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The differences between child care associates and toddler teachers 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 toddler teacher. Additionally, a toddler teacher has an average salary of $30,703, 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 toddler teacher are child care, CPR, and customer service.
| Child Care Associate | Toddler Teacher | |
| Yearly salary | $29,146 | $30,703 |
| Hourly rate | $14.01 | $14.76 |
| Growth rate | 6% | 15% |
| Number of jobs | 74,279 | 67,810 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 38% | Bachelor's Degree, 43% |
| Average age | 37 | 40 |
| 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.
A toddler teacher is responsible for teaching young learners by administering physical care and monitoring their social and mental development. Toddler teachers prepare fun and engaging activities for the children and evaluate their behaviors and assess how they interact with the environment. They create lesson plans that adhere to the learners' appropriate curriculum, such as teaching them how to speak and count. A toddler teacher must comply with the safety guidelines to keep and promote a safe and healthy environment for everyone.
Child care associates and toddler teachers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Child Care Associate | Toddler Teacher | |
| Average salary | $29,146 | $30,703 |
| Salary range | Between $19,000 And $43,000 | Between $23,000 And $39,000 |
| Highest paying City | Seattle, WA | Santa Clara, CA |
| Highest paying state | Washington | Massachusetts |
| Best paying company | WRMA Incorporated | Columbia University in the City of New York |
| Best paying industry | Education | Finance |
There are a few differences between a child care associate and a toddler teacher in terms of educational background:
| Child Care Associate | Toddler Teacher | |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 38% | Bachelor's Degree, 43% |
| Most common major | Business | Early Childhood Education |
| Most common college | University of Virginia | Fairfield University |
Here are the differences between child care associates' and toddler teachers' demographics:
| Child Care Associate | Toddler Teacher | |
| Average age | 37 | 40 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 14.2% Female, 85.8% | Male, 8.6% Female, 91.4% |
| 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, 8.5% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 16.7% Asian, 6.1% White, 63.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9% |
| LGBT Percentage | 4% | 5% |