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Best states for a child care worker
Quoted expert
Dr. Michael Perrone
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Do you want to become a child care worker at Ymca, and you wonder what that means or entails? We have the full list of best states for child care workers that you can check out, before you begin your journey. Our research shows that Washington is the best state in the country for child care workers.
We figured that the best places for child care worker jobs has three things everyone would agree on. There would be high annual wages, good career prospects (no matter what phase of the career you are in), and a lot of job opportunities.If you are currently seeking employment as a child care worker, you can find open job positions using Zippia's search tools.
10 best states for child care workers in 2026
1. Washington
Total child care worker jobs: 1,681 Average annual salary: $40,434 Lowest 10 percent earn: $27,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $58,000 Location Quotient: 1.26
2. Delaware
Total child care worker jobs: 349 Average annual salary: $36,486 Lowest 10 percent earn: $22,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $58,000 Location Quotient: 1.52
3. New Hampshire
Total child care worker jobs: 438 Average annual salary: $35,004 Lowest 10 percent earn: $24,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $49,000 Location Quotient: 1.37
4. West Virginia
Total child care worker jobs: 266 Average annual salary: $37,280 Lowest 10 percent earn: $24,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $57,000 Location Quotient: 0.95
5. California
Total child care worker jobs: 6,737 Average annual salary: $37,176 Lowest 10 percent earn: $22,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $60,000 Location Quotient: 1.26
6. Maine
Total child care worker jobs: 269 Average annual salary: $36,639 Lowest 10 percent earn: $28,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $46,000 Location Quotient: 1.11
7. Idaho
Total child care worker jobs: 357 Average annual salary: $33,773 Lowest 10 percent earn: $22,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $50,000 Location Quotient: 1.19
8. Massachusetts
Total child care worker jobs: 895 Average annual salary: $41,731 Lowest 10 percent earn: $28,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $62,000 Location Quotient: 0.53
9. Connecticut
Total child care worker jobs: 482 Average annual salary: $38,201 Lowest 10 percent earn: $24,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $60,000 Location Quotient: 0.8
10. Rhode Island
Total child care worker jobs: 197 Average annual salary: $35,883 Lowest 10 percent earn: $23,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $55,000 Location Quotient: 0.89
Child care worker jobsNear Columbus, OH
How Zippia determines the best states to be a child care worker
You can read about how the best state rankings are calculated here.
Detailed list of the best states for a child care worker
| Rank | State | Average salary | Lowest 10% earn | Population | Job count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Washington | $40,434 | $27,000 | 7,405,743 | 1,681 |
| 2 | Delaware | $36,486 | $22,000 | 961,939 | 349 |
| 3 | New Hampshire | $35,004 | $24,000 | 1,342,795 | 438 |
| 4 | West Virginia | $37,280 | $24,000 | 1,815,857 | 266 |
| 5 | California | $37,176 | $22,000 | 39,536,653 | 6,737 |
| 6 | Maine | $36,639 | $28,000 | 1,335,907 | 269 |
| 7 | Idaho | $33,773 | $22,000 | 1,716,943 | 357 |
| 8 | Massachusetts | $41,731 | $28,000 | 6,859,819 | 895 |
| 9 | Connecticut | $38,201 | $24,000 | 3,588,184 | 482 |
| 10 | Rhode Island | $35,883 | $23,000 | 1,059,639 | 197 |
| 11 | Michigan | $33,067 | $22,000 | 9,962,311 | 1,454 |
| 12 | Kentucky | $34,804 | $22,000 | 4,454,189 | 509 |
| 13 | Oregon | $32,097 | $21,000 | 4,142,776 | 1,034 |
| 14 | Minnesota | $31,716 | $22,000 | 5,576,606 | 1,528 |
| 15 | Nevada | $33,397 | $20,000 | 2,998,039 | 359 |
| 16 | Ohio | $32,104 | $20,000 | 11,658,609 | 1,684 |
| 17 | Arizona | $31,467 | $19,000 | 7,016,270 | 1,060 |
| 18 | Vermont | $33,907 | $25,000 | 623,657 | 107 |
| 19 | North Carolina | $28,872 | $18,000 | 10,273,419 | 2,677 |
| 20 | Wisconsin | $30,889 | $21,000 | 5,795,483 | 939 |
| 21 | Colorado | $31,400 | $20,000 | 5,607,154 | 1,239 |
| 22 | Hawaii | $38,865 | $33,000 | 1,427,538 | 111 |
| 23 | North Dakota | $29,415 | $22,000 | 755,393 | 187 |
| 24 | New York | $34,682 | $21,000 | 19,849,399 | 1,545 |
| 25 | South Dakota | $27,607 | $19,000 | 869,666 | 302 |
| 26 | Missouri | $28,272 | $18,000 | 6,113,532 | 1,810 |
| 27 | New Jersey | $33,856 | $21,000 | 9,005,644 | 649 |
| 28 | District of Columbia | $34,466 | $21,000 | 693,972 | 223 |
| 29 | Louisiana | $27,248 | $17,000 | 4,684,333 | 866 |
| 30 | Illinois | $30,171 | $20,000 | 12,802,023 | 1,863 |
| 31 | New Mexico | $27,527 | $17,000 | 2,088,070 | 480 |
| 32 | Utah | $27,995 | $18,000 | 3,101,833 | 663 |
| 33 | Georgia | $27,781 | $17,000 | 10,429,379 | 2,459 |
| 34 | Pennsylvania | $28,774 | $17,000 | 12,805,537 | 1,571 |
| 35 | Virginia | $29,026 | $18,000 | 8,470,020 | 1,947 |
| 36 | South Carolina | $26,627 | $17,000 | 5,024,369 | 1,174 |
| 37 | Texas | $28,767 | $18,000 | 28,304,596 | 2,799 |
| 38 | Maryland | $30,427 | $19,000 | 6,052,177 | 901 |
| 39 | Montana | $27,144 | $19,000 | 1,050,493 | 234 |
| 40 | Wyoming | $28,081 | $19,000 | 579,315 | 75 |
| 41 | Iowa | $26,120 | $17,000 | 3,145,711 | 699 |
| 42 | Alabama | $25,506 | $16,000 | 4,874,747 | 952 |
| 43 | Nebraska | $25,043 | $16,000 | 1,920,076 | 547 |
| 44 | Oklahoma | $24,332 | $15,000 | 3,930,864 | 806 |
| 45 | Arkansas | $27,027 | $17,000 | 3,004,279 | 138 |
| 46 | Kansas | $26,842 | $17,000 | 2,913,123 | 396 |
| 47 | Tennessee | $24,975 | $16,000 | 6,715,984 | 1,037 |
| 48 | Florida | $26,827 | $16,000 | 20,984,400 | 2,502 |
| 49 | Alaska | $22,953 | $19,000 | 739,795 | 70 |
| 50 | Mississippi | $23,479 | $15,000 | 2,984,100 | 355 |
| 51 | Indiana | $23,353 | $15,000 | 6,666,818 | 582 |
Highest paying states for child care workers
| Rank | State | Avg. Child Care Worker Salary |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Washington | $40,434 |
| 2 | Delaware | $36,486 |
| 3 | New Hampshire | $35,004 |
| 4 | West Virginia | $37,280 |
| 5 | California | $37,176 |
| 6 | Maine | $36,639 |
| 7 | Idaho | $33,773 |
| 8 | Massachusetts | $41,731 |
| 9 | Connecticut | $38,201 |
| 10 | Rhode Island | $35,883 |
| 11 | Michigan | $33,067 |
| 12 | Kentucky | $34,804 |
| 13 | Oregon | $32,097 |
| 14 | Minnesota | $31,716 |
| 15 | Nevada | $33,397 |
| 16 | Ohio | $32,104 |
| 17 | Arizona | $31,467 |
| 18 | Vermont | $33,907 |
| 19 | North Carolina | $28,872 |
| 20 | Wisconsin | $30,889 |
| 21 | Colorado | $31,400 |
| 22 | Hawaii | $38,865 |
| 23 | North Dakota | $29,415 |
| 24 | New York | $34,682 |
| 25 | South Dakota | $27,607 |
| 26 | Missouri | $28,272 |
| 27 | New Jersey | $33,856 |
| 28 | District of Columbia | $34,466 |
| 29 | Louisiana | $27,248 |
| 30 | Illinois | $30,171 |
| 31 | New Mexico | $27,527 |
| 32 | Utah | $27,995 |
| 33 | Georgia | $27,781 |
| 34 | Pennsylvania | $28,774 |
| 35 | Virginia | $29,026 |
| 36 | South Carolina | $26,627 |
| 37 | Texas | $28,767 |
| 38 | Maryland | $30,427 |
| 39 | Montana | $27,144 |
| 40 | Wyoming | $28,081 |
| 41 | Iowa | $26,120 |
| 42 | Alabama | $25,506 |
| 43 | Nebraska | $25,043 |
| 44 | Oklahoma | $24,332 |
| 45 | Arkansas | $27,027 |
| 46 | Kansas | $26,842 |
| 47 | Tennessee | $24,975 |
| 48 | Florida | $26,827 |
| 49 | Alaska | $22,953 |
| 50 | Mississippi | $23,479 |
| 51 | Indiana | $23,353 |
Expert opinions on the best states for child care workers
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for child care workers to find work opportunities?
Dr. Michael Perrone
Clinical Professor, Queens College of the City University of New York
All of our graduates seek to become teachers in NYS. So, one needs NYS teacher education certification, experience, etc. There is definitely a need for substitute teachers because of hybrid learning; this is the most pronounced pandemic related need. Nothing about full-time trends (employment-wise) that are pandemic-specific. There has always been a need for students to have certifications in different areas, but this is not pandemic-related.
Child care worker best states FAQs
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Updated January 8, 2025