Unit counselor vs residential counselor

The differences between unit counselors 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 unit counselor and a residential counselor. Additionally, a unit counselor has an average salary of $36,585, which is higher than the $34,117 average annual salary of a residential counselor.

The top three skills for a unit counselor include incident reports, mental health and substance abuse. The most important skills for a residential counselor are direct care, medication administration, and mental health.

Unit counselor vs residential counselor overview

	Unit Counselor	Residential Counselor
Yearly salary	$36,585	$34,117
Hourly rate	$17.59	$16.40
Growth rate	10%	12%
Number of jobs	45,693	81,287
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 59%	Bachelor's Degree, 59%
Average age	41	41
Years of experience	4	4

Unit counselor vs residential counselor salary

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

	Unit Counselor	Residential Counselor
Average salary	$36,585	$34,117
Salary range	Between $18,000 And $71,000	Between $27,000 And $42,000
Highest paying City	-	Seattle, WA
Highest paying state	-	Washington
Best paying company	-	The Evergreens
Best paying industry	-	Education

Differences between unit counselor and residential counselor education

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

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

Unit counselor vs residential counselor demographics

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

	Unit Counselor	Residential Counselor
Average age	41	41
Gender ratio	Male, 31.9% Female, 68.1%	Male, 33.0% Female, 67.0%
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 residential 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.

Residential counselor example responsibilities.

Lead recreational activities for adolescents with ADHD and other behavior disorders.
Engage, educate and empower participants to access community base resources in order to achieve greater self-determination, rehabilitation and recovery.
Train in AMAP, SCIP, and first aid procedures.
Assist residents with ADL, occasionally accompany to medical appointments, administer medications.
Refine an understanding of HIPAA and DMH programs.
Assist special needs students to reach their IEP and treatment plan goals in 1:1 and group settings.

Unit counselor vs residential counselor skills

Common unit counselor skills

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

Common residential counselor skills

Direct Care, 9%
Medication Administration, 9%
Mental Health, 8%
Social Work, 7%
Developmental Disabilities, 6%
Mental Illness, 6%