Residential Youth Counselors: How to Become One
If you were to ask a group of residential youth counselors about how they arrived at their current job, there's a good chance you would get several different answers about the paths and steps that each person took.
That said, there are still ways that you can develop a baseline understanding of the preparation that is necessary to become one.
The Best Adult Colleges and Careers Guide has gathered data to provide you with insight into the type of education that's commonly required for residential youth counselors to land a job. This page contains information, sourced from real job postings, that describes the experience levels and specific skills that employers of residential youth counselors expect candidates to have. In the end, this information will help you create an education or professional development plan that aligns with your career aspirations.
Keep reading to learn more about career steps for residential youth counselors.
What Education & Experience is Needed for Residential Youth Counselors?
Do residential youth counselors need a degree? What kind of experience do residential youth counselors typically need? Thanks to data sourced from Lightcast™ from real job postings, we can get some clarity on those questions, as well as the level of education that is commonly required for residential youth counselors to secure jobs.
Education Level Required in Job Postings for Residential Youth Counselors
Jobs Postings for Residential Youth Counselors By Education
- High School or GED: 44,402 (35%)
- Bachelor's degree: 29,606 (23%)
- No Education Listed: 28,210 (22%)
- Master's degree: 23,889 (19%)
- Ph.D. or professional degree: 2,458 (2%)
High School or GED is the level of education sought the most by employers of residential youth counselors. According to job data, a High School diploma or GED was required for 35% of positions. In 23% of job listings a bachelor's degree was required and in 22% of postings no education level was listed.
Experience Level Required in Job Postings for Residential Youth Counselors
Jobs Postings for Residential Youth Counselors By Experience
- 0-1 Years: 20,604 (57%)
- 2-3 Years: 12,938 (36%)
- 4-6 Years: 1,651 (5%)
- 7-9 Years: 215 (1%)
- 10+ Years: 634 (2%)
While the amount of required experience will vary based on the responsibility and seniority of the position, an aggregate view of job posting data can help paint a picture of the experience level sought for most job openings for residential youth counselors. In 57% of job postings for Residential Youth Counselors, employers were looking for candidates with 0-1 years of experience. In 36% of listings employers were looking for candidates with 2-3 years of experience, while 4-6 years of experience was sought in 5% of job postings for residential youth counselors.
What Kind of Degree Do Residential Youth Counselors Need?
So far this page has provided detail into the level of education and the amount of experience required in job openings for residential youth counselors, but what type of education or degree will help prepare you for a career in the field?
According to occupational data obtained through Lightcast,™ there are 5 key academic programs that can help prepare prospective residential youth counselors, and in 2023 a total of 201,936 of those programs were completed at institutions in the United States.
Check out the information below to learn more about the specific programs that should be considered by prospective residential youth counselors.
Top Degree Programs for Residential Youth Counselors
Top 5 Degree Programs for Residential Youth Counselors (2023)
| Program | Completions |
|---|---|
| Psychology, General. | 143,660 |
| Social Work. | 58,001 |
| Clinical Pastoral Counseling/Patient Counseling. | 177 |
| Executive/Career Coaching. | 90 |
| Thanatology. | 8 |
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Degree Options for Residential Youth Counselors
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What Skills Do Residential Youth Counselors Need?
Education and experience have been covered, so what are the specific skills and traits needed by residential youth counselors to secure a job?
A good way to understand this is to examine actual job postings for skills commonly sought by employers. Continue reading for a breakdown of specialized skills found in job postings for residential youth counselors, as well as common skills that can help you thrive in the workplace.
In-Demand Skills for Today's Residential Youth Counselors
Based on 105,482 job postings
Top 5 Specialized Skills for Residential Youth Counselors
| Skills | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Autism Spectrum Disorders | 38,828 | 37% |
| Treatment Planning | 28,182 | 27% |
| Applied Behavior Analysis | 26,754 | 25% |
| Psychology | 22,817 | 22% |
| Working With Children | 20,303 | 19% |
Top 5 Common Skills for Residential Youth Counselors
| Skills | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Communication | 39,751 | 38% |
| Teaching | 19,915 | 19% |
| Social Skills | 9,173 | 9% |
| Writing | 9,087 | 9% |
| Problem Solving | 9,077 | 9% |
Based on 105,482 job postings related to residential youth counselors, autism spectrum disorders was the top specialized skill sought by employers, with 37% of all postings looking for that skillset. Skills for treatment planning, applied behavior analysis, psychology, working with children and data collection were also highly sought.
As for common skills, communication was the most desired skill found in job postings for residential youth counselors, followed by teaching, social skills, writing, problem solving and management.
| Skill | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Autism Spectrum Disorders | 38,828 | 37% |
| Treatment Planning | 28,182 | 27% |
| Applied Behavior Analysis | 26,754 | 25% |
| Psychology | 22,817 | 22% |
| Working With Children | 20,303 | 19% |
| Data Collection | 19,207 | 18% |
| Intervention Plans | 13,791 | 13% |
| Special Education | 12,137 | 12% |
| Developmental Disabilities | 12,103 | 11% |
| Social Work | 9,447 | 9% |
| Mental Health | 9,162 | 9% |
| Behavioral Health | 8,940 | 8% |
| Behaviour Therapy | 8,170 | 8% |
| Caregiving | 7,991 | 8% |
| Individualized Education Programs (IEP) | 6,872 | 7% |
| Behavior Management | 6,264 | 6% |
| Functional Behavior Assessment | 5,959 | 6% |
| Disabilities | 5,940 | 6% |
| Crisis Intervention | 5,289 | 5% |
| Positive Behavior Support | 5,276 | 5% |
| Skill | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Communication | 39,751 | 38% |
| Teaching | 19,915 | 19% |
| Social Skills | 9,173 | 9% |
| Writing | 9,087 | 9% |
| Problem Solving | 9,077 | 9% |
| Management | 8,542 | 8% |
| Leadership | 8,221 | 8% |
| Lifting Ability | 8,131 | 8% |
| Ethical Standards And Conduct | 7,981 | 8% |
| Research | 6,942 | 7% |
| Planning | 6,680 | 6% |
| Mentorship | 6,647 | 6% |
| Professionalism | 6,585 | 6% |
| Verbal Communication Skills | 6,144 | 6% |
| Compassion | 6,037 | 6% |
| Time Management | 5,972 | 6% |
| Organizational Skills | 5,321 | 5% |
| Detail Oriented | 5,299 | 5% |
| Interpersonal Communications | 5,013 | 5% |
| Patience | 4,813 | 5% |
Additional Links
Ready to dig deeper into career information about residential youth counselors? Visit our other pages focused on salary and education for residential youth counselors.
What do residential youth counselors do?
How much do residential youth counselors make?
All Occupations
The Best Adult Colleges and Careers Guide has compiled data for dozens of in-demand jobs. Explore our full catalog of occupation data by visiting the link below.