Residential Advisors
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.
- Median pay
- $42,240
- Doing it now
- 94,100
- By 2035
- Up 3.5%
- Usually needs
- High school diploma or equivalent
a year
across the country
16,500 openings a year
to get in
What the work involves
- Enforce rules and regulations to ensure the smooth and orderly operation of dormitory programs.
- Provide emergency first aid and summon medical assistance when necessary.
- Mediate interpersonal problems between residents.
- Administer, coordinate, or recommend disciplinary and corrective actions.
- Communicate with other staff to resolve problems with individual students.
- Counsel students in the handling of issues such as family, financial, and educational problems.
- Make regular rounds to ensure that residents and areas are safe and secure.
What to study
The fields of study the Department of Education links to this occupation, most widely taught first.
- Student Counseling and Personnel ServicesSee 10 colleges that teach it
Who it suits
O*NET scores every occupation on six interest dimensions. This one leans hardest on these three.
Helping and teaching
Organised and precise
Leading and persuading
Careers like this one
- Social and Human Service Assistants$45,930
- Teaching Assistants, Postsecondary$42,910
- Probation Officers and Correctional Treatment Specialists$66,270
- Education and Childcare Administrators, Preschool and Daycare$59,300
- Eligibility Interviewers, Government Programs$54,210
- Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and Advisors$64,330
Where this comes from: the description and the task list are O*NET, which the Department of Labor maintains. Pay, workforce size, outlook and the education normally needed are the Bureau of Labor Statistics Employment Projections programme, 2025 wages and 2025 to 2035 projections. Half of them earn more than $42,240 a year, which means half earn less, and what you would earn depends on where you work and how long you have been doing it. The fields of study come from the National Center for Education Statistics crosswalk.