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Early head start director salary
Average early head start director salary
$39,448
Understanding Early Head Start Director Salaries
An Early Head Start Director plays a crucial role in managing programs that support the development of young children and their families. As of October 2025, the average salary for this position is $39,448 per year, or approximately $19 per hour. Salary levels can vary based on several factors, including geographic location, years of experience, and the specific sector of employment.
Factors Affecting Salary
Directors in states like California and New York typically earn higher salaries due to the cost of living and demand for early childhood education services. For example, the highest paying states for Early Head Start Directors include:
- California
- New York
- Massachusetts
- Washington
- Illinois
Additionally, program directors with advanced degrees or specialized training often command higher salaries. Positions within larger organizations or those with significant funding can also offer better compensation packages.
Career Opportunities
For those considering a career as an Early Head Start Director, there are numerous opportunities available across various sectors, including non-profit organizations, government agencies, and private educational institutions. Engaging in professional development and networking can enhance your career trajectory in this fulfilling field.
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Where can an Early Head Start Director earn more?
Early head start director salary estimates from across the web
Average early head start director salary by state
The average early head start director salary in Rhode Island, Delaware, and New Hampshire are the highest in the U.S. The lowest average early head start director salary states are Louisiana, Arkansas, and South Carolina.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for early head start directors
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rhode Island | $44,134 | $21.22 |
| 2 | New Hampshire | $42,847 | $20.60 |
| 3 | Nevada | $42,421 | $20.39 |
| 4 | Massachusetts | $42,380 | $20.38 |
| 5 | Delaware | $43,248 | $20.79 |
| 6 | Vermont | $41,045 | $19.73 |
| 7 | Connecticut | $38,888 | $18.70 |
| 8 | New York | $39,089 | $18.79 |
| 9 | Washington | $38,458 | $18.49 |
| 10 | Michigan | $38,134 | $18.33 |
| 11 | Wisconsin | $37,248 | $17.91 |
| 12 | Oregon | $37,667 | $18.11 |
| 13 | Minnesota | $39,205 | $18.85 |
| 14 | Iowa | $33,762 | $16.23 |
| 15 | New Jersey | $36,716 | $17.65 |
| 16 | North Dakota | $38,125 | $18.33 |
| 17 | Pennsylvania | $34,316 | $16.50 |
| 18 | Illinois | $35,670 | $17.15 |
| 19 | Mississippi | $32,911 | $15.82 |
| 20 | Wyoming | $36,193 | $17.40 |
| 21 | Alaska | $38,552 | $18.53 |
| 22 | Ohio | $33,619 | $16.16 |
| 23 | Maine | $34,909 | $16.78 |
| 24 | West Virginia | $35,095 | $16.87 |
| 25 | Colorado | $33,901 | $16.30 |
| 26 | Georgia | $34,380 | $16.53 |
| 27 | Arizona | $34,699 | $16.68 |
| 28 | California | $38,938 | $18.72 |
| 29 | Tennessee | $31,697 | $15.24 |
| 30 | Kentucky | $32,942 | $15.84 |
| 31 | Nebraska | $33,083 | $15.91 |
| 32 | Hawaii | $38,417 | $18.47 |
| 33 | Texas | $32,481 | $15.62 |
| 34 | Montana | $31,395 | $15.09 |
| 35 | Maryland | $34,855 | $16.76 |
| 36 | Virginia | $33,555 | $16.13 |
| 37 | Arkansas | $28,770 | $13.83 |
| 38 | Idaho | $33,313 | $16.02 |
| 39 | Louisiana | $29,360 | $14.12 |
| 40 | Utah | $32,263 | $15.51 |
| 41 | Indiana | $32,352 | $15.55 |
| 42 | South Dakota | $31,644 | $15.21 |
| 43 | Missouri | $30,922 | $14.87 |
| 44 | District of Columbia | $34,098 | $16.39 |
| 45 | North Carolina | $29,540 | $14.20 |
| 46 | Alabama | $26,708 | $12.84 |
| 47 | Oklahoma | $26,172 | $12.58 |
| 48 | New Mexico | $30,441 | $14.64 |
| 49 | South Carolina | $28,728 | $13.81 |
| 50 | Florida | $29,919 | $14.38 |
| 51 | Kansas | $27,351 | $13.15 |
Highest paying cities for early head start directors
The highest-paying cities for early head start directors are Boston, MA, Sacramento, CA, and New York, NY.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Boston, MA | $42,288 | $20.33 |
| 2 | Sacramento, CA | $39,453 | $18.97 |
| 3 | New York, NY | $39,129 | $18.81 |
| 4 | Rochester, MN | $38,703 | $18.61 |
| 5 | Everett, WA | $38,691 | $18.60 |
| 6 | Salem, OR | $37,760 | $18.15 |
| 7 | Trenton, NJ | $36,545 | $17.57 |
| 8 | Palatine, IL | $36,079 | $17.35 |
| 9 | Atlanta, GA | $34,385 | $16.53 |
| 10 | Waterloo, IA | $34,235 | $16.46 |
| 11 | Victoria, TX | $34,095 | $16.39 |
| 12 | Harrisburg, PA | $34,069 | $16.38 |
| 13 | Lakewood, CO | $33,958 | $16.33 |
| 14 | Kansas City, MO | $31,214 | $15.01 |
| 15 | Fort Lauderdale, FL | $30,401 | $14.62 |
| 16 | Asheville, NC | $28,971 | $13.93 |
Early head start director salary details
An early head start director's salary ranges from $25,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $61,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is an early head start director's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $61,000 | $5,083 | $29 |
| 75th Percentile | $49,000 | $4,083 | $24 |
| Average | $39,448 | $3,287 | $19 |
| 25th Percentile | $31,000 | $2,583 | $15 |
| 10th Percentile | $25,000 | $2,083 | $12 |
Highest paying early head start director jobs
The highest paying types of early head start directors are director, center director, and writing center director.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Test Center Administrator | $26,135 | $2,178 | $12.57 | 95,722 |
| Parent Educator | $38,992 | $3,249 | $18.75 | 7,183 |
| Director | $113,489 | $9,457 | $54.56 | 230,711 |
| Center Director | $106,505 | $8,875 | $51.20 | 62,348 |
| Site Director | $43,762 | $3,647 | $21.04 | 21,166 |
| Child Care Director | $37,471 | $3,123 | $18.01 | 79,105 |
Which companies pay early head start directors the most?
Early head start director salaries at Columbia University in the City of New York and Broward County Public Schools are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average early head start director salary at companies like Lifesteps and Armstrong County Community Action Agency - Food Distribution Center are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Columbia University in the City of New York | $61,314 | $29.48 |
| 2 | Broward County Public Schools | $48,315 | $23.23 |
| 3 | Lifesteps | $41,355 | $19.88 |
| 4 | Armstrong County Community Action Agency - Food Distribution Center | $40,788 | $19.61 |
| 5 | CAPS | $40,788 | $19.61 |
| 6 | LEAP Legal Software | $40,168 | $19.31 |
| 7 | Thames Valley Council for Community Action Inc | $39,803 | $19.14 |
| 8 | Salt Lake County | $39,134 | $18.81 |
| 9 | Children International | $39,102 | $18.80 |
| 10 | Children's Home & Aid | $38,114 | $18.32 |
| 11 | Fort Valley State University | $37,812 | $18.18 |
| 12 | Children's Home Society of NC | $37,715 | $18.13 |
| 13 | Telamon | $37,049 | $17.81 |
| 14 | Volunteers of America Los Angeles | $36,979 | $17.78 |
| 15 | Eagle County | $36,957 | $17.77 |
| 16 | Parents And Children Together | $36,917 | $17.75 |
| 17 | EOAC Waco | $36,852 | $17.72 |
| 18 | Commission on Economic Opportunity | $36,554 | $17.57 |
| 19 | Community Action Organization | $36,538 | $17.57 |
| 20 | The University of Kansas Health System | $36,037 | $17.33 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Early Head Start Director salary by industry
The average early head start director salary varies across industries:
- The average early head start director salary in the professional industry is $38,982, the highest of any industry.
- The average early head start director salary in the finance industry is $35,694.
- Early head start directors in the health care industry earn an average salary of $31,828, the lowest of any industry.
Highest paying industries for early head start directors
| Rank | Industry | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Professional | $38,982 | $18.74 |
| 2 | Education | $35,694 | $17.16 |
| 3 | Government | $35,512 | $17.07 |
| 4 | Non Profits | $34,059 | $16.37 |
| 5 | Health Care | $31,828 | $15.30 |
High paying early head start director jobs
Early head start director salary trends
The average early head start director salary has risen by $4,277 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average early head start director earned $35,171 annually, but today, they earn $39,448 a year. That works out to a 7% change in pay for early head start directors over the last decade.
Compare early head start director salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average early head start director salary over time
Compare early head start director salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Early head start director salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $39,400 | $18.97 | +1.9% |
| 2024 | $38,700 | $18.60 | +0.6% |
| 2023 | $38,500 | $18.49 | +2.2% |
| 2022 | $37,600 | $18.09 | +2.3% |
| 2021 | $36,700 | $17.67 | +0.3% |
Recently added early head start director salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kansas Children's Service League | Early Head Start Paraprofessional | Garden City, KS | 06/29/2025 | $29,218 |
| Aa009 | Early Head Start: Long-Term Substitute Home Based Visitor | Tarentum, PA | 06/29/2025 | $53,511 |
| The Children's Home Society of New Jersey | Head Start/Early Head Start Eligibility, Recruitment, Selection, Enrollment, and Attendance (Ersea) | Trenton, NJ | 06/26/2025 | $51,174 |
| Audubon Area Community Services | Substitute (Head Start) | Greenville, KY | 06/22/2025 | $23,520 |
| Aware | Food Service Cook **Temporary Assignment**-Early Head Start | Helena, MT | 06/20/2025 | $37,044 |
| Neighborimpact | Substitute Center Aide, Early Head Start | Redmond, OR | 06/20/2025 | $43,138 |
| Parents and Children | Early Head Start Home Visitors-Oahu | Urban Honolulu, HI | 06/16/2025 | $35,166 |
| Humankind | Early Head Start Substitute | Bedford, VA | 06/16/2025 | $27,131 |
| Fortress | Preschool and Early Head Start Director | Fort Worth, TX | 06/13/2025 | $60,000 |
| KUMC University of Kansas Medical Center | Early Head Start Bilingual Home Visitor | Kansas City, KS | 06/13/2025 | $44,015 |
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