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The differences between park aides and camp counselors can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 1-2 years to become a park aide, becoming a camp counselor takes usually requires 2-4 years. Additionally, a park aide has an average salary of $28,379, which is higher than the $24,340 average annual salary of a camp counselor.
The top three skills for a park aide include GRASS, general grounds and various maintenance. The most important skills for a camp counselor are kids, CPR, and summer camps.
| Park Aide | Camp Counselor | |
| Yearly salary | $28,379 | $24,340 |
| Hourly rate | $13.64 | $11.70 |
| Growth rate | 5% | 10% |
| Number of jobs | 41,113 | 28,182 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 47% | Bachelor's Degree, 66% |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 4 |
A park aide is an administrative or grounds support staff in a park whose duties will vary according to the department in which they are posted. Park aides working in customer service interact with visitors to guide and give information or tour guides. Those working on the grounds may be assigned conservation and recreational duties or cleaning, while those in administration will be responsible for a variety of administrative roles such as working on outreach programs, visitor registration, or revenue collection.
Camp counselors' general responsibility is the supervision of a camping event. Camp counselors' duties include reiterating the rules and regulations, emergency drills and procedures, and related standard protocols to ensure that the campers maintain a safe camping environment. A camp counselor should possess strong leadership and decision-making skills to develop recreational programs and immediately resolve concerns that might affect everyone's overall camping experience. Camp counselors also help develop social interaction, promote teamwork, and monitor participation among campers.
Park aides and camp counselors have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Park Aide | Camp Counselor | |
| Average salary | $28,379 | $24,340 |
| Salary range | Between $22,000 And $35,000 | Between $16,000 And $35,000 |
| Highest paying City | Las Vegas, NV | Omaha, NE |
| Highest paying state | Rhode Island | Mississippi |
| Best paying company | Washington State University | University of California, Berkeley |
| Best paying industry | Hospitality | Education |
There are a few differences between a park aide and a camp counselor in terms of educational background:
| Park Aide | Camp Counselor | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 47% | Bachelor's Degree, 66% |
| Most common major | Environmental Science | Psychology |
| Most common college | Stanford University | Northwestern University |
Here are the differences between park aides' and camp counselors' demographics:
| Park Aide | Camp Counselor | |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 56.5% Female, 43.5% | Male, 42.4% Female, 57.6% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 0.8% Unknown, 3.2% Hispanic or Latino, 2.5% Asian, 1.4% White, 90.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.3% | Black or African American, 13.1% Unknown, 5.6% Hispanic or Latino, 15.2% Asian, 5.1% White, 60.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% |
| LGBT Percentage | 8% | 8% |