina | $25,184 | $12.11 |
| 50 | South Dakota | $24,081 | $11.58 |
| 51 | Kentucky | $23,683 | $11.39 |
Highest paying cities for residential assistants
The highest-paying cities for residential assistants are Washington, DC, Baltimore, MD, and Hackensack, NJ.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Washington, DC | $36,413 | $17.51 |
| 2 | Baltimore, MD | $33,418 | $16.07 |
| 3 | Hackensack, NJ | $32,910 | $15.82 |
| 4 | Culver City, CA | $32,600 | $15.67 |
| 5 | Medford, OR | $32,381 | $15.57 |
| 6 | Chicago, IL | $31,692 | $15.24 |
| 7 | Nampa, ID | $30,875 | $14.84 |
| 8 | Rochester, NY | $30,640 | $14.73 |
| 9 | West Palm Beach, FL | $30,637 | $14.73 |
| 10 | Attleboro, MA | $30,341 | $14.59 |
| 11 | Austin, TX | $30,280 | $14.56 |
| 12 | Hazleton, PA | $30,006 | $14.43 |
| 13 | Providence, RI | $28,592 | $13.75 |
| 14 | Anderson, IN | $28,058 | $13.49 |
| 15 | Anchorage, AK | $27,503 | $13.22 |
| 16 | Warren, OH | $27,105 | $13.03 |
| 17 | Columbia, SC | $25,156 | $12.09 |
| 18 | Covington, KY | $23,725 | $11.41 |
Residential assistant salary details
A residential assistant's salary ranges from $25,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $37,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a residential assistant's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $37,000 | $3,083 | $18 |
| 75th Percentile | $34,000 | $2,833 | $16 |
| Average | $30,918 | $2,577 | $15 |
| 25th Percentile | $27,000 | $2,250 | $13 |
| 10th Percentile | $25,000 | $2,083 | $12 |
Highest paying residential assistant jobs
The highest paying types of residential assistants are program counselor, mental health worker, and behavioral assistant.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Program Counselor | $43,820 | $3,652 | $21.07 | 133,491 |
| Mental Health Worker | $41,081 | $3,423 | $19.75 | 144,879 |
| Residential Counselor | $34,117 | $2,843 | $16.40 | 81,287 |
| Residential Coordinator | $39,577 | $3,298 | $19.03 | 47,261 |
| Residential Advisor | $33,593 | $2,799 | $16.15 | 47,150 |
| Residential Aide | $26,176 | $2,181 | $12.58 | 74,826 |
Top companies hiring residential assistants now:
Which companies pay residential assistants the most?
Residential assistant salaries at University of California and Brighton Center are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average residential assistant salary at companies like Wellpath and Land Title Guarantee are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of California | $42,886 | $20.62 |
| 2 | Brighton Center | $35,147 | $16.90 |
| 3 | Wellpath | $32,612 | $15.68 |
| 4 | Land Title Guarantee | $32,127 | $15.45 |
| 5 | Apis | $31,955 | $15.36 |
| 6 | DuPage County Health Department | $31,479 | $15.13 |
| 7 | Paradigm Malibu | $31,324 | $15.06 |
| 8 | DePaul | $31,199 | $15.00 |
| 9 | MINACT | $31,182 | $14.99 |
| 10 | The Village At Rockville | $31,098 | $14.95 |
| 11 | Avera Health | $31,043 | $14.92 |
| 12 | Grafton Integrated Health Network | $31,025 | $14.92 |
| 13 | Johns Hopkins Medicine | $30,968 | $14.89 |
| 14 | Supportive Concepts for Families | $30,871 | $14.84 |
| 15 | My Choice Family Care | $30,832 | $14.82 |
| 16 | Mental Health Systems | $30,789 | $14.80 |
| 17 | CHRISTUS Health | $30,702 | $14.76 |
| 18 | Ridgeview | $30,678 | $14.75 |
| 19 | Exceptional Children's Foundation | $30,656 | $14.74 |
| 20 | Keystone Human Services | $30,628 | $14.72 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Residential Assistant salary by industry
The average residential assistant salary varies across industries:
- The average residential assistant salary in the finance industry is $32,278, the highest of any industry.
- The average residential assistant salary in the finance industry is $30,751.
- Residential assistants in the health care industry earn an average salary of $29,471, the lowest of any industry.
Highest paying industries for residential assistants
| Rank | Industry | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Finance | $32,278 | $15.52 |
| 2 | Education | $30,751 | $14.78 |
| 3 | Professional | $30,260 | $14.55 |
| 4 | Health Care | $29,471 | $14.17 |
High paying residential assistant jobs
Residential assistant salary trends
The average residential assistant salary has risen by $6,208 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average residential assistant earned $24,710 annually, but today, they earn $30,918 a year. That works out to a 13% change in pay for residential assistants over the last decade.
Compare residential assistant salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average residential assistant salary over time
Compare residential assistant salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Residential assistant salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $30,900 | $14.86 | +2.5% |
| 2024 | $30,100 | $14.49 | +3.7% |
| 2023 | $29,000 | $13.95 | +1.9% |
| 2022 | $28,500 | $13.69 | +4.0% |
| 2021 | $27,300 | $13.15 | +3.1% |
Recently added residential assistant salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Francisco Ballet Association | Residential Life Assistant-Live In | San Francisco, CA | 06/28/2025 | $45,914 |
| Catholic Charities of The Archdiocese of Newark | Residential Assistant | Jersey City, NJ | 06/26/2025 | $32,328 |
| Riverstone Communities | Residential Assistant | Franklin, TN | 06/26/2025 | $30,262 |
| Burke | Residential Assistant | Lufkin, TX | 06/24/2025 | $30,850 |
| Native American Rehabilitation Association of The Northwest, Inc. | Residential Assistant | Portland, OR | 06/14/2025 | $41,740 |
| Riverstone Communities | Residential Assistant | West Palm Beach, FL | 06/11/2025 | $33,392 |
| Depaul | Residential Assistant | Rochester, NY | 06/10/2025 | $41,740 |
| Shepherds Gate | Residential Assistant Livermore | Livermore, CA | 06/06/2025 | $35,479 |
| Native American Rehabilitation Association of The Northwest, Inc. | Residential Assistant | Portland, OR | 05/31/2025 | $41,740 |
| Mercy Multiplied America | Residential Assistant, Relief | Lincoln, CA | 05/23/2025 | $45,914 |
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