Pricing analysis
What summer camp costs in the DC region (2026)
Measured from 1,064 camp sessions that publish a price and were verified against the provider's own website, most recently on July 14, 2026. Covers Northern Virginia, Washington, DC, Bethesda, MD, Chevy Chase, MD, and nearby communities.
Key statistics
- The median published summer camp session price across the DC region is $389 (as of July 14, 2026).
- 1,064 verified camp sessions across Northern Virginia, Washington DC, and nearby Maryland publish a session price (as of July 14, 2026).
- Published summer camp session prices in the DC region range from $76 to $3,400 (as of July 14, 2026).
- Half of all priced summer camp sessions in the DC region cost between $325 and $455 (as of July 14, 2026).
- Washington, DC has the highest median published camp session price of any measured city in the DC region, at $639 (as of July 14, 2026).
- Fairfax Station, VA has the lowest median published camp session price of any measured city in the DC region, at $359 (as of July 14, 2026).
- School-based day camp is the priciest measured activity type for DC-region camps, with a median session price of $713 (as of July 14, 2026).
- Virtual enrichment is the least expensive measured activity type for DC-region camps, with a median session price of $195 (as of July 14, 2026).
The aggregated figures are downloadable as camp-costs.csv and are licensed CC BY 4.0 — free to reuse with attribution to Campser.
Journalists and researchers citing these figures can reach press@campser.com for methodology questions or custom cuts of the data.
Headline figures
Read these as prices per session, not per week. Most providers in this region price by the session, and sessions run anywhere from a single day to three weeks. A higher median often means longer sessions rather than a more expensive camp, so compare any price against the length of what it buys.
How camp prices are spread
| Price band | Sessions |
|---|---|
| Under $200 | |
| $200–399 | |
| $400–599 | |
| $600–799 | |
| $800–999 | |
| $1,000 and up |
The market clusters tightly: half of all sessions fall between $325 and $455. The long tail above $455 is mostly multi-week and residential sessions rather than pricier weeks.
Median price by activity type
| Activity | Median price | Range and sample |
|---|---|---|
| School-based day camp | $273–$1,695 · 22 sessions | |
| Outdoor adventure | $535–$3,400 · 27 sessions | |
| Aquatics | $309–$729 · 26 sessions | |
| Cooking | $389–$488 · 43 sessions | |
| Science | $255–$455 · 29 sessions | |
| STEM | $189–$1,450 · 268 sessions | |
| Specialty | $255–$650 · 87 sessions | |
| Arts and crafts | $255–$499 · 86 sessions | |
| Music | $245–$1,328 · 12 sessions | |
| Theater | $199–$2,870 · 102 sessions | |
| Nature | $245–$635 · 57 sessions | |
| Dance | $225–$1,615 · 31 sessions | |
| Sports | $155–$520 · 149 sessions | |
| General day camp | $255–$1,075 · 26 sessions | |
| Virtual enrichment | $185–$195 · 17 sessions |
Activity types with fewer than 12 priced listings are left out — a median over a handful of camps is noise rather than a statistic. Much of the spread here is session length, not price per day.
Median price by city
| City | Median price | Range and sample |
|---|---|---|
| Washington, DC | $400–$2,870 · 26 sessions | |
| Bethesda, MD | $335–$1,695 · 22 sessions | |
| Falls Church, VA | $189–$875 · 65 sessions | |
| Centreville, VA | $219–$785 · 56 sessions | |
| McLean, VA | $245–$2,588 · 97 sessions | |
| Vienna, VA | $199–$539 · 53 sessions | |
| Oakton, VA | $189–$1,440 · 65 sessions | |
| Springfield, VA | $175–$720 · 138 sessions | |
| Fairfax, VA | $189–$942 · 46 sessions | |
| Chantilly, VA | $309–$635 · 32 sessions | |
| Mount Vernon, VA | $259–$465 · 24 sessions | |
| Reston, VA | $269–$1,305 · 12 sessions | |
| Great Falls, VA | $195–$805 · 22 sessions | |
| Alexandria, VA | $155–$878 · 188 sessions | |
| Herndon, VA | $175–$1,450 · 52 sessions | |
| Annandale, VA | $195–$729 · 86 sessions | |
| Fairfax Station, VA | $255–$485 · 15 sessions | |
| Fairfax County, VA | $140–$195 · 19 sessions |
How these numbers were produced
- Every listing counted was checked against the provider's own public camp or registration page, not an aggregator.
- Each session contributes the midpoint of the tuition range its provider publishes. Deposits, registration fees, extended-care and after-care charges, meal plans, and sibling discounts are excluded.
- 289 verified camps publish no price in public text and are excluded entirely rather than estimated.
- Only session-level verified listings are included — see how Campser verifies camps.
Figures are recomputed on every deploy from the live inventory, so this page reflects the current verification pass rather than a snapshot.
Questions parents ask
How much does summer camp cost in Northern Virginia and DC in 2026?
The median published session price is $389, based on 1,064 camp sessions verified against provider websites as of July 14, 2026. Half of all sessions fall between $325 and $455. These are prices per session as each provider states it, and session lengths range from single days to multi-week programs.
Which types of camp cost the most?
Among activity types with enough listings to measure, School-based day camp has the highest median session price at $713, and Virtual enrichment the lowest at $195. Much of this gap reflects session length rather than price per day.
Why do some camps show no price?
289 verified camps do not publish a price in public text — usually because pricing sits behind a registration login. Campser shows a price only where the provider publishes one, and excludes deposits, registration fees, and extended-care charges from the figures shown.