Residential trainer vs life skills trainer

The differences between residential trainers and life skills trainers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 6-12 months to become both a residential trainer and a life skills trainer. Additionally, a residential trainer has an average salary of $34,217, which is higher than the $30,822 average annual salary of a life skills trainer.

The top three skills for a residential trainer include developmental disabilities, data collection and independent living. The most important skills for a life skills trainer are medication administration, therapeutic recreation, and medical appointments.

Residential trainer vs life skills trainer overview

	Residential Trainer	Life Skills Trainer
Yearly salary	$34,217	$30,822
Hourly rate	$16.45	$14.82
Growth rate	12%	19%
Number of jobs	54,608	39,666
Job satisfaction	-	5
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 41%	Bachelor's Degree, 53%
Average age	43	37
Years of experience	12	12

Residential trainer vs life skills trainer salary

Residential trainers and life skills trainers have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Residential Trainer	Life Skills Trainer
Average salary	$34,217	$30,822
Salary range	Between $25,000 And $45,000	Between $22,000 And $41,000
Highest paying City	-	-
Highest paying state	-	-
Best paying company	-	-
Best paying industry	-	-

Differences between residential trainer and life skills trainer education

There are a few differences between a residential trainer and a life skills trainer in terms of educational background:

	Residential Trainer	Life Skills Trainer
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 41%	Bachelor's Degree, 53%
Most common major	Psychology	Psychology
Most common college	SUNY at Binghamton	University of Michigan - Ann Arbor

Residential trainer vs life skills trainer demographics

Here are the differences between residential trainers' and life skills trainers' demographics:

	Residential Trainer	Life Skills Trainer
Average age	43	37
Gender ratio	Male, 26.7% Female, 73.3%	Male, 33.9% Female, 66.1%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 11.5% Unknown, 5.2% Hispanic or Latino, 14.9% Asian, 6.0% White, 60.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 2.1%	Black or African American, 7.1% Unknown, 5.4% Hispanic or Latino, 10.6% Asian, 5.1% White, 71.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5%
LGBT Percentage	11%	13%

Differences between residential trainer and life skills trainer duties and responsibilities

Residential trainer example responsibilities.

Manage situations through effective oral communication skills and PMT restraint.
Assist consumers with daily ADL skills.
Implement training and interventions as outlined in ISP and behavioral treatment plan.
Promote continuity of care by accurately and completely communicating to other caregivers the status of patients for which care is provided.
Document progress and communicate to MHMR case manager.

Life skills trainer example responsibilities.

Train and experience at managing challenging classroom situations using CPI methods and positive behavior reinforcement practices.
Deliver individual counseling and perform crisis intervention duties including reporting suicidal patients.
Cultivate a culture of community by providing community integration at a residential rehabilitation facility for persons with severe brain injuries.
Acquire CPR and life skills certifications.
Perform when and if need for first aid and or CPR.
Assist clients with proper ADL needs, such as showering, providing meals, and cleaning rooms.

Residential trainer vs life skills trainer skills

Common residential trainer skills

Developmental Disabilities, 17%
Data Collection, 14%
Independent Living, 7%
Meal Preparation, 7%
Medication Administration, 7%
Doctor Appointments, 5%

Common life skills trainer skills

Medication Administration, 17%
Therapeutic Recreation, 16%
Medical Appointments, 9%
Direct Support, 8%
Rehabilitation, 6%
CPR, 6%

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Residential Trainer
Residential Trainer vs Life Skills Trainer

Updated January 8, 2025

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