Unit counselor vs residence counselor

The differences between unit counselors and residence 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 unit counselor and a residence counselor. Additionally, a unit counselor has an average salary of $36,585, which is higher than the $34,931 average annual salary of a residence counselor.

The top three skills for a unit counselor include incident reports, mental health and substance abuse. The most important skills for a residence counselor are developmental disabilities, CPR, and community resources.

Unit counselor vs residence counselor overview

	Unit Counselor	Residence Counselor
Yearly salary	$36,585	$34,931
Hourly rate	$17.59	$16.79
Growth rate	10%	36%
Number of jobs	45,693	78,872
Job satisfaction	-	3
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 59%	Bachelor's Degree, 57%
Average age	41	41
Years of experience	4	4

Unit counselor vs residence counselor salary

Unit counselors and residence counselors have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Unit Counselor	Residence Counselor
Average salary	$36,585	$34,931
Salary range	Between $18,000 And $71,000	Between $28,000 And $43,000
Highest paying City	-	Phoenix, AZ
Highest paying state	-	Washington
Best paying company	-	McLean Hospital
Best paying industry	-	Education

Differences between unit counselor and residence counselor education

There are a few differences between a unit counselor and a residence counselor in terms of educational background:

	Unit Counselor	Residence Counselor
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 59%	Bachelor's Degree, 57%
Most common major	Psychology	Psychology
Most common college	Duke University	California State University - Long Beach

Unit counselor vs residence counselor demographics

Here are the differences between unit counselors' and residence counselors' demographics:

	Unit Counselor	Residence Counselor
Average age	41	41
Gender ratio	Male, 31.9% Female, 68.1%	Male, 34.5% Female, 65.5%
Race ratio	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%	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	15%	15%

Differences between unit counselor and residence counselor duties and responsibilities

Unit counselor example responsibilities.

Lead a successful group of kids by ensuring safety and behavioral expectations are met and providing structure and organize educational activities.
Work towards empowering juveniles and their families to support a positive lifestyle by providing strength base intensive intervention and rehabilitation services.
Maintain therapeutic relationships with youth through effective teaching and coaching techniques to provide leadership and foster relationship building skills.

Residence counselor example responsibilities.

Lead recreational activities for adolescents with ADHD and other behavior disorders.
Provide direct care, behavior management techniques, medication administration and CPR.
Design and supervise day to day activities for patients and construct a social program that provide opportunities for social rehabilitation.
Provide first aid and CPR, and minor medical assistance to residents.
Ensure medication compliance, maintain accurate medication logs, and assist in the development of ADL skills.
Evaluate the effectiveness of counseling programs and patients' progress in resolving identify problems and moving towards define objectives.

Unit counselor vs residence counselor skills

Common unit counselor skills

Incident Reports, 19%
Mental Health, 12%
Substance Abuse, 12%
Conduct Orientation, 11%
CPI, 6%
Crisis Situations, 4%

Common residence counselor skills

Developmental Disabilities, 17%
CPR, 12%
Community Resources, 8%
Patients, 6%
Mental Illness, 6%
Medication Administration, 5%