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What is an infant teacher and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
Quoted expert
Dr. Diana Jones
introduction image

An infant teacher is a person caregiver responsible for the care and education of infants up to 18 months old. They create a nurturing environment where infants can grow and develop physically, cognitively, emotionally, and socially. Infant teachers provide daily routines such as feeding, diaper changes, and naps while also offering stimulating activities to foster learning. They observe and document infants' progress and communicate with parents about their child's development.

What general advice would you give to an infant teacher?

Dr. Diana JonesDr. Diana Jones LinkedIn profile

Chair, Department of Kinesiology, Anderson University

General advice: I would encourage graduates to find a mentor who can guide them in their careers, stay on top of the latest technology, not be too hard on themselves, be flexible, be team players, be present, and care about their students.
ScoreInfant TeacherUS Average
Salary
2.3

Avg. Salary $29,076

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level
4.5

Growth rate 4%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity
9.1
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 1.12%

Asian 8.35%

Black or African American 10.32%

Hispanic or Latino 16.94%

Unknown 4.33%

White 58.94%

Gender

female 95.39%

male 4.61%

Age - 45
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 45
Stress level
4.5

Stress level is manageable

7.1 - high

Complexity level
4.8

Complexity level is intermediate

7 - challenging

Work life balance
10.0

Work life balance is excellent

6.4 - fair

What are the pros and cons of being an infant teacher?

Pros

  • Opportunity to nurture and care for young children

  • Rewarding to see infants develop and reach milestones

  • Chance to be creative and plan engaging activities

  • Opportunities for professional development and learning

  • Sense of fulfillment in making a difference in children's lives

Cons

  • Physically demanding job, requiring lifting and bending

  • Constantly being exposed to germs and illnesses

  • Requires patience and emotional resilience, as infants can be challenging to work with at times

  • Requires a high level of attention to detail and organization

  • Low pay compared to other professions requiring similar education levels

Infant teacher career paths

Key steps to become an infant teacher

  1. Explore infant teacher education requirements

    Most common infant teacher degrees

    Bachelor's

    32.7 %

    High School Diploma

    27.6 %

    Associate

    24.6 %
  2. Start to develop specific infant teacher skills

    SkillsPercentages
    CPR34.63%
    Customer Service24.60%
    Child Development17.66%
    Infant Care4.91%
    Social Growth3.01%
  3. Gain additional infant teacher certifications

    Infant teacher certifications can show employers you have a baseline of knowledge expected for the position. Certifications can also make you a more competitive candidate. Even if employers don't require a specific infant teacher certification, having one may help you stand out relative to other applicants.

    The most common certifications for infant teachers include Child Development Associate (CDA) and First Aid, CPR and AED Instructor.

    More About Certifications
  4. Research infant teacher duties and responsibilities

    • Certify to perform first aid and CPR in emergencies.
    • Exceed goals in using standards to become NAEYC accredit.
    • Complete all necessary criteria to meet and pass NAEYC accreditation standards.
    • Help attend to the infants or pre-k children in the daycare center as needed.
  5. Prepare your infant teacher resume

    When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your infant teacher resume.

    You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on an infant teacher resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

    Choose from 10+ customizable infant teacher resume templates

    Build a professional infant teacher resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your infant teacher resume.
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    Infant Teacher Resume
  6. Apply for infant teacher jobs

    Now it's time to start searching for an infant teacher job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

    1. Browse job boards for relevant postings
    2. Consult your professional network
    3. Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
    4. Watch out for job scams

How did you land your first infant teacher job

Zippi

Are you an infant teacher?

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Average infant teacher salary

The average infant teacher salary in the United States is $29,076 per year or $14 per hour. Infant teacher salaries range between $22,000 and $37,000 per year.

Average infant teacher salary
$29,076 Yearly
$13.98 hourly

What am I worth?

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How do infant teachers rate their job?

-/5

5 stars

4 stars

3 stars

2 stars

1 star

Infant teacher reviews

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A zippia user wrote a review on Nov 2022
Pros

Seeing the kids learn, grow, over come challenges.

Cons

It can be emotionally and physically draining, especially if not appreciated.


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A zippia user wrote a review on Jun 2022
Pros

Gaining the childs trust and watching them geow and learn.

Cons

That in a year the children you fall in love with move on to the next grade.


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A zippia user wrote a review on Mar 2022
Pros

Kids, teaching lessons, co-teachers, hours, weekends off, salary, holidays off, summers off, paid sick and personal days

Cons

Administration, observations, being told what to teach and HOW to teach it, expecting us to participate in things we might not want to or have the time for, staff meetings with no substance


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Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

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