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The differences between child care aides and child care associates can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 1-2 years to become both a child care aide and a child care associate. Additionally, a child care aide has an average salary of $29,192, which is higher than the $29,146 average annual salary of a child care associate.
The top three skills for a child care aide include child care, CPR and behavior management. The most important skills for a child care associate are kids, CPR, and customer service.
| Child Care Aide | Child Care Associate | |
| Yearly salary | $29,192 | $29,146 |
| Hourly rate | $14.03 | $14.01 |
| Growth rate | 6% | 6% |
| Number of jobs | 168,475 | 74,279 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 43% | High School Diploma, 38% |
| Average age | 37 | 37 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 2 |
A Child Care Aide is primarily in charge of children's care and personal needs. They typically work at schools, offices, and even in residential areas. Their responsibilities include meeting the parents to identify the extent of the children's needs, developing care plans, monitoring the children's behavior, and updating parents regularly. They also perform various tasks depending on the children's age and needs, such as changing diapers, dressing, preparing meals and snacks, feeding, and toilet assistance. Moreover, a Child Care Aide must ensure a safe and healthy environment for children.
A child care associate is primarily responsible for children's welfare and health care while their parents are away. Typically in a school setting, a child care associate monitors children's behavior while giving them tasks that enhance their academic and interpersonal skills, such as recreational games and coloring sessions. For younger learners, a child care associate may change diapers, prepare milk, and accompany them to the toilet. Furthermore, it is essential to adhere to all the school's policies and regulations while ensuring a safe and healthy environment for the children.
Child care aides and child care associates have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Child Care Aide | Child Care Associate | |
| Average salary | $29,192 | $29,146 |
| Salary range | Between $21,000 And $39,000 | Between $19,000 And $43,000 |
| Highest paying City | Mercer Island, WA | Seattle, WA |
| Highest paying state | Massachusetts | Washington |
| Best paying company | Univ Of Colorado-Colorado Spgs | WRMA Incorporated |
| Best paying industry | Finance | Education |
There are a few differences between a child care aide and a child care associate in terms of educational background:
| Child Care Aide | Child Care Associate | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 43% | High School Diploma, 38% |
| Most common major | Psychology | Business |
| Most common college | California State University - Long Beach | University of Virginia |
Here are the differences between child care aides' and child care associates' demographics:
| Child Care Aide | Child Care Associate | |
| Average age | 37 | 37 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 14.1% Female, 85.9% | Male, 14.2% Female, 85.8% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 9.6% Unknown, 6.4% Hispanic or Latino, 18.1% Asian, 7.3% White, 57.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.1% | Black or African American, 7.8% Unknown, 6.0% Hispanic or Latino, 21.9% Asian, 6.6% White, 56.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.0% |
| LGBT Percentage | 4% | 4% |