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Job outlook for lead camp counselors in the United States
Lead camp counselor job growth summary. After extensive research, interviews, and analysis, Zippia's data science team found that:
The projected lead camp counselor job growth rate is 10% from 2018-2028.
About 28,100 new jobs for lead camp counselors are projected over the next decade.
Lead camp counselor salaries have increased 19% for lead camp counselors in the last 5 years.
There are over 103,615 lead camp counselors currently employed in the United States.
There are 29,425 active lead camp counselor job openings in the US.
The average lead camp counselor salary is $24,155.
Are lead camp counselor jobs in demand?
Lead camp counselor job and salary trends over time
Lead camp counselor jobs over time
Lead camp counselor job growth rate over time
| Year | # of jobs | % of population |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 103,615 | 0.03% |
| 2020 | 127,180 | 0.04% |
| 2019 | 140,539 | 0.04% |
| 2018 | 138,565 | 0.04% |
| 2017 | 138,127 | 0.04% |
Average lead camp counselor salary over time
Lead camp counselor salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $24,155 | $11.61 | +7.9% |
| 2024 | $22,379 | $10.76 | +5.1% |
| 2023 | $21,284 | $10.23 | +2.1% |
| 2022 | $20,842 | $10.02 | +2.8% |
| 2021 | $20,273 | $9.75 | +2.4% |
Lead camp counselor jobs by state
Most common states for lead camp counselors
| Rank | State | Population | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Alaska | 739,795 | 179 | 24% |
| 2 | Montana | 1,050,493 | 220 | 21% |
| 3 | Idaho | 1,716,943 | 282 | 16% |
| 4 | South Dakota | 869,666 | 134 | 15% |
| 5 | Nebraska | 1,920,076 | 271 | 14% |
| 6 | Nevada | 2,998,039 | 375 | 13% |
| 7 | Kansas | 2,913,123 | 370 | 13% |
| 8 | New Mexico | 2,088,070 | 272 | 13% |
| 9 | District of Columbia | 693,972 | 90 | 13% |
| 10 | Arkansas | 3,004,279 | 333 | 11% |
| 11 | Oklahoma | 3,930,864 | 378 | 10% |
| 12 | Connecticut | 3,588,184 | 224 | 6% |
| 13 | Delaware | 961,939 | 58 | 6% |
| 14 | Wyoming | 579,315 | 34 | 6% |
| 15 | Pennsylvania | 12,805,537 | 689 | 5% |
| 16 | Washington | 7,405,743 | 366 | 5% |
| 17 | Maryland | 6,052,177 | 295 | 5% |
| 18 | New Hampshire | 1,342,795 | 65 | 5% |
| 19 | North Dakota | 755,393 | 40 | 5% |
| 20 | Oregon | 4,142,776 | 155 | 4% |
Lead Camp Counselor job outlook: Expert opinions
Our panel of lead camp counselor experts
Concordia University Irvine
Nicholls State University
The American Camp Association’s
Kent State University
Angelo State University
What will help Lead Camp Counselors increase their earning potential?
Emily Yowell Ph.D.: Psychologists should be aware of what others in their field are making for similar positions. It is important to ask for what your work is worth in an initial position to assure raises are based on a solid starting salary. Newer psychologists may also consider asking for an early review that prompts an early conversation around potential raises, bonus, or other job benefits.
What's a good job out of college for Lead Camp Counselors?
Michael Eschelbach Ph.D.: A good job out of college is any job, some might argue. A better job would be one that employs what you studied in college because it asks you to do what you prepared to do. A still better job is one that offers the opportunity to use the whole college experience in problem-solving, creativity, interpersonal relationships - learning, thinking, and communication skills that allow you to see an opportunity, be inspired by it, and pursue it.
Dr. Stephanie Baran
Instructor, SociologyNicholls State University
Social Sciences Department
What experience really stands out on Lead Camp Counselor resumes?
Dr. Stephanie Baran: For recently graduated students, or students about to graduate, because they may not have a lot of work experience, it is helpful to use the work they completed in their different courses, emphasizing their ability to think through complex issues, showing the ability to navigate/be flexible then things quickly change. They can also use some of the skills acquired from the pandemic-like more online/computer skills, which may be helpful to their coworkers.
What are the biggest trends we'll see in the Lead Camp Counselor job market given the pandemic?
Tom Rosenberg: Thanks to all the research and learning from the 2020 season and the newly revised "Field Guide for Operating Day & Overnight Camps in COVID-19", the outlook for overnight and day camps in summer 2021 is strong. Most day and overnight camp operators are carefully planning for a busy summer season, in the midst of another summer of COVID-19, and the Field Guide provides a well-researched and tested path forward in summer 2021. Due to COVID-19 requirements, camps are expected to seek increased staffing for camp counselors, activities specialists, nurse, food service, and maintenance staff.
As we prepare to see more camp in 2021 after a COVID summer 2020, we expect the camp job market to call for camp nurses, maintenance workers, and cleaning professionals. In addition, camps looking to operate in 2021 will need to recruit staff in the form of camp counselors, counselors-in-training (CIT's), program/activity directors, etc. - much like in a normal summer.
What technology do you think will become more important and prevalent for Lead Camp Counselors in the next 3-5 years?
Tom Rosenberg: In COVID-19, camp parents and camp staff are expected to undergo additional pre-camp screening, as well as frequent testing (where applicable), and daily monitoring and surveillance. Camps have been employing innovative technologies to assist with communicable disease prevention and management, and we see this trend continuing and expanding. In summer 2021, the improvement of PCR, antigen and antibody tests will increase in their efficacy, availability, and pricing; making them a very helpful nonpharmaceutical intervention. The ACA Field Guide for Operating Day and Overnight Camps in COVID-19 has a new chapter on Technology and Controls, as well as a new chapter on Testing. For many of these nonpharmaceutical interventions (or layers of protection), there continues to be new research on relative efficacies, technologies that will influence the development of innovations.
Environmental Health, Industrial Hygiene, medical technology and public health research science helped in the development of the ACA Field Guide for summer camp operations - available to all!
Computer programmers and tech professionals for virtual camps (especially among camps who serve immunity compromised camper populations). Between sessions of camps, we see camps continuing to offer supervised connected online programming for camp friends to enjoy together during the off-season. We expect to see considerable improvements in safety and security components of these platforms, as well as program innovations. Just today, I was on the phone with a VR technologist who is interested in helping camps creating VR experiences to help prospective campers taste camp activity experiences.
We have seen our camps who needed to operate their programs online or in a virtual format really make impressive innovations. Zoom, YouTube, social media and more, were just a few of the ways that camps were able to interact with their camper communities in unique ways. This was especially the case for camps in states and localities where their in-person camp programs were not permitted to operate due to public health official ruling OR for camps who served immune compromised camper populations. While most camps will likely shift back to in-person programs (albeit covid-19 adapted) in summer 2021, we see camps continuing to employ various online connectivity platforms to engage campers, families, and staff members in additive, year-round community building and learning through the use of these technologies for years to come.
Will there be an enduring impact of the coronavirus pandemic on Lead Camp Counselors?
Tom Rosenberg: We expect to see increased demand for seasonal camp staff and professional camp director opportunities. We expect most college students to want to stay closer to home this summer but seek employment opportunities that are more engaging and impactful. Camp counselors and other staff members gain professional skills and experience enormous social and emotional growth while working at summer camp. They learn to lead, communicate effectively and think on their feet to resolve issues ranging from the health and safety of children to helping 12 campers learn how to take positive risks, learn from mistakes, and have fun. The COVID-19 pandemic has demonstrated, for parents across the nation, that every child, teen, and young adult need in-person, immersive camp programs in supportive environments. Summer learning is a critical part of a person's year-long learning landscape. At camp, children, teens, and adults have endless opportunities to build social and emotional competencies, learn to build healthy relationships, appreciate diverse thinking, be in the moment, and enjoy the opportunity for a measure of independence from their parents under the nurturing supervision of caring adults.
After so many months of sheltering in place at home, with greatly reduced human interaction, adults are excited to get outside and work in a fun and adventurous summer camp setting. Thanks to the ACA Field Guide and all of the important research conducted on summer 2020's camp experiences, camps have learned how to consistently and diligently follow the required nonpharmaceutical controls, such as pre-camp screening and daily at-camp screening, masking, physical distancing, cohorting, testing and more. Campers and Staff learn how to employ the necessary controls diligently to be as safe as possible while having fun, living in nature in fresh air, and making new friends.
It will certainly be unique this year, given the COVID-19 guidelines implemented by the public health authorities and highlighted in the Field Guide. However, future camp professionals will be entering this wor force in a time when kids need camp and quality camp leaders, counselors, etc. - now, more than ever!
Dr. Janice Byrd Ph.D.
ProfessorKent State University
School of Lifespan Development and Educational Sciences
How do you envision technology impacting Lead Camp Counselors in the next 5 years?
Dr. Janice Byrd Ph.D.: Increased use of technology in school settings, I believe, is here to stay regardless of changes due to the nation's response to COVID. As school counselors and school counselor educators, we need to continue examining how parts of what we do look like in a virtual environment. I imagine educational tech companies will develop platforms that will help us complete tasks smoothly.
Most importantly, school counselors collaborating with instructional designers to identify meaningful solutions that do not require lots of money from schools or parents will be essential. For individual and group counseling tasks, school counselors may find themselves doing more Telehealth and/or increasing consultation with school-based clinical mental health counselors. Additionally, there is a lot of room for new tasks we can undertake as school counselors to support our students and school communities.
Lesley Casarez Ph.D.
Director, Quality Enhancement Plan Program Coordinator, M.S. Professional School Counseling Associate Professor, Curriculum and InstructionAngelo State University
Department of Curriculum and Instruction
What technology do you think will become more important and prevalent for Lead Camp Counselors in the next 3-5 years?
Lesley Casarez Ph.D.: Graduates will need to learn to use technology in which virtual platforms are taking place and web conferencing platforms. Numerous platforms are being used, so the particular platform itself is not as crucial as being well-versed in how virtual education differs from face-to-face environments. Typically, the instructional role in online learning is more of a facilitator, as the educator guides the students to think critically, integrate, and apply new knowledge. This may be difficult for educators who would rather stand in front of a classroom and pass on their knowledge through lecture-based formats. Additionally, being well-versed in various web conferencing platforms will benefit graduates, as they move into a career that is currently requiring communication in virtual environments.