Student dean vs residence hall director

The differences between student deans and residence hall directors can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 4-6 years to become both a student dean and a residence hall director. Additionally, a student dean has an average salary of $59,497, which is higher than the $47,193 average annual salary of a residence hall director.

The top three skills for a student dean include behavior issues, staff development and crisis intervention. The most important skills for a residence hall director are residence life, desk assistants, and student development.

Student dean vs residence hall director overview

	Student Dean	Residence Hall Director
Yearly salary	$59,497	$47,193
Hourly rate	$28.60	$22.69
Growth rate	7%	7%
Number of jobs	10,422	6,713
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 56%	Bachelor's Degree, 73%
Average age	47	47
Years of experience	6	6

What does a student dean do?

A Student Dean is focused on responding to students' needs at a college or university. They plan and direct university activities related to student services and campus life.

What does a residence hall director do?

A Residence Hall Director spearheads and oversees campus residential areas' daily operations to ensure students' safety and welfare. They are responsible for managing staff, setting goals and guidelines, establishing budgets and timelines, delegating duties among managers, implementing programs and protocols, and monitoring all procedures, resolving issues and concerns if any arise. Moreover, a Residence Hall Director encourages staff to reach goals while implementing policies and regulations to help maintain a healthy and safe community for the students.

Student dean vs residence hall director salary

Student deans and residence hall directors have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Student Dean	Residence Hall Director
Average salary	$59,497	$47,193
Salary range	Between $32,000 And $109,000	Between $31,000 And $70,000
Highest paying City	New York, NY	Newark, NJ
Highest paying state	New York	Massachusetts
Best paying company	Dawson School	School of Visual Concepts
Best paying industry	Education	-

Differences between student dean and residence hall director education

There are a few differences between a student dean and a residence hall director in terms of educational background:

	Student Dean	Residence Hall Director
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 56%	Bachelor's Degree, 73%
Most common major	Educational Leadership	Psychology
Most common college	University of Pennsylvania	University of Pennsylvania

Student dean vs residence hall director demographics

Here are the differences between student deans' and residence hall directors' demographics:

	Student Dean	Residence Hall Director
Average age	47	47
Gender ratio	Male, 61.2% Female, 38.8%	Male, 46.9% Female, 53.1%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 11.9% Unknown, 4.0% Hispanic or Latino, 14.3% Asian, 4.4% White, 64.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7%	Black or African American, 12.2% Unknown, 4.1% Hispanic or Latino, 13.1% Asian, 4.7% White, 65.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7%
LGBT Percentage	16%	16%

Differences between student dean and residence hall director duties and responsibilities

Student dean example responsibilities.

Implement recruitment efforts with local schools and colleges.
Assist with tours of various HBCU and non-HBCU colleges and universities.
Foster a positive school culture through oversight of social activities including talent shows, prep rallies and community meetings.
Provide comprehensive oversight and direction.
Foster positive campus climate for very diverse student population.
Work cooperatively with other administrators to promote student success and a positive campus climate.

Residence hall director example responsibilities.

Motivate, train and lead a team of nine ministry coordinators.
Develop nightly social programs and weekly educational programs to encourage healthy lifestyle choices and embracement of multicultural diversity.
Direct resident relations by providing oversight of resident retention, leasing and marketing programs.
Cultivate, coordinate, and assist in the development of student leadership and responsibility through programming and direct involvement with students.

Student dean vs residence hall director skills

Common student dean skills

Behavior Issues, 9%
Staff Development, 7%
Crisis Intervention, 6%
Student Achievement, 5%
Progress Monitoring, 5%
Student Services, 4%

Common residence hall director skills

Residence Life, 12%
Desk Assistants, 7%
Student Development, 6%
Community Development, 6%
Student Conduct, 4%
Professional Development, 3%

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Student Dean
Student Dean vs Residence Hall Director

Updated January 8, 2025

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