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Best states for a child care director
- Rank 1 - 10
- 11 - 20
- 21 - 30
- 31 - 40
- 41 - 51
Child care director opportunities vary in different parts of the country. In order to help you determine the best states for child care directors, we ranked all fifty states from best to worst for child care directors.Our research found that Nevada is the best state for child care directors, while Pennsylvania and Delaware are ranked highest in terms of median salary. Nevada has a median salary of $49,709 and Pennsylvania has the highest median salary among all 50 states for child care directors.
Nevada is the best state for jobs for child care directors, and Indiana is the worst. The most common pay in Nevada is $49,709, while the median pay in Indiana is $29,489.Nevada is the best state, and Falls is the city with the highest pay for child care directors.
10 best states for child care directors in 2026
1. Nevada
Total child care director jobs: 283 Average annual salary: $49,709 Lowest 10 percent earn: $31,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $78,000 Location Quotient: 1.23
2. Arizona
Total child care director jobs: 915 Average annual salary: $44,243 Lowest 10 percent earn: $28,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $68,000 Location Quotient: 1.42
3. Delaware
Total child care director jobs: 146 Average annual salary: $49,711 Lowest 10 percent earn: $27,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $90,000 Location Quotient: 1.06
4. Michigan
Total child care director jobs: 1,038 Average annual salary: $44,594 Lowest 10 percent earn: $26,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $75,000 Location Quotient: 1.22
5. Oregon
Total child care director jobs: 475 Average annual salary: $47,363 Lowest 10 percent earn: $32,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $69,000 Location Quotient: 1.04
6. Rhode Island
Total child care director jobs: 99 Average annual salary: $48,095 Lowest 10 percent earn: $27,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $84,000 Location Quotient: 0.74
7. Pennsylvania
Total child care director jobs: 337 Average annual salary: $49,741 Lowest 10 percent earn: $27,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $89,000 Location Quotient: 0.26
8. Vermont
Total child care director jobs: 105 Average annual salary: $41,497 Lowest 10 percent earn: $24,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $69,000 Location Quotient: 1.24
9. New Hampshire
Total child care director jobs: 180 Average annual salary: $44,836 Lowest 10 percent earn: $26,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $76,000 Location Quotient: 0.93
10. Maine
Total child care director jobs: 169 Average annual salary: $41,721 Lowest 10 percent earn: $25,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $68,000 Location Quotient: 1.16
Child care director jobsNear Columbus, OH
How Zippia determines the best states to be a child care director
You can read about how the best state rankings are calculated here.
Detailed list of the best states for a child care director
| Rank | State | Average salary | Lowest 10% earn | Population | Job count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nevada | $49,709 | $31,000 | 2,998,039 | 283 |
| 2 | Arizona | $44,243 | $28,000 | 7,016,270 | 915 |
| 3 | Delaware | $49,711 | $27,000 | 961,939 | 146 |
| 4 | Michigan | $44,594 | $26,000 | 9,962,311 | 1,038 |
| 5 | Oregon | $47,363 | $32,000 | 4,142,776 | 475 |
| 6 | Rhode Island | $48,095 | $27,000 | 1,059,639 | 99 |
| 7 | Pennsylvania | $49,741 | $27,000 | 12,805,537 | 337 |
| 8 | Vermont | $41,497 | $24,000 | 623,657 | 105 |
| 9 | New Hampshire | $44,836 | $26,000 | 1,342,795 | 180 |
| 10 | Maine | $41,721 | $25,000 | 1,335,907 | 169 |
| 11 | West Virginia | $37,126 | $21,000 | 1,815,857 | 451 |
| 12 | California | $45,730 | $28,000 | 39,536,653 | 3,447 |
| 13 | New Mexico | $43,598 | $28,000 | 2,088,070 | 199 |
| 14 | Mississippi | $37,546 | $23,000 | 2,984,100 | 529 |
| 15 | New Jersey | $42,899 | $23,000 | 9,005,644 | 1,033 |
| 16 | Massachusetts | $46,631 | $26,000 | 6,859,819 | 355 |
| 17 | North Dakota | $38,287 | $26,000 | 755,393 | 113 |
| 18 | District of Columbia | $46,771 | $25,000 | 693,972 | 189 |
| 19 | Washington | $43,026 | $29,000 | 7,405,743 | 786 |
| 20 | New York | $40,968 | $22,000 | 19,849,399 | 2,095 |
| 21 | Alaska | $39,291 | $33,000 | 739,795 | 131 |
| 22 | Connecticut | $43,420 | $24,000 | 3,588,184 | 144 |
| 23 | Louisiana | $35,090 | $22,000 | 4,684,333 | 803 |
| 24 | Wisconsin | $35,630 | $21,000 | 5,795,483 | 804 |
| 25 | Nebraska | $38,475 | $25,000 | 1,920,076 | 210 |
| 26 | Wyoming | $36,588 | $25,000 | 579,315 | 72 |
| 27 | Iowa | $35,012 | $22,000 | 3,145,711 | 508 |
| 28 | Ohio | $35,989 | $21,000 | 11,658,609 | 1,132 |
| 29 | Illinois | $35,277 | $21,000 | 12,802,023 | 1,674 |
| 30 | Utah | $37,166 | $25,000 | 3,101,833 | 246 |
| 31 | Hawaii | $39,975 | $32,000 | 1,427,538 | 107 |
| 32 | South Carolina | $32,581 | $20,000 | 5,024,369 | 1,089 |
| 33 | Colorado | $36,766 | $24,000 | 5,607,154 | 669 |
| 34 | Texas | $36,824 | $23,000 | 28,304,596 | 556 |
| 35 | Kentucky | $34,273 | $21,000 | 4,454,189 | 408 |
| 36 | Kansas | $35,545 | $23,000 | 2,913,123 | 275 |
| 37 | Florida | $37,511 | $23,000 | 20,984,400 | 487 |
| 38 | South Dakota | $30,840 | $20,000 | 869,666 | 302 |
| 39 | Idaho | $35,596 | $24,000 | 1,716,943 | 156 |
| 40 | Missouri | $32,528 | $20,000 | 6,113,532 | 870 |
| 41 | Montana | $31,723 | $22,000 | 1,050,493 | 182 |
| 42 | Virginia | $35,630 | $20,000 | 8,470,020 | 1,041 |
| 43 | Alabama | $30,212 | $19,000 | 4,874,747 | 939 |
| 44 | Minnesota | $33,350 | $21,000 | 5,576,606 | 764 |
| 45 | Maryland | $36,822 | $20,000 | 6,052,177 | 633 |
| 46 | Oklahoma | $28,899 | $18,000 | 3,930,864 | 779 |
| 47 | North Carolina | $31,175 | $18,000 | 10,273,419 | 1,231 |
| 48 | Tennessee | $29,078 | $18,000 | 6,715,984 | 776 |
| 49 | Georgia | $28,603 | $17,000 | 10,429,379 | 1,311 |
| 50 | Arkansas | $30,849 | $19,000 | 3,004,279 | 66 |
| 51 | Indiana | $29,489 | $18,000 | 6,666,818 | 149 |
Highest paying states for child care directors
| Rank | State | Avg. Child Care Director Salary |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nevada | $49,709 |
| 2 | Arizona | $44,243 |
| 3 | Delaware | $49,711 |
| 4 | Michigan | $44,594 |
| 5 | Oregon | $47,363 |
| 6 | Rhode Island | $48,095 |
| 7 | Pennsylvania | $49,741 |
| 8 | Vermont | $41,497 |
| 9 | New Hampshire | $44,836 |
| 10 | Maine | $41,721 |
| 11 | West Virginia | $37,126 |
| 12 | California | $45,730 |
| 13 | New Mexico | $43,598 |
| 14 | Mississippi | $37,546 |
| 15 | New Jersey | $42,899 |
| 16 | Massachusetts | $46,631 |
| 17 | North Dakota | $38,287 |
| 18 | District of Columbia | $46,771 |
| 19 | Washington | $43,026 |
| 20 | New York | $40,968 |
| 21 | Alaska | $39,291 |
| 22 | Connecticut | $43,420 |
| 23 | Louisiana | $35,090 |
| 24 | Wisconsin | $35,630 |
| 25 | Nebraska | $38,475 |
| 26 | Wyoming | $36,588 |
| 27 | Iowa | $35,012 |
| 28 | Ohio | $35,989 |
| 29 | Illinois | $35,277 |
| 30 | Utah | $37,166 |
| 31 | Hawaii | $39,975 |
| 32 | South Carolina | $32,581 |
| 33 | Colorado | $36,766 |
| 34 | Texas | $36,824 |
| 35 | Kentucky | $34,273 |
| 36 | Kansas | $35,545 |
| 37 | Florida | $37,511 |
| 38 | South Dakota | $30,840 |
| 39 | Idaho | $35,596 |
| 40 | Missouri | $32,528 |
| 41 | Montana | $31,723 |
| 42 | Virginia | $35,630 |
| 43 | Alabama | $30,212 |
| 44 | Minnesota | $33,350 |
| 45 | Maryland | $36,822 |
| 46 | Oklahoma | $28,899 |
| 47 | North Carolina | $31,175 |
| 48 | Tennessee | $29,078 |
| 49 | Georgia | $28,603 |
| 50 | Arkansas | $30,849 |
| 51 | Indiana | $29,489 |
Child care director best states FAQs
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Updated January 8, 2025