By Cheri Sicard
If you are considering work camping to finance your full- or part-time RV lifestyle, naturally, your first question is going to be: “How much money do work campers make?”
In the video below, Matt and Laurie of Why Not Wander, a YouTube channel specializing in work camping and full-time RV living, give us the inside scoop.
The video wisely begins by discussing how to adjust your expectations of work camping if you come from a fast-paced corporate world. In addition to your salary, the other factor to remember is that your campsite is 100% paid for, and if you choose the right work camping positions, so are your water and electricity. Many, but not all, work camping jobs also come with free Wi-Fi and even free laundry.
The video ends with a financial breakdown of what you can expect to make as a couple at some common working camper hourly rates.
As this video is a few years old, you can safely assume wages have increased. If you are a single work camper, you can cut the salaries in half, but you will still get all the free camping perks.
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RVDT2782
We used to work the summer season in Keystone SD, where Mt Rushmore is located. We both worked 40 hour a week with all hours paid. We paid $50 a week for a parking space with $35 refunded if you stayed full season. We would take a little while off then go to Texas and work as a gate guard on the oil fields. Gate guarding in a 24/7 job with no days off. We would work there and put a lot of money in the cookie jar to have fun the rest of the year. We worked on a pipeline where you had to be there even if no one came through the gate. We worked a gate on the pipeline between two ranches so when no work was being done on that section of the pipeline you were paid just to be there.
Sounds interesting. Where does one find oil field jobs?
We worked camped in Alaska in 2024. We worked 40 hour weeks paid all hours, OT was often available., 2 days off (usually consecutive). Worked 5 months (bonus paid after contract completed) Made $16k (each). Great employer, free site.