Residential advisors

SOC Code: 39-9041
Also known as:
Cottage Parent, Cottage Supervisor, Dormitory Counselor, Dormitory Supervisor, Hall Coordinator
Median Annual Salary
$39,180
+3.8% growth (2024-2034)
17K
Openings/Year
91K
Current Jobs

What Residential advisors Do

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.

💰 Salary

$39,180
Median annual wage (2024)

📈 Job Growth

+3.8%
As fast as average

🎓 Education

High school diploma or equivalent
Typical entry-level requirement

🚀 Annual Openings

17K
Projected average per year

📚 On-the-Job Training

Short-term on-the-job training
Expected training period

Employment Projections (2024-2034)

Current Employment (2024)

91,200

Projected Employment (2034)

94,700

Related Careers

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Educational, guidance, and career counselors and advisors

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Child, family, and school social workers

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First-line supervisors of personal service workers

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Top Skills Required

Social Perceptiveness
Active Listening
Speaking
Monitoring
Coordination

Daily Tasks & Responsibilities

  • 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.
  • Collaborate with counselors to develop counseling programs that address the needs of individual students.
  • Develop and coordinate educational programs for residents.

Technology & Tools

Google Docs Microsoft Excel Microsoft Office software Microsoft Outlook Microsoft PowerPoint Microsoft Word

📚 Entry-Level Education

High school diploma or equivalent
Most common requirement

🎯 Recommended Education

Some College
O*NET recommended level

Degree Programs for Residential advisors

These degree programs can prepare you for a career as a residential advisors:

College Student Counseling and Personnel Services

952 degrees awarded • 65 colleges offer this program
View Colleges →

Student Counseling and Personnel Services, Other

492 degrees awarded • 24 colleges offer this program
View Colleges →

Best Colleges for Becoming a Residential advisors

Ranked by Repit grade, then by degrees in related programs. These are the top-rated colleges that prepare students to become residential advisors.

# College Location Related Degrees Repit Grade
1 University of Southern California Los Angeles, CA 43 A
2 University of Georgia Athens, GA 25 A
3 University of Florida Gainesville, FL 24 A
4 North Carolina State University at Raleigh Raleigh, NC 47 B+
5 The University of Tennessee-Knoxville Knoxville, TN 21 B+
6 California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo San Luis Obispo, CA 17 B+
7 Loyola Marymount University Los Angeles, CA 10 B+
8 Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University Tallahassee, FL 10 B+
9 Rutgers University-New Brunswick New Brunswick, NJ 8 B+
10 University of Connecticut Storrs, CT 3 B+
11 Villanova University Villanova, PA 3 B+
12 Wake Forest University Winston-Salem, NC 1 B+
13 Kansas State University Manhattan, KS 83 B
14 Appalachian State University Boone, NC 50 B
15 Touro University New York, NY 38 B
16 North Carolina A & T State University Greensboro, NC 35 B
17 Indiana University-Bloomington Bloomington, IN 35 B
18 University of South Carolina-Columbia Columbia, SC 24 B
19 Ball State University Muncie, IN 22 B
20 Colorado State University-Fort Collins Fort Collins, CO 21 B

Want this ranking as a spreadsheet? Investor Pro+ members can export any Repit table to CSV. See plans →

Frequently Asked Questions

How much do residential advisors make?
The median annual salary for residential advisors is $39,180.
What education do residential advisors need?
Most residential advisors positions require a high school diploma or equivalent. Common degree programs include College Student Counseling and Personnel Services, Student Counseling and Personnel Services, Other.
Is becoming residential advisors a good career choice?
Residential advisors is projected to see +3.8% job growth from 2024 to 2034, which is about average for all occupations. With approximately 17,400 job openings expected annually, there are good opportunities for those entering the field.
What are the best colleges for residential advisors?
Top colleges for aspiring residential advisors include University of Southern California, University of Georgia, University of Florida, North Carolina State University at Raleigh, The University of Tennessee-Knoxville. These schools are ranked based on their Repit grade and the number of graduates in related programs.
What other job titles are similar to residential advisors?
Residential advisors may also be known as: Cottage Parent, Cottage Supervisor, Dormitory Counselor, Dormitory Supervisor, Hall Coordinator, Hall Director, House Father, House Mother, House Parent, Housefellow, Housing and Residence Life Director, Housing Assistant, Housing Director, Residence Director, Residence Hall Director, Residence Life Coordinator, Residence Life Director, Residence Supervisor, Resident Advisor, Resident Aide. These titles often refer to similar roles with varying responsibilities or specializations.