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Child care associate education requirements
Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
There are several educational requirements to become a child care associate. Child care associates usually study business, psychology, or general studies. 38% of child care associates hold a high school diploma, and 29% hold an bachelor's degree. We analyzed 9,950 real child care associate resumes to see exactly what child care associate education sections show.
The most common colleges for child care associates are the University of Phoenix and the University of Phoenix.
There are also many online child care associate courses to help get the education required to be a child care associate.
There are certain child care associate certifications that you should consider. These child care associate certifications include First Aid, CPR and AED Instructor and Child Development Associate (CDA).
What education do you need to become a child care associate?
What degree do you need to be a child care associate?
- High School Diploma, 38%
- Bachelor's, 29%
- Associate, 18%
- Diploma, 8%
- Other Degrees, 7%
What should I major in to become a child care associate?
- Business, 12%
- Psychology, 12%
- General Studies, 9%
- Nursing, 7%
- Other Majors, 60%
Most common colleges for child care associates
| Child care associate common college | Percentages |
|---|---|
| University of Phoenix | 15.30% |
| Liberty University | 8.20% |
| Ashford University | 7.10% |
| Monroe College | 6.01% |
| Florida Atlantic University | 5.46% |
Best majors for child care associates
| Rank | Major | Percentages |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Business | 12.4% |
| 2 | Psychology | 12.0% |
| 3 | General Studies | 8.9% |
| 4 | Nursing | 7.0% |
| 5 | Criminal Justice | 6.2% |
Best colleges for child care associates
The best colleges for child care associates are Vanderbilt University, University of Rochester, and University of Virginia.
A child care associate with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for child care associates. We based this list on several metrics: admissions rate, retention rate, mean earnings of graduates, the ratio of working vs. non-working students ten years after admission, the average cost of attendance, and median debt for graduates who become child care associates.
1. University of Virginia
Charlottesville, VA • Private
In-state tuition
$17,653
Enrollment
16,405
2. Vanderbilt University
Nashville, TN • Private
In-state tuition
$49,816
Enrollment
6,840
3. University of Southern California
Los Angeles, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$56,225
Enrollment
19,548
4. University of Texas at Austin
Austin, TX • Private
In-state tuition
$10,610
Enrollment
40,329
5. University of Florida
Gainesville, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,381
Enrollment
34,564
6. California State University - Bakersfield
Bakersfield, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$7,309
Enrollment
9,142
7. California State University - Long Beach
Long Beach, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,798
Enrollment
31,503
8. SUNY at Binghamton
Vestal, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$9,808
Enrollment
13,990
9. San Diego State University
San Diego, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$7,488
Enrollment
30,018
10. University of Wisconsin - Madison
Madison, WI • Private
In-state tuition
$10,555
Enrollment
30,360
20 best online courses for child care associates
Advertising disclosure
1. Child Care as a Business
This course is targeted toward individuals wishing to run a home-based child care center. It covers topics such as the fundamentals of an in-home childcare setting as a business; the importance of financial management of a child care center; the creation of a child care contract; and an exploration of how to set tuition rates. Since a Family Policy Handbook is essential for anyone operating a family day care center, this course includes the development of one of three imperative sections of the...
2. Home-Based Child Care
This series of courses is intended to provide learners with the tools to develop and operate a home-based childcare center. Stages of child development, best practices to stimulate learning, important safety measures, and business fundamentals are introduced...
3. Fully Accredited Professional Child Psychology Diploma
Learn or Specialise Your Therapy in Child Psychology with this Fully Accredited Diploma Course...
4. Introduction to Child Psychology - ACCREDITED CERTIFICATE
Learn about child behaviour, parenting styles, relationships and socialising, cognitive development, counselling & more!...
5. Emergency Care: Pregnancy, Infants, and Children
Welcome to the final course of lectures in your quest to master EMT basics. In this course, we will cover some of the highest-stress patient populations: pregnant patients and kids, also known as pediatrics. To wrap up your EMT knowledge we will end this course with information about hazmat situations, extricating patients from tight spots and finally how you write a note about your patient care. You will learn to ensure it communicates what your assessment of the patient was, what...
6. Palliative Care Always Capstone Course
The Palliative Care Always Capstone course is designed to let you test your knowledge about palliative and help others understand the value of palliative care, while showing your creative side. In this course, you will impact community awareness about palliative care, promote self-care and wellness, show-off your communication skills in a virtual environment, and finish the course off by proving your thoughts on ways to offer psychosocial support to a patient and family...
7. Providing Trauma-Informed Care
Exploring psychological trauma and how to provide care and compassion to trauma survivors...
8. [Active Directory] Management using Windows PowerShell
[Power Shell] Simplified practical knowledge for automation & management of [Active Directory] using Windows Power Shell...
9. Child Nutrition and Cooking
Eating patterns that begin in childhood affect health and well-being across the lifespan. The culture of eating has changed significantly in recent decades, especially in parts of the world where processed foods dominate our dietary intake. This course examines contemporary child nutrition and the impact of the individual decisions made by each family. The health risks associated with obesity in childhood are also discussed. Participants will learn what constitutes a healthy diet for children...
10. Thinking About Care
Although all humans require care to develop and thrive, it is rarely the focus of academic studies. This course enriches learner’s understanding of this critical yet underappreciated facet of their lives by addressing such questions as: What is care? Who has traditionally provided it? How valued is care work? Does money take the care out of care work? In addition to advancing learner’s knowledge of the place of care in modern society and controversies surrounding it, Thinking About Care will...
11. Azure Active Directory Masterclass
Learn to be a Subject Matter Expert (SME) on Azure Active Directory...
12. Active Directory on Windows Server
Learn how to deploy and manage all aspects of Active Directory, Group Policy, DNS and many more technologies...
13. Palliative Care Always
Palliative Care Always is a specialization for health care practitioners, patients and caregivers. We’ve designed this specialization to demonstrate how palliative medicine integrates with patient care, and to help you develop primary palliative care skills. Over the next five courses, you will develop skills in symptom management, goals of care and effective communication to improve the quality of life for patients and families suffering with serious illness. Our hope is that you feel...
14. Caring for Others
Caring for Others examines how society cares for its at-risk members and the experiences of its caregivers. This specialization addresses questions such as: How much suffering is in the world today? Does digital media sensitize/desensitize us to the anguish of distant others? What are the different types of paid care work? How do care workers manage their emotions? And much more. This specialization is relevant to individuals interested in becoming a helping professional as well as anyone...
15. Azure Active Directory And Azure AD Domain Services
Learn how Azure Active Directory, On-Premises Active directory and Azure AD Domain Services (AADDS) integrate together...
16. Customer Service Mastery: Delight Every Customer
Master Customer Service using this practical customer care course...
17. Social Policy for Social Services & Health Practitioners
In the U.S., social policy accounts for two-thirds of government spending. Knowing how policies are constructed, what values underlie them, and how they succeed or fail makes everyone more effective at work or in their civic role. This specialization includes an HONORS track in which learners will complete a professional social policy analysis.\n\nTeachers, health care workers, police, and social workers interact with policy daily, but all of us should care about the impact and effectiveness of...
18. Health for All Through Primary Health Care
This course explores why primary health care is central for achieving Health for All. It provides examples of how primary health care has been instrumental in approaching this goal in selected populations and how the principles of primary health care can guide future policies and actions. Two of the most inspiring, least understood, and most often derided terms in global health discourse are “Health for All” and “Primary Health Care.” In this course, we will explore these terms in the context...
19. Azure - Active Directory
Learn Azure as it pertains to Active Directory...
20. The Key to Happiness: Self Care
Discover Self Care as a tool for creating positive change in your mental health, behaviours, and well-being...
Top 10 most affordable universities for child care associates
The most affordable schools for child care associates are University of Florida, california state university - bakersfield, and brigham young university.
If the best universities for child care associates are out of your price range, check out these affordable schools. After factoring in in-state tuition and fees, the average cost of attendance, admissions rate, average net price, and mean earnings after six years, we found that these are the most affordable schools for child care associates.
1. University of Florida
Gainesville, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,381
Cost of attendance
21,034
2. California State University - Bakersfield
Bakersfield, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$7,309
Cost of attendance
16,714
3. Brigham Young University
Provo, UT • Private
In-state tuition
$5,620
Cost of attendance
18,136
4. California State University - Long Beach
Long Beach, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,798
Cost of attendance
18,306
5. Florida State University
Tallahassee, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$5,656
Cost of attendance
21,623
6. California State University - Fullerton
Fullerton, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,886
Cost of attendance
17,645
7. SUNY Farmingdale
Farmingdale, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$8,306
Cost of attendance
16,091
8. California State University - Dominguez Hills
Carson, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,942
Cost of attendance
14,469
9. Purdue University
West Lafayette, IN • Private
In-state tuition
$9,992
Cost of attendance
22,430
10. California State University - Northridge
Northridge, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,893
Cost of attendance
18,870
Top 10 hardest universities to get into for child care associates
The hardest universities for child care associates to get into are Vanderbilt University, University of Rochester, and University of Virginia.
Some great schools for child care associates are hard to get into, but they also set your career up for greater success. The list below shows the most challenging universities to get into for child care associates based on an institution's admissions rates, average SAT scores accepted, median ACT scores accepted, and mean earnings of students six years after admission.
1. Vanderbilt University
Nashville, TN • Private
Admissions rate
10%
SAT average
1,514
2. University of Rochester
Rochester, NY • Private
Admissions rate
29%
SAT average
1,422
3. University of Virginia
Charlottesville, VA • Private
Admissions rate
26%
SAT average
1,427
4. SUNY at Binghamton
Vestal, NY • Private
Admissions rate
40%
SAT average
1,376
5. University of Southern California
Los Angeles, CA • Private
Admissions rate
13%
SAT average
1,445
6. Clemson University
Clemson, SC • Private
Admissions rate
47%
SAT average
1,337
7. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
Admissions rate
8%
SAT average
1,508
8. University of Miami
Coral Gables, FL • Private
Admissions rate
32%
SAT average
1,365
9. Baylor University
Waco, TX • Private
Admissions rate
39%
SAT average
1,307
10. Purdue University
West Lafayette, IN • Private
Admissions rate
58%
SAT average
1,309
Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for child care associates
The easiest schools for child care associates to get into are Mount Saint Mary's University, adventhealth university, and la roche college.
Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a child care associate without much hassle, check out the list of schools where you will be accepted in no time. We compiled admissions rates, average SAT scores, average ACT scores, and average salary of students six years after graduation to uncover which were the easiest schools to get into for child care associates.
1. Mount Saint Mary's University
Los Angeles, CA • Private
Admissions rate
84%
SAT average
1,031
2. AdventHealth University
Orlando, FL • Private
Admissions rate
87%
SAT average
1,016
3. La Roche College
Pittsburgh, PA • Private
Admissions rate
99%
SAT average
1,008
4. Ottawa University
Ottawa, KS • Private
Admissions rate
78%
SAT average
1,024
5. Pennsylvania State University - Worthington Scranton
Dunmore, PA • Private
Admissions rate
82%
SAT average
1,056
6. University of the Incarnate Word
San Antonio, TX • Private
Admissions rate
88%
SAT average
1,044
7. The University of Texas Permian Basin
Odessa, TX • Private
Admissions rate
91%
SAT average
1,046
8. Holy Names University
Oakland, CA • Private
Admissions rate
70%
SAT average
849
9. Rochester University
Rochester Hills, MI • Private
Admissions rate
100%
SAT average
1,002
10. Pennsylvania State University - Shenango
Sharon, PA • Private
Admissions rate
75%
SAT average
989
Average child care associate salary by education level
| Child care associate education level | Child care associate salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $35,524 |
| High School Diploma or Less | $29,100 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $32,585 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $30,730 |
Child care associate education FAQs
Have more questions? See all answers to common personal care and attendants questions.
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Updated January 8, 2025
Updated January 8, 2025