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Best states for a child care teacher
Quoted expert
Lisa Diebel
- Rank 1 - 10
- 11 - 20
- 21 - 30
- 31 - 40
- 41 - 51
Child care teacher opportunities vary in different parts of the country. In order to help you determine the best states for child care teachers, we ranked all fifty states from best to worst for child care teachers.Our research found that Vermont is the best state for child care teachers, while Massachusetts and Rhode Island are ranked highest in terms of median salary. Vermont has a median salary of $31,355 and Massachusetts has the highest median salary among all 50 states for child care teachers.
Vermont is the best state for jobs for child care teachers, and Arkansas is the worst. The most common pay in Vermont is $31,355, while the median pay in Arkansas is $20,890.We found that Vermont is the best state for child care teacher jobs, whereas Arkansas is the worst.
10 best states for child care teachers in 2025
1. Vermont
Total child care teacher jobs: 194 Average annual salary: $31,355 Lowest 10 percent earn: $19,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $51,000 Location Quotient: 1.36
2. New Hampshire
Total child care teacher jobs: 500 Average annual salary: $30,176 Lowest 10 percent earn: $17,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $51,000 Location Quotient: 1.53
3. Delaware
Total child care teacher jobs: 279 Average annual salary: $31,128 Lowest 10 percent earn: $18,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $51,000 Location Quotient: 1.19
4. Rhode Island
Total child care teacher jobs: 204 Average annual salary: $36,112 Lowest 10 percent earn: $20,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $62,000 Location Quotient: 0.9
5. Maine
Total child care teacher jobs: 289 Average annual salary: $30,091 Lowest 10 percent earn: $18,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $49,000 Location Quotient: 1.17
6. Minnesota
Total child care teacher jobs: 1,738 Average annual salary: $27,310 Lowest 10 percent earn: $20,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $37,000 Location Quotient: 1.4
7. Missouri
Total child care teacher jobs: 1,396 Average annual salary: $28,066 Lowest 10 percent earn: $19,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $39,000 Location Quotient: 1.28
8. Illinois
Total child care teacher jobs: 3,302 Average annual salary: $26,953 Lowest 10 percent earn: $19,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $37,000 Location Quotient: 1.49
9. Massachusetts
Total child care teacher jobs: 1,014 Average annual salary: $36,242 Lowest 10 percent earn: $20,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $63,000 Location Quotient: 0.59
10. North Dakota
Total child care teacher jobs: 180 Average annual salary: $28,157 Lowest 10 percent earn: $21,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $37,000 Location Quotient: 1.04
Child care teacher jobsNear Columbus, OH
How Zippia determines the best states to be a child care teacher
You can read about how the best state rankings are calculated here.
Detailed list of the best states for a child care teacher
| Rank | State | Average salary | Lowest 10% earn | Population | Job count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Vermont | $31,355 | $19,000 | 623,657 | 194 |
| 2 | New Hampshire | $30,176 | $17,000 | 1,342,795 | 500 |
| 3 | Delaware | $31,128 | $18,000 | 961,939 | 279 |
| 4 | Rhode Island | $36,112 | $20,000 | 1,059,639 | 204 |
| 5 | Maine | $30,091 | $18,000 | 1,335,907 | 289 |
| 6 | Minnesota | $27,310 | $20,000 | 5,576,606 | 1,738 |
| 7 | Missouri | $28,066 | $19,000 | 6,113,532 | 1,396 |
| 8 | Illinois | $26,953 | $19,000 | 12,802,023 | 3,302 |
| 9 | Massachusetts | $36,242 | $20,000 | 6,859,819 | 1,014 |
| 10 | North Dakota | $28,157 | $21,000 | 755,393 | 180 |
| 11 | Connecticut | $32,171 | $18,000 | 3,588,184 | 626 |
| 12 | Washington | $32,102 | $22,000 | 7,405,743 | 1,271 |
| 13 | Wisconsin | $27,211 | $19,000 | 5,795,483 | 1,130 |
| 14 | Mississippi | $26,397 | $18,000 | 2,984,100 | 468 |
| 15 | Oregon | $28,128 | $19,000 | 4,142,776 | 806 |
| 16 | Alaska | $32,416 | $25,000 | 739,795 | 82 |
| 17 | New York | $32,317 | $18,000 | 19,849,399 | 1,772 |
| 18 | California | $30,544 | $19,000 | 39,536,653 | 5,186 |
| 19 | Pennsylvania | $29,119 | $17,000 | 12,805,537 | 1,381 |
| 20 | Montana | $24,666 | $18,000 | 1,050,493 | 382 |
| 21 | Nevada | $24,350 | $15,000 | 2,998,039 | 729 |
| 22 | North Carolina | $25,216 | $16,000 | 10,273,419 | 2,235 |
| 23 | Michigan | $23,954 | $16,000 | 9,962,311 | 2,170 |
| 24 | West Virginia | $26,386 | $17,000 | 1,815,857 | 256 |
| 25 | District of Columbia | $30,291 | $19,000 | 693,972 | 284 |
| 26 | Virginia | $26,903 | $17,000 | 8,470,020 | 1,822 |
| 27 | Colorado | $25,464 | $18,000 | 5,607,154 | 1,449 |
| 28 | Iowa | $23,868 | $17,000 | 3,145,711 | 788 |
| 29 | Arizona | $23,719 | $15,000 | 7,016,270 | 1,783 |
| 30 | Hawaii | $28,871 | $23,000 | 1,427,538 | 149 |
| 31 | South Dakota | $23,965 | $17,000 | 869,666 | 204 |
| 32 | Indiana | $24,726 | $17,000 | 6,666,818 | 778 |
| 33 | Utah | $24,458 | $17,000 | 3,101,833 | 466 |
| 34 | South Carolina | $22,840 | $15,000 | 5,024,369 | 996 |
| 35 | New Jersey | $25,953 | $15,000 | 9,005,644 | 1,396 |
| 36 | Maryland | $23,191 | $14,000 | 6,052,177 | 1,612 |
| 37 | Florida | $24,632 | $16,000 | 20,984,400 | 1,886 |
| 38 | Ohio | $22,417 | $14,000 | 11,658,609 | 2,101 |
| 39 | Wyoming | $21,692 | $15,000 | 579,315 | 155 |
| 40 | Nebraska | $22,968 | $16,000 | 1,920,076 | 443 |
| 41 | Idaho | $22,979 | $16,000 | 1,716,943 | 300 |
| 42 | Georgia | $22,820 | $15,000 | 10,429,379 | 1,955 |
| 43 | Kentucky | $22,379 | $15,000 | 4,454,189 | 630 |
| 44 | New Mexico | $21,405 | $14,000 | 2,088,070 | 526 |
| 45 | Alabama | $22,777 | $15,000 | 4,874,747 | 704 |
| 46 | Tennessee | $22,826 | $15,000 | 6,715,984 | 562 |
| 47 | Louisiana | $22,022 | $14,000 | 4,684,333 | 661 |
| 48 | Oklahoma | $20,780 | $14,000 | 3,930,864 | 768 |
| 49 | Texas | $22,790 | $15,000 | 28,304,596 | 2,347 |
| 50 | Kansas | $20,742 | $14,000 | 2,913,123 | 619 |
| 51 | Arkansas | $20,890 | $14,000 | 3,004,279 | 228 |
Highest paying states for child care teachers
| Rank | State | Avg. Child Care Teacher Salary |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Vermont | $31,355 |
| 2 | New Hampshire | $30,176 |
| 3 | Delaware | $31,128 |
| 4 | Rhode Island | $36,112 |
| 5 | Maine | $30,091 |
| 6 | Minnesota | $27,310 |
| 7 | Missouri | $28,066 |
| 8 | Illinois | $26,953 |
| 9 | Massachusetts | $36,242 |
| 10 | North Dakota | $28,157 |
| 11 | Connecticut | $32,171 |
| 12 | Washington | $32,102 |
| 13 | Wisconsin | $27,211 |
| 14 | Mississippi | $26,397 |
| 15 | Oregon | $28,128 |
| 16 | Alaska | $32,416 |
| 17 | New York | $32,317 |
| 18 | California | $30,544 |
| 19 | Pennsylvania | $29,119 |
| 20 | Montana | $24,666 |
| 21 | Nevada | $24,350 |
| 22 | North Carolina | $25,216 |
| 23 | Michigan | $23,954 |
| 24 | West Virginia | $26,386 |
| 25 | District of Columbia | $30,291 |
| 26 | Virginia | $26,903 |
| 27 | Colorado | $25,464 |
| 28 | Iowa | $23,868 |
| 29 | Arizona | $23,719 |
| 30 | Hawaii | $28,871 |
| 31 | South Dakota | $23,965 |
| 32 | Indiana | $24,726 |
| 33 | Utah | $24,458 |
| 34 | South Carolina | $22,840 |
| 35 | New Jersey | $25,953 |
| 36 | Maryland | $23,191 |
| 37 | Florida | $24,632 |
| 38 | Ohio | $22,417 |
| 39 | Wyoming | $21,692 |
| 40 | Nebraska | $22,968 |
| 41 | Idaho | $22,979 |
| 42 | Georgia | $22,820 |
| 43 | Kentucky | $22,379 |
| 44 | New Mexico | $21,405 |
| 45 | Alabama | $22,777 |
| 46 | Tennessee | $22,826 |
| 47 | Louisiana | $22,022 |
| 48 | Oklahoma | $20,780 |
| 49 | Texas | $22,790 |
| 50 | Kansas | $20,742 |
| 51 | Arkansas | $20,890 |
Expert opinions on the best states for child care teachers
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for child care teachers to find work opportunities?
Lisa Diebel
Associate Professor of Instruction, Ohio University
I think FCS, ED, and CL graduates will successfully find employment anywhere in the US. An FCS degree offers a lot of versatility.
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Updated January 8, 2025