Residential Advisors

Pay and outlook

Median annual wage, May 2025

$42,240

Half earn more, half earn less

Middle half earn

$35,510 – $49,920

25th to 75th percentile

People employed, May 2025

84,760

Wage and salary jobs (OEWS)

Projected change, 2025–35

+3.5%

At or above the all-jobs rate (3.5% to under 7%)

Openings a year (projected)

16,500

New jobs plus replacing people who leave

Typical education to enter

High school diploma or equivalent

BLS

• All figures are for the United States as a whole. Pay varies a lot by state and city.
• Wages are for everyone working in the occupation in May 2025, at every career stage. They are not starting salaries or figures for new graduates.
• Growth and openings are BLS projections for 2025–35. They are estimates, not promises. Openings include jobs that open up when people retire or change occupation, not just new jobs.

What the work involves

Coordinate activities in resident facilities in secondary school and college dormitories, group homes, or similar establishments. Order supplies and determine need for maintenance, repairs, and furnishings. May maintain household records and assign rooms. May assist residents with problem solving or refer them to counseling resources.

Main tasks

• Communicate with other staff to resolve problems with individual students.
• Observe students to detect and report unusual behavior.
• Supervise, train, and evaluate residence hall staff, including resident assistants, participants in work-study programs, and other student workers.
• Provide emergency first aid and summon medical assistance when necessary.
• Make regular rounds to ensure that residents and areas are safe and secure.
• Mediate interpersonal problems between residents.
• Enforce rules and regulations to ensure the smooth and orderly operation of dormitory programs.
• Determine the need for facility maintenance and repair, and notify appropriate personnel.

Description and tasks from the O*NET® 31.0 Database.

Getting in

Typical education to enter (BLS)

High school diploma or equivalent

Training once hired: short-term on-the-job training

O*NET Job Zone 3

Medium preparation

Most occupations in this zone require training in vocational schools, related on-the-job experience, or an associate's degree.

Fields of study that lead here

From the federal CIP–SOC crosswalk, which links 2 programmes to this occupation. A link means the programme prepares people for this kind of work. It doesn't mean the programme is required, or that it's the only route.

Related careers

Related occupations from the O*NET database, in its order.

• Social and Community Service Managers

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• Rehabilitation Counselors

  $46,850 median · +2.2% projected

• First-Line Supervisors of Personal Service Workers

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• Child, Family, and School Social Workers

  $59,550 median · +4.4% projected

• Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and Advisors

  $64,330 median · +2.9% projected

• Social and Human Service Assistants

  $45,930 median · +7.4% projected