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Best states for a child care counselor
Quoted expert
Christine Suniti Bhat
- Rank 1 - 10
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Job opportunities vary from state to state, and community and social services careers are no different. Because we know how difficult it can be to know which states are the best when it comes to child care counselor jobs, we decided to crunch some numbers to bring you the best states for child care counselors.Our research found that New Jersey is the best state for child care counselors, while New Jersey and Minnesota are ranked highest in terms of median salary. New Jersey has a median salary of $57,860 and New Jersey has the highest median salary among all 50 states for child care counselors.
In order to get you the best states for child care counselors, we looked at our data on jobs and wages -- specifically the average annual wage and the number of available jobs per capita.If you are currently seeking employment as a child care counselor, you can find open job positions using Zippia's search tools.
10 best states for child care counselors in 2026
1. New Jersey
Total child care counselor jobs: 1,501 Average annual salary: $57,860 Lowest 10 percent earn: $43,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $77,000 Location Quotient: 1.21
2. New York
Total child care counselor jobs: 2,909 Average annual salary: $46,163 Lowest 10 percent earn: $34,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $61,000 Location Quotient: 1.46
3. Nevada
Total child care counselor jobs: 395 Average annual salary: $44,128 Lowest 10 percent earn: $32,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $60,000 Location Quotient: 1.21
4. Maryland
Total child care counselor jobs: 1,179 Average annual salary: $47,975 Lowest 10 percent earn: $34,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $66,000 Location Quotient: 1.19
5. North Dakota
Total child care counselor jobs: 171 Average annual salary: $44,192 Lowest 10 percent earn: $36,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $53,000 Location Quotient: 1.18
6. Illinois
Total child care counselor jobs: 2,182 Average annual salary: $44,498 Lowest 10 percent earn: $34,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $56,000 Location Quotient: 1.17
7. Minnesota
Total child care counselor jobs: 1,099 Average annual salary: $48,625 Lowest 10 percent earn: $39,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $59,000 Location Quotient: 1.06
8. Alaska
Total child care counselor jobs: 239 Average annual salary: $39,888 Lowest 10 percent earn: $35,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $44,000 Location Quotient: 1.84
9. California
Total child care counselor jobs: 5,444 Average annual salary: $42,834 Lowest 10 percent earn: $31,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $59,000 Location Quotient: 1.2
10. West Virginia
Total child care counselor jobs: 260 Average annual salary: $39,844 Lowest 10 percent earn: $29,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $53,000 Location Quotient: 1.09
Child care counselor jobsNear Columbus, OH
How Zippia determines the best states to be a child care counselor
You can read about how the best state rankings are calculated here.
Detailed list of the best states for a child care counselor
| Rank | State | Average salary | Lowest 10% earn | Population | Job count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New Jersey | $57,860 | $43,000 | 9,005,644 | 1,501 |
| 2 | New York | $46,163 | $34,000 | 19,849,399 | 2,909 |
| 3 | Nevada | $44,128 | $32,000 | 2,998,039 | 395 |
| 4 | Maryland | $47,975 | $34,000 | 6,052,177 | 1,179 |
| 5 | North Dakota | $44,192 | $36,000 | 755,393 | 171 |
| 6 | Illinois | $44,498 | $34,000 | 12,802,023 | 2,182 |
| 7 | Minnesota | $48,625 | $39,000 | 5,576,606 | 1,099 |
| 8 | Alaska | $39,888 | $35,000 | 739,795 | 239 |
| 9 | California | $42,834 | $31,000 | 39,536,653 | 5,444 |
| 10 | West Virginia | $39,844 | $29,000 | 1,815,857 | 260 |
| 11 | District of Columbia | $47,334 | $34,000 | 693,972 | 257 |
| 12 | Colorado | $41,129 | $32,000 | 5,607,154 | 1,004 |
| 13 | North Carolina | $40,593 | $30,000 | 10,273,419 | 1,470 |
| 14 | Washington | $40,442 | $32,000 | 7,405,743 | 1,278 |
| 15 | New Hampshire | $39,961 | $32,000 | 1,342,795 | 271 |
| 16 | Wisconsin | $37,803 | $30,000 | 5,795,483 | 982 |
| 17 | Maine | $36,883 | $30,000 | 1,335,907 | 266 |
| 18 | Texas | $43,041 | $31,000 | 28,304,596 | 1,269 |
| 19 | Iowa | $37,830 | $29,000 | 3,145,711 | 636 |
| 20 | Idaho | $39,965 | $31,000 | 1,716,943 | 230 |
| 21 | Oregon | $39,754 | $31,000 | 4,142,776 | 684 |
| 22 | Michigan | $35,719 | $27,000 | 9,962,311 | 1,503 |
| 23 | South Dakota | $36,946 | $29,000 | 869,666 | 186 |
| 24 | Kansas | $39,451 | $30,000 | 2,913,123 | 338 |
| 25 | Montana | $35,648 | $29,000 | 1,050,493 | 276 |
| 26 | Wyoming | $35,778 | $28,000 | 579,315 | 108 |
| 27 | Arizona | $35,032 | $25,000 | 7,016,270 | 1,370 |
| 28 | New Mexico | $38,305 | $28,000 | 2,088,070 | 295 |
| 29 | Virginia | $40,695 | $29,000 | 8,470,020 | 1,366 |
| 30 | Massachusetts | $35,531 | $28,000 | 6,859,819 | 1,742 |
| 31 | Ohio | $36,477 | $27,000 | 11,658,609 | 1,462 |
| 32 | Hawaii | $35,769 | $31,000 | 1,427,538 | 161 |
| 33 | Tennessee | $33,568 | $25,000 | 6,715,984 | 1,035 |
| 34 | Vermont | $35,538 | $29,000 | 623,657 | 128 |
| 35 | Delaware | $33,643 | $24,000 | 961,939 | 233 |
| 36 | Connecticut | $36,178 | $28,000 | 3,588,184 | 422 |
| 37 | South Carolina | $34,156 | $25,000 | 5,024,369 | 653 |
| 38 | Pennsylvania | $34,253 | $25,000 | 12,805,537 | 1,215 |
| 39 | Nebraska | $33,862 | $26,000 | 1,920,076 | 322 |
| 40 | Missouri | $31,850 | $24,000 | 6,113,532 | 1,039 |
| 41 | Georgia | $32,604 | $24,000 | 10,429,379 | 1,600 |
| 42 | Utah | $33,472 | $26,000 | 3,101,833 | 390 |
| 43 | Oklahoma | $30,412 | $23,000 | 3,930,864 | 540 |
| 44 | Rhode Island | $32,900 | $26,000 | 1,059,639 | 160 |
| 45 | Louisiana | $29,394 | $21,000 | 4,684,333 | 573 |
| 46 | Alabama | $29,979 | $22,000 | 4,874,747 | 599 |
| 47 | Kentucky | $29,013 | $22,000 | 4,454,189 | 559 |
| 48 | Mississippi | $25,115 | $18,000 | 2,984,100 | 360 |
| 49 | Indiana | $30,316 | $23,000 | 6,666,818 | 398 |
| 50 | Florida | $30,876 | $22,000 | 20,984,400 | 1,524 |
| 51 | Arkansas | $28,942 | $21,000 | 3,004,279 | 208 |
Highest paying states for child care counselors
| Rank | State | Avg. Child Care Counselor Salary |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | New Jersey | $57,860 |
| 2 | New York | $46,163 |
| 3 | Nevada | $44,128 |
| 4 | Maryland | $47,975 |
| 5 | North Dakota | $44,192 |
| 6 | Illinois | $44,498 |
| 7 | Minnesota | $48,625 |
| 8 | Alaska | $39,888 |
| 9 | California | $42,834 |
| 10 | West Virginia | $39,844 |
| 11 | District of Columbia | $47,334 |
| 12 | Colorado | $41,129 |
| 13 | North Carolina | $40,593 |
| 14 | Washington | $40,442 |
| 15 | New Hampshire | $39,961 |
| 16 | Wisconsin | $37,803 |
| 17 | Maine | $36,883 |
| 18 | Texas | $43,041 |
| 19 | Iowa | $37,830 |
| 20 | Idaho | $39,965 |
| 21 | Oregon | $39,754 |
| 22 | Michigan | $35,719 |
| 23 | South Dakota | $36,946 |
| 24 | Kansas | $39,451 |
| 25 | Montana | $35,648 |
| 26 | Wyoming | $35,778 |
| 27 | Arizona | $35,032 |
| 28 | New Mexico | $38,305 |
| 29 | Virginia | $40,695 |
| 30 | Massachusetts | $35,531 |
| 31 | Ohio | $36,477 |
| 32 | Hawaii | $35,769 |
| 33 | Tennessee | $33,568 |
| 34 | Vermont | $35,538 |
| 35 | Delaware | $33,643 |
| 36 | Connecticut | $36,178 |
| 37 | South Carolina | $34,156 |
| 38 | Pennsylvania | $34,253 |
| 39 | Nebraska | $33,862 |
| 40 | Missouri | $31,850 |
| 41 | Georgia | $32,604 |
| 42 | Utah | $33,472 |
| 43 | Oklahoma | $30,412 |
| 44 | Rhode Island | $32,900 |
| 45 | Louisiana | $29,394 |
| 46 | Alabama | $29,979 |
| 47 | Kentucky | $29,013 |
| 48 | Mississippi | $25,115 |
| 49 | Indiana | $30,316 |
| 50 | Florida | $30,876 |
| 51 | Arkansas | $28,942 |
Expert opinions on the best states for child care counselors
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for child care counselors to find work opportunities?
Christine Suniti Bhat
Counseling and Higher Education, Ohio University
Regions and states experiencing a growth in population would be the places for graduates to find work opportunities in the field upon graduation. In the past year, for example, I noticed that there were several job openings in Nashville, Tennessee. In prior years, there seemed to be many opportunities for our graduates in North Carolina.
If students are not restricted geographically, there will continue to be opportunities for them in the country as well as internationally. Further, graduates of school counseling programs should be aware of related jobs that they may be well-suited for, including positions such as Academic Advisor, Academic Counselor, Admissions Counselor, and Career Counselor at universities.
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Updated January 8, 2025