Average Residential Advisors Salary in the United States
The national median salary for Residential Advisors is $42,240 per year. The middle 50% earn between $35,510 and $49,920, with 84,760 workers employed nationally.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey, May 2025 estimates . Data covers 51 states and 281 metro areas.
Pay distribution
Here is how Residential Advisors pay is distributed across workers nationally. The 10th percentile typically reflects entry-level or early-career pay, the median is the midpoint, and the 90th percentile represents the top earners in the field.
- 10th
- $29,870
- 25th
- $35,510
- Median
- $42,240
- 75th
- $49,920
- 90th
- $61,060
All values are percentiles of annual wages.
Residential Advisors earn close to the national median for all US workers. Solidly middle-income.
The spread between entry-level and top-end pay is typical for US occupations. Experience and specialization matter, but the range is not unusually wide.
Job outlook
BLS projects employment for residential advisors from 2024 to 2034. Growth is roughly in line with the US average of about 4% across all occupations.
- Projected growth
- +3.8%
- 3,500 net jobs over the projection period.
- Annual openings
- 17,400
- Includes growth plus replacements for workers who leave. Annual openings are high relative to the workforce size, reflecting meaningful turnover and new-hire volume.
- Typical entry education
- High school diploma or equivalent
- On-the-job training
- Short-term on-the-job training
A high-school diploma is typically sufficient for entry, with much of the training happening on the job.
Where Residential Advisors earn the most
Location matters for pay. The top-paying state is noticeably above the national median, so relocating to a higher-paying market can meaningfully boost earnings. Right now, the top-paying state is New Hampshire at $49,010, about 16.0% above the national median. At the metro level, Barnstable Town, MA leads with a median of $59,140.
Top-paying states
| State | Median salary | 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 |
Top-paying metros
| Metro area | Median salary | Employment |
|---|---|---|
| Barnstable Town, MA | $59,140 | 100 |
| Bloomington, IN | $57,080 | 40 |
| Durham-Chapel Hill, NC | $56,170 | 370 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $55,800 | 300 |
| Waco, TX | $55,110 | 40 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $54,510 | 1,130 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $54,310 | 820 |
| Ithaca, NY | $53,760 | 90 |
Compare two locations side by side
Pick two states or metros to see residential advisors pay in each, along with a cost-of-living adjusted view.
Salary trend and related occupations
Between 2019 and 2025, the national median salary for Residential Advisors rose from $29,450 to $42,240, a gain of +43.4% in nominal dollars.
Over the same period, US consumer prices rose by +25.9%. Just to keep pace with inflation, the 2019 median of $29,450 would need to be worth $37,086 in 2025 dollars.
The actual 2025 median of $42,240 is $5,154 above that inflation-adjusted benchmark, a real change of +13.9% in purchasing power.
Real wages have grown strongly, 13.9% above inflation. Workers in this field have meaningfully gained purchasing power.
- Nominal change
- +43.4%
- 2019–2025
- Cumulative inflation
- +25.9%
- US CPI, 2019–2025
- Real change
- +13.9%
- After adjusting for inflation
Median salary over time
Residential Advisors median pay by year, going back through the available BLS releases.
- 2025
- $42,240
- 2024
- $39,180
- 2023
- $37,950
- 2022
- $35,720
- 2021
- $31,220
- 2020
- $31,190
- 2019
- $29,450
BLS did not publish a median for 2000–2018, so those years are omitted.
Related occupations
Other occupations in the same field, with median pay for comparison.
- Recreation Workers
- $36,560
- Childcare Workers
- $34,980
- Crematory Operators
- $43,650
- Animal Trainers
- $39,990
- Skincare Specialists
- $45,330
- Concierges
- $38,950
Common salary questions for Residential Advisors
What does the median salary mean? +
The median is the midpoint of all wages. Half of Residential Advisors workers earn more and half earn less. It is a better measure of typical pay than the average, which can be skewed by very high or very low earners.
Why does pay vary so much by location? +
Local labor markets, cost of living, industry concentration, and employer competition all affect wages. High-cost metros like San Francisco and New York often pay more in nominal terms, though some of that premium is offset by higher living costs.
How current is this salary data? +
This page uses the May 2025 BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics release. BLS publishes OEWS data once per year, typically in the spring for the previous May reference period.
What do the percentile ranges tell me? +
The 10th and 90th percentiles show the full pay band. The 25th to 75th percentile range, the middle 50%, is where most workers fall. A wide spread usually means experience, specialization, or location matter a lot for this occupation.