Best cities for a child life specialist
The best cities for child life specialists are Oakland, CA, Los Angeles, CA, and Detroit, MI, based on factors like average salary and job availability per capita. Jobs and pay for child life specialists vary across the country, but we've determined the ten best cities for child life specialists in the U.S.
Whether you're starting your career as a child life specialist or considering a move, this list of the best cities for child life specialists to live in will help you decide. These aren't just the best-paying cities for child life specialists. We also consider how easy it is to find work as a child life specialist. While the absolute best city for child life specialists is Oakland, CA, there are plenty of other great places to consider.
Keep reading to learn more about the best cities for child life specialists in 2024.
If you're looking for a child life specialist job, here are five companies hiring now:
10 best cities for child life specialists in 2025
1. Oakland, CA
Total child life specialist jobs: 2 Average annual salary: $77,222 Lowest 10 percent warn: $42,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $139,000 Location quotient: 0.96 2. Los Angeles, CA
Total child life specialist jobs: 25 Average annual salary: $76,278 Lowest 10 percent warn: $43,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $134,000 Location quotient: 1.34 3. Detroit, MI
Total child life specialist jobs: 4 Average annual salary: $55,175 Lowest 10 percent warn: $30,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $99,000 Location quotient: 0.87 4. Santa Ana, CA
Total child life specialist jobs: 1 Average annual salary: $76,209 Lowest 10 percent warn: $43,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $134,000 Location quotient: 0.92 5. San Francisco, CA
Total child life specialist jobs: 12 Average annual salary: $77,309 Lowest 10 percent warn: $42,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $139,000 Location quotient: 0.55 6. Lexington, KY
Total child life specialist jobs: 2 Average annual salary: $52,036 Lowest 10 percent warn: $29,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $91,000 Location quotient: 1.47 7. Louisville, KY
Total child life specialist jobs: 6 Average annual salary: $51,596 Lowest 10 percent warn: $29,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $90,000 Location quotient: 1.56 8. Las Vegas, NV
Total child life specialist jobs: 2 Average annual salary: $65,842 Lowest 10 percent warn: $36,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $118,000 Location quotient: 0.39 9. Durham, NC
Total child life specialist jobs: 3 Average annual salary: $54,373 Lowest 10 percent warn: $30,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $96,000 Location quotient: 0.85 10. Lubbock, TX
Total child life specialist jobs: 2 Average annual salary: $52,776 Lowest 10 percent warn: $29,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $94,000 Location quotient: 3.07
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Best cities for child life specialists
- Oakland, CA
- Los Angeles, CA
- Detroit, MI
- Santa Ana, CA
- San Francisco, CA
- Lexington, KY
- Louisville, KY
- Las Vegas, NV
- Durham, NC
- Lubbock, TX
- (2 child life specialist jobs)
- (25 child life specialist jobs)
- (4 child life specialist jobs)
- (1 child life specialist jobs)
- (12 child life specialist jobs)
- (2 child life specialist jobs)
- (6 child life specialist jobs)
- (2 child life specialist jobs)
- (3 child life specialist jobs)
- (2 child life specialist jobs)
Detailed list of the best cities for a child life specialist
| Rank | City | Average salary | Lowest 10% Earn | Population | Job count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Oakland, CA | $77,222 | $42,000 | 420,005 | 2 |
| 2 | Los Angeles, CA | $76,278 | $43,000 | 3,976,322 | 25 |
| 3 | Detroit, MI | $55,175 | $30,000 | 672,795 | 4 |
| 4 | Santa Ana, CA | $76,209 | $43,000 | 334,217 | 1 |
| 5 | San Francisco, CA | $77,309 | $42,000 | 870,887 | 12 |
| 6 | Lexington, KY | $52,036 | $29,000 | 318,449 | 2 |
| 7 | Louisville, KY | $51,596 | $29,000 | 597,337 | 6 |
| 8 | Las Vegas, NV | $65,842 | $36,000 | 632,912 | 2 |
| 9 | Durham, NC | $54,373 | $30,000 | 263,016 | 3 |
| 10 | Lubbock, TX | $52,776 | $29,000 | 252,506 | 2 |
| 11 | Wichita, KS | $55,400 | $31,000 | 389,902 | 1 |
| 12 | San Antonio, TX | $53,722 | $30,000 | 1,492,510 | 5 |
| 13 | Saint Petersburg, FL | $55,595 | $31,000 | 260,999 | 2 |
| 14 | Sacramento, CA | $76,332 | $42,000 | 495,234 | 1 |
| 15 | New York, NY | $65,231 | $36,000 | 8,537,673 | 36 |
| 16 | Philadelphia, PA | $54,253 | $30,000 | 1,567,872 | 3 |
| 17 | Henderson, NV | $65,908 | $36,000 | 292,969 | - |
| 18 | Pittsburgh, PA | $52,812 | $29,000 | 303,625 | 3 |
| 19 | Memphis, TN | $48,372 | $27,000 | 652,717 | 10 |
| 20 | San Jose, CA | $77,207 | $42,000 | 1,025,350 | 1 |
| 21 | North Las Vegas, NV | $65,716 | $36,000 | 238,702 | - |
| 22 | Albuquerque, NM | $67,492 | $37,000 | 559,277 | - |
| 23 | Fremont, CA | $77,190 | $42,000 | 233,136 | - |
| 24 | Reno, NV | $64,765 | $35,000 | 245,255 | - |
| 25 | Stockton, CA | $76,691 | $42,000 | 307,072 | - |
| 26 | Saint Paul, MN | $56,524 | $33,000 | 302,398 | 3 |
| 27 | Fresno, CA | $76,484 | $42,000 | 522,053 | - |
| 28 | Bakersfield, CA | $76,416 | $42,000 | 376,380 | - |
| 29 | Raleigh, NC | $54,413 | $30,000 | 458,880 | 1 |
| 30 | Washington, DC | $74,859 | $41,000 | 681,170 | 4 |
| 31 | Madison, WI | $50,646 | $28,000 | 252,551 | 9 |
| 32 | Long Beach, CA | $76,234 | $43,000 | 470,130 | - |
| 33 | Minneapolis, MN | $56,374 | $33,000 | 413,651 | 5 |
| 34 | Anaheim, CA | $76,220 | $43,000 | 351,043 | - |
| 35 | Jacksonville, FL | $54,890 | $31,000 | 880,619 | 7 |
| 36 | Irvine, CA | $76,195 | $43,000 | 266,122 | - |
| 37 | San Diego, CA | $76,001 | $43,000 | 1,406,630 | 1 |
| 38 | Riverside, CA | $76,176 | $43,000 | 324,722 | - |
| 39 | Mesa, AZ | $53,224 | $30,000 | 484,587 | 1 |
| 40 | Chula Vista, CA | $75,952 | $43,000 | 267,172 | - |
| 41 | Houston, TX | $53,024 | $29,000 | 2,303,482 | 9 |
| 42 | Chicago, IL | $60,707 | $34,000 | 2,704,958 | 3 |
| 43 | El Paso, TX | $54,781 | $30,000 | 683,080 | - |
| 44 | Toledo, OH | $46,759 | $26,000 | 278,508 | 3 |
| 45 | Tampa, FL | $55,550 | $31,000 | 377,165 | 3 |
| 46 | Greensboro, NC | $53,821 | $30,000 | 287,027 | - |
| 47 | Charlotte, NC | $52,595 | $29,000 | 842,051 | 2 |
| 48 | Hempstead, NY | $65,148 | $36,000 | 759,757 | - |
| 49 | Winston-Salem, NC | $53,512 | $30,000 | 242,203 | - |
| 50 | Buffalo, NY | $59,566 | $32,000 | 256,902 | 4 |
Highest paying cities for child life specialists
| Rank | City | Avg. child life specialist salary |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Francisco, CA | $77,309 |
| 2 | New York, NY | $65,231 |
| 3 | Chicago, IL | $60,707 |
| 4 | New Brunswick, NJ | $60,346 |
| 5 | Rochester, MN | $58,257 |
| 6 | Baltimore, MD | $55,808 |
| 7 | Charlottesville, VA | $55,736 |
| 8 | Detroit, MI | $55,175 |
| 9 | Gainesville, FL | $55,057 |
| 10 | Springfield, MA | $54,282 |
| 11 | Philadelphia, PA | $54,253 |
| 12 | San Antonio, TX | $53,722 |
| 13 | Phoenix, AZ | $53,239 |
| 14 | Charlotte, NC | $52,595 |
| 15 | Springfield, OR | $52,277 |
| 16 | Springfield, MO | $51,223 |
| 17 | Seattle, WA | $51,066 |
| 18 | Madison, WI | $50,646 |
| 19 | Fort Wayne, IN | $49,568 |
| 20 | Memphis, TN | $48,372 |
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Updated January 8, 2025