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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.
Other titles employers use
Hall Coordinator · Residence Director · Residence Hall Director · Residence Life Coordinator · Residence Life Director · Resident Advisor · Resident Assistant · Resident Director
Inside the work
What you would actually do.
6 responsibilities that define the role, before job titles and workplaces change the details.
- 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.
Who it suits
Would this work hold your attention?
This career often appeals to people drawn to helping, organizing and persuading work.
- Organizing
- Creating order, checking details, and keeping work accurate
- Persuading
- Leading, selling, starting projects, or making a case
Skills and strengths
What you would get good at.
Compare the skills the work relies on, the subjects behind it, and the abilities that make it easier to learn.
Core skills
- Social Perceptiveness
- Active Listening
- Speaking
- Monitoring
- Coordination
- Critical Thinking
Subjects to know
- Customer and Personal Service
- Administration and Management
- Public Safety and Security
- Education and Training
- English Language
Useful strengths
- Oral Comprehension
- Oral Expression
- Problem Sensitivity
- Speech Clarity
- Speech Recognition
Working day
Picture yourself doing it.
These measures show how much of the day involves people, movement, conversation, and hands-on work.
| Measure | Out of 5 | What that means here |
|---|---|---|
| Close to other people | 3.5 | Shared rooms, but not shoulder to shoulder |
| On your feet | 2.8 | Mostly seated |
| Talking face to face | 4.5 | A regular part of the day |
| Working with your hands | 1.9 | Little of the day |
Preparation
How people prepare for this work.
Employers usually ask for a high school diploma. Other routes may also lead into the field.
- A certificate or some college 50%
- A four-year degree 31%
- High school or less 9%
- A doctorate or professional degree 6%
- A master's degree 4%
Tools of the work
Technology you may use.
- Word processing software
- Electronic mail software
- Spreadsheet software
- Office suite software
- Presentation software
- Accounting software
- Analytical or scientific software
- Internet browser software
Opportunity near you
See where this work is growing.
Choose a state to compare the size of the field, annual openings, and expected hiring change.
- People doing this work
- 10,200
- Job openings each year
- 1,780
- Expected hiring change, 2022–2032
- 10.9%
Compare every available state
| State | People doing it | Job openings each year | Expected change |
|---|---|---|---|
| California | 10,200 | 1,780 | 10.9% |
| New York | 8,890 | 180 | 24.7% |
| Pennsylvania | 5,450 | 940 | 4.2% |
| Tennessee | 4,860 | 850 | 26.9% |
| Ohio | 4,480 | 780 | 4.9% |
| Texas | 4,440 | 780 | 19.4% |
| Minnesota | 3,400 | 590 | 2.7% |
| Alabama | 3,250 | 560 | 6.6% |
| Virginia | 3,070 | 530 | 8.1% |
| North Carolina | 2,980 | 520 | 12.5% |
| Florida | 2,730 | 480 | 11.9% |
| Illinois | 2,710 | 470 | 6.7% |
| Maryland | 2,600 | 450 | 10.2% |
| Utah | 2,520 | 440 | 29.2% |
| Washington | 2,450 | 480 | 24.4% |
| Indiana | 2,370 | 410 | 8.2% |
| South Carolina | 2,280 | 400 | 14.0% |
| Kentucky | 2,200 | 380 | 7.8% |
| Georgia | 2,080 | 360 | 18.9% |
| Connecticut | 2,030 | 350 | 8.6% |
| Arizona | 2,010 | 350 | 24.8% |
| Oklahoma | 1,880 | 330 | 8.7% |
| South Dakota | 1,740 | 300 | 6.1% |
| Massachusetts | 1,720 | 300 | 9.6% |
| Michigan | 1,240 | 220 | 4.2% |
| Louisiana | 1,220 | 210 | 2.5% |
| Oregon | 1,040 | 180 | 13.0% |
| District of Columbia | 1,020 | 180 | 10.9% |
| Missouri | 950 | 170 | 5.6% |
| West Virginia | 950 | 170 | 17.3% |
| Colorado | 930 | 160 | 12.0% |
| Mississippi | 920 | 160 | 12.2% |
| Arkansas | 900 | 160 | 4.7% |
| Nevada | 850 | 150 | 26.9% |
| New Mexico | 850 | 150 | 13.3% |
| Iowa | 820 | 140 | 13.9% |
| Rhode Island | 600 | 110 | 13.2% |
| New Jersey | 560 | 100 | 7.7% |
| Wisconsin | 530 | 90 | −3.6% |
| North Dakota | 520 | 90 | 6.1% |
| Delaware | 460 | 80 | 21.1% |
| Montana | 410 | 70 | 13.9% |
| Maine | 390 | 70 | 2.6% |
| Vermont | 370 | 70 | 12.1% |
| Nebraska | 340 | 60 | 6.3% |
| Idaho | 330 | 60 | 13.8% |
| New Hampshire | 310 | 50 | 6.9% |
| Alaska | 190 | 30 | 11.8% |
| Puerto Rico | 40 | 10 | 33.3% |
Career to college
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Where to study
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