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The differences between residential counselors and day camp counselors can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 2-4 years to become both a residential counselor and a day camp counselor. Additionally, a residential counselor has an average salary of $34,117, which is higher than the $29,384 average annual salary of a day camp counselor.
The top three skills for a residential counselor include direct care, medication administration and mental health. The most important skills for a day camp counselor are CPR, kids, and cleanliness.
| Residential Counselor | Day Camp Counselor | |
| Yearly salary | $34,117 | $29,384 |
| Hourly rate | $16.40 | $14.13 |
| Growth rate | 12% | 10% |
| Number of jobs | 81,287 | 32,895 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 59% | Bachelor's Degree, 66% |
| Average age | 41 | 42 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
A residential counselor is responsible for guiding and providing the residents with their basic needs and other resources to support them in their daily living. Residential counselors' duties include maintaining the safety of the community by enforcing safety guidelines and procedures for the residents' compliance, organizing productive and engaging community activities, updating the residents of any changes and policies in the community, and resolving conflicts by counseling and understanding each resident's differences. A residential counselor must have excellent communication and decision-making skills to ensure the development of residents in a living facility.
The job of the camp counselors is to develop recreational plans and oversee camp activities in residential camps. Their duties and responsibilities include organizing camping trips, planning and scheduling group activities, and guiding children and teenagers in various outdoor activities such as swimming and hiking. They are expected to lead campers in emergency procedures and fire drills, explain safety rules and procedures, and provide emotional support to campers. Camp counselors are also responsible for assessing and responding to emergencies when they arise.
Residential counselors and day camp counselors have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Residential Counselor | Day Camp Counselor | |
| Average salary | $34,117 | $29,384 |
| Salary range | Between $27,000 And $42,000 | Between $19,000 And $44,000 |
| Highest paying City | Seattle, WA | Seattle, WA |
| Highest paying state | Washington | Hawaii |
| Best paying company | The Evergreens | City of Portland |
| Best paying industry | Education | Education |
There are a few differences between a residential counselor and a day camp counselor in terms of educational background:
| Residential Counselor | Day Camp Counselor | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 59% | Bachelor's Degree, 66% |
| Most common major | Psychology | Psychology |
| Most common college | California State University - Long Beach | Duke University |
Here are the differences between residential counselors' and day camp counselors' demographics:
| Residential Counselor | Day Camp Counselor | |
| Average age | 41 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 33.0% Female, 67.0% | Male, 33.4% Female, 66.6% |
| Race ratio | 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% | Black or African American, 12.9% Unknown, 5.6% Hispanic or Latino, 14.4% Asian, 5.0% White, 61.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% |
| LGBT Percentage | 15% | 8% |