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The differences between student volunteers and resident assistants can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 6-12 months to become both a student volunteer and a resident assistant. Additionally, a resident assistant has an average salary of $29,971, which is higher than the $29,145 average annual salary of a student volunteer.
The top three skills for a student volunteer include patients, criminal justice and physical therapy. The most important skills for a resident assistant are home health, CPR, and vital signs.
| Student Volunteer | Resident Assistant | |
| Yearly salary | $29,145 | $29,971 |
| Hourly rate | $14.01 | $14.41 |
| Growth rate | 12% | 12% |
| Number of jobs | 12,024 | 19,033 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 4 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 68% | Bachelor's Degree, 60% |
| Average age | 43 | 43 |
| Years of experience | 12 | 12 |
A student volunteer is an individual who participates in the university's volunteer program to gain work experience and develop new skills. Student volunteers make significant contributions to organizations and local communities by using their skills and giving their time. They follow directions and guidelines that are set by the organization and complete all the necessary training. To optimize their work experience, student volunteers must properly select an organization that appeals to their interests.
Resident assistants help manage peers or younger students who live in a particular residence hall on campus. They are usually in charge of welcoming fellow students, providing residence hall tours, and helping students cope with their new environment. To help students become more at ease with their environment, resident assistants usually act as buddies. They answer inquiries that the students may have and act as the bridge between the students and the residence hall management. They assist with administrative activities in the residence hall, such as handing out forms for students and ensuring documents are correctly filled out.
Student volunteers and resident assistants have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Student Volunteer | Resident Assistant | |
| Average salary | $29,145 | $29,971 |
| Salary range | Between $23,000 And $36,000 | Between $22,000 And $39,000 |
| Highest paying City | - | Roseville, CA |
| Highest paying state | - | California |
| Best paying company | - | Mount St. Mary's University |
| Best paying industry | - | Education |
There are a few differences between a student volunteer and a resident assistant in terms of educational background:
| Student Volunteer | Resident Assistant | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 68% | Bachelor's Degree, 60% |
| Most common major | Psychology | Psychology |
| Most common college | University of Michigan - Ann Arbor | SUNY at Binghamton |
Here are the differences between student volunteers' and resident assistants' demographics:
| Student Volunteer | Resident Assistant | |
| Average age | 43 | 43 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 34.5% Female, 65.5% | Male, 34.0% Female, 66.0% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 15.7% Unknown, 5.2% Hispanic or Latino, 19.2% Asian, 6.8% White, 50.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 2.2% | Black or African American, 11.7% Unknown, 5.1% Hispanic or Latino, 16.1% Asian, 6.7% White, 58.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 2.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 11% | 11% |