Short answer
Day camp averages $73 to $87 a day, according to American Camp Association figures reported by Care.com, so a five-day week runs about $365 to $435. Overnight camp averages $448.53 a day, or roughly $3,140 for a full seven-day week. Across all their kids, parents in a LendingTree survey expected to spend $1,453 on summer programs.
How much does summer camp cost per week?
For a typical day camp, plan on $365 to $435 a week per child, based on the ACA's average of $73 to $87 a day. Overnight camp is a different order of money: at $448.53 a day, a seven-day week is about $3,140. Those are national averages. We haven't found good state-by-state numbers, so treat them as a rough middle and expect big-city camps to run higher.
| Camp type | Average per day | Per week | Eight weeks of summer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Day camp | $73 to $87 | $365 to $435 (5 days) | $2,920 to $3,480 |
| Overnight camp | $448.53 | About $3,140 (7 days) | Rarely the whole summer |
The weekly totals are our own arithmetic on the per-day averages. Eight straight weeks of one camp is unusual. The column is there to make a point: that's roughly what a working-parent summer costs if you buy every week of it.
How much does day camp cost?
Day camp averages $73 to $87 a day per child in the ACA figures Care.com cites, which is $365 to $435 for a Monday to Friday week. Check what the base price actually covers. Before-care, after-care, lunch, field trip fees and the camp T-shirt can each push a week past the average.
Hours matter as much as price, maybe more. A camp that runs 9:00 to 3:00 looks cheaper than one running 8:00 to 5:30, until you add the after-care or work out who's leaving the office at 2:40 every day for pickup. (That afternoon scramble is exactly what we built Kidbud's drop-off and pickup assignments for.)
How much does overnight camp cost?
Overnight camp averages $448.53 per camper per day, according to former ACA CEO Tom Rosenberg as quoted by Care.com. A seven-day session at that rate is about $3,140, and a two-week session about $6,280. Ask whether that price includes travel to camp, laundry and the canteen money kids burn through in a week.
There's one tax wrinkle too, which we'll get to below: overnight camp doesn't count for the dependent care credit, even if you're working while your child is away.
How do you pay for summer camp?
Start early and ask. Care.com reports that 93% of ACA-accredited camps offer financial assistance or scholarships, and many camps give discounts for early registration, a full season or more than one child. Payment plans spread the cost across the year. Dependent care accounts and the dependent care tax credit can help with day camp.
- Price the whole summer in January, week by week, before the cheap weeks fill.
- Apply for scholarships directly with each camp, as early as possible.
- Ask about sibling, early-bird and full-season discounts, and about monthly payment plans.
- Check what your employer's dependent care account covers, and keep every receipt.
- Mix in cheaper weeks: a city rec program one week, a grandparent the next.
The survey numbers aren't comforting. In LendingTree's 2023 survey, parents expected to spend $1,453 on summer programs across their kids ($2,123 in households earning $100,000 or more), and 42% said they'd go into debt to pay for them. For school-year activities, see our guide to what kids' activities cost.
Can you use a dependent care FSA or tax credit for summer camp?
For day camp, often yes. IRS Publication 503 says day camp may be a work-related expense, even a camp that specializes in something like soccer or computers, and overnight camp isn't. The child generally has to be under 13, and the credit counts up to $3,000 of expenses for one child or $6,000 for two or more.
A few details trip people up:
- Summer school and tutoring programs don't count, because the IRS says they aren't for care.
- If you use tax-free dependent care benefits from work, Publication 503 says those dollars reduce the expense limit for the credit, so you can't count the same money twice.
- The care has to be what lets you (or your spouse, if filing jointly) work or look for work.
This is general information, not tax advice. Your FSA plan administrator or a tax preparer can tell you exactly what your plan and your return allow.
How do you choose a summer camp?
Start with your work hours and the drive, then the price, then the activity. A camp your kid loves is no good if nobody can do the 3:00 pickup. Map each week: the camp, its hours, the address, and which parent does the drop-off and pickup. Then pick camps that fit those weeks. Doing it backwards is how you end up paying for after-care you didn't plan on.
- Match camp hours to work hours, and price in after-care if you need it.
- Check the drive at the actual drop-off and pickup times, not at noon on a Saturday.
- Ask what the price includes: lunch, trips, supplies, the T-shirt.
- Ask about refund rules before you pay a deposit in February.
- Let your child pick between two or three options you've already approved.
(If you use Kidbud, this map is just the week view filtered by child, with a name on every drop-off and pickup.) One more opinion: we'd leave a week in August empty if work allows it. It's cheaper than any camp on this page, and a slightly bored kid in August is not the worst outcome.
How Kidbud helps with camp weeks
Summer camp breaks the school-year routine. Every week can mean a new address, new hours and a new person on the 3:00 pickup. In Kidbud you add each week's camp to the shared family calendar, assign the drop-off and the pickup to a parent, and the assigned driver gets a traffic-aware Leave Now reminder.
Reminder timing is set separately for drop-offs and pickups. Grandparents or a sitter can be invited to take a week (the week Grandma covers is the week you'll be glad she gets the leave alert, not you). When siblings are at different camps, filter the week view by child. To be clear, Kidbud doesn't pay for camp or find you a discount. It's $59.99 a year or $12.99 a month, for everyone in the family.
New camp, new hours, every week
Put each week's drop-offs and pickups on one calendar, with a driver and a Leave Now reminder.
Frequently asked questions
How much does day camp cost?
Day camp averages $73 to $87 a day per child, based on American Camp Association figures reported by Care.com. That works out to about $365 to $435 for a five-day week, before extras like after-care, lunch or field trips.
What does overnight camp cost?
Overnight camp averages $448.53 per camper per day, according to figures from the ACA reported by Care.com. A seven-day session at that rate costs about $3,140.
Can I use my dependent care FSA for summer camp?
Day camp can count as a work-related care expense under IRS Publication 503, and overnight camp cannot. Check your FSA plan rules with your plan administrator, and remember that tax-free dependent care benefits reduce the expense limit for the dependent care credit.
How do I pay for summer camp on a budget?
Register early, ask each camp about scholarships, sibling discounts and payment plans, and mix pricier camps with cheaper rec weeks or family help. Care.com reports that 93% of ACA-accredited camps offer financial assistance.