How to hire a residential counselor

How to hire a residential counselor, step by step

Here's a step-by-step residential counselor hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write a residential counselor job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new residential counselor
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does a residential counselor do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   The residential counselor hiring process starts by determining what type of worker you actually need. Certain roles might require a full-time employee, whereas part-time workers or contractors can do others.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   Hiring the perfect residential counselor also involves considering the ideal background you'd like them to have. Depending on what industry or field they have experience in, they'll bring different skills to the job. It's also important to consider what levels of seniority and education the job requires and what kind of salary such a candidate would likely demand.

   Here's a comparison of residential counselor salaries for various roles:

   Type of Residential Counselor	Description	Hourly rate
   Residential Counselor	Mental health counselors and marriage and family therapists help people manage and overcome mental and emotional disorders and problems with family and other relationships. They listen to clients and ask questions to help the clients understand their problems and develop strategies to improve their lives.	$12-20
   Counselor Internship	When it comes to Counselor Internship, among the primary responsibilities is to assist in dealing with various activities such as preparing and verifying necessary documentation, observing consultations and outreach programs, guide clients and help develop multiple helpful strategies, and provide assessments. Furthermore, one can conduct counseling and consultation only under supervision... Show more	$14-31
   Child Care Counselor	Child care counselors monitor the progress of children who have behavioral, physical, and mental issues in between counseling appointments. These counselors create daily schedules for children that include field trips, play dates, and learning plans to ensure that children get the most out of their days... Show more	$13-22

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Direct Care
   • Medication Administration
   • Mental Health
   • Social Work
   • Developmental Disabilities
   • Mental Illness
   • CPR
   • Autism
   • Cleanliness
   • Money Management
   • Home Health
   • ADL
   • Crisis Intervention
   • Adaptive

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Lead recreational activities for adolescents with ADHD and other behavior disorders.
   • Engage, educate and empower participants to access community base resources in order to achieve greater self-determination, rehabilitation and recovery.
   • Train in AMAP, SCIP, and first aid procedures.
   • Assist residents with ADL, occasionally accompany to medical appointments, administer medications.
   • Refine an understanding of HIPAA and DMH programs.
   • Assist special needs students to reach their IEP and treatment plan goals in 1:1 and group settings.

   More residential counselor duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in the residential counselor job description is a good way to get more applicants. A residential counselor salary can be affected by several factors, such as the location of the job, the level of experience, education, certifications, and the employer's prestige.

   For example, the average salary for a residential counselor in Indiana may be lower than in Washington, and an entry-level engineer typically earns less than a senior-level residential counselor. Additionally, a residential counselor with lots of experience in the field may command a higher salary as a result.

   Average residential counselor salary

   $16.40hourly

   $34,117 yearly

   ---

   Entry-level residential counselor salary

   $27,000 yearly salary

   Updated January 17, 2026

   Average residential counselor salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	Washington	$42,921	$21
   2	California	$39,618	$19
   3	Minnesota	$37,615	$18
   4	Oregon	$36,839	$18
   5	Colorado	$36,129	$17
   6	Massachusetts	$33,629	$16
   7	New York	$33,439	$16
   8	New Hampshire	$32,593	$16
   9	Pennsylvania	$30,382	$15
   10	New Jersey	$30,223	$15

   Average residential counselor salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	The Evergreens	$40,544	$19.49	42
   2	Telecare	$40,352	$19.40	110
   3	Lifespan	$40,230	$19.34	1
   4	Child and Family Services of NH	$40,209	$19.33
   5	Children's Home & Aid	$39,761	$19.12
   6	Community Resources for Justice	$39,715	$19.09	17
   7	Ramsey County	$39,618	$19.05
   8	DESC	$39,556	$19.02	17
   9	Astor Services	$39,389	$18.94	38
   10	Washington State University	$39,271	$18.88
   11	Mayo Clinic	$39,054	$18.78	20
   12	Pine Street Inn	$38,969	$18.74	57
   13	Melmark New England	$38,233	$18.38	14
   14	City Of Alexandria	$38,203	$18.37	5
   15	CFG Health Systems	$38,193	$18.36	10
   16	Northeast Center for Youth and Families	$38,176	$18.35	22
   17	Five Acres--the Boy's And Girl's Aid Society Of Los Angeles	$37,884	$18.21
   18	The Home For Little Wanderers	$37,789	$18.17	35
   19	St. Joseph's Health	$37,773	$18.16	9
   20	Youth Villages	$37,620	$18.09	93

4. Writing a residential counselor job description

   A residential counselor job description should include a summary of the role, required skills, and a list of responsibilities. It's also good to include a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager. To help get you started, here's an example of a residential counselor job description:

   Residential counselor job description example

   For 50 years, Career Opportunity Development, Inc. (CODI) has provided rewarding career choices for qualified, compassionate, dependable individuals who work well with others. CODI offers competitive salaries, a supportive work environment, and an excellent benefits package.
   Work Schedule: 1-weekend shift per week; 4-weekday shifts per week
   Job Summary: Work is active both in the community and in a group home setting. Contributing to the development, implementation, monitoring, and updating of the individualized rehabilitation plan; performing therapeutic rehabilitative skill development; offering services appropriate to meet the consumers' needs; performing crisis intervention, and coordinating and managing services. Promote independence and overall health and safety of consumers in CODI group homes.
   Required: Must be a minimum of 21 years of age Must obtain and retain CPR and First Aid Certification within ninety (90) days of hire or transfer Valid New Jersey driver's license with less than 5 points Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university in one of the helping professions, such as social work, human services, counseling, psychiatric rehabilitation, psychology, or criminal justice. Staff with a bachelor's level degree from an accredited college or university in a field other than a helping profession shall have a minimum of two years of professional experience in a community behavioral healthcare setting. Certification as a psychiatric rehabilitation practitioner (CPRP) may be substituted for one year of experience. Must be able to pass a drug test, including non-use of marijuana Must provide proof of vaccination against COVID-19 or documented religious or medical exemption to apply
   Essential Functions: Work efficiently with people from different cultures and backgrounds and show genuine respect for others who are different
   Educate consumers on Illness Management, including benefits of medication compliance, problem-solving techniques, and coping strategies
   Provide input towards the Individualized Rehabilitation Plan (IRP) and assist the consumer in setting and attaining goals
   Transport consumers as required
   Maintain 65% of the time in face-to-face contact with assigned CSS consumers in the community based on Individualized Rehabilitation Plan goals and objectives
   Provide training in the development of independent living skills as designated in IRP
   Provide support in planning, shopping for, and preparing nutritious and well-balanced meals
   Promote community integration and restoration of maximum possible functional level by improving and/or developing social, interpersonal, problem-solving, and communication skills
   Assist consumers with accessing, navigating, renewing, and providing linkages to public entitlements
   Prepare and maintain required Medicaid documentation
   Provide on-call support after regular business hours
   Engage consumers in social and/or recreational activities
   Assist consumers in maintaining cleanliness and safety of home
   Be capable of climbing /descending stairways to respond to consumer needs
   Be capable of assisting consumers with evacuating Group Home in 180 seconds
   Fully cooperate with the Department of Human Services during any investigation
   
   If you are invited to interview, please bring: Two professional reference letters - Identification and Social Security Card - Highest degree or diploma

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   To find residential counselors for your business, try out a few different recruiting strategies:

   • Consider internal talent. One of the most important talent pools for any company is its current employees.
   • Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and your current work to ask if they know any residential counselors they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit entry-level residential counselors with the right educational background.
   • Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter have more than 3.5 billion users, and they're a great place for company branding and reaching potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your residential counselor job on Zippia to find and recruit residential counselor candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   During your first interview to recruit residential counselors, engage with candidates to learn about their interest in the role and experience in the field. During the following interview, you'll be able to go into more detail about the company, the position, and the responsibilities.

   It's also good to ask about candidates' unique skills and talents. You can move on to the technical interview if a candidate is good enough for the next step.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new residential counselor

   Once you've selected the best residential counselor candidate for the job, it's time to write an offer letter. In addition to salary, this letter should include details about the benefits and perks you offer the candidate. Ensuring that your offer is competitive is essential, as qualified candidates may be considering other job opportunities. The candidate may wish to negotiate the terms of the offer, and you should be open to discussion. After you reach an agreement, the final step is formalizing the agreement with a contract.

   It's also good etiquette to follow up with applicants who don't get the job by sending them an email letting them know that the position has been filled.

   Once that's done, you can draft an onboarding schedule for the new residential counselor. Human Resources should complete Employee Action Forms and ensure that onboarding paperwork is completed, including I-9s, benefits enrollment, federal and state tax forms, etc. They should also ensure that new employee files are created for internal recordkeeping.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

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How much does it cost to hire a residential counselor?