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Job outlook for early childhood services directors in the United States
Are early childhood services director jobs in demand?
Early childhood services director job and salary trends over time
Early childhood services director jobs over time
Early childhood services director job growth rate over time
| Year | # of jobs | % of population |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 713 | 0.00% |
| 2020 | 586 | 0.00% |
| 2019 | 661 | 0.00% |
| 2018 | 640 | 0.00% |
| 2017 | 620 | 0.00% |
Average early childhood services director salary over time
Early childhood services director salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $58,450 | $28.10 | +2.0% |
| 2024 | $57,321 | $27.56 | +0.6% |
| 2023 | $57,000 | $27.40 | +2.2% |
| 2022 | $55,751 | $26.80 | +2.4% |
| 2021 | $54,443 | $26.17 | +0.3% |
Early childhood services director jobs by state
Most common states for early childhood services directors
| Rank | State | Population | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | 693,972 | 226 | 33% |
| 2 | South Dakota | 869,666 | 234 | 27% |
| 3 | West Virginia | 1,815,857 | 374 | 21% |
| 4 | South Carolina | 5,024,369 | 966 | 19% |
| 5 | Minnesota | 5,576,606 | 1,000 | 18% |
| 6 | Iowa | 3,145,711 | 545 | 17% |
| 7 | Louisiana | 4,684,333 | 681 | 15% |
| 8 | Oklahoma | 3,930,864 | 600 | 15% |
| 9 | Alabama | 4,874,747 | 699 | 14% |
| 10 | Massachusetts | 6,859,819 | 869 | 13% |
| 11 | Colorado | 5,607,154 | 662 | 12% |
| 12 | Vermont | 623,657 | 69 | 11% |
| 13 | Washington | 7,405,743 | 737 | 10% |
| 14 | Oregon | 4,142,776 | 397 | 10% |
| 15 | Nebraska | 1,920,076 | 197 | 10% |
| 16 | Delaware | 961,939 | 101 | 10% |
| 17 | Wyoming | 579,315 | 59 | 10% |
| 18 | Illinois | 12,802,023 | 1,159 | 9% |
| 19 | Virginia | 8,470,020 | 785 | 9% |
| 20 | Connecticut | 3,588,184 | 308 | 9% |
Most common cities for early childhood services directors
| Rank | City | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl | Avg. salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Freehold | 1 | 3% | $62,661 |
| 2 | Gloucester | 1 | 2% | $62,406 |
| 3 | Pasadena | 1 | 1% | $60,171 |
| 4 | Irvine | 1 | 0% | $59,377 |
| 5 | San Jose | 1 | 0% | $65,132 |
Early Childhood Services Director job outlook: Expert opinions
Our panel of early childhood services director experts
Soka University of America
Medaille College
West Virginia University
Bluefield State College
Chestnut Hill College
What general advice would you give to an Early Childhood Services Director?
Ryan Allen: Education goes beyond teaching in a classroom or school. Often people hear 'Educational Leadership' and they think of some kind of school principal or other administrator. These are certainly important careers for the space, but they are only a part of a broader range of possibilities. There are a range of careers in the EdTech space, for instance, that need good people who understand various aspects of what happens in classrooms. Likewise, educational development and the NGO world are full of amazing opportunities that offer exciting careers that are rewarding. These jobs might see a lot of travel and broader global connections that you don't often see in the traditional K-12 space.
What Early Childhood Services Director skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Ryan Allen: I don't think there is any one skill that will prepare students for even the next 3-5 years. Things are changing so fast in our sector. Think back to just five years ago, there was no global COVID-19 pandemic nor Chat-GPT. Things are fluid, especially in the field of education right now. The main thing I want my students to understand in my classes is that they should be learning to learn. This means that they might not always have an answer to every questions, but they also have the confidence to find an answer out there somewhere. I don't think this concept can be categorized as just one skill, but rather a broader ethos that I hope my students attain after our program.
Colleen Wilkinson
Associate Professor, Program DirectorMedaille College
Department of Education
What are the biggest trends we'll see in the Early Childhood Services Director job market given the pandemic?
Colleen Wilkinson: Given the pandemic, I believe Teacher Candidates will need to highlight any technology skills they have acquired during schooling on their resumes and be comfortable speaking, during interviews, about how they incorporate technology into their instruction. Hiring committees, specifically parents on these committees, are also going to want to hear about engagement practices the Teacher Candidate plans to use. The pandemic saw a lot of passive learning taking place. This isn't best practice, it isn't what is best for children, specifically those with special needs. There are many high-engagement practices that can occur virtually and on-ground. Hiring committees are going to want to hear about these practices from the Teacher Candidate. They want to know what the Teacher Candidate will do differently in the same situation.
Stephanie Lorenze
Service Associate Professor, Coordinator for Teacher EducationWest Virginia University
Department of Curriculum and Instruction/Literacy Studies
What will help Early Childhood Services Directors increase their earning potential?
Stephanie Lorenze: Legislators and communities who value their work through actions.
What experience really stands out on Early Childhood Services Director resumes?
Amanda Banks Ph.D.: Adaptability and expertise in teaching diverse students in inclusive classrooms are growing focal points of many school districts nationally. With recent changes in federal education legislation (Every Student Succeeds Act, 2015), there has been a growing need for educators to universally design effective learning opportunities for a wide range of learners (Universal Design for Learning) to ensure students' academic progress regardless of their socioeconomic background or learning ability. Identifying potential teachers who can help students and schools successfully meet state and federal accountability standards is paramount to hiring committees.
Candidates should showcase any firsthand experiences they have in working with students within and outside of the classroom, especially diverse student populations (e.g., special education, bilingual education). Strong collaboration skills, content expertise, and instructional flexibility are three professional qualities that definitely set a candidate apart from the rest. Recent graduates who anticipate entering the job market in the near future should actively search for such volunteer opportunities if they didn't have these types of experiences in their preparation program.
What technical skills for an Early Childhood Services Director stand out to employers?
Marie Leahy: The suddenness of the onset of the pandemic made all employers realize that it is absolutely critical for their workers to be able to mobilize quickly and adapt to an entirely new situation with relative ease. Recent graduates in the field of education will need to be able to use Microsoft Office and be able to use interactive whiteboards and maintain a classroom website. In addition, they will need to be able to utilize learning management systems, live streaming, and document cameras/visual presenters. Each school/district has its own learning management system, but if someone is experienced in using a learning management system, then getting accustomed to a different one is pretty seamless. The same is true for live streaming services and document cameras/visual presenters.