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Best states for a day care aide
Quoted expert
Dr. Michael Perrone
- Rank 1 - 10
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Are you wondering which place in the United States is the best state for day care aides? Knowing how challenging it is to figure out where to start your career or where to move to advance your career, we decided to bring you a list of best states for day care aide jobs.Turns out, the median salary for the highest 10% of day care aides in America is $39,000.
In order to get you the best states for day care aides, we looked at our data on jobs and wages -- specifically the average annual wage and the number of available jobs per capita.If you are currently seeking employment as a day care aide, you can find open job positions using Zippia's search tools.
10 best states for day care aides in 2025
1. Maine
Total day care aide jobs: 285 Average annual salary: $39,862 Lowest 10 percent earn: $33,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $47,000 Location Quotient: 1.32
2. West Virginia
Total day care aide jobs: 300 Average annual salary: $38,577 Lowest 10 percent earn: $29,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $50,000 Location Quotient: 1.21
3. Kentucky
Total day care aide jobs: 693 Average annual salary: $36,118 Lowest 10 percent earn: $27,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $47,000 Location Quotient: 1.15
4. North Dakota
Total day care aide jobs: 189 Average annual salary: $34,677 Lowest 10 percent earn: $27,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $43,000 Location Quotient: 1.25
5. Wisconsin
Total day care aide jobs: 1,152 Average annual salary: $34,220 Lowest 10 percent earn: $26,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $43,000 Location Quotient: 1.28
6. New Hampshire
Total day care aide jobs: 275 Average annual salary: $37,112 Lowest 10 percent earn: $30,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $45,000 Location Quotient: 0.97
7. Washington
Total day care aide jobs: 1,093 Average annual salary: $39,115 Lowest 10 percent earn: $30,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $50,000 Location Quotient: 0.92
8. Delaware
Total day care aide jobs: 221 Average annual salary: $35,873 Lowest 10 percent earn: $27,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $46,000 Location Quotient: 1.08
9. Minnesota
Total day care aide jobs: 1,383 Average annual salary: $34,093 Lowest 10 percent earn: $26,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $43,000 Location Quotient: 1.28
10. Vermont
Total day care aide jobs: 125 Average annual salary: $36,541 Lowest 10 percent earn: $30,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $43,000 Location Quotient: 1
Day care aide jobsNear Columbus, OH
How Zippia determines the best states to be a day care aide
You can read about how the best state rankings are calculated here.
Detailed list of the best states for a day care aide
| Rank | State | Average salary | Lowest 10% earn | Population | Job count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Maine | $39,862 | $33,000 | 1,335,907 | 285 |
| 2 | West Virginia | $38,577 | $29,000 | 1,815,857 | 300 |
| 3 | Kentucky | $36,118 | $27,000 | 4,454,189 | 693 |
| 4 | North Dakota | $34,677 | $27,000 | 755,393 | 189 |
| 5 | Wisconsin | $34,220 | $26,000 | 5,795,483 | 1,152 |
| 6 | New Hampshire | $37,112 | $30,000 | 1,342,795 | 275 |
| 7 | Washington | $39,115 | $30,000 | 7,405,743 | 1,093 |
| 8 | Delaware | $35,873 | $27,000 | 961,939 | 221 |
| 9 | Minnesota | $34,093 | $26,000 | 5,576,606 | 1,383 |
| 10 | Vermont | $36,541 | $30,000 | 623,657 | 125 |
| 11 | Ohio | $33,211 | $25,000 | 11,658,609 | 1,847 |
| 12 | New Jersey | $40,055 | $31,000 | 9,005,644 | 822 |
| 13 | Illinois | $32,409 | $24,000 | 12,802,023 | 3,147 |
| 14 | Rhode Island | $36,786 | $29,000 | 1,059,639 | 161 |
| 15 | Michigan | $30,344 | $23,000 | 9,962,311 | 2,066 |
| 16 | Massachusetts | $37,835 | $30,000 | 6,859,819 | 912 |
| 17 | North Carolina | $29,851 | $22,000 | 10,273,419 | 2,182 |
| 18 | Nevada | $32,792 | $25,000 | 2,998,039 | 344 |
| 19 | New York | $35,301 | $27,000 | 19,849,399 | 1,909 |
| 20 | Connecticut | $36,129 | $28,000 | 3,588,184 | 284 |
| 21 | Missouri | $29,113 | $22,000 | 6,113,532 | 1,282 |
| 22 | Pennsylvania | $28,055 | $21,000 | 12,805,537 | 3,647 |
| 23 | Oregon | $31,127 | $24,000 | 4,142,776 | 695 |
| 24 | Nebraska | $28,643 | $22,000 | 1,920,076 | 391 |
| 25 | Arizona | $28,192 | $21,000 | 7,016,270 | 1,111 |
| 26 | Montana | $27,265 | $21,000 | 1,050,493 | 353 |
| 27 | Wyoming | $29,136 | $22,000 | 579,315 | 90 |
| 28 | District of Columbia | $34,571 | $26,000 | 693,972 | 152 |
| 29 | South Dakota | $28,320 | $22,000 | 869,666 | 173 |
| 30 | New Mexico | $27,258 | $20,000 | 2,088,070 | 412 |
| 31 | California | $33,049 | $25,000 | 39,536,653 | 3,871 |
| 32 | Colorado | $30,977 | $23,000 | 5,607,154 | 819 |
| 33 | Georgia | $27,157 | $20,000 | 10,429,379 | 1,853 |
| 34 | Tennessee | $25,037 | $19,000 | 6,715,984 | 1,212 |
| 35 | South Carolina | $26,648 | $20,000 | 5,024,369 | 727 |
| 36 | Indiana | $26,155 | $20,000 | 6,666,818 | 1,095 |
| 37 | Maryland | $28,049 | $21,000 | 6,052,177 | 973 |
| 38 | Iowa | $24,480 | $18,000 | 3,145,711 | 884 |
| 39 | Virginia | $27,928 | $21,000 | 8,470,020 | 1,323 |
| 40 | Oklahoma | $25,496 | $19,000 | 3,930,864 | 516 |
| 41 | Arkansas | $26,773 | $20,000 | 3,004,279 | 142 |
| 42 | Hawaii | $26,730 | $23,000 | 1,427,538 | 131 |
| 43 | Alaska | $21,958 | $19,000 | 739,795 | 172 |
| 44 | Alabama | $24,653 | $18,000 | 4,874,747 | 745 |
| 45 | Kansas | $23,515 | $18,000 | 2,913,123 | 594 |
| 46 | Louisiana | $25,497 | $19,000 | 4,684,333 | 467 |
| 47 | Mississippi | $22,581 | $17,000 | 2,984,100 | 404 |
| 48 | Utah | $25,984 | $19,000 | 3,101,833 | 316 |
| 49 | Idaho | $24,840 | $19,000 | 1,716,943 | 246 |
| 50 | Texas | $26,004 | $19,000 | 28,304,596 | 1,376 |
| 51 | Florida | $24,580 | $18,000 | 20,984,400 | 936 |
Highest paying states for day care aides
| Rank | State | Avg. Day Care Aide Salary |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Maine | $39,862 |
| 2 | West Virginia | $38,577 |
| 3 | Kentucky | $36,118 |
| 4 | North Dakota | $34,677 |
| 5 | Wisconsin | $34,220 |
| 6 | New Hampshire | $37,112 |
| 7 | Washington | $39,115 |
| 8 | Delaware | $35,873 |
| 9 | Minnesota | $34,093 |
| 10 | Vermont | $36,541 |
| 11 | Ohio | $33,211 |
| 12 | New Jersey | $40,055 |
| 13 | Illinois | $32,409 |
| 14 | Rhode Island | $36,786 |
| 15 | Michigan | $30,344 |
| 16 | Massachusetts | $37,835 |
| 17 | North Carolina | $29,851 |
| 18 | Nevada | $32,792 |
| 19 | New York | $35,301 |
| 20 | Connecticut | $36,129 |
| 21 | Missouri | $29,113 |
| 22 | Pennsylvania | $28,055 |
| 23 | Oregon | $31,127 |
| 24 | Nebraska | $28,643 |
| 25 | Arizona | $28,192 |
| 26 | Montana | $27,265 |
| 27 | Wyoming | $29,136 |
| 28 | District of Columbia | $34,571 |
| 29 | South Dakota | $28,320 |
| 30 | New Mexico | $27,258 |
| 31 | California | $33,049 |
| 32 | Colorado | $30,977 |
| 33 | Georgia | $27,157 |
| 34 | Tennessee | $25,037 |
| 35 | South Carolina | $26,648 |
| 36 | Indiana | $26,155 |
| 37 | Maryland | $28,049 |
| 38 | Iowa | $24,480 |
| 39 | Virginia | $27,928 |
| 40 | Oklahoma | $25,496 |
| 41 | Arkansas | $26,773 |
| 42 | Hawaii | $26,730 |
| 43 | Alaska | $21,958 |
| 44 | Alabama | $24,653 |
| 45 | Kansas | $23,515 |
| 46 | Louisiana | $25,497 |
| 47 | Mississippi | $22,581 |
| 48 | Utah | $25,984 |
| 49 | Idaho | $24,840 |
| 50 | Texas | $26,004 |
| 51 | Florida | $24,580 |
Expert opinions on the best states for day care aides
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for day care aides 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.
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Updated January 8, 2025