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
- Master's degree: 15,110 (38%)
- No Education Listed: 11,820 (30%)
- Bachelor's degree: 6,535 (16%)
- High School or GED: 4,841 (12%)
- Ph.D. or professional degree: 1,351 (3%)
A master's degree is the level of education sought the most by employers of residential youth counselors. According to job data, a master's degree was required for 38% of positions. In 30% of job listings no education level was listed and in 16% of postings a bachelor's degree was required.
Experience Level Required in Job Postings for Residential Youth Counselors
Jobs Postings for Residential Youth Counselors By Experience
- 0-1 Years: 6,224 (41%)
- 2-3 Years: 7,268 (48%)
- 4-6 Years: 1,320 (9%)
- 7-9 Years: 82 (1%)
- 10+ Years: 272 (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 48% of job postings for Residential Youth Counselors, employers were looking for candidates with 2-3 years of experience. In 41% of listings employers were looking for candidates with 0-1 years of experience, while 4-6 years of experience was sought in 9% 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 4 key academic programs that can help prepare prospective residential youth counselors, and in 2021 a total of 57,186 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 (2021)
| Program | Completions |
|---|---|
| Social Work. | 56,801 |
| Clinical Pastoral Counseling/Patient Counseling. | 328 |
| Executive/Career Coaching. | 57 |
| Thanatology. | 0 |
Top Online College For Working Adults
Franklin University is a top choice for adults who need to balance school with busy lives. Founded in 1902 in Columbus, Ohio, Franklin's main focus has been serving adult students and tailoring education to fit their needs. Nonprofit and accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (hlcommission.org/800.621.7440), Franklin offers more than 50 affordable bachelor's, master's, and doctoral programs — all available 100% online.
Degree Options for Residential Youth Counselors
Leverage advances in positive psychology and executive coaching to impact the development of individuals, teams, and communities.
- Class Type: 100% online
- Cost Per Credit: $398
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 35,534 job postings
Top 5 Specialized Skills for Residential Youth Counselors
| Skills | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Treatment Planning | 9,702 | 27% |
| Autism Spectrum Disorders | 9,622 | 27% |
| Psychology | 9,464 | 27% |
| Applied Behavior Analysis | 7,326 | 21% |
| Functional Behavior Assessment | 5,539 | 16% |
Top 5 Common Skills for Residential Youth Counselors
| Skills | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Communications | 11,340 | 32% |
| Leadership | 5,559 | 16% |
| Research | 4,482 | 13% |
| Management | 4,128 | 12% |
| Planning | 4,128 | 12% |
Based on 35,534 job postings related to residential youth counselors, treatment planning was the top specialized skill sought by employers, with 27% of all postings looking for that skillset. Skills for autism spectrum disorders, psychology, applied behavior analysis, functional behavior assessment and special education were also highly sought.
As for common skills, communications was the most desired skill found in job postings for residential youth counselors, followed by leadership, research, management, planning and mentorship.
| Skill | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Treatment Planning | 9,702 | 27% |
| Autism Spectrum Disorders | 9,622 | 27% |
| Psychology | 9,464 | 27% |
| Applied Behavior Analysis | 7,326 | 21% |
| Functional Behavior Assessment | 5,539 | 16% |
| Special Education | 4,641 | 13% |
| Data Collection | 3,787 | 11% |
| Intervention Plans | 3,554 | 10% |
| Social Work | 3,554 | 10% |
| Developmental Disabilities | 3,429 | 10% |
| Visual Basic (Programming Language) | 3,111 | 9% |
| Individualized Education Programs (IEP) | 3,042 | 9% |
| Working With Children | 2,991 | 8% |
| Disabilities | 2,855 | 8% |
| Billing | 2,764 | 8% |
| Mental Health | 2,337 | 7% |
| Deficits | 2,234 | 6% |
| Caregiving | 2,078 | 6% |
| Behavior Management | 2,047 | 6% |
| Data Analysis | 2,046 | 6% |
| Skill | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Communications | 11,340 | 32% |
| Leadership | 5,559 | 16% |
| Research | 4,482 | 13% |
| Management | 4,128 | 12% |
| Planning | 4,128 | 12% |
| Mentorship | 3,811 | 11% |
| Teaching | 3,712 | 10% |
| Writing | 3,686 | 10% |
| Progress Reporting | 3,678 | 10% |
| Ethical Standards And Conduct | 3,401 | 10% |
| Time Management | 3,031 | 9% |
| Coaching | 2,925 | 8% |
| Problem Solving | 2,876 | 8% |
| Operations | 2,694 | 8% |
| Coordinating | 2,672 | 8% |
| Detail Oriented | 2,469 | 7% |
| Customer Service | 2,325 | 7% |
| Computer Literacy | 2,234 | 6% |
| Interpersonal Communications | 2,190 | 6% |
| Microsoft Excel | 2,169 | 6% |
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.