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Child care worker salary
Average child care worker salary
$15.04
Average Child Care Worker Salary
The average salary for a Child Care Worker is $31,284 annually or approximately $15.04 per hour. Salary levels can vary significantly based on experience, location, and specific job roles within the field. Entry-level positions typically start at a lower rate, while experienced workers can earn substantially more.
Child Care Worker Salaries by Experience Level
- Entry-level: Approx. $25,000
- Mid-career: Approx. $32,000
- Experienced: Approx. $40,000
Highest Paying States for Child Care Workers
Some of the best-paying states for this profession include:
- California
- New York
- Washington
- Massachusetts
Understanding these salary dynamics helps prospective workers gauge their earning potential and make informed decisions regarding their career paths in child care.
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Where can a Child Care Worker earn more?
Child care worker salaries by experience level
Child care worker salary estimates from across the web
Average child care worker salary by state
The highest-paying states for child care workers are Massachusetts, Washington, and Hawaii. The lowest average child care worker salary states are Nebraska, Tennessee, and Oklahoma.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for child care workers
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Washington | $40,434 | $19.44 |
| 2 | Delaware | $36,486 | $17.54 |
| 3 | New Hampshire | $35,004 | $16.83 |
| 4 | West Virginia | $37,280 | $17.92 |
| 5 | California | $37,176 | $17.87 |
| 6 | Maine | $36,639 | $17.61 |
| 7 | Idaho | $33,773 | $16.24 |
| 8 | Massachusetts | $41,731 | $20.06 |
| 9 | Connecticut | $38,201 | $18.37 |
| 10 | Rhode Island | $35,883 | $17.25 |
| 11 | Michigan | $33,067 | $15.90 |
| 12 | Kentucky | $34,804 | $16.73 |
| 13 | Oregon | $32,097 | $15.43 |
| 14 | Minnesota | $31,716 | $15.25 |
| 15 | Nevada | $33,397 | $16.06 |
| 16 | Ohio | $32,104 | $15.43 |
| 17 | Arizona | $31,467 | $15.13 |
| 18 | Vermont | $33,907 | $16.30 |
| 19 | North Carolina | $28,872 | $13.88 |
| 20 | Wisconsin | $30,889 | $14.85 |
| 21 | Colorado | $31,400 | $15.10 |
| 22 | Hawaii | $38,865 | $18.69 |
| 23 | North Dakota | $29,415 | $14.14 |
| 24 | New York | $34,682 | $16.67 |
| 25 | South Dakota | $27,607 | $13.27 |
| 26 | Missouri | $28,272 | $13.59 |
| 27 | New Jersey | $33,856 | $16.28 |
| 28 | District of Columbia | $34,466 | $16.57 |
| 29 | Louisiana | $27,248 | $13.10 |
| 30 | Illinois | $30,171 | $14.51 |
| 31 | New Mexico | $27,527 | $13.23 |
| 32 | Utah | $27,995 | $13.46 |
| 33 | Georgia | $27,781 | $13.36 |
| 34 | Pennsylvania | $28,774 | $13.83 |
| 35 | Virginia | $29,026 | $13.95 |
| 36 | South Carolina | $26,627 | $12.80 |
| 37 | Texas | $28,767 | $13.83 |
| 38 | Maryland | $30,427 | $14.63 |
| 39 | Montana | $27,144 | $13.05 |
| 40 | Wyoming | $28,081 | $13.50 |
| 41 | Iowa | $26,120 | $12.56 |
| 42 | Alabama | $25,506 | $12.26 |
| 43 | Nebraska | $25,043 | $12.04 |
| 44 | Oklahoma | $24,332 | $11.70 |
| 45 | Arkansas | $27,027 | $12.99 |
| 46 | Kansas | $26,842 | $12.90 |
| 47 | Tennessee | $24,975 | $12.01 |
| 48 | Florida | $26,827 | $12.90 |
| 49 | Alaska | $22,953 | $11.04 |
| 50 | Mississippi | $23,479 | $11.29 |
| 51 | Indiana | $23,353 | $11.23 |
Highest paying cities for child care workers
The highest-paying cities for child care workers are Worcester, MA, Sammamish, WA, and Greenwich, CT.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Worcester, MA | $41,953 | $20.17 |
| 2 | Sammamish, WA | $40,474 | $19.46 |
| 3 | Greenwich, CT | $38,478 | $18.50 |
| 4 | Lompoc, CA | $38,425 | $18.47 |
| 5 | New York, NY | $34,818 | $16.74 |
| 6 | Washington, DC | $34,530 | $16.60 |
| 7 | Elizabeth, NJ | $33,961 | $16.33 |
| 8 | Grand Rapids, MI | $32,575 | $15.66 |
| 9 | Beaverton, OR | $31,993 | $15.38 |
| 10 | Denver, CO | $31,398 | $15.10 |
| 11 | Arlington, VA | $30,424 | $14.63 |
| 12 | Chicago, IL | $30,340 | $14.59 |
| 13 | Rockville, MD | $30,183 | $14.51 |
| 14 | Austin, TX | $29,077 | $13.98 |
| 15 | Lancaster, PA | $28,650 | $13.77 |
| 16 | Cape Girardeau, MO | $28,442 | $13.67 |
| 17 | Salt Lake City, UT | $27,964 | $13.44 |
| 18 | Columbia, SC | $26,606 | $12.79 |
| 19 | Omaha, NE | $25,243 | $12.14 |
| 20 | Oklahoma City, OK | $24,357 | $11.71 |
Child Care Workers are the most in-demand in these five cities:
Child care worker salary details
A child care worker's salary ranges from $19,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $49,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a child care worker's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $49,000 | $4,083 | $24 |
| 75th Percentile | $39,000 | $3,250 | $19 |
| Average | $31,284 | $2,607 | $15 |
| 25th Percentile | $24,000 | $2,000 | $12 |
| 10th Percentile | $19,000 | $1,583 | $9 |
Highest paying child care worker jobs
The highest paying types of child care workers are hair stylist, child care counselor, and direct care counselor.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hair Stylist | $38,221 | $3,185 | $18.38 | 49,578 |
| Baby Sitter | $30,972 | $2,581 | $14.89 | 19,382 |
| Aide | $27,793 | $2,316 | $13.36 | 78,919 |
| Direct Support Professional | $32,077 | $2,673 | $15.42 | 142,034 |
| Day Camp Counselor | $29,384 | $2,449 | $14.13 | 32,895 |
| Direct Care Counselor | $33,422 | $2,785 | $16.07 | 123,519 |
Top companies hiring child care workers now:
Which companies pay child care workers the most?
Child care worker salaries at Columbia University in the City of New York and University of Nevada, Reno are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average child care worker salary at companies like DATTCO and State Bar of Michigan are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Columbia University in the City of New York | $65,053 | $31.28 |
| 2 | University of Nevada, Reno | $58,596 | $28.17 |
| 3 | DATTCO | $40,927 | $19.68 |
| 4 | State Bar of Michigan | $39,618 | $19.05 |
| 5 | Linn County | $37,360 | $17.96 |
| 6 | Brea Olinda Unified School District | $36,798 | $17.69 |
| 7 | Lawrence Hall | $36,630 | $17.61 |
| 8 | Minneapolis Public Schools | $36,603 | $17.60 |
| 9 | Solana Beach School District | $35,889 | $17.25 |
| 10 | Volunteers of America, Utah | $35,669 | $17.15 |
| 11 | Seahawks | $35,633 | $17.13 |
| 12 | Long Beach Unified School District | $35,551 | $17.09 |
| 13 | Aspiranet | $35,417 | $17.03 |
| 14 | Charter Schools USA | $35,184 | $16.92 |
| 15 | Children's Home & Aid | $34,743 | $16.70 |
| 16 | Atlantis Charter School | $34,364 | $16.52 |
| 17 | Maryville Academy | $33,994 | $16.34 |
| 18 | Archdiocese Of San Antonio | $33,984 | $16.34 |
| 19 | PSEA | $33,956 | $16.32 |
| 20 | Arkansas Children's Hospital | $33,378 | $16.05 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Child Care Worker salary by industry
The average child care worker salary varies across industries:
- The average child care worker salary in the finance industry is $45,837, the highest of any industry.
- The average child care worker salary in the finance industry is $33,163.
- Child care workers in the health care industry earn an average salary of $26,535, the lowest of any industry.
Highest paying industries for child care workers
| Rank | Industry | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Finance | $45,837 | $22.04 |
| 2 | Professional | $33,163 | $15.94 |
| 3 | Education | $32,240 | $15.50 |
| 4 | Non Profits | $27,993 | $13.46 |
| 5 | Health Care | $26,535 | $12.76 |
High paying child care worker jobs
Child care worker salary trends
The average child care worker salary has risen by $7,409 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average child care worker earned $23,875 annually, but today, they earn $31,284 a year. That works out to a 20% change in pay for child care workers over the last decade.
Compare child care worker salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average child care worker salary over time
Compare child care worker salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Child care worker salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $31,300 | $15.04 | +4.8% |
| 2024 | $29,800 | $14.31 | +4.1% |
| 2023 | $28,600 | $13.73 | +4.1% |
| 2022 | $27,400 | $13.17 | +5.0% |
| 2021 | $26,000 | $12.51 | +4.0% |
Recently added child care worker salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The House of The Good Shepherd | Night Child Care Worker-C | Utica, NY | 06/28/2025 | $42,074 |
| Brightpoint | Child Care Worker | Rockford, IL | 06/27/2025 | $32,244 |
| Oregon Public Schools | Child Care Worker-Early Childhood Education | Salem, OR | 06/26/2025 | $40,050 |
| Waterford Country Schoolorporated | Child Care Worker-Sttar | Noank, CT | 06/26/2025 | $41,072 |
| Salem-Keizer School District | Child Care Worker-Early Childhood Education | Salem, OR | 06/24/2025 | $40,050 |
| Frisco Independent School District (Tx | Substitute Child Care Worker | Nome, TX | 06/19/2025 | $31,305 |
| Isd 728 | Variable Child Care Worker (Monday-Friday Days Per Week) | Nore, MN | 06/19/2025 | $36,001 |
| Key Essentials To Behavior Management, Corp | (Child-Care Worker/Dsp) Behavior Technician I | San Bernardino, CA | 06/16/2025 | $39,653 |
| The Children's Home | Child Care Worker | Binghamton, NY | 06/10/2025 | $35,479 |
| Elk River Area School District | Substitute Child Care Worker, Daily Substitute) | Elk River, MN | 06/10/2025 | $35,479 |
Child care worker salary FAQs
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