What Does a Camp Manager Do?
Camp managers run a day camp or overnight camp, from hiring and training the summer staff to confirming every camper is accounted for at the end of the day. They build the activity schedule, set the budget, handle registrations and parent calls, oversee food service, transportation and the health center, and hold waterfront, ropes course and cabin supervision to the camp's safety standards. In the off-season the work shifts to recruiting staff, marketing sessions, facility repairs and rental groups. During camp, days are long, often live-in, and full of decisions that cannot wait.
Other Job Titles for This Work
Workers in this occupation report titles such as Camp and Recreation Manager, Camp Director, Events and Competitions Director, Events Manager, Experiences Manager, Golf Course Manager, Park Manager, Recreation Director.
Camp Manager Duties and Responsibilities
The primary responsibilities of a camp manager include:
- Recruit, interview and hire counselors, activity specialists, kitchen and maintenance staff, and complete background and reference checks.
- Plan and lead pre-camp staff training on supervision, behavior management, emergency procedures and abuse prevention.
- Build the daily and weekly activity schedule, cabin assignments and staff duty rotations.
- Write and manage the camp budget, track spending and revenue, and set fees for sessions and facility rentals.
- Answer parent questions before and during camp, and talk with families about homesickness, behavior or injuries.
- Review camper health forms with the nurse or health officer and plan for allergies, medications and special needs.
- Inspect cabins, the waterfront, the ropes course, vehicles and the kitchen for hazards, and keep inspection and incident records.
- Work with the local health department and other inspectors on required camp permits and inspections.
- Respond to emergencies, from injuries and lost campers to severe weather, using radios and the camp's emergency plan.
- Manage equipment and inventory, and book off-season use of the property by schools, churches and other groups.
Required Skills and Qualifications
To succeed as a camp manager, you will need the following skills and qualifications:
- Building a full summer schedule that balances activities, staff coverage and rest time
- Budgeting and expense tracking in Microsoft Excel or camp registration software
- CPR and first aid certification, and wilderness first aid for remote or trip-based programs
- Working knowledge of waterfront, ropes course and transportation safety practices and your state's camp regulations
- Training and coaching young staff, many in their first job, with feedback they will take on board
- Calm, honest conversations with worried or upset parents, often by phone at the end of a long day
- Quick decisions in an emergency, with clear radio communication to staff spread across the property
- Promoting sessions through the camp website, social media such as Facebook, and open houses
Education and Training
Most camp managers hold a bachelor's degree, and 52 percent of workers in this broader recreation management group report one, commonly in recreation and parks management, education, outdoor leadership, social work or a related field. Experience counts at least as much as the degree: most managers spent several summers as counselors, unit leaders or program directors before running a camp. Expect to hold current CPR and first aid certification, pass a background check and, at camps with a waterfront, understand lifeguard and swim supervision requirements. Camp professional associations offer director courses and conferences, and some states set minimum qualifications for camp directors.
Salary and Job Outlook
Typical pay: $61,060 - $104,770 per year, with a median of $79,520.
The range covers the middle half of earners nationwide. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, Entertainment and Recreation Managers, Except Gambling.
BLS projects employment of entertainment and recreation managers, except gambling to grow about 6 percent from 2025 to 2035, with about 5,100 openings a year. Camp managers are needed for summer camps, outdoor education programs, and year-round retreat centers. The role can lead to recreation director, program director, or facility management positions.
Outlook source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections, 2025 to 2035, Entertainment and recreation managers, except gambling.
Camp Manager Pay Range
| Earners | Annual pay |
|---|---|
| Bottom 10% earn less than | $46,270 |
| Bottom 25% earn less than | $61,060 |
| Median (half earn more, half less) | $79,520 |
| Top 25% earn more than | $104,770 |
| Top 10% earn more than | $139,110 |
Highest-Paying States for Camp Managers
The states with the highest median pay for this occupation are District of Columbia ($113,930), Minnesota ($107,660), New York ($98,390), Colorado ($97,000), Washington ($96,790). Pay is lowest in Ohio ($58,440), Arkansas ($49,640), West Virginia ($47,310).
Median pay in all 47 states with BLS data
| State | Median annual pay |
|---|---|
| Alabama | $66,540 |
| Alaska | $70,700 |
| Arizona | $76,550 |
| Arkansas | $49,640 |
| California | $79,550 |
| Colorado | $97,000 |
| Connecticut | $78,010 |
| District of Columbia | $113,930 |
| Florida | $83,520 |
| Georgia | $83,470 |
| Hawaii | $81,160 |
| Idaho | $95,020 |
| Illinois | $77,310 |
| Indiana | $62,760 |
| Iowa | $68,320 |
| Kansas | $69,990 |
| Kentucky | $80,130 |
| Louisiana | $62,390 |
| Maine | $82,780 |
| Maryland | $81,220 |
| Massachusetts | $89,450 |
| Michigan | $65,890 |
| Minnesota | $107,660 |
| Mississippi | $67,670 |
| Missouri | $83,620 |
| Nebraska | $63,270 |
| Nevada | $82,370 |
| New Hampshire | $80,090 |
| New Jersey | $89,590 |
| New York | $98,390 |
| North Carolina | $77,990 |
| Ohio | $58,440 |
| Oklahoma | $78,420 |
| Oregon | $78,200 |
| Pennsylvania | $68,990 |
| Rhode Island | $88,750 |
| South Carolina | $79,110 |
| South Dakota | $76,000 |
| Tennessee | $70,530 |
| Texas | $78,500 |
| Utah | $79,400 |
| Vermont | $92,320 |
| Virginia | $74,800 |
| Washington | $96,790 |
| West Virginia | $47,310 |
| Wisconsin | $77,140 |
| Wyoming | $88,790 |
What the Work Is Like
O*NET surveys people who work as entertainment and recreation managers, except gambling about their daily conditions. Of those surveyed:
- 100% use email every day
- 100% say teamwork is very or extremely important in their job
- 78% work indoors in a climate-controlled space every day
- 50% say being exact and accurate is very or extremely important
Education Workers Say the Job Needs
| Education level | Share of workers |
|---|---|
| Bachelor's degree | 52% |
| Some college | 23% |
| Associate's degree | 17% |
| Master's degree | 7% |
Tools and Software Camp Managers Use
Software
Is This Job a Good Fit for You?
People who do well in this job tend to enjoy leading, persuading and making business decisions as well as organized work with data, records and clear procedures.
Skills O*NET rates most important: Active Listening, Speaking, Reading Comprehension, Critical Thinking, Social Perceptiveness, Coordination.
Knowledge areas used most: Customer and Personal Service, Education and Training, English Language, Administration and Management, Computers and Electronics.
Preparation: O*NET places this occupation in Job Zone 4 of 5, which means considerable preparation.
Related Careers
These jobs use similar skills, according to O*NET's related-occupation data:
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Sources
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025.
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections, 2025 to 2035.
- O*NET 30.1 Database, occupation 11-9072.00 (Entertainment and Recreation Managers, Except Gambling). View on O*NET OnLine.
This page includes information from the O*NET 30.1 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. The Job Explorer has modified some of the information; USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed or tested these changes.