SalariesWhat the occupation covers
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.
Official definition from the Standard Occupational Classification, code 39-9041.
The pay range
Pay differs a lot inside one occupation, with experience, employer and place. The table shows where the lines fall.
| Share of workers | A year | A month* | A week* | An hour |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lowest 10% earn less than | $29,870 | $2,489 | $574 | $14.36 |
| Lowest 25% earn less than | $35,510 | $2,959 | $683 | $17.07 |
| Median (half earn less, half more) | $42,240 | $3,520 | $812 | $20.31 |
| Top 25% earn more than | $49,920 | $4,160 | $960 | $24.00 |
| Top 10% earn more than | $61,060 | $5,088 | $1,174 | $29.36 |
* Month and week are the yearly figure divided by 12 and by 52, worked out here for convenience. BLS publishes the yearly and hourly figures.
How it compares
The median for all occupations in the United States was $50,980 a year. The median for Residential Advisors is $42,240, which is 17% lower. Among the 32 occupations of the field Personal Care and Service, it ranks number 11 by median pay. With 84,760 jobs, it makes up about 5.5 of every 10,000 jobs in the country.
Residential Advisors pay by state
The highest median pay was in New Hampshire ($49,010), Minnesota ($48,770) and Washington ($48,640). The lowest was in Alabama ($27,650), Kentucky ($30,260) and Mississippi ($30,900). The most jobs were in California (8,120), New York (6,150) and Massachusetts (5,120). The occupation is most concentrated in South Dakota, where its share of all jobs is 7.2 times the national share.
No state matches.
| State | Jobs | Median a year | Average a year | Median an hour |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| New Hampshire | 420 | $49,010 | $50,170 | $23.56 |
| Minnesota | 3,410 | $48,770 | $50,770 | $23.45 |
| Washington | 1,810 | $48,640 | $50,940 | $23.38 |
| North Dakota | 260 | $48,590 | $49,220 | $23.36 |
| New York | 6,150 | $48,380 | $51,030 | $23.26 |
| Massachusetts | 5,120 | $48,190 | $50,910 | $23.17 |
| Montana | 350 | $47,230 | $48,340 | $22.71 |
| Oregon | 840 | $47,160 | $48,390 | $22.67 |
| Maryland | 2,640 | $46,950 | $47,160 | $22.57 |
| California | 8,120 | $46,650 | $50,350 | $22.43 |
| Alaska | 380 | $46,180 | $47,310 | $22.20 |
| Nebraska | 230 | $45,980 | $42,370 | $22.11 |
| Rhode Island | 460 | $45,280 | $49,260 | $21.77 |
| Colorado | 760 | $44,750 | $46,540 | $21.51 |
| Vermont | 170 | $44,710 | $46,040 | $21.50 |
| Illinois | 2,720 | $44,130 | $44,630 | $21.22 |
| New Jersey | 1,630 | $43,880 | $48,560 | $21.10 |
| Maine | 640 | $43,780 | $46,510 | $21.05 |
| Connecticut | 1,250 | $43,620 | $47,020 | $20.97 |
| Virginia | 2,950 | $42,890 | $47,190 | $20.62 |
| Wisconsin | 1,190 | $41,690 | $41,400 | $20.04 |
| Arizona | 1,260 | $41,480 | $43,240 | $19.94 |
| Florida | 1,610 | $40,660 | $43,270 | $19.55 |
| Pennsylvania | 4,380 | $40,010 | $41,630 | $19.24 |
| Michigan | 1,770 | $39,730 | $42,010 | $19.10 |
| Georgia | 2,460 | $39,380 | $41,790 | $18.93 |
| Utah | 990 | $39,240 | $41,480 | $18.86 |
| North Carolina | 2,840 | $39,130 | $42,010 | $18.81 |
| Indiana | 1,360 | $38,850 | $40,840 | $18.68 |
| Nevada | 190 | $38,790 | $43,370 | $18.65 |
| Ohio | 3,070 | $38,590 | $39,490 | $18.55 |
| District of Columbia | 670 | $38,480 | $43,200 | $18.50 |
| South Dakota | 1,780 | $38,420 | $38,540 | $18.47 |
| Arkansas | 910 | $38,300 | $37,390 | $18.41 |
| Kansas | 510 | $37,680 | $41,000 | $18.11 |
| Texas | 3,630 | $37,630 | $40,570 | $18.09 |
| New Mexico | 590 | $37,540 | $40,500 | $18.05 |
| Idaho | 400 | $37,160 | $37,940 | $17.86 |
| Hawaii | 640 | $36,930 | $40,360 | $17.76 |
| Iowa | 780 | $36,850 | $39,960 | $17.72 |
| Missouri | 1,380 | $36,510 | $40,970 | $17.55 |
| South Carolina | 1,580 | $35,780 | $37,190 | $17.20 |
| Puerto Rico | 30 | $35,540 | $33,750 | $17.09 |
| Oklahoma | 1,060 | $35,390 | $35,270 | $17.02 |
| Tennessee | 2,360 | $34,700 | $37,230 | $16.68 |
| Delaware | 350 | $34,530 | $38,920 | $16.60 |
| Wyoming | not published | $34,500 | $36,440 | $16.59 |
| Louisiana | 420 | $33,800 | $39,650 | $16.25 |
| West Virginia | 1,180 | $31,840 | $32,860 | $15.31 |
| Mississippi | 660 | $30,900 | $34,070 | $14.86 |
| Kentucky | 1,580 | $30,260 | $31,560 | $14.55 |
| Alabama | 2,570 | $27,650 | $29,650 | $13.29 |
Sorted by median pay, highest first. "Not published" means BLS did not release that figure for the state, usually because too few employers were surveyed. "$239,200 or more" is the highest value BLS reports in the state tables.
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Common questions
How much do Residential Advisors earn in the United States?
The median pay was $42,240 a year in May 2025, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $29,870 and the highest-paid 10% more than $61,060.
How many people work as Residential Advisors?
About 84,760 jobs in the United States in May 2025, not counting the self-employed.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Checked in November 2026. Figures are for employees, before tax, and leave out overtime pay and benefits. They are official statistics, not advice or a pay offer; see bls.gov/oes for the original tables.