Salary
Average Salary: $1,880
Expected Lifetime Earnings: $78,486
Camp counseling is a great summer job for high school and college students, but let's be frank—you won't be raking in the big bucks. Here are some basic salary facts, according to the American Camping Association:
If you spread your wings, decide camp life is the life for you, and become a full-time camp director, expect to make somewhere between $45k and $52k (source). It's a middle-class salary, but don't expect to be rollin' in anything more than a Camry or an Accord.
It's a different situation for the everyday counselor. With fewer responsibilities comes a smaller paycheck. You expect to make something between $235/week to $306/week (source). This of course varies from camp to camp, and depends on whether the camp is a day camp or an overnight camp.
If you're being paid an hourly wage, expect to make somewhere in the neighborhood of $10 an hour (source). Typically, there's about a 4% pay increase per year if you stay at the camp (source). Many people who work the job return to the same camp over multiple summers.
A college degree is not required (it's a summer job after all), but there are ways you can put a few more dollars in your pocket. Every camp is different, but frequently, camps will increase pay if counselors can lead in-demand activities. If you're a trained horseback rider and you can supervise this activity, you might make extra moolah every week. It varies. Some camps will also pay you more if you're CPR-certified or have any medical training. These are in-demand skills and camps are willing to pay a bit more for them.
And one of the bonuses about sleep-away camp? Your room and board are covered—so that's pretty sweet.
But if you're going into camp counseling, don't do it for the cash. You're not going to make much over the course of a summer. Also take into account that, despite being fun, this job doesn't help you develop many on-the-job skills that corporate America will be looking for. If your intended career path is more business-y, finding an internship somewhere will probably serve you better in the long-term. Even if it's unpaid.
Being a camp counselor is a decent first job, and a great place to work if you love kids—but investment banking, it is not.