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Child life specialist salary
Average child life specialist salary
$55,201
Understanding Child Life Specialist Salaries
As of October 2025, the average salary for a Child Life Specialist is approximately $55,201 annually, translating to about $27 per hour. This role is vital in healthcare settings, where specialists help children cope with medical procedures through play and education.
Factors Influencing Salary
Numerous factors contribute to salary variations, including:
- Experience Level: Entry-level positions typically start lower, while seasoned professionals command higher salaries.
- Geographic Location: States like California and New York often offer higher pay due to cost of living and demand.
- Work Environment: Opportunities in hospitals, clinics, and private practices can affect compensation.
Salary Estimates by State
Child Life Specialists in states such as California and Texas report some of the highest salaries, reflecting the strong demand for these professionals in diverse healthcare settings. For precise figures, examine salary trends specific to your state and sector.
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Where can a Child Life Specialist earn more?
Child life specialist salaries by experience level
| Experience level | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|
| Entry-level child life specialist | $38,300 | $18.42 |
| Mid-level child life specialist | $54,400 | $26.14 |
| Senior-level child life specialist | $62,400 | $30.01 |
Child life specialist salary estimates from across the web
Average child life specialist salary by state
The average child life specialist salary in California, New Mexico, and Nevada are the highest in the U.S. The lowest average child life specialist salary states are Iowa, Vermont, and Maine.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for child life specialists
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nevada | $65,636 | $31.56 |
| 2 | New York | $64,402 | $30.96 |
| 3 | California | $76,488 | $36.77 |
| 4 | Illinois | $60,524 | $29.10 |
| 5 | Delaware | $59,003 | $28.37 |
| 6 | Arkansas | $57,930 | $27.85 |
| 7 | New Mexico | $67,864 | $32.63 |
| 8 | New Jersey | $60,188 | $28.94 |
| 9 | District of Columbia | $74,872 | $36.00 |
| 10 | Michigan | $54,700 | $26.30 |
| 11 | Pennsylvania | $53,720 | $25.83 |
| 12 | Florida | $55,170 | $26.52 |
| 13 | Mississippi | $57,054 | $27.43 |
| 14 | Kansas | $54,748 | $26.32 |
| 15 | Arizona | $53,229 | $25.59 |
| 16 | Minnesota | $56,282 | $27.06 |
| 17 | Connecticut | $56,644 | $27.23 |
| 18 | Maryland | $55,787 | $26.82 |
| 19 | North Carolina | $53,528 | $25.73 |
| 20 | Massachusetts | $52,172 | $25.08 |
| 21 | Texas | $52,961 | $25.46 |
| 22 | Virginia | $56,549 | $27.19 |
| 23 | South Carolina | $53,436 | $25.69 |
| 24 | Hawaii | $48,811 | $23.47 |
| 25 | Rhode Island | $51,043 | $24.54 |
| 26 | Wisconsin | $50,740 | $24.39 |
| 27 | Washington | $51,105 | $24.57 |
| 28 | Kentucky | $51,786 | $24.90 |
| 29 | Louisiana | $49,682 | $23.89 |
| 30 | West Virginia | $48,841 | $23.48 |
| 31 | Missouri | $50,350 | $24.21 |
| 32 | Oklahoma | $47,055 | $22.62 |
| 33 | Georgia | $50,491 | $24.27 |
| 34 | Indiana | $48,870 | $23.50 |
| 35 | North Dakota | $44,991 | $21.63 |
| 36 | Oregon | $50,104 | $24.09 |
| 37 | New Hampshire | $50,698 | $24.37 |
| 38 | Nebraska | $45,014 | $21.64 |
| 39 | Idaho | $44,479 | $21.38 |
| 40 | Colorado | $48,136 | $23.14 |
| 41 | Alabama | $48,902 | $23.51 |
| 42 | Tennessee | $48,587 | $23.36 |
| 43 | Iowa | $42,257 | $20.32 |
| 44 | Ohio | $47,086 | $22.64 |
| 45 | Montana | $34,172 | $16.43 |
| 46 | Maine | $38,450 | $18.49 |
| 47 | Alaska | $28,275 | $13.59 |
| 48 | Utah | $43,006 | $20.68 |
| 49 | South Dakota | $38,097 | $18.32 |
| 50 | Vermont | $39,086 | $18.79 |
| 51 | Wyoming | $43,173 | $20.76 |
Highest paying cities for child life specialists
The highest-paying cities for child life specialists are San Francisco, CA, New York, NY, and Chicago, IL.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Francisco, CA | $77,309 | $37.17 |
| 2 | New York, NY | $65,231 | $31.36 |
| 3 | Chicago, IL | $60,707 | $29.19 |
| 4 | New Brunswick, NJ | $60,346 | $29.01 |
| 5 | Rochester, MN | $58,257 | $28.01 |
| 6 | Baltimore, MD | $55,808 | $26.83 |
| 7 | Charlottesville, VA | $55,736 | $26.80 |
| 8 | Detroit, MI | $55,175 | $26.53 |
| 9 | Gainesville, FL | $55,057 | $26.47 |
| 10 | Springfield, MA | $54,282 | $26.10 |
| 11 | Philadelphia, PA | $54,253 | $26.08 |
| 12 | San Antonio, TX | $53,722 | $25.83 |
| 13 | Phoenix, AZ | $53,239 | $25.60 |
| 14 | Charlotte, NC | $52,595 | $25.29 |
| 15 | Springfield, OR | $52,277 | $25.13 |
| 16 | Springfield, MO | $51,223 | $24.63 |
| 17 | Seattle, WA | $51,066 | $24.55 |
| 18 | Madison, WI | $50,646 | $24.35 |
| 19 | Fort Wayne, IN | $49,568 | $23.83 |
| 20 | Memphis, TN | $48,372 | $23.26 |
Child life specialist salary details
A child life specialist's salary ranges from $31,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $96,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a child life specialist's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $96,000 | $8,000 | $46 |
| 75th Percentile | $74,000 | $6,167 | $36 |
| Average | $55,201 | $4,600 | $27 |
| 25th Percentile | $41,000 | $3,417 | $20 |
| 10th Percentile | $31,000 | $2,583 | $15 |
Highest paying child life specialist jobs
The highest paying types of child life specialists are specialist, human service specialist, and social services specialist.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Case Worker | $41,459 | $3,455 | $19.93 | 107,329 |
| Service Counselor | $35,402 | $2,950 | $17.02 | 44,284 |
| Family Support Worker | $38,207 | $3,184 | $18.37 | 159,875 |
Which companies pay child life specialists the most?
Child life specialist salaries at L.E.K. Consulting and Hawaii Pacific Health are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average child life specialist salary at companies like Accenture and Roswell Park are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | L.E.K. Consulting | $156,620 | $75.30 |
| 2 | Hawaii Pacific Health | $93,533 | $44.97 |
| 3 | Accenture | $86,779 | $41.72 |
| 4 | Roswell Park | $85,794 | $41.25 |
| 5 | UMass Memorial Health | $85,239 | $40.98 |
| 6 | Massachusetts General Hospital | $83,388 | $40.09 |
| 7 | UCSF Benioff Children's Hospital | $81,720 | $39.29 |
| 8 | Children's Hospital Colorado | $75,625 | $36.36 |
| 9 | Children's National Medical Center | $74,973 | $36.04 |
| 10 | Children's Minnesota | $73,768 | $35.47 |
| 11 | Sutter Health | $73,334 | $35.26 |
| 12 | St. Jude Children's Research Hospital | $71,251 | $34.26 |
| 13 | Elizabeth Seton Children's | $70,703 | $33.99 |
| 14 | Baystate Health | $70,151 | $33.73 |
| 15 | Southcoast Health | $69,697 | $33.51 |
| 16 | Children's Hospital Los Angeles | $69,186 | $33.26 |
| 17 | University of Maryland Medical System | $68,854 | $33.10 |
| 18 | St. Joseph Healthcare | $67,694 | $32.55 |
| 19 | Mount Sinai Health System | $67,049 | $32.24 |
| 20 | Connecticut Children's Medical Center | $67,009 | $32.22 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Child life specialist salary trends
The average child life specialist salary has risen by $11,083 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average child life specialist earned $44,118 annually, but today, they earn $55,201 a year. That works out to a 13% change in pay for child life specialists over the last decade.
Compare child life specialist salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average child life specialist salary over time
Compare child life specialist salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Child life specialist salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $55,200 | $26.54 | +2.5% |
| 2024 | $53,800 | $25.87 | +3.7% |
| 2023 | $51,800 | $24.91 | +1.9% |
| 2022 | $50,800 | $24.44 | +4.0% |
| 2021 | $48,800 | $23.48 | +3.1% |
Recently added child life specialist salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sanford Health | Child Life Specialist | Sioux Falls, SD | 06/30/2025 | $42,784 |
| Sutterhealth | Child Life Specialist | Sacramento, CA | 06/30/2025 | $76,363 |
| Virtua | Child Life Specialist | Mount Holly, NJ | 06/30/2025 | $53,135 |
| Stonybrooku | Child Life Specialist-(PER Diem) | Stony Brook, NY | 06/29/2025 | $58,436 |
| Hospital Sisters Health System | Child Life Specialist | Springfield, IL | 06/28/2025 | $43,827 |
| Youth Villages | Lifeset Specialist | Portland, OR | 06/28/2025 | $68,000 |
| Elizabeth Seton Children\\\\U2019S | Child Life Specialist | Yonkers, NY | 06/27/2025 | $63,000 |
| Youth Villages | Lifeset Specialist | Johnson City, TN | 06/26/2025 | $52,000 |
| Gilbert Unified Schools Az | Paraprofessional Specialist-Life/Md Scills (Secondary) | Gilbert, AZ | 06/25/2025 | $40,404 |
| Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago | Child Life Specialist | Schaumburg, IL | 06/24/2025 | $46,280 |
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