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The differences between residential counselors and rehabilitation counselors can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 2-4 years to become a residential counselor, becoming a rehabilitation counselor takes usually requires 6-12 months. Additionally, a rehabilitation counselor has an average salary of $43,111, which is higher than the $34,117 average annual salary of a residential counselor.
The top three skills for a residential counselor include direct care, medication administration and mental health. The most important skills for a rehabilitation counselor are rehabilitation, social work, and mental health.
| Residential Counselor | Rehabilitation Counselor | |
| Yearly salary | $34,117 | $43,111 |
| Hourly rate | $16.40 | $20.73 |
| Growth rate | 12% | 11% |
| Number of jobs | 81,287 | 77,220 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 59% | Bachelor's Degree, 59% |
| Average age | 41 | 45 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 12 |
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.
Rehabilitation counselors are professional counselors who are responsible for helping individuals cope with their disabilities to live independently. These counselors are required to consult other professionals, family members, and individuals when developing a treatment plan based on the goals, strengths, limitations, and personal values of their clients. They must make connections with community support so that individuals with disabilities can avail of the types of services that are available. Rehabilitation counselors must also find employers and educate them in understanding the needs and abilities of disabled people.
Residential counselors and rehabilitation counselors have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Residential Counselor | Rehabilitation Counselor | |
| Average salary | $34,117 | $43,111 |
| Salary range | Between $27,000 And $42,000 | Between $31,000 And $58,000 |
| Highest paying City | Seattle, WA | Cleveland, OH |
| Highest paying state | Washington | Ohio |
| Best paying company | The Evergreens | North Shore Healthcare |
| Best paying industry | Education | Government |
There are a few differences between a residential counselor and a rehabilitation counselor in terms of educational background:
| Residential Counselor | Rehabilitation Counselor | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 59% | Bachelor's Degree, 59% |
| Most common major | Psychology | Psychology |
| Most common college | California State University - Long Beach | University of Washington |
Here are the differences between residential counselors' and rehabilitation counselors' demographics:
| Residential Counselor | Rehabilitation Counselor | |
| Average age | 41 | 45 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 33.0% Female, 67.0% | Male, 33.9% Female, 66.1% |
| 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, 13.7% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 10.8% Asian, 2.9% White, 66.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.7% |
| LGBT Percentage | 15% | 21% |