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The differences between day camp counselors and program counselors can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 2-4 years to become both a day camp counselor and a program counselor. Additionally, a program counselor has an average salary of $43,820, which is higher than the $29,384 average annual salary of a day camp counselor.
The top three skills for a day camp counselor include CPR, kids and cleanliness. The most important skills for a program counselor are developmental disabilities, patients, and community integration.
| Day Camp Counselor | Program Counselor | |
| Yearly salary | $29,384 | $43,820 |
| Hourly rate | $14.13 | $21.07 |
| Growth rate | 10% | 10% |
| Number of jobs | 32,895 | 133,491 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 66% | Bachelor's Degree, 60% |
| Average age | 42 | 41 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
The job of the camp counselors is to develop recreational plans and oversee camp activities in residential camps. Their duties and responsibilities include organizing camping trips, planning and scheduling group activities, and guiding children and teenagers in various outdoor activities such as swimming and hiking. They are expected to lead campers in emergency procedures and fire drills, explain safety rules and procedures, and provide emotional support to campers. Camp counselors are also responsible for assessing and responding to emergencies when they arise.
A Program Counselor is an essential part of a school's faculty. It's the counselor's responsibility to ensure that students are benefiting from the school's educational curriculum. This person is also tasked to help students resolve issues and problems that may hinder any educational progress. They are also part of the disciplinary team intended to instill good morals, ethics, and decency in students. The Program Counselor is one of the teacher or professor who has expertise or has a high educational degree in a particular subject or field.
Day camp counselors and program counselors have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Day Camp Counselor | Program Counselor | |
| Average salary | $29,384 | $43,820 |
| Salary range | Between $19,000 And $44,000 | Between $33,000 And $58,000 |
| Highest paying City | Seattle, WA | New York, NY |
| Highest paying state | Hawaii | New York |
| Best paying company | City of Portland | Russell Sage College |
| Best paying industry | Education | Health Care |
There are a few differences between a day camp counselor and a program counselor in terms of educational background:
| Day Camp Counselor | Program Counselor | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 66% | Bachelor's Degree, 60% |
| Most common major | Psychology | Psychology |
| Most common college | Duke University | California State University - Long Beach |
Here are the differences between day camp counselors' and program counselors' demographics:
| Day Camp Counselor | Program Counselor | |
| Average age | 42 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 33.4% Female, 66.6% | Male, 35.9% Female, 64.1% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 12.9% Unknown, 5.6% Hispanic or Latino, 14.4% Asian, 5.0% White, 61.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% | Black or African American, 11.3% Unknown, 5.9% Hispanic or Latino, 12.2% Asian, 3.2% White, 67.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% |
| LGBT Percentage | 8% | 15% |