WASHINGTON — There is a significant increase in the number of companies planning summer hires this year, according to a survey by CareerBuilder, which finds 41 percent of employers will bring on seasonal workers.

That’s up from 29 percent who said so last year.

In D.C., 46 percent of companies say they plan seasonal summer hires.

The survey also says, nationwide, 79 percent of employers will pay $10 or more per hour for summer jobs, and 19 percent will pay $20 or more per hour. Those are both up from last year’s survey.

CareerBuilder also compiled a list of some of the most unusual summer jobs people have had, based on its survey of employees.

• Theme park ride tester
• Wrangling alpacas
• Being a carnivore keeper at a big cat rescue center
• Getting bitten by mosquitoes for pay
• Arranging butterflies to be sold to collectors
• Delivering telegrams dressed as Groucho Marx

Harris Poll conducted the surveys for CareerBuilder between Feb. 16 and March 9, and included 2,587 hiring and human resource managers and 3,420 employees.