Recreation aide vs camp counselor

The differences between recreation aides and camp 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 recreation aide and a camp counselor. Additionally, a recreation aide has an average salary of $28,756, which is higher than the $24,340 average annual salary of a camp counselor.

The top three skills for a recreation aide include customer service, CPR and rehabilitation. The most important skills for a camp counselor are kids, CPR, and summer camps.

Recreation aide vs camp counselor overview

	Recreation Aide	Camp Counselor
Yearly salary	$28,756	$24,340
Hourly rate	$13.82	$11.70
Growth rate	10%	10%
Number of jobs	43,283	28,182
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 43%	Bachelor's Degree, 66%
Average age	42	42
Years of experience	4	4

What does a recreation aide do?

A recreation aide is responsible for assisting with the planning of recreational activities, following the supervision of a recreational manager. Recreation aides prepare all the resources, guide the participants, maintain the activity equipment, facilitate the program, and reiterate the guidelines for the safe execution of the activity. They also ensure the cleanliness and orderliness of the facilities to be used. A recreation aide must have excellent communication and organizational skills, responding to the participants' inquiries and concerns, as well as performing administrative duties as the recreational manager advises.

What does a camp counselor do?

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.

Recreation aide vs camp counselor salary

Recreation aides and camp counselors have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Recreation Aide	Camp Counselor
Average salary	$28,756	$24,340
Salary range	Between $22,000 And $36,000	Between $16,000 And $35,000
Highest paying City	Bellingham, WA	Omaha, NE
Highest paying state	Massachusetts	Mississippi
Best paying company	National Park Foundation	University of California, Berkeley
Best paying industry	Government	Education

Differences between recreation aide and camp counselor education

There are a few differences between a recreation aide and a camp counselor in terms of educational background:

	Recreation Aide	Camp Counselor
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 43%	Bachelor's Degree, 66%
Most common major	Business	Psychology
Most common college	Duke University	Northwestern University

Recreation aide vs camp counselor demographics

Here are the differences between recreation aides' and camp counselors' demographics:

	Recreation Aide	Camp Counselor
Average age	42	42
Gender ratio	Male, 39.8% Female, 60.2%	Male, 42.4% Female, 57.6%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 13.2% Unknown, 6.0% Hispanic or Latino, 14.9% Asian, 5.0% White, 60.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7%	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%

Differences between recreation aide and camp counselor duties and responsibilities

Recreation aide example responsibilities.

Manage funds and resources to include developing the annual NAF budget, which include submission and prioritization of program component requirements.
Maintain certifications of CPR, food service, child care, cleanliness, etc.
Promote and enforce safety procedures; render first aid and CPR, if certify, as required.
Plan and run daily recreational activities for at risk youth.
Operate riding lawn mowers, push lawn mowers, weed-whackers, edgers, chainsaws.
Organize and participate in activities with patients on and off the rehabilitation unit such as cooking and playing games.

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Camp counselor example responsibilities.

Manage camp check-ins by assembling and assigning check-in teams, and helping implement opening day camp check-ins.
Guide and nurture campers by accompanying them to and assisting with camp activities, and lead hiking and canoe trips
Mentore kids using healthy conflict resolution techniques.
Organize group activities to facilitate communication between children with various health needs ranging from common allergies to severe developmental disabilities.
Supervise campers, cook, and run activities.
Provide support and host VIP visitors and guests.

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Recreation aide vs camp counselor skills

Common recreation aide skills

Customer Service, 20%
CPR, 18%
Rehabilitation, 11%
Cleanliness, 8%
Recreational Facilities, 4%
Safety Rules, 4%

Common camp counselor skills

Kids, 29%
CPR, 22%
Summer Camps, 9%
Role Model, 7%
Child Care, 5%
Incident Reports, 3%

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Updated January 8, 2025

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