Best states for a child care aide

Q: What is the best state for child care aides?

The best state to be a child care aide is Maine based on child care aide salaries and job opportunities.

Q: What is the highest paying state for child care aides?

The highest paying state for child care aides is Alaska based on Zippia’s salary database.

Q: What is the worst state for child care aides?

The worst state for child care aides is Mississippi, due to a combination of low salaries and few job opportunities.

Rank 1 - 10
11 - 20
21 - 30
31 - 40
41 - 51

Are you thinking of becoming a child care aide and really want to work at Ymca? Turns out, your chances to become a child care aide are better in some states than others.Our research shows that Maine is the best state in the country for child care aides.

To that end, we dove into our dataset of job and salary numbers to figure out which states have the best opportunities for child care aides. Maine is the best state for child care aides, where the median salary is $38,074.If you are currently seeking employment as a child care aide, you can find open job positions using Zippia's search tools.

10 best states for child care aides in 2025

1. Maine
Total child care aide jobs: 294
Average annual salary: $38,074
Lowest 10 percent earn: $30,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $46,000
Location Quotient:
1.3
Child care aide jobs in Maine
2. West Virginia
Total child care aide jobs: 301
Average annual salary: $36,339
Lowest 10 percent earn: $26,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $49,000
Location Quotient:
1.16
Child care aide jobs in West Virginia
3. Delaware
Total child care aide jobs: 240
Average annual salary: $34,835
Lowest 10 percent earn: $25,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $47,000
Location Quotient:
1.12
Child care aide jobs in Delaware
4. Kentucky
Total child care aide jobs: 688
Average annual salary: $33,645
Lowest 10 percent earn: $24,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $45,000
Location Quotient:
1.1
Child care aide jobs in Kentucky
5. New Hampshire
Total child care aide jobs: 272
Average annual salary: $35,656
Lowest 10 percent earn: $28,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $45,000
Location Quotient:
0.91
Child care aide jobs in New Hampshire
6. Minnesota
Total child care aide jobs: 1,418
Average annual salary: $31,831
Lowest 10 percent earn: $23,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $42,000
Location Quotient:
1.25
Child care aide jobs in Minnesota
7. Vermont
Total child care aide jobs: 132
Average annual salary: $34,929
Lowest 10 percent earn: $28,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $43,000
Location Quotient:
1.01
Child care aide jobs in Vermont
8. Massachusetts
Total child care aide jobs: 930
Average annual salary: $38,273
Lowest 10 percent earn: $29,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $49,000
Location Quotient:
0.59
Child care aide jobs in Massachusetts
9. Rhode Island
Total child care aide jobs: 172
Average annual salary: $35,449
Lowest 10 percent earn: $27,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $46,000
Location Quotient:
0.83
Child care aide jobs in Rhode Island
10. Washington
Total child care aide jobs: 1,094
Average annual salary: $35,126
Lowest 10 percent earn: $26,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $47,000
Location Quotient:
0.88
Child care aide jobs in Washington

Child care aide jobsNear Columbus, OH

How Zippia determines the best states to be a child care aide

You can read about how the best state rankings are calculated here.

Detailed list of the best states for a child care aide

Rank	State	Average salary	Lowest 10% earn	Population	Job count
1	Maine	$38,074	$30,000	1,335,907	294
2	West Virginia	$36,339	$26,000	1,815,857	301
3	Delaware	$34,835	$25,000	961,939	240
4	Kentucky	$33,645	$24,000	4,454,189	688
5	New Hampshire	$35,656	$28,000	1,342,795	272
6	Minnesota	$31,831	$23,000	5,576,606	1,418
7	Vermont	$34,929	$28,000	623,657	132
8	Massachusetts	$38,273	$29,000	6,859,819	930
9	Rhode Island	$35,449	$27,000	1,059,639	172
10	Washington	$35,126	$26,000	7,405,743	1,094
11	New York	$34,931	$26,000	19,849,399	2,161
12	Ohio	$29,684	$21,000	11,658,609	2,119
13	Michigan	$28,539	$21,000	9,962,311	2,058
14	Illinois	$29,567	$22,000	12,802,023	3,207
15	Wisconsin	$29,113	$21,000	5,795,483	1,204
16	Nevada	$30,064	$21,000	2,998,039	403
17	North Carolina	$28,073	$20,000	10,273,419	2,275
18	Connecticut	$34,867	$26,000	3,588,184	312
19	Idaho	$30,600	$22,000	1,716,943	270
20	Pennsylvania	$27,037	$19,000	12,805,537	3,927
21	New Jersey	$33,819	$25,000	9,005,644	863
22	Missouri	$26,973	$20,000	6,113,532	1,291
23	North Dakota	$27,192	$20,000	755,393	190
24	District of Columbia	$33,402	$24,000	693,972	160
25	Virginia	$30,085	$21,000	8,470,020	1,407
26	California	$31,502	$22,000	39,536,653	4,145
27	Arizona	$26,171	$18,000	7,016,270	1,164
28	New Mexico	$25,425	$18,000	2,088,070	438
29	Oregon	$27,172	$20,000	4,142,776	775
30	Wyoming	$26,415	$19,000	579,315	94
31	Montana	$24,316	$18,000	1,050,493	383
32	Georgia	$25,677	$18,000	10,429,379	1,938
33	Colorado	$27,837	$20,000	5,607,154	888
34	South Dakota	$25,084	$18,000	869,666	185
35	South Carolina	$25,040	$18,000	5,024,369	820
36	Utah	$26,312	$19,000	3,101,833	346
37	Indiana	$24,581	$18,000	6,666,818	1,107
38	Maryland	$27,078	$19,000	6,052,177	1,043
39	Texas	$26,181	$18,000	28,304,596	1,568
40	Hawaii	$25,536	$21,000	1,427,538	150
41	Arkansas	$25,285	$18,000	3,004,279	162
42	Iowa	$21,997	$16,000	3,145,711	902
43	Florida	$26,247	$18,000	20,984,400	1,088
44	Alaska	$20,591	$17,000	739,795	188
45	Nebraska	$23,609	$17,000	1,920,076	403
46	Alabama	$23,389	$17,000	4,874,747	759
47	Oklahoma	$22,815	$16,000	3,930,864	609
48	Kansas	$21,814	$16,000	2,913,123	622
49	Louisiana	$24,449	$17,000	4,684,333	482
50	Tennessee	$23,587	$17,000	6,715,984	605
51	Mississippi	$21,513	$15,000	2,984,100	404

Highest paying states for child care aides

Rank	State	Avg. Child Care Aide Salary
1	Maine	$38,074
2	West Virginia	$36,339
3	Delaware	$34,835
4	Kentucky	$33,645
5	New Hampshire	$35,656
6	Minnesota	$31,831
7	Vermont	$34,929
8	Massachusetts	$38,273
9	Rhode Island	$35,449
10	Washington	$35,126
11	New York	$34,931
12	Ohio	$29,684
13	Michigan	$28,539
14	Illinois	$29,567
15	Wisconsin	$29,113
16	Nevada	$30,064
17	North Carolina	$28,073
18	Connecticut	$34,867
19	Idaho	$30,600
20	Pennsylvania	$27,037
21	New Jersey	$33,819
22	Missouri	$26,973
23	North Dakota	$27,192
24	District of Columbia	$33,402
25	Virginia	$30,085
26	California	$31,502
27	Arizona	$26,171
28	New Mexico	$25,425
29	Oregon	$27,172
30	Wyoming	$26,415
31	Montana	$24,316
32	Georgia	$25,677
33	Colorado	$27,837
34	South Dakota	$25,084
35	South Carolina	$25,040
36	Utah	$26,312
37	Indiana	$24,581
38	Maryland	$27,078
39	Texas	$26,181
40	Hawaii	$25,536
41	Arkansas	$25,285
42	Iowa	$21,997
43	Florida	$26,247
44	Alaska	$20,591
45	Nebraska	$23,609
46	Alabama	$23,389
47	Oklahoma	$22,815
48	Kansas	$21,814
49	Louisiana	$24,449
50	Tennessee	$23,587
51	Mississippi	$21,513

Child care aide best states FAQs

What is the best state for child care aides?

What is the highest paying state for child care aides?

What is the worst state for child care aides?

Have more questions? See all answers to common personal care and attendants questions.

Search for child care aide jobs

Updated January 8, 2025

Browse personal care and attendants jobs

Total child care aide jobs:	294
Average annual salary:	$38,074
Lowest 10 percent earn:	$30,000
Highest 10 percent earn:	$46,000
Location Quotient:	1.3

Best states for a child care aide

10 best states for child care aides in 2025

1. Maine

2. West Virginia

3. Delaware

4. Kentucky

5. New Hampshire

6. Minnesota

7. Vermont

8. Massachusetts

9. Rhode Island

10. Washington