How do camp counsellors get paid in America? Cheques, bank accounts and Wise explained

The money question nobody asks until the week before flying

You've read the numbers. A standard counsellor earns a guaranteed minimum of $2,250 USD for the season, and Premium counsellors earn a guaranteed minimum of $2,350 USD. What most people don't think about until they're halfway through packing is the practical bit. How does that money actually land in your hands when you're living in a cabin in the woods and your ANZ app has no idea where you are?

Your camp decides how it pays you

There's no single payment method across every summer camp in America. Some camps pay by cheque, and others pay straight into a bank account. Your camp will explain exactly how it works when you arrive, and it's worth asking on day one so there are no surprises later.

This is one of those things that sounds more stressful than it is. Camps pay international staff every single season, so the people running payroll have answered this question hundreds of times.

What a cheque means for you

A cheque doesn't need a US bank account to be written to you, but you'll need somewhere to pay it in or cash it. That's the part to plan for. Camps are often rural, so a trip to a branch might mean a lift from a fellow counsellor on a day off.

If you end up with cheques, ask your camp or a senior staff member where most international counsellors take theirs. There's almost always a well-worn path, and somebody on the team will know it.

What being paid into an account means for you

If your camp pays electronically, the money goes to an account with a US routing number. A traditional US bank account is one way to get that. Digital money services such as Wise are another option that plenty of international staff use, and they can be set up before you leave New Zealand.

Plenty of counsellors also open a regular US bank account once they arrive. You don't have to, but it's a sensible question to raise with your camp, since some have a favourite approach and are happy to share it.

Carry a physical card

Here's a bit of advice that sounds old-fashioned. Pack a physical debit card, even if your phone does everything at home. Tap-to-pay is not accepted everywhere in smaller US towns, and camps are often a long way from the big chains that have caught up. We really like the WISE Card which gives you a multi currency account as well as a US Based bank account that your Camp can pay into without foreign conversions or SWIFT complications. Then you can just move money from your US account to your NZD account. Great app you can use for paywave/apple pay too. We will give you the details once you're placed so you'll know which one to get.

You won't be spending much of it

Food and accommodation are provided by the camp, so your wage isn't going on rent or groceries. For most counsellors, the money builds up simply because there's nowhere to spend it. Many people save their wages for the travel they plan after camp, a topic we cover in our post on travelling around America once your season ends.

You'll also hear about tipping, because it's a US habit. When you're eating out or using a taxi on your days off, 15 to 20 percent is the standard, so budget for it when you head out.

Tax is a separate conversation

You'll receive a W-2 from your camp showing what you earned, and you'll need to file a US tax return. We've written a full guide on that, so have a look at our post on whether you pay tax as a camp counsellor in America. The short version is that it's very doable, and it's much less scary when you know it's coming.

Ask us before you go

The honest answer to "how will I be paid?" is that it depends on your camp. That's why we'd rather you ask the team than guess. Lauren, in a verified Trustpilot review, called AmeriCamp a "great company - made everything so simple". Breanne said in her own review that people were "always just an email or phone call away for help with the process."

Money questions are completely normal, and nobody on our NZ team will think you're silly for asking. If you're interested in a summer camp in America this New Zealand winter, getting these practical details straight early is exactly how you turn a nervous idea into a confident plan. Remember that every applicant goes through an interview and screening process, and the J1 visa is processed on a first-come, first-served basis, so the earlier you apply, the better.

AmeriCamp NZ is run out of Auckland by the NZ AmeriCamp team - International Working Holidays. We're backed by over 24 years of placing New Zealanders at summer camps across the USA. The application is free to start and our NZ team is with you every step of the way.

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