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Job outlook for early childhood specialists in the United States
Early childhood specialist job growth summary. After extensive research, interviews, and analysis, Zippia's data science team found that:
The projected early childhood specialist job growth rate is 15% from 2018-2028.
About 72,900 new jobs for early childhood specialists are projected over the next decade.
Early childhood specialist salaries have increased 11% for early childhood specialists in the last 5 years.
There are over 4,204 early childhood specialists currently employed in the United States.
There are 33,451 active early childhood specialist job openings in the US.
The average early childhood specialist salary is $35,575.
Are early childhood specialist jobs in demand?
Early childhood specialist job and salary trends over time
Early childhood specialist jobs over time
Early childhood specialist job growth rate over time
| Year | # of jobs | % of population |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 4,204 | 0.00% |
| 2020 | 3,982 | 0.00% |
| 2019 | 4,630 | 0.00% |
| 2018 | 4,557 | 0.00% |
| 2017 | 4,398 | 0.00% |
Average early childhood specialist salary over time
Early childhood specialist salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $35,575 | $17.10 | +4.6% |
| 2024 | $34,004 | $16.35 | +2.5% |
| 2023 | $33,180 | $15.95 | +2.7% |
| 2022 | $32,299 | $15.53 | +0.7% |
| 2021 | $32,077 | $15.42 | +0.8% |
Early childhood specialist jobs by state
Most common states for early childhood specialists
| Rank | State | Population | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | 693,972 | 200 | 29% |
| 2 | New Hampshire | 1,342,795 | 344 | 26% |
| 3 | Vermont | 623,657 | 151 | 24% |
| 4 | Nevada | 2,998,039 | 682 | 23% |
| 5 | Delaware | 961,939 | 225 | 23% |
| 6 | Montana | 1,050,493 | 206 | 20% |
| 7 | Arizona | 7,016,270 | 1,310 | 19% |
| 8 | Wyoming | 579,315 | 109 | 19% |
| 9 | Connecticut | 3,588,184 | 646 | 18% |
| 10 | Nebraska | 1,920,076 | 348 | 18% |
| 11 | Maryland | 6,052,177 | 1,018 | 17% |
| 12 | Colorado | 5,607,154 | 941 | 17% |
| 13 | Iowa | 3,145,711 | 490 | 16% |
| 14 | Minnesota | 5,576,606 | 819 | 15% |
| 15 | Kansas | 2,913,123 | 423 | 15% |
| 16 | New Mexico | 2,088,070 | 306 | 15% |
| 17 | Rhode Island | 1,059,639 | 157 | 15% |
| 18 | North Dakota | 755,393 | 113 | 15% |
| 19 | Alaska | 739,795 | 109 | 15% |
| 20 | New Jersey | 9,005,644 | 1,229 | 14% |
Most common cities for early childhood specialists
| Rank | City | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl | Avg. salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Frankfort | 1 | 4% | $32,368 |
| 2 | Melrose Park | 1 | 4% | $29,199 |
| 3 | Annapolis | 1 | 3% | $43,746 |
| 4 | Dover | 1 | 3% | $28,634 |
| 5 | Juneau | 1 | 3% | $25,643 |
| 6 | Hartford | 2 | 2% | $35,696 |
| 7 | Lansing | 1 | 1% | $36,993 |
| 8 | Little Rock | 1 | 1% | $31,727 |
| 9 | Baltimore | 2 | 0% | $44,080 |
| 10 | Atlanta | 1 | 0% | $30,757 |
| 11 | Baton Rouge | 1 | 0% | $29,488 |
| 12 | Boston | 1 | 0% | $43,312 |
| 13 | Denver | 1 | 0% | $37,767 |
| 14 | Des Moines | 1 | 0% | $32,073 |
| 15 | Hialeah | 1 | 0% | $28,870 |
| 16 | Indianapolis | 1 | 0% | $31,544 |
| 17 | Montgomery | 1 | 0% | $22,370 |
Early Childhood Specialist job outlook: Expert opinions
Our panel of early childhood specialist experts
University of South Florida
Eastern Mennonite University
New Mexico State University
Bucknell University
Texas Christian University
University of South Alabama
Longwood University
University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee
University of Mary Washington
DePaul University
What will help Early Childhood Specialists increase their earning potential?
Sarah Lauer: View yourself as the professional that you are. Seek out those resources that will help you to continually improve in your career path. This might mean joining a professional learning community (PLC) at your school, or starting an online/evening/weekend Master’s degree program. Be curious when something doesn’t go well in the classroom. Build a network of experts and resources that you can go to when you have questions.
What general advice would you give to an Early Childhood Specialist?
Paul Yoder: A key insight is that teaching is about making learning engaging and content relevant to students. It is rare for educators to teach students who are 'just like them' so building relationships with students is the first step. Keep in mind that each human is so much more than meets the eye so listening and curiosity are paramount.
Leanna Lucero Ph.D.
Associate Professor; Director of Elementary Education; Associate Director of School of Teacher Preparation, Administration, and Leadership (TPAL)New Mexico State University
Curriculum And Instruction
What general advice would you give to an Early Childhood Specialist?
Leanna Lucero Ph.D.: In the next 3-5 years it will become even more important to have the knowledge and skills to work with students and families from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds and abilities.
What general advice would you give to an Early Childhood Specialist?
Janet VanLone Ph.D.: Advice that I often give to my graduates as they enter their first year of teaching: We currently have a teacher shortage in this country. As a well-prepared and qualified teacher, you can take time during the job search and interview process to find a school that is a good fit for you. Ask a lot of questions. What kind of support do new teachers get? What is the teacher retention rate in the district? What is the leadership philosophy of the administrative team? Prioritize finding a position in a district where you will be valued and have the potential to continue learning and growing as a new teacher. Your students' learning conditions are your working conditions. At the start of the year, taking time to create a classroom environment that supports your students' academic and social/emotional growth has endless benefits. The first few weeks of the school year are so important. Determine your classroom expectations and routines. Explicitly teach and practice those expectations. Provide lots of positive reinforcement when your students are doing the right thing. Classroom management lays the foundation for a productive and positive year for you and your students. Teaching is not a competitive sport. We do our best when we are collaborative. Work to build relationships with colleagues, families, and the school community. Remember that you are not alone!
What general advice would you give to an Early Childhood Specialist?
Jo Jimerson Ph.D.: In teaching, this is sometimes not really possible, as many districts use salary scales that are tied to years of experience. That said, ask whether prior experience (clinical teaching, long term substituting, related work) can be used to start you at a higher “step” on the experience ladder. In some positions, districts use salary ranges, so come ready to talk about your prior experience that could warrant starting you nearer the midpoint of the range where possible.
What general advice would you give to an Early Childhood Specialist?
Dr. Amanda Aguilar: Most of your salary increases within education will come from additional years of experience as your career progresses or moving to a district/state that pays a higher salary. However, there are some things you can do throughout your career that will add additional stipends on top of your base salary. Some of these might include additional education (masters, doctorate) and additional certifications (English as a Second Language (ESL), National Board Certification, School Counseling, reading and/or math specialist, and more). Additionally, you might decide to take on additional duties such as coaching, club sponsorship, summer school teaching, and more. The stipends for these duties will vary depending on the district.
What will help Early Childhood Specialists increase their earning potential?
Nicole Amare Ph.D.: Clearly, new graduates should emphasize their diverse talents with concrete examples (how have they applied these skills successfully?) and seek positions where they will be valued for their unique skill sets. When interviewing and negotiating salaries, graduates could present a portfolio documenting their work. For example, a new English teacher with outstanding graphic design skills could show their work to a future employer and negotiate for higher pay or even a better or different position because of their skills in designing websites, flyers, and other promotional materials for the school or organization.
Dr. Audrey Church Ph.D.
Chair, Department of Education and Counseling; Professor of School LibrarianshipLongwood University
Education
What will help Early Childhood Specialists increase their earning potential?
Dr. Audrey Church Ph.D.: For those entering their first teaching position, I would give the following advice:
--Be sure that you are familiar with the policies of your school and school district. You want to be well-informed and knowledgeable so that you know what is expected of you as a teaching professional.
--Start immediately to build relationships with others on your team-your grade level team, your department team, etc.
--Become active in the professional association of your field, starting perhaps at the state level, for example, with the state affiliate of the National Council of Teachers of English or the Council for Exceptional Children or the American Association of School Librarians.
Tatiana Joseph Ph.D.
Assistant Professor of Teaching and Learning Program Director, Second Language ProgramUniversity of Wisconsin-Milwaukee
Department of Curriculum and Instruction
Will there be an enduring impact of the coronavirus pandemic on Early Childhood Specialists?
Tatiana Joseph Ph.D.: A two-faced one.
On the one hand, this time is absolutely terrifying for any teacher, new or senior. The amount of work and training needed to maneuver the current teaching space is astronomical.
On the other hand, this is a new challenge for teachers. And this is what teaching is all about. Embracing challenges and ensuring that children ARE receiving the best opportunities.
Janine Davis Ph.D.
Associate ProfessorUniversity of Mary Washington
College of Education
Will there be an enduring impact of the coronavirus pandemic on Early Childhood Specialists?
Janine Davis Ph.D.: For our teacher education graduates, the impact of the pandemic will most likely work in their favor when it comes to finding jobs-the pandemic has led to many retirements, which will mean that we will need even more teachers to fill those empty positions. At the same time, the advent of increased virtual learning means that it will no longer be an option that teachers know and use technology, including teaching online and using learning management and data analysis systems-those skills will almost certainly be a non-negotiable for future teaching positions. Finally, I think that this event has highlighted the importance of working as part of a team of teachers and other school leaders.
Will there be an enduring impact of the coronavirus pandemic on Early Childhood Specialists?
Roxanne Owens Ph.D.: Teacher education graduates tend to be good at rolling with the punches. New situations are thrown at them all the time. Being with kids, teaching in a school, can be unpredictable--so, it isn't exactly that they relish the thought of dealing with the challenges brought on by the pandemic, but they have experience with all kinds of situations they never thought they'd find themselves in--and they deal with them. So--will there be the enduring impact? Yes, this is a brand new situation for everyone--but are teachers used to dealing with new things all the time? Also, yes. What will the impact be? Most teachers got into teaching because they like interacting with kids/youth. They probably will have a greater appreciation for in-person instruction when they can get back to it.