| Important Core Job Duties (in order of importance) For the Top 5 most important - How can you build experience and skill doing these? This will help now, to begin preparing for this type of occupation. |
|
| Importance (%) | Description |
| Importance: 99 (%) | Description: Determine the need for facility maintenance and repair, and notify appropriate personnel. |
| Importance: 97 (%) | Description: Mediate interpersonal problems between residents. |
| Importance: 96 (%) | Description: Communicate with other staff to resolve problems with individual students. |
| Importance: 95 (%) | Description: Observe students to detect and report unusual behavior. |
| Importance: 92 (%) | Description: Make regular rounds to ensure that residents and areas are safe and secure. |
| Importance: 90 (%) | Description: Provide emergency first aid and summon medical assistance when necessary. |
| Importance: 90 (%) | Description: Order supplies for facilities. |
| Importance: 90 (%) | Description: Enforce rules and regulations to ensure the smooth and orderly operation of dormitory programs. |
| Importance: 90 (%) | Description: Confer with medical personnel to better understand the backgrounds and needs of individual residents. |
| Importance: 83 (%) | Description: Answer telephones, and route calls or deliver messages. |
| Importance: 82 (%) | Description: Hold regular meetings with each assigned unit. |
| Importance: 79 (%) | Description: Provide requested information on students' progress and the development of case plans. |
| Importance: 78 (%) | Description: Collaborate with counselors to develop counseling programs that address the needs of individual students. |
| Importance: 78 (%) | Description: Compile information such as residents' daily activities and the quantities of supplies used to prepare required reports. |
| Importance: 77 (%) | Description: Administer, coordinate, or recommend disciplinary and corrective actions. |
| Importance: 76 (%) | Description: Develop and coordinate educational programs for residents. |
| Importance: 75 (%) | Description: Chaperone group-sponsored trips and social functions. |
| Importance: 69 (%) | Description: Develop program plans for individuals or assist in plan development. |
| Importance: 69 (%) | Description: Counsel students in the handling of issues such as family, financial, and educational problems. |
| Importance: 67 (%) | Description: Supervise, train, and evaluate residence hall staff, including resident assistants, participants in work-study programs, and other student workers. |
Associate Degree Entry Level Careers and Jobs
Explore Careers and Jobs Predominantly Filled by Those with an Associate's Degree or Less, having 1 year or less of work experience - All On One Page
Sorted by median annual U.S. salary, including % with Associate's Degree (or less), and % with 1 year experience (or less).
These entry-level roles are open to associate's degree graduates and offer a practical starting point for building experience and advancing. For recent graduates or career changers seeking their first role with a two-year degree. Compare starting salaries and degree-holder percentages, then access preparation resources built for new graduates.
Here is a short Helper Video
.
This page will take you through 4 steps, relative to an Associate's Degree, to (1) Select an entry-level career, (2) Find active job listings, (3) Prepare for the career you chose, and (4) Provide web resources specific to the career you chose.
Step 1: Select a Career: You will be presented with a listing of Associate's Degree entry-level careers. The list may be quite long. There are two ways you might like to use this list:
1) Filter - As you enter a word, you will filter (limit) the list of careers below
2) Browse the list (Don't Filter) - You can simply browse the list of careers. There may be many that you might never have considered. This may help you to discover entry-level careers that might be of interest.
Once you have identified a career of interest, simply click on it.
Step 2: Find a Job: After you have selected a career/job title above, you will see a form asking for your location. You will see several radio selection choices to utilize the job search site of your choice.
Step 3: Prepare For a Career: In this section you will gain access to detailed information to help you prepare for the career you selected. Information includes core and supplemental duties, general and specific work activities, knowledge required, essential and transferable skills required, day-in-the-life summaries, knowledge required, software skills required, preparation required, educational requirements, training and work experience required, local salary information, certifications, professional associations, current job listings for the job selected along with multiple similar job titles, and related careers (related to what they do, what they know, and what they're called).
Step 4: Career-Specific Resources (detailed and constantly updated): Continue to scroll down the page and you will find tabs that will provide detailed (updated) links to occupational information specific to the career you selected. This information includes:
Videos: Provides a listing of video links related to this career. A great way to get a quick overview of the occupation.
Resumes: Sources for resume materials and techniques. This can help to get you started.
Job Description: Sources that provide job descriptions, which are vital to resume and interview preparation.
Interviews: Provides links that can help you to prepare for and successfully complete the job interview.
Step by Step: Provides links to resources that can help to organize the career search process.
LinkedIn: One of the best professional social media sites that provides links, opportunities, and networking specifically for careers and career development.
Step 1 of 4: Select a Career
Leading Books About Associate Degree Jobs ![]()
What entry level jobs can you get with just an Associate's Degree? Scroll through the picklist (below). These are entry level careers (1 year or less work experience) related to the Associate's Degree level, with at least 30% of job holders having an Associate's Degree. - 426 specific careers are listed. Select those careers that may be of interest - you will then get links to matching active job listings, and detailed resources to help you prepare.
You can use this form two ways:
1) Enter a Keyword - As you enter a keyword, you will filter (limit) the listing to those occupations that contain the keyword entered
2) Browse the list (Don't enter a keyword) - You can simply browse the list of occupations. There may be many that you might never have considered. This may help you to discover jobs that might be of interest.
OR - leave blank and scroll through the choices:
Select a Job Title - Sorted by Annual Salary -(scroll and Select) :
Legend: Career Title Link / (% having Associate's Degree or less) / (% having less than 1 year experience) / (Median Annual U.S. Salary)
Step 2 of 4: Find a Job
Job Listings for: Residential Advisors.
Step 3 of 4: Prepare For a Career
Prepare for the "Residential Advisors" Career
The details below will provide a pathway to your specific job goal and help you to identify an appropriate career ladder.
Description: 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.
Please click on a section below to expand and see detailed occupational information related to "Residential Advisors":
U.S. Total Employment (2023):
108,200U.S. Total Employment (2033 est.):
121,600
Employment Change (2023-2033 est.):
13,400 (12.4%) Average Annual Job Openings (2023-2033 est.):
17,500
| Important Supplemental Job Duties (in order of importance)
For the Top 5 most important - How can you build experience and skill doing these? This will help now, to begin preparing for this type of occupation. |
|
| Importance (%) | Description |
| Importance: 71 (%) | Description: Inventory, pack, and remove items left behind by former residents. |
| Importance: 66 (%) | Description: Provide transportation or escort for expeditions, such as shopping trips or visits to doctors or dentists. |
| Importance: 64 (%) | Description: Supervise students' housekeeping work to ensure that it is done properly. |
| Importance: 63 (%) | Description: Oversee departmental budget. |
| Importance: 60 (%) | Description: Direct and participate in on- and off-campus recreational activities for residents of institutions, boarding schools, fraternities or sororities, children's homes, or similar establishments. |
| Importance: 57 (%) | Description: Assign rooms to students. |
| Importance: 55 (%) | Description: Accompany and supervise students during meals. |
| Importance: 46 (%) | Description: Supervise the activities of housekeeping personnel. |
| Importance: 44 (%) | Description: Process contract cancellations for students who are unable to follow residence hall policies and procedures. |
| Importance: 42 (%) | Description: Sort and distribute mail. |
| Important General Work Activities (in order of importance)
For the Top 5 most important - How can you build experience and skill doing these? This will help now, to begin preparing for this type of occupation. |
|
| Importance (%) | Description |
| Importance: 95 (%) | Description: Assisting and Caring for Others: Providing personal assistance, medical attention, emotional support, or other personal care to others such as coworkers, customers, or patients. |
| Importance: 89 (%) | Description: Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work: Developing specific goals and plans to prioritize, organize, and accomplish your work. |
| Importance: 87 (%) | Description: Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships: Developing constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time. |
| Importance: 84 (%) | Description: Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates: Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person. |
| Importance: 82 (%) | Description: Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events: Identifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events. |
| Importance: 82 (%) | Description: Getting Information: Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources. |
| Importance: 80 (%) | Description: Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings: Monitoring and reviewing information from materials, events, or the environment, to detect or assess problems. |
| Importance: 80 (%) | Description: Making Decisions and Solving Problems: Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems. |
| Importance: 79 (%) | Description: Documenting/Recording Information: Entering, transcribing, recording, storing, or maintaining information in written or electronic/magnetic form. |
| Importance: 78 (%) | Description: Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards: Using relevant information and individual judgment to determine whether events or processes comply with laws, regulations, or standards. |
| Importance: 76 (%) | Description: Coordinating the Work and Activities of Others: Getting members of a group to work together to accomplish tasks. |
| Importance: 75 (%) | Description: Performing Administrative Activities: Performing day-to-day administrative tasks such as maintaining information files and processing paperwork. |
| Importance: 75 (%) | Description: Scheduling Work and Activities: Scheduling events, programs, and activities, as well as the work of others. |
| Importance: 74 (%) | Description: Processing Information: Compiling, coding, categorizing, calculating, tabulating, auditing, or verifying information or data. |
| Importance: 74 (%) | Description: Resolving Conflicts and Negotiating with Others: Handling complaints, settling disputes, and resolving grievances and conflicts, or otherwise negotiating with others. |
| Importance: 74 (%) | Description: Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials: Inspecting equipment, structures, or materials to identify the cause of errors or other problems or defects. |
| Importance: 72 (%) | Description: Developing and Building Teams: Encouraging and building mutual trust, respect, and cooperation among team members. |
| Importance: 71 (%) | Description: Working with Computers: Using computers and computer systems (including hardware and software) to program, write software, set up functions, enter data, or process information. |
| Importance: 71 (%) | Description: Coaching and Developing Others: Identifying the developmental needs of others and coaching, mentoring, or otherwise helping others to improve their knowledge or skills. |
| Importance: 70 (%) | Description: Communicating with People Outside the Organization: Communicating with people outside the organization, representing the organization to customers, the public, government, and other external sources. This information can be exchanged in person, in writing, or by telephone or e-mail. |
| Importance: 69 (%) | Description: Performing for or Working Directly with the Public: Performing for people or dealing directly with the public. This includes serving customers in restaurants and stores, and receiving clients or guests. |
| Importance: 69 (%) | Description: Developing Objectives and Strategies: Establishing long-range objectives and specifying the strategies and actions to achieve them. |
| Importance: 69 (%) | Description: Training and Teaching Others: Identifying the educational needs of others, developing formal educational or training programs or classes, and teaching or instructing others. |
| Importance: 66 (%) | Description: Thinking Creatively: Developing, designing, or creating new applications, ideas, relationships, systems, or products, including artistic contributions. |
| Importance: 66 (%) | Description: Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge: Keeping up-to-date technically and applying new knowledge to your job. |
| Importance: 66 (%) | Description: Guiding, Directing, and Motivating Subordinates: Providing guidance and direction to subordinates, including setting performance standards and monitoring performance. |
| Importance: 65 (%) | Description: Judging the Qualities of Objects, Services, or People: Assessing the value, importance, or quality of things or people. |
| Importance: 62 (%) | Description: Interpreting the Meaning of Information for Others: Translating or explaining what information means and how it can be used. |
| Importance: 62 (%) | Description: Performing General Physical Activities: Performing general physical activities includes doing activities that require considerable use of your arms and legs and moving your whole body, such as climbing, lifting, balancing, walking, stooping, and handling materials. |
| Importance: 62 (%) | Description: Analyzing Data or Information: Identifying the underlying principles, reasons, or facts of information by breaking down information or data into separate parts. |
| Importance: 61 (%) | Description: Monitoring and Controlling Resources: Monitoring and controlling resources and overseeing the spending of money. |
| Important Specific Work Activities
How can you begin to build experience and skill doing these? This will help now, to begin preparing for this type of occupation. Specific Work Activities appear below: |
|
| Accompany individuals or groups to activities. | |
| Administer first aid. | |
| Assign resources or facilities to patrons or employees. | |
| Collect information about clients. | |
| Communicate with management or other staff to resolve problems. | |
| Deliver items. | |
| Develop educational or training programs. | |
| Develop plans for programs or services. | |
| Enforce rules or policies governing student behavior. | |
| Enforce rules or regulations. | |
| Evaluate employee performance. | |
| Inform individuals or organizations of status or findings. | |
| Inspect facilities. | |
| Maintain client information or service records. | |
| Manage budgets for personal services operations. | |
| Mediate disputes. | |
| Meet with coworkers to communicate work orders or plans. | |
| Monitor environment to ensure safety. | |
| Monitor patron activities to identify problems or potential problems. | |
| Order materials, supplies, or equipment. | |
| Organize recreational activities or events. | |
| Package materials or products. | |
| Perform administrative or clerical tasks. | |
| Prepare administrative documents. | |
| Provide counsel, comfort, or encouragement to individuals or families. | |
| Provide escort or transportation. | |
| Store items. | |
| Supervise service workers. | |
| Teach daily living skills or behaviors. | |
| Train service staff. | |
| Knowledge Required (in order of importance)
For the Top 5 most important - How can you build experience and skill doing these? This will help now, to begin preparing for this type of occupation. |
|
| Importance (%) | Description |
| Importance: 87 (%) | Description: Customer and Personal Service: Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction. |
| Importance: 83 (%) | Description: Administration and Management: Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources. |
| Importance: 79 (%) | Description: Public Safety and Security: Knowledge of relevant equipment, policies, procedures, and strategies to promote effective local, state, or national security operations for the protection of people, data, property, and institutions. |
| Importance: 78 (%) | Description: Education and Training: Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects. |
| Importance: 77 (%) | Description: English Language: Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, and rules of composition and grammar. |
| Importance: 73 (%) | Description: Sociology and Anthropology: Knowledge of group behavior and dynamics, societal trends and influences, human migrations, ethnicity, cultures, and their history and origins. |
| Importance: 69 (%) | Description: Administrative: Knowledge of administrative and office procedures and systems such as word processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and workplace terminology. |
| Importance: 68 (%) | Description: Personnel and Human Resources: Knowledge of principles and procedures for personnel recruitment, selection, training, compensation and benefits, labor relations and negotiation, and personnel information systems. |
| Importance: 68 (%) | Description: Therapy and Counseling: Knowledge of principles, methods, and procedures for diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation of physical and mental dysfunctions, and for career counseling and guidance. |
| Importance: 62 (%) | Description: Psychology: Knowledge of human behavior and performance; individual differences in ability, personality, and interests; learning and motivation; psychological research methods; and the assessment and treatment of behavioral and affective disorders. |
| Importance: 61 (%) | Description: Communications and Media: Knowledge of media production, communication, and dissemination techniques and methods. This includes alternative ways to inform and entertain via written, oral, and visual media. |
| Importance: 60 (%) | Description: Computers and Electronics: Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming. |
| Importance: 59 (%) | Description: Law and Government: Knowledge of laws, legal codes, court procedures, precedents, government regulations, executive orders, agency rules, and the democratic political process. |
| Essential Skills (in order of importance)
These are the foundational skills most central to success in this occupation. For the Top 5 most important, how can you begin building experience and confidence using these skills now? |
|
| Importance (%) | Description |
| Importance: 64 (%) | Description: Active Listening: Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times. |
| Importance: 62 (%) | Description: Speaking: Talking to others to convey information effectively. |
| Importance: 62 (%) | Description: Monitoring: Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action. |
| Importance: 60 (%) | Description: Critical Thinking: Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems. |
| Importance: 52 (%) | Description: Reading Comprehension: Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents. |
| Transferable Skills (in order of importance)
These are skills that can transfer across occupations and industries. For the Top 5 most important, how can you strengthen these skills now so they support both this career and future career flexibility? |
|
| Importance (%) | Description |
| Importance: 66 (%) | Description: Social Perceptiveness: Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do. |
| Importance: 62 (%) | Description: Coordination: Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions. |
| Importance: 60 (%) | Description: Negotiation: Bringing others together and trying to reconcile differences. |
| Importance: 60 (%) | Description: Service Orientation: Actively looking for ways to help people. |
| Importance: 60 (%) | Description: Time Management: Managing one's own time and the time of others. |
| Importance: 56 (%) | Description: Persuasion: Persuading others to change their minds or behavior. |
| Importance: 52 (%) | Description: Complex Problem Solving: Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions. |
| Importance: 52 (%) | Description: Judgment and Decision Making: Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one. |
| Day-in-the-Life Summaries These summaries show the main types of activities you are likely to perform on a regular basis in this occupation. How can you imagine your typical workday — using these examples to see if this type of work fits you? |
| Activity: Administer emergency medical treatment. |
| Activity: Collect information about patients or clients. |
| Activity: Communicate with others about operational plans or activities. |
| Activity: Coordinate group, community, or public activities. |
| Activity: Coordinate with others to resolve problems. |
| Activity: Counsel others about personal matters. |
| Activity: Develop educational programs, plans, or procedures. |
| Activity: Develop organizational or program goals or objectives. |
| Activity: Distribute materials, supplies, or resources. |
| Activity: Escort others. |
| Activity: Evaluate personnel capabilities or performance. |
| Activity: Inspect facilities or equipment. |
| Activity: Maintain operational records. |
| Activity: Maintain safety or security. |
| Activity: Manage budgets or finances. |
| Activity: Mediate disputes. |
| Activity: Monitor individual behavior or performance. |
| Activity: Monitor safety or security of work areas, facilities, or properties. |
| Activity: Move materials, equipment, or supplies. |
| Activity: Package objects. |
| Activity: Perform administrative or clerical activities. |
| Activity: Provide information to guests, clients, or customers. |
| Activity: Purchase goods or services. |
| Activity: Stock supplies or products. |
| Activity: Supervise personnel activities. |
| Activity: Teach life skills. |
| Activity: Train others on operational or work procedures. |
|
Software Skills These are examples of software tools commonly used in this occupation, organized from most to least important for your career preparation. How can you start learning or practicing the highest-priority tools so that you feel confident using them on the job? |
| High-Priority Tech Skills |
| Office suite software: |
| Microsoft Office software |
| Emerging Tech Skills |
| Electronic mail software: |
| Microsoft Outlook |
| Presentation software: |
| Microsoft PowerPoint |
| Spreadsheet software: |
| Microsoft Excel |
| Word processing software: |
| Google Docs Microsoft Word |
| General Software Tools |
| Accounting software: |
| Budgeting software |
| Analytical or scientific software: |
| Survey software |
| Electronic mail software: |
| Email software |
| Internet browser software: |
| Web browser software |
| Web page creation and editing software: |
| Website development software |
| Preparation Required - How much preparation is needed to obtain this type of job? |
| Job Zone Three: Medium Preparation Needed |
| Previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is required for these occupations. For example, an electrician must have completed three or four years of apprenticeship or several years of vocational training, and often must have passed a licensing exam, in order to perform the job. |
| Most occupations in this zone require training in vocational schools, related on-the-job experience, or an associate's degree. |
| Employees in these occupations usually need one or two years of training involving both on-the-job experience and informal training with experienced workers. A recognized apprenticeship program may be associated with these occupations. |
| These occupations usually involve using communication and organizational skills to coordinate, supervise, manage, or train others to accomplish goals. Examples include hydroelectric production managers, desktop publishers, electricians, agricultural technicians, barbers, court reporters and simultaneous captioners, and medical assistants. |
| Education Required - by frequency of educational attainment This shows you details about the level of education most commonly held by workers in this occupation. How can you begin planning the educational pathway that will prepare you best for this type of work? |
|
| Frequency of Attainment (%) | Level of Education |
| Frequency of Attainment: 50.3 (%) | Level of Education: Some College Courses |
| Frequency of Attainment: 31.3 (%) | Level of Education: Bachelor's Degree |
| Frequency of Attainment: 7.3 (%) | Level of Education: Less than a High School Diploma |
| Frequency of Attainment: 6.3 (%) | Level of Education: Doctoral Degree |
| Frequency of Attainment: 3.4 (%) | Level of Education: Master's Degree |
| Frequency of Attainment: 1.5 (%) | Level of Education: High School Diploma - or the equivalent (for example, GED) |
| Training and Experience Required - by frequency of training and work experience attainment This section shows you how often different types of training and work experience are required for this occupation. How can you start gaining the kinds of experience and training that are most common for this type of work? |
|
| Frequency of Attainment (%) | Level of Training and Work Experience |
| Frequency of Attainment: 55.7 (%) | Level of Training and Work Experience: None |
| Frequency of Attainment: 33.0 (%) | Level of Training and Work Experience: Over 1 year, up to and including 2 years |
| Frequency of Attainment: 10.3 (%) | Level of Training and Work Experience: Up to and including 1 month |
| Frequency of Attainment: 1.1 (%) | Level of Training and Work Experience: Over 2 years, up to and including 4 years |
| Certifications These are examples of certifications that may be important for this occupation. How can you begin exploring which certifications fit your goals and what steps you would need to take to earn them? |
|
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|
Residential Child and Youth Care Professional | |
|
Residential Plans Examiner | |
Step 4 of 4: Career-Specific Resources (detailed and constantly updated)
This section contains detailed resources appropriate to "Residential Advisors". Explore these resources to start learning more. Links are constantly updated, so bookmark this page.
Here is a listing of videos related to this career. A great way to get a quick overview of the occupation.
Here are resources that allow you to see example resumes for this occupation. It may be helpful to see examples from others who have this type of experience.
Here are resources that provide job descriptions, which are vital for resume and interview preparation.
There are many great resources that can help guide you through the interview process. These links provide help in preparing and performing an effective interview, specific to this occupation.
Here are links to help guide you, step-by-step, to become a(n): Residential Advisors
Here are links to various posts and groups from LinkedIn ® that relate to this occupation. Great way to start building professional contacts in the field that might be most appropriate for you.
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