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A Residential Specialist typically earns an average salary of $33,451 per year, which equates to about $16 per hour. Factors influencing this salary include geographical location, years of experience, and the specific sector within the residential services field.
For instance, in California, the average salary can be significantly higher due to the state's cost of living. Similarly, specialists in urban areas like New York City may command higher wages compared to their counterparts in rural settings.
Experience plays a crucial role in salary determination. Entry-level specialists typically earn less than those who have several years of experience. For example:
In addition to salary, many positions offer benefits such as health insurance and retirement plans, which can further enhance total compensation. Job seekers should consider these factors while exploring opportunities in this field.
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| Experience level | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|
| Entry-level residential specialist | $23,200 | $11.16 |
| Mid-level residential specialist | $32,900 | $15.84 |
| Senior-level residential specialist | $37,800 | $18.19 |
The average residential specialist salary in California, Hawaii, and North Dakota are the highest in the U.S. The lowest average residential specialist salary states are West Virginia, Montana, and Alabama.
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | $48,767 | $23.45 |
| 2 | North Carolina | $36,758 | $17.67 |
| 3 | Hawaii | $39,510 | $19.00 |
| 4 | Nevada | $36,271 | $17.44 |
| 5 | Pennsylvania | $33,263 | $15.99 |
| 6 | Minnesota | $35,365 | $17.00 |
| 7 | Idaho | $35,717 | $17.17 |
| 8 | California | $44,681 | $21.48 |
| 9 | Oklahoma | $34,821 | $16.74 |
| 10 | North Dakota | $36,875 | $17.73 |
| 11 | Maine | $34,481 | $16.58 |
| 12 | Utah | $33,322 | $16.02 |
| 13 | Washington | $35,820 | $17.22 |
| 14 | New Jersey | $34,140 | $16.41 |
| 15 | Illinois | $36,137 | $17.37 |
| 16 | Louisiana | $33,431 | $16.07 |
| 17 | Connecticut | $33,274 | $16.00 |
| 18 | Arkansas | $33,512 | $16.11 |
| 19 | Florida | $31,800 | $15.29 |
| 20 | New York | $32,824 | $15.78 |
| 21 | Delaware | $32,632 | $15.69 |
| 22 | Indiana | $33,411 | $16.06 |
| 23 | Texas | $32,249 | $15.50 |
| 24 | Michigan | $32,079 | $15.42 |
| 25 | Mississippi | $32,877 | $15.81 |
| 26 | Oregon | $32,754 | $15.75 |
| 27 | Kansas | $33,074 | $15.90 |
| 28 | Nebraska | $31,672 | $15.23 |
| 29 | Massachusetts | $31,111 | $14.96 |
| 30 | Alaska | $29,326 | $14.10 |
| 31 | Ohio | $31,884 | $15.33 |
| 32 | New Hampshire | $33,384 | $16.05 |
| 33 | Wyoming | $30,038 | $14.44 |
| 34 | Wisconsin | $31,932 | $15.35 |
| 35 | Arizona | $30,632 | $14.73 |
| 36 | Maryland | $31,080 | $14.94 |
| 37 | Missouri | $30,983 | $14.90 |
| 38 | New Mexico | $31,903 | $15.34 |
| 39 | Colorado | $31,379 | $15.09 |
| 40 | Iowa | $27,142 | $13.05 |
| 41 | Virginia | $30,851 | $14.83 |
| 42 | Vermont | $27,504 | $13.22 |
| 43 | Montana | $26,816 | $12.89 |
| 44 | West Virginia | $26,956 | $12.96 |
| 45 | Georgia | $29,493 | $14.18 |
| 46 | Rhode Island | $25,770 | $12.39 |
| 47 | Tennessee | $27,114 | $13.04 |
| 48 | Kentucky | $27,688 | $13.31 |
| 49 | South Dakota | $26,543 | $12.76 |
| 50 | Alabama | $26,545 | $12.76 |
| 51 | South Carolina | $26,458 | $12.72 |
The highest-paying cities for residential specialists are San Francisco, CA, Hilo, HI, and Jacksonville, NC.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Francisco, CA | $44,678 | $21.48 |
| 2 | Hilo, HI | $39,207 | $18.85 |
| 3 | Jacksonville, NC | $36,703 | $17.65 |
| 4 | Chicago, IL | $36,167 | $17.39 |
| 5 | Olympia, WA | $36,026 | $17.32 |
| 6 | Elizabeth, NJ | $34,098 | $16.39 |
| 7 | Waterbury, CT | $33,264 | $15.99 |
| 8 | New York, NY | $32,893 | $15.81 |
| 9 | Wilmington, DE | $32,623 | $15.68 |
| 10 | Tallahassee, FL | $32,043 | $15.41 |
| 11 | Toledo, OH | $32,020 | $15.39 |
| 12 | Beloit, WI | $31,905 | $15.34 |
| 13 | Lakewood, CO | $31,378 | $15.09 |
| 14 | Eldersburg, MD | $31,058 | $14.93 |
| 15 | Saint Louis, MO | $31,016 | $14.91 |
| 16 | Richmond, VA | $30,771 | $14.79 |
| 17 | Johnson City, TN | $27,094 | $13.03 |
| 18 | Columbia, SC | $26,410 | $12.70 |
| 19 | Coventry, RI | $25,843 | $12.42 |
A residential specialist's salary ranges from $25,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $44,000 at the 90th percentile.

| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $44,000 | $3,667 | $21 |
| 75th Percentile | $38,000 | $3,167 | $18 |
| Average | $33,451 | $2,788 | $16 |
| 25th Percentile | $28,000 | $2,333 | $13 |
| 10th Percentile | $25,000 | $2,083 | $12 |
The highest paying types of residential specialists are specialist, treatment specialist, and mental health specialist.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 |
How would you rate the starting salaries for residential specialists, as well as the prospects for salary advancement?
Dr. Kate Seltzer Ph.D.
Assistant Professor, Rowan University
Top companies hiring residential specialists now:
Residential specialist salaries at University of California, Berkeley and Washington State University are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average residential specialist salary at companies like First Republic Bank and Community Solutions are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of California-Berkeley | $48,823 | $23.47 |
| 2 | Washington State University | $42,108 | $20.24 |
| 3 | First Republic Bank | $41,349 | $19.88 |
| 4 | Professional | $36,552 | $17.57 |
| 5 | Gustave A. Larson | $34,925 | $16.79 |
| 6 | Thresholds | $34,425 | $16.55 |
| 7 | Peoples Health | $34,284 | $16.48 |
| 8 | Intercept Health | $34,190 | $16.44 |
| 9 | Florida United Methodist Children's Home | $34,030 | $16.36 |
| 10 | Gateway Hudson Valley | $34,014 | $16.35 |
| 11 | Thompson Child & Family Focus. | $33,659 | $16.18 |
| 12 | PosiGen | $33,219 | $15.97 |
| 13 | Maid Right | $33,113 | $15.92 |
| 14 | Home On The Range | $33,105 | $15.92 |
| 15 | Lawrence Hall | $33,057 | $15.89 |
| 16 | Samaritan Health Services Inc | $33,036 | $15.88 |
| 17 | RWJBarnabas Health | $32,850 | $15.79 |
| 18 | Urban Resources | $32,831 | $15.78 |
| 19 | Trinitas Regional Medical Center | $32,760 | $15.75 |
| 20 | Randstad North America, Inc. | $32,629 | $15.69 |
The average residential specialist salary varies across industries:
| Rank | Industry | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Non Profits | $35,090 | $16.87 |
| 2 | Professional | $31,562 | $15.17 |
| 3 | Finance | $31,503 | $15.15 |
| 4 | Real Estate | $31,353 | $15.07 |
| 5 | Health Care | $30,813 | $14.81 |
| 6 | Government | $30,701 | $14.76 |
The average residential specialist salary has risen by $6,717 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average residential specialist earned $26,734 annually, but today, they earn $33,451 a year. That works out to a 13% change in pay for residential specialists over the last decade.
Compare residential specialist salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Compare residential specialist salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $33,500 | $16.08 | +2.5% |
| 2024 | $32,600 | $15.68 | +3.7% |
| 2023 | $31,400 | $15.09 | +1.9% |
| 2022 | $30,800 | $14.81 | +4.0% |
| 2021 | $29,600 | $14.23 | +3.1% |
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Community Counseling Solutions | Equine Specialist/Residential Associate | Heppner, OR | 06/30/2025 | $38,923 |
| HCRS Current Positions | Residential Specialist-1St. Shift--Alternatives | Springfield, VT | 06/28/2025 | $41,740 |
| Klamath Youth Development Center | Adult Residential Specialist | Klamath Falls, OR | 06/26/2025 | $41,218 |
| National Capital Treatment and Recovery | Residential Specialist | Arlington, VA | 06/24/2025 | $41,740 |
| State of Florida | Residential Unit Specialist-67042610 (Sunland-Unit 2-All Homes/Shifts) | Marianna, FL | 06/23/2025 | $37,136 |
| Community Solutions | Residential Re-Entry Specialist | Bloomfield, CT | 06/20/2025 | $40,175 |
| Mental Health Center | Residential Specialist-1ST Shift | Manchester, NH | 06/20/2025 | $46,352 |
| Youth Emergency Services | Residential Specialist | Omaha, NE | 06/19/2025 | $35,479 |
| Myarrowleaf | Residential Specialist | Vienna, IL | 06/16/2025 | $55,620 |
| Arrowleaf | Residential Specialist | Vienna, IL | 06/16/2025 | $55,620 |
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