What is the salary range for camp counselors? The summer job market is competitive, but a successful camper can make rewarding lifelong memories and earn some extra cash. Here’s everything you should know about becoming a camp counselor and how much they earn.
The average salary for a camp counselor is $10,000 per year. This is calculated by adding the annual salaries of all camp counselors in the United States, and dividing that sum by the total number of camp counselors.
A camp counselor’s salary depends on a few factors. These include their experience level, as well as whether they work in an urban or rural setting. Some camps pay more than others, as well. For example, a camper working at an elite summer camp may earn more than one who works at a day camp or sleepaway camp. A day camp counselor might make around $8,000 per year while a sleepaway counselor could earn $12,000 per year.
Salary for camp counselor
A love of horseback riding, tennis or water sports could translate into a summer job as a camp counselor. Camps are always looking for seasonal staff from all over the United States, and even other countries, who are interested in supervising campers in both day and overnight settings. Salaries vary, but certain skills and other factors can improve earnings and job opportunities.
Summer Salaries
A survey conducted by the American Camp Association, published in 2016, found that summer and seasonal resident camp counselors earned a median wage of $240 a week in 2015. Counselors working at summer day camps, on the other hand, earned a median wage of $330 a week; $90 per week more than counselors in charge of campers 24 hours a day. However, counselor salaries overall were expected to increase by 2 percent each year. Counselors who return to the same camp the following year typically receive a 4 percent salary increase.
Room and Board
While the salaries are comparatively low for resident camp counselors, you have to account for living expenses. When in residence, camp counselors don’t usually pay for room or board, which adds up quickly. Camps report a combined value of roughly $194 a week for these expenses.
Local Variances
As with any job, location affects wages, and a summer camp counselor is no exception. In Vermont, for example, as camp counselor, you can earn anywhere from $1,800 to $2,500 during the summer. In New Hampshire, wages range from $1,800 to $2,000 for counselors, and $2,500 to $3,000 for activity heads. In Wisconsin, a camp might pay you $210 to $275 a week for your services as a counselor, while a Missouri counselor job could bring you $2,000 to $3,700 a summer at a science camp.
Special Skills and Certifications
Camps sometimes offer additional wages for special skills. If you’re able to lead activities, such art, music, drama, horseback riding, football, basketball, tennis or swimming, you might earn more. For example, a particular summer camp in Colorado offers a base pay of $2,000 for the summer, but an additional $140 if you can teach horseback riding and $445 if you sign on as a member of the barn crew.
Let the camp know when you’re applying if you have any special certifications or education. For example, if you have a degree, or have completed several years towards a degree, in working with young children, physical education, special education, or have played a particular sport for most of your life, this could give you an edge. If you already have current first aid and CPR training, which camps require counselors to have, that’s a plus. And if you’ve passed a recent background check, they know they won’t have to hire you conditionally while waiting for your results. You’re ready to go to work.
