Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
Residential program worker salary
Average residential program worker salary
$13.61
Understanding the Salary of Residential Program Workers
As of October 2025, the average salary for a Residential Program Worker is around $28,309 per year or $14 per hour. Factors influencing these figures include geographical location, years of experience, and employer type. For instance, workers in higher-paying states like California and New York can expect to earn more. Entry-level positions typically start at about $13.61 per hour, increasing with experience.
Job Opportunities and Growth
Residential Program Workers are essential in supporting individuals in various residential settings, including group homes and assisted living facilities. The demand for qualified workers continues to grow, driven by an increasing focus on mental health and community support services. Many organizations offer training programs, which can lead to higher salaries and advancement opportunities. Additionally, networking within professional associations can enhance job prospects and provide valuable resources for career development.
Let Zippi find your next residential program worker job
Let Zippi find your next residential program worker job
Where can a Residential Program Worker earn more?
Residential program worker salaries by experience level
| Experience level | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|
| Entry-level residential program worker | $19,600 | $9.44 |
| Mid-level residential program worker | $27,900 | $13.41 |
| Senior-level residential program worker | $32,000 | $15.39 |
Residential program worker salary estimates from across the web
Average residential program worker salary by state
The average residential program worker salary in Wisconsin, California, and New York are the highest in the U.S. The lowest average residential program worker salary states are Tennessee, Florida, and West Virginia.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for residential program workers
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New Hampshire | $31,434 | $15.11 |
| 2 | North Dakota | $32,563 | $15.66 |
| 3 | Oregon | $31,038 | $14.92 |
| 4 | New York | $32,829 | $15.78 |
| 5 | New Mexico | $31,510 | $15.15 |
| 6 | Wisconsin | $33,705 | $16.20 |
| 7 | Minnesota | $30,178 | $14.51 |
| 8 | California | $33,648 | $16.18 |
| 9 | Delaware | $27,944 | $13.43 |
| 10 | Ohio | $30,781 | $14.80 |
| 11 | Maine | $29,263 | $14.07 |
| 12 | Rhode Island | $28,769 | $13.83 |
| 13 | Texas | $28,181 | $13.55 |
| 14 | Nevada | $30,467 | $14.65 |
| 15 | Indiana | $28,071 | $13.50 |
| 16 | Connecticut | $31,130 | $14.97 |
| 17 | Arkansas | $25,197 | $12.11 |
| 18 | Illinois | $29,233 | $14.05 |
| 19 | Massachusetts | $27,725 | $13.33 |
| 20 | Iowa | $27,907 | $13.42 |
| 21 | Colorado | $27,718 | $13.33 |
| 22 | Idaho | $26,716 | $12.84 |
| 23 | Nebraska | $25,142 | $12.09 |
| 24 | South Carolina | $25,522 | $12.27 |
| 25 | New Jersey | $28,445 | $13.68 |
| 26 | Utah | $24,679 | $11.86 |
| 27 | District of Columbia | $30,043 | $14.44 |
| 28 | Mississippi | $25,867 | $12.44 |
| 29 | North Carolina | $24,730 | $11.89 |
| 30 | Montana | $26,045 | $12.52 |
| 31 | Washington | $27,184 | $13.07 |
| 32 | Pennsylvania | $24,443 | $11.75 |
| 33 | South Dakota | $23,323 | $11.21 |
| 34 | Hawaii | $28,331 | $13.62 |
| 35 | Michigan | $25,208 | $12.12 |
| 36 | Alaska | $27,185 | $13.07 |
| 37 | Virginia | $25,630 | $12.32 |
| 38 | Wyoming | $25,465 | $12.24 |
| 39 | West Virginia | $22,341 | $10.74 |
| 40 | Kentucky | $24,350 | $11.71 |
| 41 | Tennessee | $22,615 | $10.87 |
| 42 | Maryland | $27,236 | $13.09 |
| 43 | Kansas | $24,379 | $11.72 |
| 44 | Vermont | $26,087 | $12.54 |
| 45 | Oklahoma | $23,330 | $11.22 |
| 46 | Florida | $22,564 | $10.85 |
| 47 | Louisiana | $22,116 | $10.63 |
| 48 | Georgia | $22,924 | $11.02 |
| 49 | Arizona | $23,228 | $11.17 |
| 50 | Missouri | $21,745 | $10.45 |
| 51 | Alabama | $21,272 | $10.23 |
Highest paying cities for residential program workers
The highest-paying cities for residential program workers are Costa Mesa, CA, New York, NY, and Bismarck, ND.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Costa Mesa, CA | $33,184 | $15.95 |
| 2 | New York, NY | $32,792 | $15.77 |
| 3 | Bismarck, ND | $32,346 | $15.55 |
| 4 | Cleveland, OH | $31,652 | $15.22 |
| 5 | Concord, NH | $31,446 | $15.12 |
| 6 | Hartford, CT | $31,164 | $14.98 |
| 7 | DeKalb, IL | $29,358 | $14.11 |
| 8 | South Portland, ME | $29,309 | $14.09 |
| 9 | Fort Wayne, IN | $28,904 | $13.90 |
| 10 | Brownsville, TX | $27,887 | $13.41 |
| 11 | Lexington, MA | $27,703 | $13.32 |
| 12 | Helena, MT | $26,071 | $12.53 |
| 13 | Little Rock, AR | $25,161 | $12.10 |
| 14 | Garner, NC | $24,760 | $11.90 |
| 15 | Atlanta, GA | $22,991 | $11.05 |
| 16 | Baton Rouge, LA | $22,126 | $10.64 |
| 17 | Charleston, WV | $21,953 | $10.55 |
Residential program worker salary details
A residential program worker's salary ranges from $20,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $39,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a residential program worker's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $39,000 | $3,250 | $19 |
| 75th Percentile | $33,000 | $2,750 | $16 |
| Average | $28,309 | $2,359 | $14 |
| 25th Percentile | $23,000 | $1,917 | $11 |
| 10th Percentile | $20,000 | $1,667 | $10 |
Highest paying residential program worker jobs
The highest paying types of residential program workers are program coordinator, mental health worker, and residential coordinator.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Direct Support Staff | $31,268 | $2,606 | $15.03 | 182,001 |
| Direct Care Counselor | $33,422 | $2,785 | $16.07 | 123,519 |
| Direct Support Professional | $32,077 | $2,673 | $15.42 | 142,034 |
| Direct Care Staffer | $30,480 | $2,540 | $14.65 | 117,658 |
| Direct Care Provider | $29,470 | $2,456 | $14.17 | 117,168 |
| Human Services Worker | $29,005 | $2,417 | $13.94 | 179,257 |
Top companies hiring residential program workers now:
Which companies pay residential program workers the most?
Residential program worker salaries at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory and Clay Electric Co-op are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average residential program worker salary at companies like State Bar of Michigan and Worthington Industries are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pacific Northwest National Laboratory | $58,864 | $28.30 |
| 2 | Clay Electric Co-op | $41,683 | $20.04 |
| 3 | State Bar of Michigan | $37,680 | $18.12 |
| 4 | Worthington Industries | $34,598 | $16.63 |
| 5 | IDEA Public Schools | $34,508 | $16.59 |
| 6 | Lexington Christian Academy | $34,433 | $16.55 |
| 7 | UC Health | $32,257 | $15.51 |
| 8 | The Children's Village | $31,275 | $15.04 |
| 9 | Commonwealth Of Pennsylvania | $30,956 | $14.88 |
| 10 | Children's Home & Aid | $29,754 | $14.30 |
| 11 | Melmark New England | $29,502 | $14.18 |
| 12 | CliniSync | $28,331 | $13.62 |
| 13 | Pennsylvania State Treasurer | $28,292 | $13.60 |
| 14 | VMware | $27,989 | $13.46 |
| 15 | Indiana State Police | $27,830 | $13.38 |
| 16 | Community Health Systems | $27,600 | $13.27 |
| 17 | Community Counseling Center of Mercer County | $26,995 | $12.98 |
| 18 | Maine | $26,649 | $12.81 |
| 19 | State of Georgia: Teachers Retirement System of Georgia | $25,962 | $12.48 |
| 20 | State of Ohio | $25,628 | $12.32 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Residential Program Worker salary by industry
The average residential program worker salary varies across industries:
- The average residential program worker salary in the health care industry is $28,780, the highest of any industry.
- The average residential program worker salary in the finance industry is $28,564.
- Residential program workers in the non profits industry earn an average salary of $26,357, the lowest of any industry.
Highest paying industries for residential program workers
| Rank | Industry | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Health Care | $28,780 | $13.84 |
| 2 | Professional | $28,564 | $13.73 |
| 3 | Education | $28,545 | $13.72 |
| 4 | Government | $27,193 | $13.07 |
| 5 | Non Profits | $26,357 | $12.67 |
High paying residential program worker jobs
Residential program worker salary trends
The average residential program worker salary has risen by $5,684 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average residential program worker earned $22,625 annually, but today, they earn $28,309 a year. That works out to a 13% change in pay for residential program workers over the last decade.
Compare residential program worker salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average residential program worker salary over time
Compare residential program worker salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Residential program worker salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $28,300 | $13.61 | +2.5% |
| 2024 | $27,600 | $13.27 | +3.7% |
| 2023 | $26,600 | $12.77 | +1.9% |
| 2022 | $26,100 | $12.54 | +4.0% |
| 2021 | $25,000 | $12.04 | +3.1% |
Recently added residential program worker salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| State of Ohio | Therapeutic Program Worker | Columbus, OH | 06/29/2025 | $47,500 |
| Dasstateoh | Therapeutic Program Worker-Up To Bonus Available! | Columbus, OH | 06/27/2025 | $51,293 |
| Compass Family & Community Services | Therapeutic Program Worker | Warren, OH | 06/19/2025 | $29,218 |
| Young Life | Lost Canyon-Shoulder Season Program Worker (AUG-NOV) | Williams, AZ | 06/09/2025 | $30,679 |
| Esalen | Residential Extended Education Program | Ione, CA | 06/09/2025 | $34,436 |
| Developmental Disabilities | Therapeutic Program Worker-Up To 241000 Bonus Available! | Mount Vernon, OH | 06/01/2025 | $51,293 |
| Dasstateoh | Therapeutic Program Worker | Columbus, OH | 05/28/2025 | $47,500 |
| State of Ohio | Therapeutic Program Worker (Mental Health Therapeutic Aide) Hospital Northfield, Ohio Supplemental W | Northfield, OH | 05/27/2025 | $45,142 |
| State of Ohio | Therapeutic Program Worker-Intermittent | Columbus, OH | 05/27/2025 | $51,293 |
| Compass Family & Community Services | Therapeutic Program Worker | Warren, OH | 05/26/2025 | $29,218 |
Residential program worker salary FAQs
Search for residential program worker jobs