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Day care teacher salary
Average day care teacher salary
$15.01
Average Day Care Teacher Salary
As of October 2025, the average salary for a day care teacher in the United States is approximately $31,231 annually, equating to about $15 per hour. Salaries in this profession can differ based on location, years of experience, and the specific type of day care facility. For instance, teachers in urban areas may earn more than those in rural settings.
Where Can Day Care Teachers Earn More?
States such as California, New York, and Massachusetts typically offer higher salaries for day care teachers, reflecting the higher cost of living in these regions. Additionally, specialized day care centers, such as those focusing on early childhood education, may provide more competitive pay structures.
Average Salary by State
- California: $37,000
- New York: $36,000
- Texas: $30,000
- Florida: $28,000
By considering these factors, educators can better navigate their career paths and target opportunities that align with their financial goals.
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Where can a Day Care Teacher earn more?
Day care teacher salary estimates from across the web
Average day care teacher salary by state
The average day care teacher salary in Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Alaska are the highest in the U.S. The lowest average day care teacher salary states are Louisiana, Indiana, and Kansas.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for day care teachers
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Delaware | $31,337 | $15.07 |
| 2 | Vermont | $31,178 | $14.99 |
| 3 | Rhode Island | $34,450 | $16.56 |
| 4 | Arizona | $29,118 | $14.00 |
| 5 | New Hampshire | $29,605 | $14.23 |
| 6 | Minnesota | $30,198 | $14.52 |
| 7 | Washington | $33,310 | $16.01 |
| 8 | Maine | $29,943 | $14.40 |
| 9 | Massachusetts | $34,633 | $16.65 |
| 10 | Alaska | $33,643 | $16.17 |
| 11 | Nevada | $27,570 | $13.25 |
| 12 | Illinois | $28,646 | $13.77 |
| 13 | North Dakota | $29,611 | $14.24 |
| 14 | Connecticut | $30,868 | $14.84 |
| 15 | Montana | $27,049 | $13.00 |
| 16 | Mississippi | $27,386 | $13.17 |
| 17 | Oregon | $29,019 | $13.95 |
| 18 | Nebraska | $27,671 | $13.30 |
| 19 | Colorado | $27,878 | $13.40 |
| 20 | West Virginia | $27,417 | $13.18 |
| 21 | Utah | $28,288 | $13.60 |
| 22 | New York | $30,242 | $14.54 |
| 23 | District of Columbia | $30,836 | $14.82 |
| 24 | Hawaii | $31,822 | $15.30 |
| 25 | Missouri | $26,207 | $12.60 |
| 26 | California | $29,543 | $14.20 |
| 27 | Ohio | $25,202 | $12.12 |
| 28 | Michigan | $24,214 | $11.64 |
| 29 | Pennsylvania | $27,506 | $13.22 |
| 30 | Idaho | $26,537 | $12.76 |
| 31 | South Dakota | $25,726 | $12.37 |
| 32 | North Carolina | $24,731 | $11.89 |
| 33 | Wyoming | $23,723 | $11.41 |
| 34 | New Mexico | $23,392 | $11.25 |
| 35 | Oklahoma | $23,947 | $11.51 |
| 36 | Maryland | $23,543 | $11.32 |
| 37 | Kentucky | $23,642 | $11.37 |
| 38 | Texas | $25,462 | $12.24 |
| 39 | Tennessee | $24,020 | $11.55 |
| 40 | Wisconsin | $23,590 | $11.34 |
| 41 | New Jersey | $25,291 | $12.16 |
| 42 | Virginia | $23,672 | $11.38 |
| 43 | Iowa | $22,706 | $10.92 |
| 44 | Alabama | $23,628 | $11.36 |
| 45 | Georgia | $23,112 | $11.11 |
| 46 | Louisiana | $22,698 | $10.91 |
| 47 | Kansas | $22,463 | $10.80 |
| 48 | South Carolina | $21,005 | $10.10 |
| 49 | Indiana | $22,537 | $10.84 |
| 50 | Arkansas | $22,051 | $10.60 |
| 51 | Florida | $21,744 | $10.45 |
Highest paying cities for day care teachers
The highest-paying cities for day care teachers are Cambridge, MA, Washington, DC, and Berkeley, CA.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cambridge, MA | $34,697 | $16.68 |
| 2 | Washington, DC | $30,866 | $14.84 |
| 3 | Berkeley, CA | $30,832 | $14.82 |
| 4 | Minneapolis, MN | $30,218 | $14.53 |
| 5 | New York, NY | $30,147 | $14.49 |
| 6 | Portland, OR | $28,910 | $13.90 |
| 7 | Ogden, UT | $28,303 | $13.61 |
| 8 | Denver, CO | $27,931 | $13.43 |
| 9 | Philadelphia, PA | $27,579 | $13.26 |
| 10 | Columbia, MO | $26,250 | $12.62 |
| 11 | Sioux Falls, SD | $25,588 | $12.30 |
| 12 | San Antonio, TX | $25,508 | $12.26 |
| 13 | Jersey City, NJ | $25,437 | $12.23 |
| 14 | Columbus, OH | $24,887 | $11.96 |
| 15 | Wilson, NC | $24,794 | $11.92 |
| 16 | Clarksville, TN | $24,157 | $11.61 |
| 17 | Columbia, MD | $23,581 | $11.34 |
| 18 | Milwaukee, WI | $23,528 | $11.31 |
| 19 | Atlanta, GA | $23,194 | $11.15 |
| 20 | Sioux City, IA | $22,841 | $10.98 |
Day care teacher salary details
A day care teacher's salary ranges from $22,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $42,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a day care teacher's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $42,000 | $3,500 | $20 |
| 75th Percentile | $36,000 | $3,000 | $17 |
| Average | $31,231 | $2,603 | $15 |
| 25th Percentile | $26,000 | $2,167 | $13 |
| 10th Percentile | $22,000 | $1,833 | $11 |
Highest paying day care teacher jobs
The highest paying types of day care teachers are head teacher, kindergarten teacher, and teacher.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Teacher Aide | $29,480 | $2,457 | $14.17 | 106,207 |
| Infant And Toddler Teacher | $29,606 | $2,467 | $14.23 | 63,094 |
| Preschool Lead Teacher | $33,176 | $2,765 | $15.95 | 54,870 |
| Substitute Teacher | $32,904 | $2,742 | $15.82 | 69,292 |
| Toddler Teacher | $30,703 | $2,559 | $14.76 | 67,810 |
| Infant Teacher | $29,076 | $2,423 | $13.98 | 63,079 |
Top companies hiring day care teachers now:
Which companies pay day care teachers the most?
Day care teacher salaries at Cincinnati Hills Christian Academy and Scholar Academies are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average day care teacher salary at companies like Washington Union High School and Cottage Health are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cincinnati Hills Christian Academy | $41,826 | $20.11 |
| 2 | Scholar Academies | $38,649 | $18.58 |
| 3 | Washington Union High School | $38,085 | $18.31 |
| 4 | Cottage Health | $36,563 | $17.58 |
| 5 | Mercy Corps | $35,844 | $17.23 |
| 6 | Tioga Downs Casino | $34,797 | $16.73 |
| 7 | Berkeley High School | $34,476 | $16.57 |
| 8 | Kettering Health Network | $33,437 | $16.08 |
| 9 | Archdiocese of New York | $32,956 | $15.84 |
| 10 | Columbia Academy | $32,849 | $15.79 |
| 11 | Minneapolis Public Schools | $32,620 | $15.68 |
| 12 | Broward County Public Schools | $32,374 | $15.56 |
| 13 | LifePoint Health | $32,075 | $15.42 |
| 14 | Johnston Memorial Hospital Corporation | $31,865 | $15.32 |
| 15 | Community Health Systems | $31,862 | $15.32 |
| 16 | Denver Public Schools | $31,198 | $15.00 |
| 17 | North Ridge Health and Rehab | $30,969 | $14.89 |
| 18 | LifeWorks | $30,515 | $14.67 |
| 19 | La Peninsula Community Organization | $30,504 | $14.67 |
| 20 | Intermountain Healthcare | $29,966 | $14.41 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Day care teacher salary trends
The average day care teacher salary has risen by $5,733 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average day care teacher earned $25,498 annually, but today, they earn $31,231 a year. That works out to a 14% change in pay for day care teachers over the last decade.
Compare day care teacher salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average day care teacher salary over time
Compare day care teacher salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Day care teacher salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $31,200 | $15.01 | +3.4% |
| 2024 | $30,200 | $14.50 | +3.3% |
| 2023 | $29,200 | $14.02 | +2.6% |
| 2022 | $28,400 | $13.65 | +3.2% |
| 2021 | $27,500 | $13.21 | +2.0% |
Recently added day care teacher salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kindercare | Teacher at Mariner's Game Day | Seattle, WA | 06/28/2025 | $26,088 |
| Acelero Learning | Extended Day Teacher | Camden, NJ | 06/27/2025 | $32,328 |
| Lee Health | Hospital Teacher-Child Life-Golisano Children's Hospital-Days | Fort Myers, FL | 06/26/2025 | $44,954 |
| Little Beginnings Child Development Center | Day Care Lead Preschool Teacher | Arlington, VA | 06/24/2025 | $45,914 |
| The Learning Experience | Day Care Teacher | Easton, MA | 06/23/2025 | $39,653 |
| Kindercare | Teacher at Anaheim Angels Game Day | Anaheim, CA | 06/22/2025 | $26,088 |
| ESC Region 12 | Teacher 4 Day Week | Malone, TX | 06/16/2025 | $60,000 |
| Ccrcda | Day Care Assistant Teacher-Floater | Troy, NY | 06/16/2025 | $32,349 |
| The Learning Experience | Day Care Teacher | Lansdale, PA | 06/15/2025 | $33,392 |
| The Galloway School | After Care Teacher | Friendswood, TX | 06/15/2025 | $25,044 |
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