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Job outlook for child caretakers in the United States
Child caretaker job growth summary. After extensive research, interviews, and analysis, Zippia's data science team found that:
The projected child caretaker job growth rate is 6% from 2018-2028.
About 61,600 new jobs for child caretakers are projected over the next decade.
Child caretaker salaries have increased 20% for child caretakers in the last 5 years.
There are over 238,982 child caretakers currently employed in the United States.
There are 15,481 active child caretaker job openings in the US.
The average child caretaker salary is $32,447.
Are child caretaker jobs in demand?
Child caretaker job and salary trends over time
Child caretaker jobs over time
Child caretaker job growth rate over time
| Year | # of jobs | % of population |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 238,982 | 0.07% |
| 2020 | 256,758 | 0.08% |
| 2019 | 302,722 | 0.09% |
| 2018 | 316,819 | 0.10% |
| 2017 | 312,612 | 0.09% |
Average child caretaker salary over time
Child caretaker salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $32,447 | $15.60 | +5.1% |
| 2024 | $30,879 | $14.85 | +4.3% |
| 2023 | $29,617 | $14.24 | +4.3% |
| 2022 | $28,407 | $13.66 | +5.3% |
| 2021 | $26,979 | $12.97 | +4.2% |
Child caretaker jobs by state
Most common states for child caretakers
| Rank | State | Population | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Iowa | 3,145,711 | 171 | 5% |
| 2 | Montana | 1,050,493 | 43 | 4% |
| 3 | Massachusetts | 6,859,819 | 219 | 3% |
| 4 | Oklahoma | 3,930,864 | 114 | 3% |
| 5 | Kansas | 2,913,123 | 73 | 3% |
| 6 | Nebraska | 1,920,076 | 50 | 3% |
| 7 | Alaska | 739,795 | 25 | 3% |
| 8 | North Dakota | 755,393 | 21 | 3% |
| 9 | Vermont | 623,657 | 19 | 3% |
| 10 | North Carolina | 10,273,419 | 237 | 2% |
| 11 | Pennsylvania | 12,805,537 | 237 | 2% |
| 12 | Washington | 7,405,743 | 148 | 2% |
| 13 | Wisconsin | 5,795,483 | 134 | 2% |
| 14 | Minnesota | 5,576,606 | 110 | 2% |
| 15 | Colorado | 5,607,154 | 98 | 2% |
| 16 | Connecticut | 3,588,184 | 84 | 2% |
| 17 | Oregon | 4,142,776 | 64 | 2% |
| 18 | Idaho | 1,716,943 | 36 | 2% |
| 19 | Hawaii | 1,427,538 | 26 | 2% |
| 20 | Delaware | 961,939 | 24 | 2% |
Most common cities for child caretakers
| Rank | City | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl | Avg. salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Davenport | 1 | 1% | $22,685 |
| 2 | Baltimore | 1 | 0% | $26,516 |
Child Caretaker job outlook: Expert opinions
Our panel of child caretaker experts
Queens College of the City University of New York
Child Care Aware of America
International Nanny Association
Dr. Michael Perrone
Clinical ProfessorQueens College of the City University of New York
Elementary and Early Childhood Education
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for Child Caretakers to find work opportunities?
Dr. Michael Perrone: 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.
What general advice would you give to a Child Caretaker?
Lynette M. Fraga Ph.D: Future child care workers-more appropriately named early childhood educators-can expect to play a critical role in children's development as the most rapid period of brain development occurs during the first five years of life.
At the same time, the pandemic has exacerbated the existing inequities in the child care system. The median wage for child care workers in 2019 was $11.65 per hour, hardly a living wage. They deserve to be treated as the professionals they are, and to be fairly compensated and valued.
What general advice would you give to a Child Caretaker?
Laura Schroeder: Young graduates will need to have some knowledge or experience in early childhood education, as help with the school day has become an important part of a nanny's job since the pandemic. They also must be able to work independently and be self motivated as their bosses will likely not be on site. There are jobs for nannies all over the U.S., but the best paying jobs tend to be in wealthier areas and larger cities, for example L.A., San Francisco, Seattle and Boston.