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Camp counselor salary
Average camp counselor salary
$11.7
Understanding Camp Counselor Salaries
The average salary for a camp counselor in the United States is approximately $24,340 per year. This figure can vary based on location, type of camp, and levels of experience. For instance, camp counselors in states like California and New York typically earn more due to higher living costs and demand for quality staff. Additionally, specialized camps, such as sports or arts camps, may offer higher compensation.
Experience plays a significant role in determining salary. Entry-level counselors may start at around $11.75 per hour, while seasoned counselors can earn upwards of $15 per hour. Opportunities for advancement often exist, allowing counselors to move into leadership roles.
Factors Influencing Salary
- Location: Different states and regions have varying pay scales.
- Experience: More experienced counselors can command higher wages.
- Type of Camp: Specialty camps often provide higher salaries.
Understanding these dynamics can help potential camp counselors make informed career decisions and maximize their earning potential.
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Where can a Camp Counselor earn more?
Camp counselor salary estimates from across the web
Average camp counselor salary by state
The average camp counselor salary in Mississippi, Nebraska, and Maine are the highest in the U.S. The lowest average camp counselor salary states are Missouri, Delaware, and Iowa.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for camp counselors
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wyoming | $31,749 | $15.26 |
| 2 | North Dakota | $30,832 | $14.82 |
| 3 | Maine | $32,558 | $15.65 |
| 4 | Louisiana | $27,002 | $12.98 |
| 5 | Oregon | $28,548 | $13.72 |
| 6 | Nebraska | $35,526 | $17.08 |
| 7 | Mississippi | $35,588 | $17.11 |
| 8 | Kentucky | $30,999 | $14.90 |
| 9 | Vermont | $28,056 | $13.49 |
| 10 | Colorado | $26,947 | $12.96 |
| 11 | West Virginia | $31,084 | $14.94 |
| 12 | Connecticut | $25,398 | $12.21 |
| 13 | Massachusetts | $28,863 | $13.88 |
| 14 | New Hampshire | $26,530 | $12.75 |
| 15 | Montana | $25,101 | $12.07 |
| 16 | Arizona | $24,723 | $11.89 |
| 17 | Pennsylvania | $24,709 | $11.88 |
| 18 | New York | $26,368 | $12.68 |
| 19 | South Dakota | $26,865 | $12.92 |
| 20 | California | $27,326 | $13.14 |
| 21 | Rhode Island | $26,797 | $12.88 |
| 22 | Kansas | $27,386 | $13.17 |
| 23 | Idaho | $24,730 | $11.89 |
| 24 | Nevada | $24,832 | $11.94 |
| 25 | District of Columbia | $25,335 | $12.18 |
| 26 | Florida | $23,877 | $11.48 |
| 27 | Georgia | $24,644 | $11.85 |
| 28 | Maryland | $25,452 | $12.24 |
| 29 | Hawaii | $25,859 | $12.43 |
| 30 | Illinois | $24,058 | $11.57 |
| 31 | New Jersey | $24,504 | $11.78 |
| 32 | Oklahoma | $24,715 | $11.88 |
| 33 | Minnesota | $23,593 | $11.34 |
| 34 | New Mexico | $23,137 | $11.12 |
| 35 | Texas | $23,335 | $11.22 |
| 36 | Arkansas | $22,505 | $10.82 |
| 37 | Virginia | $24,291 | $11.68 |
| 38 | North Carolina | $23,070 | $11.09 |
| 39 | Washington | $22,593 | $10.86 |
| 40 | Tennessee | $21,476 | $10.32 |
| 41 | Alabama | $22,359 | $10.75 |
| 42 | Delaware | $21,034 | $10.11 |
| 43 | Iowa | $20,921 | $10.06 |
| 44 | South Carolina | $21,166 | $10.18 |
| 45 | Alaska | $20,617 | $9.91 |
| 46 | Ohio | $21,790 | $10.48 |
| 47 | Wisconsin | $21,454 | $10.31 |
| 48 | Michigan | $21,161 | $10.17 |
| 49 | Missouri | $21,042 | $10.12 |
| 50 | Indiana | $20,742 | $9.97 |
| 51 | Utah | $19,224 | $9.24 |
Highest paying cities for camp counselors
The highest-paying cities for camp counselors are Omaha, NE, Boston, MA, and Salem, OR.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Omaha, NE | $35,605 | $17.12 |
| 2 | Boston, MA | $28,940 | $13.91 |
| 3 | Salem, OR | $28,625 | $13.76 |
| 4 | Palo Alto, CA | $27,454 | $13.20 |
| 5 | Denver, CO | $26,958 | $12.96 |
| 6 | New York, NY | $26,311 | $12.65 |
| 7 | Baltimore, MD | $25,524 | $12.27 |
| 8 | Washington, DC | $25,338 | $12.18 |
| 9 | Greenwich, CT | $25,203 | $12.12 |
| 10 | Missoula, MT | $25,117 | $12.08 |
| 11 | Philadelphia, PA | $24,763 | $11.91 |
| 12 | Scottsdale, AZ | $24,713 | $11.88 |
| 13 | Atlanta, GA | $24,697 | $11.87 |
| 14 | Bridgewater, NJ | $24,512 | $11.78 |
| 15 | Arlington, VA | $24,424 | $11.74 |
| 16 | Chicago, IL | $24,088 | $11.58 |
| 17 | Tampa, FL | $23,899 | $11.49 |
| 18 | College Station, TX | $23,297 | $11.20 |
| 19 | Greenville, NC | $23,163 | $11.14 |
| 20 | Seattle, WA | $22,596 | $10.86 |
Camp Counselors are the most in-demand in these five cities:
Camp counselor salary details
A camp counselor's salary ranges from $16,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $35,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a camp counselor's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $35,000 | $2,917 | $17 |
| 75th Percentile | $29,000 | $2,417 | $14 |
| Average | $24,340 | $2,028 | $12 |
| 25th Percentile | $19,000 | $1,583 | $9 |
| 10th Percentile | $16,000 | $1,333 | $8 |
Highest paying camp counselor jobs
The highest paying types of camp counselors are senior counselor, program lead, and group leader.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Activities Leader | $30,329 | $2,527 | $14.58 | 35,544 |
| Recreation Aide | $28,756 | $2,396 | $13.83 | 43,283 |
| Site Leader | $64,886 | $5,407 | $31.20 | 56,932 |
| Activities Director | $44,982 | $3,748 | $21.63 | 6,845 |
| Orientation Leader | $33,848 | $2,821 | $16.27 | 32,073 |
| Recreation Leader | $30,040 | $2,503 | $14.44 | 35,684 |
Top companies hiring camp counselors now:
Which companies pay camp counselors the most?
Camp counselor salaries at University of California, Berkeley and The Chicago High School for the Arts are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average camp counselor salary at companies like Boston College and City of San Jos are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of California-Berkeley | $41,091 | $19.76 |
| 2 | The Chicago High School for the Arts | $37,551 | $18.05 |
| 3 | Boston College | $36,130 | $17.37 |
| 4 | City of San Jos | $34,250 | $16.47 |
| 5 | Pathfinder Ranch | $34,221 | $16.45 |
| 6 | Congressional School | $33,914 | $16.30 |
| 7 | Lifespan | $33,463 | $16.09 |
| 8 | Bay Head Yacht Club | $33,291 | $16.01 |
| 9 | Esf, Inc. | $32,814 | $15.78 |
| 10 | University Of Minnesota Physicians | $31,790 | $15.28 |
| 11 | Learning Care Group | $31,545 | $15.17 |
| 12 | Horizon Services | $31,523 | $15.16 |
| 13 | Lifeline Connections | $30,599 | $14.71 |
| 14 | Worcester Polytechnic Institute | $30,449 | $14.64 |
| 15 | City of Portland | $30,319 | $14.58 |
| 16 | City of Georgetown | $30,299 | $14.57 |
| 17 | The State of Oregon | $30,296 | $14.57 |
| 18 | The Blake School | $30,027 | $14.44 |
| 19 | Abilities First, Inc. | $29,882 | $14.37 |
| 20 | St. Luke's Health System | $29,786 | $14.32 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Camp Counselor salary by industry
The average camp counselor salary varies across industries:
- The average camp counselor salary in the education industry is $29,249, the highest of any industry.
- The average camp counselor salary in the finance industry is $27,192.
- Camp counselors in the non profits industry earn an average salary of $24,805, the lowest of any industry.
Highest paying industries for camp counselors
| Rank | Industry | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Education | $29,249 | $14.06 |
| 2 | Government | $27,192 | $13.07 |
| 3 | Hospitality | $26,158 | $12.58 |
| 4 | Retail | $25,443 | $12.23 |
| 5 | Health Care | $25,332 | $12.18 |
| 6 | Non Profits | $24,805 | $11.93 |
High paying camp counselor jobs
Camp counselor salary trends
The average camp counselor salary has risen by $5,400 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average camp counselor earned $18,940 annually, but today, they earn $24,340 a year. That works out to a 19% change in pay for camp counselors over the last decade.
Compare camp counselor salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average camp counselor salary over time
Compare camp counselor salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Camp counselor salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $24,300 | $11.70 | +7.3% |
| 2025 | $22,600 | $10.84 | +4.9% |
| 2024 | $21,400 | $10.31 | +2.1% |
| 2023 | $21,000 | $10.10 | +2.7% |
| 2022 | $20,400 | $9.82 | +2.3% |
Recently added camp counselor salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ou Health | Student Camp Counselor (Summer) | Norman, OK | 06/29/2025 | $29,218 |
| Mass Audubon | Camp Counselor | Rowe, MA | 06/29/2025 | $34,519 |
| YMCA of Greater Brandywine | Camp Counselor | West Chester, PA | 06/28/2025 | $28,175 |
| City of Apex, Nc | LSE Camp Counselor II-Track Out Camp | Apex, NC | 06/28/2025 | $35,479 |
| Ltfmgtco LTF Club Management Co | Camp Counselor (Teacher) | Eagan, MN | 06/27/2025 | $27,653 |
| The Educational Alliance Inc. | Counselor-New Country Pride Camp | New York, NY | 06/26/2025 | $31,305 |
| Endeavor Schools | Camp Counselor | California, MD | 06/26/2025 | $31,305 |
| Sunshine House | Summer Camp Coordinator | Charleston, SC | 06/25/2025 | $33,392 |
| YMCA Twin Cities | Overnight Camp Counselor-Daily | Loretto, MN | 06/25/2025 | $20,087 |
| Super Soccer Stars | Camp Counselor | White Plains, NY | 06/25/2025 | $36,523 |
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