With the amount and popularity of summer camps out there in the United States and around the world, there is so much data but very few places where it’s all compiled and shown in exact numbers.
Through data collection of our own and from sources like the American Camp Association and from purchasing and reading industry business reports, we’ve compiled this list that contains interesting statistics about summer camps. We cover everything from average costs to revenues and demographics:
- According to our summer camp cost study, overnight camps cost an average of $170-$325 per day, while day camps cost $70-$120. There is a big difference in terms of daily cost, which makes day camps a more affordable option for many families.
- In 2022, it was reported that more than 26,000 million students attended summer camp. For reference, in 2016, ACA reported that 14,000 million students went to camp. While summer camp costs have actually risen, the number of available and more affordable programs has gone up, which might explain the additional numbers.
- The most popular camp session length that parents tend to look for in an overnight camp is two weeks. Around 47% of the inquiries we receive have parents choosing the two-week option. The next second most popular length is one week (32%), followed by 3-5 weeks (12%) and the remaining 6+ weeks (9%).
- According to the American Camp Association, there are more than 15000+ summer camps in the United States. While they report more sleepaway camps than day camp programs, day camps don’t always seek ACA accreditation.
- Summer camps which are part of the American Camp Association reported almost $2.8 billion dollars in revenue. The industry as a whole generates between $3.4 to $4 billion in revenue. Most overnight camps (which cost more) are accredited by the American Camp Association, which is why ACA-affiliated camps account for the majority of the revenue. Smaller programs and day camps don’t always have this accreditation.
- Female campers slightly outnumber male campers, according to ACA. Summer camp staff also has a higher number of female staffers at 58%, outnumbering male staffers at 42%.
- Around 46% of parents report difficulty being able to afford summer camp, according to New America. While there are many ways to afford camp, like applying for scholarships and getting camp discounts by enrolling early, parents still struggle to afford it.
- Data collected from forms we received from parents showed that 41% of parents reported a budget of $1000, 28% of $2000, 22% of $3000, 5% of $4000, and 4% of 5000 or higher. Given the average summer camp costs, these numbers correlate with the finding above.
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