Childcare Worker Salary in the U.S.
Median annual pay in the U.S.
$34,980
$16.82/hour
BLS OEWS, May 2025
Wages: BLS OEWS, May 2025.
Pay
| Annual | Hourly | |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $24,260 | $11.66 |
| 25th percentile | $29,360 | $14.12 |
| Median | $34,980 | $16.82 |
| 75th percentile | $38,570 | $18.55 |
| 90th percentile | $46,010 | $22.12 |
Employment
- Employment in the U.S.
- 518,910
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Comparison
Wages: BLS OEWS, May 2025. Cost of living: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.
| Rank | Median annual pay | Adjusted for cost of living (annual) |
|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | ||
| 1st | $47,340 | $43,075 1st |
| Washington | ||
| 2nd | $41,680 | $38,949 3rd |
| Massachusetts | ||
| 3rd | $40,900 | $38,674 6th |
| Colorado | ||
| 4th | $40,750 | $39,543 2nd |
| California | ||
| 5th | $40,020 | $36,145 10th |
| Oregon | ||
| 6th | $38,650 | $37,393 8th |
| Vermont | ||
| 7th | $38,030 | $38,823 5th |
| New York | ||
| 8th | $37,590 | $34,831 18th |
| New Hampshire | ||
| 9th | $37,080 | $35,597 14th |
| Hawaii | ||
| 10th | $37,030 | $33,679 25th |
| Rhode Island | ||
| 11th | $36,940 | $36,117 11th |
| Connecticut | ||
| 12th | $36,660 | $35,383 15th |
| New Jersey | ||
| 13th | $36,390 | $33,445 26th |
| Maine | ||
| 14th | $36,350 | $37,455 7th |
| Alaska | ||
| 15th | $36,200 | $35,366 16th |
| Maryland | ||
| 16th | $36,030 | $34,328 20th |
| New Mexico | ||
| 17th | $35,840 | $38,867 4th |
| Illinois | ||
| 18th | $35,830 | $35,845 13th |
| Minnesota | ||
| 19th | $35,520 | $36,017 12th |
| Montana | ||
| 20th | $35,120 | $37,107 9th |
| Arizona | ||
| 21st | $35,100 | $34,864 17th |
| Virginia | ||
| 22nd | $34,330 | $33,955 23rd |
| Florida | ||
| 23rd | $34,210 | $33,081 28th |
| Delaware | ||
| 24th | $33,210 | $33,274 27th |
| Wisconsin | ||
| 25th | $32,460 | $34,497 19th |
| Utah | ||
| 26th | $31,630 | $31,993 36th |
| Michigan | ||
| 27th | $30,970 | $32,188 34th |
| Missouri | ||
| 28th | $30,790 | $33,903 24th |
| Nebraska | ||
| 29th | $30,740 | $34,117 21st |
| North Dakota | ||
| 30th | $30,290 | $34,049 22nd |
| Indiana | ||
| 31st | $30,180 | $32,337 32nd |
| Idaho | ||
| 32nd | $30,160 | $31,583 39th |
| Pennsylvania | ||
| 33rd | $30,140 | $30,890 44th |
| Nevada | ||
| 34th | $29,740 | $29,746 46th |
| Ohio | ||
| 35th | $29,680 | $31,992 37th |
| Tennessee | ||
| 36th | $29,660 | $32,285 33rd |
| South Carolina | ||
| 37th | $29,650 | $31,627 38th |
| Kansas | ||
| 38th | $29,240 | $32,464 30th |
| North Carolina | ||
| 39th | $29,140 | $30,893 43rd |
| Kentucky | ||
| 40th | $28,920 | $32,077 35th |
| Texas | ||
| 41st | $28,570 | $29,436 47th |
| Arkansas | ||
| 42nd | $28,450 | $32,725 29th |
| Iowa | ||
| 43rd | $28,420 | $32,383 31st |
| Wyoming | ||
| 44th | $28,250 | $30,478 45th |
| Georgia | ||
| 45th | $28,020 | $29,099 48th |
| South Dakota | ||
| 46th | $27,940 | $31,540 41st |
| Oklahoma | ||
| 47th | $27,730 | $31,568 40th |
| West Virginia | ||
| 48th | $27,710 | $30,962 42nd |
| Louisiana | ||
| 49th | $22,900 | $25,962 49th |
| Alabama | ||
| 50th | $22,720 | $25,579 50th |
| Mississippi | ||
| 51st | $22,050 | $25,359 51st |
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Similar occupations
Related occupations from O*NET, in O*NET's order, with their BLS median pay. Each figure shows the place it is for.
- Preschool Teacher, Except Special Education salary in the U.S.
$38,140/year U.S.
- Home Health and Personal Care Aide salary in the U.S.
$35,800/year U.S.
- Kindergarten Teacher, Except Special Education salary in the U.S.
$62,680/year U.S.
- Health Education Specialist salary in the U.S.
$64,070/year U.S.
- Nursing Assistant salary in the U.S.
$42,260/year U.S.
Outlook
- Projected employment change, 2025–35 (U.S.)
- −2.0%
- Typical education needed for entry (U.S.)
- High school diploma or equivalent
BLS Employment Projections, 2025–35
Specialties included in this occupation
- Nannies
BLS publishes one wage figure for all Childcare Workers; it does not publish separate data for these specialties.
O*NET 31.0
Sources and update
- Wages and employment: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025.
- Cost of living: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.
- Related occupations and specialties: O*NET® 31.0 Database, CC BY 4.0. Attributions
- Employment projections and typical education: BLS Employment Projections, 2025–35.
Last updated