Childcare Worker Salary in California
Median annual pay in California
$40,020
$19.24/hour
BLS OEWS, May 2025
Adjusted for cost of living in California
$36,145
Regional Price Parity: 110.720 (U.S. = 100)
Wages: BLS OEWS, May 2025. Cost of living: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.
Difference from the U.S. median ($34,980): +$5,040 (+14.4%)
California ranks 5th of 51 states by median pay, and 10th of 51 after adjusting for cost of living.
Pay
| Annual | Hourly | |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $35,340 | $16.99 |
| 25th percentile | $37,600 | $18.08 |
| Median | $40,020 | $19.24 |
| 75th percentile | $46,320 | $22.27 |
| 90th percentile | $52,670 | $25.32 |
Employment
- Employment in California
- 52,780
Advertisements
Comparison
Compared with the U.S.
- Median annual pay in California
- $40,020
- Median annual pay in the U.S.
- $34,980
- Difference
- +$5,040 (+14.4%)
Cost of living
$40,020 ÷ 110.720 × 100 = $36,145
Wages: BLS OEWS, May 2025. Cost of living: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.
Ranking
| Rank | Median annual pay | Adjusted for cost of living (annual) |
|---|---|---|
| Massachusetts | ||
| 3rd | $40,900 | $38,674 6th |
| Colorado | ||
| 4th | $40,750 | $39,543 2nd |
| California This page | ||
| 5th | $40,020 | $36,145 10th |
| Oregon | ||
| 6th | $38,650 | $37,393 8th |
| Vermont | ||
| 7th | $38,030 | $38,823 5th |
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 California
$47,400/year California
- Home Health and Personal Care Aide salary in California
$34,320/year California
- Kindergarten Teacher, Except Special Education salary in California
$82,550/year California
- Health Education Specialist salary in the U.S.
$64,070/year U.S.
- Nursing Assistant salary in California
$47,630/year California
Outlook
- Projected employment change, 2025–35 (U.S.)
- −2.0%
- Typical education needed for entry (U.S.)
- High school diploma or equivalent
BLS publishes employment projections only for the U.S. as a whole. 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
Advertisements
Childcare Worker salary in nearby places
- Childcare Worker salary in Arizona
$35,100/year Arizona
- Childcare Worker salary in Nevada
$29,740/year Nevada
- Childcare Worker salary in Oregon
$38,650/year Oregon
- Childcare Worker salary in the U.S.
$34,980/year U.S.
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.
- Neighboring states: U.S. Census Bureau, County Adjacency File, 2024.
Last updated