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The differences between child care associates and child caregivers 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 associate and a child caregiver. Additionally, a child caregiver has an average salary of $32,065, which is higher than the $29,146 average annual salary of a child care associate.
The top three skills for a child care associate include kids, CPR and customer service. The most important skills for a child caregiver are child care, autism, and meal prep.
| Child Care Associate | Child Caregiver | |
| Yearly salary | $29,146 | $32,065 |
| Hourly rate | $14.01 | $15.42 |
| Growth rate | 6% | 6% |
| Number of jobs | 74,279 | 43,573 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 38% | Bachelor's Degree, 41% |
| Average age | 37 | 37 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 2 |
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.
Basically, a child caregiver looks after the fundamental needs of children like feeding, playtime supervision, and dressing. Child caregivers take responsibility for preparing and organizing the snacks and mealtimes for children. They organize the activities or implement a curriculum allowing children to learn about the world as well as explore their interests. It is part of their job to keep records regarding the routines, interests, and progress of the children. They may work as family childcare providers, nannies, or childcare center workers.
Child care associates and child caregivers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Child Care Associate | Child Caregiver | |
| Average salary | $29,146 | $32,065 |
| Salary range | Between $19,000 And $43,000 | Between $22,000 And $45,000 |
| Highest paying City | Seattle, WA | Santa Clarita, CA |
| Highest paying state | Washington | Washington |
| Best paying company | WRMA Incorporated | CARE |
| Best paying industry | Education | Manufacturing |
There are a few differences between a child care associate and a child caregiver in terms of educational background:
| Child Care Associate | Child Caregiver | |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 38% | Bachelor's Degree, 41% |
| Most common major | Business | Psychology |
| Most common college | University of Virginia | California State University - Long Beach |
Here are the differences between child care associates' and child caregivers' demographics:
| Child Care Associate | Child Caregiver | |
| Average age | 37 | 37 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 14.2% Female, 85.8% | Male, 10.1% Female, 89.9% |
| Race ratio | 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% | Black or African American, 8.1% Unknown, 6.0% Hispanic or Latino, 21.7% Asian, 6.9% White, 56.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9% |
| LGBT Percentage | 4% | 4% |