The acronym “STEM” refers to myriad academic disciplines and subjects related to science, technology, engineering and mathematics. In recent years, there’s been a large push on the part of legislators, parents and educators alike to focus on STEM education in the classroom. With a growing number of career opportunities opening up in STEM fields, it’s becoming increasingly crucial for children — particularly for women and minority students — to get as much education in these subjects as possible. In order to begin preparing for a future degree in data science, computer science, health informatics, and other fast-growing STEM fields, attending STEM summer camps is all but a necessity.
STEM Camps in the Northeast
If you live in the northeastern United States, you have plenty of different STEM camps to choose from. Some focus on specific subjects, such as math or engineering, while others touch on a variety of scientific disciplines.
Location: Wellesley, Massachusetts
Age Group: Children in kindergarten through eighth grade
Price: $669 to $719 per week, not including lunch or bus fare
Time of Year: July and August
Length of Camp: Five days
Location: Storrs, Connecticut
Age Group: Children who are currently high school sophomores or juniors
Price: $700, which covers the program, housing, meals, project materials, and supply costs
Time of Year: Late June to early July
Length of Camp: Five days
3. Governor’s Institutes of Vermont
Location: Northfield, Vermont
Age Group: Children who are current high school students, particularly juniors
Price: There is a sliding scale tuition structure and expenses vary based on income
Time of Year: Mid-July
Length of Camp: Eight days
4. SigmaCamp
Location: Sharon, Connecticut
Age Group: Children ages 12 to 16
Price: $1,500 for the entire program, with financial aid options and sibling discounts available
Time of Year: Mid-August
Length of Camp: Eight days
Location: Multiple locations in New York, New York
Age Group: Children who are currently middle or high school students
Price: $1125 for one-week courses, $2250 for two-week courses; financial aid is available
Time of Year: Beginning of June through the end of August
Length of Camp: One to two weeks, depending on the course
STEM Camps in the East
There are myriad STEM camps in the eastern United States for children of all ages; some camps offer programs for children as young as four years old, while others educate older teens.
Location: Lancaster, Pennsylvania
Age Group: Children ages 4 to 14, depending on the camp
Price: $150 to $175 per camper
Time of Year: Beginning of June through the end of August
Length of Camp: Five days
7. MathTree
Location: Rockville, Maryland; Washington D.C.; and Alexandria, Arlington, and Vienna, Virginia
Age Group: Children in first through ninth grade
Price: $420 to $465 for half-day camps, $815 to $860 for full-day camps
Time of Year: Various camps from June through the end of August
Length of Camp: Two weeks
Location: New York, New York
Age Group: Children who are entering ninth through 12th grade
Price: $775 for the entire program, with financial aid options available
Time of Year: End of July to the beginning of August
Length of Camp: Three weeks
Location: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Age Group: Children in pre-kindergarten through eighth grade
Price: Tuition ranges from $365 to $495 per week
Time of Year: Beginning of June through the end of August
Length of Camp: One to four weeks, depending on the camp
10. Virginia Space Flight Academy
Location: Wallops Island, Virginia
Age Group: Children ages 11 to 15
Price: $975
Time of Year: End of June through the end of July
Length of Camp: Seven days
STEM Camps in the Southeast
Because of its rich history with NASA, the southeast has multiple camps focusing on space exploration and astronomy for interested students. However, there are many other camps with a more general approach to STEM and education.
11. Club Scientific
Locations: Glenmont, New York; Waldwick, New Jersey; Jackson, Michigan; Brownsburg, Indiana; Ponte Verde, Floria; and Sault Sainte Maria, Ontario, Canada
Age Group: Children ages 6 to 12
Price: Depends on the camp and location
Time of Year: June through August, though some locations offer fall, spring, and winter sessions
Length of Camp: Five days
12. Engineering Technologies Summer Camp
Location: Pinehurst, North Carolina
Age Group: Children who are entering sixth through ninth grade
Price: $225, which includes lunch each day
Time of Year: July
Length of Camp: Four days
Location: Pensacola, Florida
Age Group: Children entering third through 12th grade
Price: $100, $399, or $1,250, depending on the program
Time of Year: Must contact the National Flight Academy to schedule your program
Length of Camp: One, three, or six days, depending on the program
14. North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics
Locations: Brevard, Durham, and Wilson, North Carolina
Age Group: Children entering fifth through 12th grades
Price: $350 to $1,925, depending on the camp
Time of Year: Camps offered from the beginning of June to the end of July
Length of Camp: One or two weeks
15. Space Camp
Location: Huntsville, Alabama
Age Group: Children ages 9 to 18
Price: $1,099 to $1,299, depending on the camp
Time of Year: Various programs are offered year-round
Length of Camp: Five days
STEM Camps in the South
Many of the STEM camps in the south are created and hosted by respected universities, such as Louisiana State University and Western Kentucky University. In addition to teaching children about different STEM subjects, many of these camps also help prepare students for life in college.
16. Elite University
Locations: Austin and Houston, Texas
Age Group: Children ages 5 to 12
Price: $325 per week
Time of Year: June through early August
Length of Camp: One week
17. J.B. Speed Outreach Program
Location: Louisville, Kentucky
Age Group: Children in third to 12th grade
Price: $200 to $325, depending on the program
Time of Year: Mid-June through the end of July
Length of Camp: Five days
18. LSU Summer Camps
Location: Baton Rouge, Louisiana
Age Group: Children in seventh through twelfth grades
Price: $325 to $650
Time of Year: Beginning of June through the end of July
Length of Camp: One or three weeks
Locations: Batesville, Bentonville, Blytheville, Camden, Fayetteville, and Mena, Arkansas
Age Group: Children in first through 11th grade
Price: $200 to $675, depending on the camp
Time of Year: Beginning of June through the end of July
Length of Camp: One week
20. VAMPY
Location: Bowling Green, Kentucky
Age Group: Children completing seventh through 10th grade
Price: $3,100, which includes room and board, books, and most activities
Time of Year: Mid-June to Mid-July
Length of Camp: Three weeks
STEM Camps in the Midwest
Much like camps in the south, many of the STEM camps in the midwestern U.S. are hosted or funded by universities. Some camps offer a broad overview of different STEM subjects, while others allow students to spend more time with a certain discipline, such as mathematics or geology.
21. Young Nebraska Scientists Camp
Locations: Bellevue, Kearney, Lincoln, Marquette, Ogallala, and Omaha, Nebraska
Age Group: Children entering sixth through 12th grade
Price: $60 to $250, depending on the camp
Time of Year: Beginning of June to mid-July
Length of Camp: Three to seven days
22. Green Bay Technology Camps and Clinics
Location: Green Bay, Wisconsin
Age Group: Children entering sixth through 12th grade
Price: $295 to $410, including lunch
Time of Year: Late June to late July
Length of Camp: Three to five days
23. The Henry Ford Summer Camps
Location: Dearborn, Michigan
Age Group: Children entering second through eighth grade
Price: $272 to $330, depending on extended care and museum membership
Time of Year: Late June through early August
Length of Camp: One week
24. SD Mines Camps
Location: Rapid City, South Dakota
Age Group: Children entering seventh to 12th grade
Price: $200 to $995, depending on the camp
Time of Year: Early June through mid-July
Length of Camp: Three days to six days
25. Summer Illinois Mathematics Camp
Location: Urbana, Illinois
Age Group: Children entering eighth through 12th grade
Price: $200
Time of Year: June
Length of Camp: Five days
STEM Camps in the West
You can find a STEM camp for your child all over the western seaboard, all the way from Alaska down to southern California. Camps based in California, and the Bay Area in particular, educate students about technology, app and website development, and coding because of their proximity to the massive tech industry in Silicon Valley.
26. Alaska Summer Research Academy
Location: Fairbanks, Alaska
Age Group: Children entering sixth through 12th grade
Price: $700
Time of Year: July
Length of Camp: Two weeks
27. Chip Camp
Location: Provo, Utah
Age Group: Children who have completed the seventh or eighth grade
Price: $189
Time of Year: Late June and early July
Length of Camp: Three days
28. ProjectFUN
Location: Redmond, Washington
Age Group: Children ages 5 to 18
Price: $599 to $2,999, depending on the course
Time of Year: Mid-June through mid-August, with weekend courses offered year-round
Length of Camp: One, two, or four weeks
29. SiliconValley4U
Locations: San Ramon, San Jose, and Sunnyvale, California
Age Group: Children ages 9 to 18
Price: $500 to $700
Time of Year: April through August
Length of Camp: Five days
30. Tech Rocks
Locations: San Francisco, San Jose, and San Mateo, California
Age Group: Children ages 7 to 13
Price: $45 to $445
Time of Year: Various camps offered year-round
Length of Camp: One to five days
STEM Camps With Multiple Locations
Some camps and organizations have multiple locations around the U.S., or are nationwide programs with offerings in thousands of places. No matter where you live, you’re sure to find a STEM camp your child is interested in attending.
31. AwesomeMath
Locations: Dallas, Texas; Ithaca, New York; and Tacoma, Washington
Age Group: Children in middle and high school
Price: $2,975 to $4,950, depending on location and time of registration
Time of Year: June through July
Length of Camp: Two and a half weeks
Locations: Dallas, Texas; Seattle, Washington; Northern California; Southern California; New York state
Age Group: Children in seventh through 11th grade
Price: $299 to $419, depending on location
Time of Year: Mid-June to mid-August
Length of Camp: Five days
33. Camp Invention
Location: Over 1,600 locations nationwide
Age Group: Children in kindergarten through sixth grade
Price: Varies based on location
Time of Year: June to August
Length of Camp: Five days
Location: Fairfield, Connecticut, and Atlanta, Georgia
Age Group: Children who are currently in high school
Price: $325 to $1,250 per week
Time of Year: Mid-June to mid-July
Length of Camp: Two weeks
35. Summer Institute for the Gifted
Locations: New Haven, Connecticut; Fairfield, Connecticut; Princeton, New Jersey; Montclair, New Jersey; Berkeley, California; Culver City, California; Los Angeles, California; Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania; Coral Gables, Florida; Boston, Massachusetts; New Rochelle, New York; Herndon, Virginia; Bethesda, Maryland; Seattle, Washington.
Age Group: Children age 5 to 17
Price: $1,445 to $6,125
Time of Year: June to early August
Length of Camp: Three weeks
Benefits of Attending STEM Summer Camps
There are countless benefits of attending STEM summer camps and programs for children, whether or not they study or work in this field later in life. Some of the many benefits include:
- Getting children excited about learning.
- Keeping children engaged with education during the summer.
- Teaching children crucial soft skills, such as communication, problem-solving, confidence and teamwork.
- Getting children ahead in their education for the upcoming school year.
- Preparing children for careers in STEM fields.
- Getting children necessary hands-on experience in the field for future academic admissions.
STEM education isn’t just limited to the classroom and it doesn’t have to end once the school year does. There are hundreds, if not thousands, of STEM camps for children of all ages throughout the United States. Attending a STEM camp is a great way to keep kids busy during the summer with fun activities while keeping them actively engaged with their education. Be sure to explore all the opportunities that are available to you and your child, and find the best STEM summer camp for their needs, interests, and future.