Residential Advisors Salary in the United States
The median annual wage for residential advisors in the U.S. is $42,240 ($20.31 per hour), according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program, May 2025 estimates.
- Median annual wage
- $42,240
- Mean annual wage
- $43,990
- Median hourly wage
- $20.31
- Employment
- 84,760
84,760 employed
Wage percentiles
| Percentile | Annual wage | Hourly wage |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $29,870 | $14.36 |
| 25th percentile | $35,510 | $17.07 |
| Median (50th) | $42,240 | $20.31 |
| 75th percentile | $49,920 | $24.00 |
| 90th percentile | $61,060 | $29.36 |
Highest-paying states for residential advisors
| State | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|
| New Hampshire | $49,010 | 420 |
| Minnesota | $48,770 | 3,410 |
| Washington | $48,640 | 1,810 |
| North Dakota | $48,590 | 260 |
| New York | $48,380 | 6,150 |
| Massachusetts | $48,190 | 5,120 |
| Montana | $47,230 | 350 |
| Oregon | $47,160 | 840 |
| Maryland | $46,950 | 2,640 |
| California | $46,650 | 8,120 |
Lowest-paying states
- Alabama: $27,650 median annual wage
- Kentucky: $30,260 median annual wage
- Mississippi: $30,900 median annual wage
- West Virginia: $31,840 median annual wage
- Louisiana: $33,800 median annual wage
About this occupation
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.
Typical tasks
- Supervise, train, and evaluate residence hall staff, including resident assistants, participants in work-study programs, and other student workers.
- Collaborate with counselors to develop counseling programs that address the needs of individual students.
- Counsel students in the handling of issues such as family, financial, and educational problems.
- Order supplies for facilities.
- Determine the need for facility maintenance and repair, and notify appropriate personnel.
- Assign rooms to students.
Education of the current workforce — typical entry: High school diploma or equivalent
| Education level | Share of workers |
|---|---|
| Less than high school diploma | 4.3% |
| High school diploma or equivalent | 24.3% |
| Some college, no degree | 22.8% |
| Associate's degree | 13.6% |
| Bachelor's degree | 23.5% |
| Master's degree | 9.2% |
| Doctoral or professional degree | 2.3% |
Occupation profile data from CareerOneStop, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor.
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About this data
- Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics — data period May 2025, retrieved August 13, 2026.
- Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics — data period May 2025, retrieved August 13, 2026.
- CareerOneStop Occupation Profiles — data period 2026-08, retrieved August 14, 2026.
Figures are shown exactly as published by the source or derived by the documented formulas on our methodology page. Where a source suppresses an estimate, we show “—” rather than a substitute value.