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The differences between treatment specialists and residential counselors can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 2-4 years to become both a treatment specialist and a residential counselor. Additionally, a treatment specialist has an average salary of $53,673, which is higher than the $34,117 average annual salary of a residential counselor.
The top three skills for a treatment specialist include social work, mental health and rehabilitation. The most important skills for a residential counselor are direct care, medication administration, and mental health.
| Treatment Specialist | Residential Counselor | |
| Yearly salary | $53,673 | $34,117 |
| Hourly rate | $25.80 | $16.40 |
| Growth rate | - | 12% |
| Number of jobs | 67,604 | 81,287 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 61% | Bachelor's Degree, 59% |
| Average age | 44 | 41 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
The duties of a treatment specialist depend on their line of work or industry of employment. In the medical industry, a treatment specialist is primarily responsible for developing treatments according to the needs and conditions of a patient. They gather and analyze a patient's medical history and records, conduct extensive tests and examinations, coordinate with other medical experts, and discuss the extent of treatments to patients. Furthermore, a treatment specialist must maintain an active communication line with staff for a smooth and efficient workflow.
A residential counselor is responsible for guiding and providing the residents with their basic needs and other resources to support them in their daily living. Residential counselors' duties include maintaining the safety of the community by enforcing safety guidelines and procedures for the residents' compliance, organizing productive and engaging community activities, updating the residents of any changes and policies in the community, and resolving conflicts by counseling and understanding each resident's differences. A residential counselor must have excellent communication and decision-making skills to ensure the development of residents in a living facility.
Treatment specialists and residential counselors have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Treatment Specialist | Residential Counselor | |
| Average salary | $53,673 | $34,117 |
| Salary range | Between $34,000 And $82,000 | Between $27,000 And $42,000 |
| Highest paying City | Washington, DC | Seattle, WA |
| Highest paying state | Alaska | Washington |
| Best paying company | Delaware State Government | The Evergreens |
| Best paying industry | Non Profits | Education |
There are a few differences between a treatment specialist and a residential counselor in terms of educational background:
| Treatment Specialist | Residential Counselor | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 61% | Bachelor's Degree, 59% |
| Most common major | Psychology | Psychology |
| Most common college | California State University - Long Beach | California State University - Long Beach |
Here are the differences between treatment specialists' and residential counselors' demographics:
| Treatment Specialist | Residential Counselor | |
| Average age | 44 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 37.5% Female, 62.5% | Male, 33.0% Female, 67.0% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 12.2% Unknown, 2.6% Hispanic or Latino, 14.8% Asian, 2.1% White, 67.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9% | Black or African American, 11.3% Unknown, 5.9% Hispanic or Latino, 12.2% Asian, 3.2% White, 67.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% |
| LGBT Percentage | 10% | 15% |