All careers › Education and Childcare Administrators, Preschool and Daycare
Childcare director: pay, job outlook and how to become one
- $38,580lowest 10% earn less
- $47,04025th percentile
- $59,300median
- $75,50075th percentile
- $98,240top 10% earn more
The median childcare director earned $59,300 a year in May 2025[1]. Jobs are projected to shrink 3.1% from 2025 to 2035, though openings still come up each year[2][3].
How much do childcare directors make?
BLS counts these workers as Education and Childcare Administrators, Preschool and Daycare. The median wage was $59,300 a year, or $28.51 an hour[1]. Half of workers earned above that amount and half earned below it[1]. The average was $64,800 a year, or $31.15 an hour[7]. For all occupations in the US, the median was $50,980[5].
Pay spreads out quite a bit:
| Point | Annual wage | Hourly wage |
|---|---|---|
| Lowest-paid 10% earned less than[4][8] | $38,580 | $18.55 |
| Lowest-paid 25% earned less than[4][8] | $47,040 | $22.62 |
| Median[1] | $59,300 | $28.51 |
| Highest-paid 25% earned more than[4][8] | $75,500 | $36.30 |
| Highest-paid 10% earned more than[4][8] | $98,240 | $47.23 |
A percentile is a boundary. BLS publishes percentile wages, not a starting salary[9]. These figures cover wage and salary workers only. They leave out the self-employed and the value of benefits such as health insurance[10].
Pay by state and city
New York had the highest state median at $96,810, followed by New Jersey at $78,770 and the District of Columbia at $77,850[11]. Alabama was last on the list at $41,780[11].
Among metro areas with at least 100 jobs, the New York-Newark-Jersey City area was first at $98,470, then San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont at $78,770 and Salinas, CA at $76,620[12].
The most jobs were in California (9,810), Florida (5,980), Texas (5,480), Pennsylvania (4,100) and New York (3,950)[13]. The New York-Newark-Jersey City metro area had the most jobs of any metro, at 5,020[14].
Show median pay in 49 states and DC
| State | Median per year | Jobs |
|---|---|---|
| New York[11] | $96,810 | 3,950 |
| New Jersey | $78,770 | 2,900 |
| District of Columbia | $77,850 | 410 |
| Alaska | $75,540 | 60 |
| Washington | $70,470 | 1,560 |
| Massachusetts | $70,320 | 2,260 |
| California | $67,100 | 9,810 |
| Hawaii | $65,080 | 260 |
| Colorado | $64,620 | 1,150 |
| South Dakota | $63,240 | 150 |
| Vermont | $63,220 | 190 |
| Maryland | $62,520 | 1,270 |
| Minnesota | $62,020 | 1,010 |
| Utah | $60,980 | 400 |
| Georgia | $60,300 | 1,550 |
| Oregon | $60,250 | 1,230 |
| Nevada | $60,120 | n/a |
| Maine | $60,090 | 240 |
| Wisconsin | $59,930 | 1,320 |
| Connecticut | $59,760 | 1,290 |
| Indiana | $58,740 | 750 |
| Illinois | $58,550 | 3,090 |
| Delaware | $58,230 | 420 |
| North Carolina | $57,200 | 2,410 |
| Kansas | $56,970 | 600 |
| Michigan | $56,870 | 1,890 |
| Florida | $56,750 | 5,980 |
| Pennsylvania | $56,380 | 4,100 |
| Wyoming | $56,170 | 160 |
| Nebraska | $56,160 | 550 |
| Rhode Island | $55,290 | 390 |
| New Hampshire | $55,120 | 410 |
| Virginia | $53,320 | 1,590 |
| North Dakota | $51,390 | 290 |
| South Carolina | $51,200 | 700 |
| Texas | $50,840 | 5,480 |
| Mississippi | $49,740 | 580 |
| Ohio | $49,580 | 3,030 |
| Tennessee | $49,200 | 710 |
| Idaho | $48,530 | 200 |
| Arizona | $48,160 | 1,210 |
| Montana | $48,140 | 180 |
| Missouri | $47,940 | 1,060 |
| Iowa | $47,480 | 1,020 |
| Oklahoma | $46,690 | 830 |
| Louisiana | $46,030 | 690 |
| West Virginia | $45,660 | 290 |
| Arkansas | $44,990 | 1,090 |
| Kentucky | $44,530 | 1,000 |
| Alabama | $41,780 | 940 |
How to become a childcare director
BLS lists a bachelor's degree as the typical education for entry, with less than 5 years of related work experience and no typical on-the-job training[6]. The path looks like this:
- First: earn a degree. Most states require a bachelor's degree at least, but requirements vary by state[15]. Employers may prefer a degree or some coursework in early childhood education[15].
- Next: get experience. Many positions call for several years in early childhood education, and the length varies by job[16].
- Then: check credentials. Some employers want a nationally recognized credential[17]. Getting one can involve a fee, coursework, field experience and being observed with children[18].
States may also require childcare centers to be licensed. Staff must clear a background check and complete some minimum training, and some states add CPR and first aid certifications[19]. The facts do not say how long the whole path takes.
What childcare directors do
Directors plan and coordinate the activities of preschools and childcare centers, including before- and after-school care[20]. Typical tasks include:
- Hiring, training and evaluating staff[21]
- Talking with parents and staff about activities, policies and children's behavior or learning problems[21]
- Teaching classes or giving direct care to children[21]
- Deciding how money is spent on staff, supplies and equipment[21]
- Reviewing programs to check how well they work and whether they follow regulations[21]
- Keeping attendance, planning, accounting and personnel records[21]
- Setting up procedures so the facility meets safety and security codes[21]
Job titles reported by workers include child care center director, day care director and early childhood program supervisor[22].
Where they work
In 2025, 72% of directors worked in child daycare services[23]. They work in schools and childcare centers, but spend much of the day in an office. They also visit classrooms, talk with teachers or childcare workers and meet with parents[24].
Most directors work full time, and some put in over 40 hours in a week[25]. They are on the job while the center is open, which can mean early mornings and late evenings at centers with before- and after-school care[25]. BLS says the work can be fast paced and stimulating but also stressful[26].
Job outlook
BLS projects employment to fall 3.1% from 2025 to 2035, from about 91,900 to 89,000 jobs[2]. All occupations are projected to grow 3.5% over the same years[2][27]. These counts include self-employed workers[2]. In 2025, 5.8% of these workers were self-employed[28].
Still, about 5,200 openings are projected each year on average[3]. Openings include jobs left by people who retire or change occupations, not only new jobs[3]. Each year, 2.2% of workers leave the labor force and 3.8% move to a different occupation[29].
The OEWS count of about 73,660 jobs in May 2025 covers wage and salary jobs only, so it is lower than the projections count[30][2].
Is it a good fit?
The pay sits above the all-occupations median, but it varies a lot by state and city[1][5][11]. The usual entry route needs a bachelor's degree and some years of related experience[6]. Employment is projected to shrink slightly, while openings keep appearing as people leave[2][3]. The job mixes office work with time among children, parents and staff, and it can be stressful[24][26].
Frequently asked questions
- How much does a childcare director make a year?
- The median was $59,300 a year in May 2025, and the average was $64,800[1][7].
- How much does a childcare director make an hour?
- The median was $28.51 an hour and the average was $31.15[1][7].
- What degree do you need to be a childcare director?
- BLS lists a bachelor's degree as the typical entry education, and requirements vary by state[6][15].
- Is childcare director a growing job?
- No. Employment is projected to decline 3.1% from 2025 to 2035, though about 5,200 openings are projected each year[2][3].
- Which state pays childcare directors the most?
- New York had the highest median at $96,810, followed by New Jersey at $78,770[11].
Facts and sources
- BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median wage for Education and Childcare Administrators, Preschool and Daycare in the US was $59,300 per year and $28.51 per hour. Half of workers earned more and half earned less. BLS OEWS, May 2025
- BLS Employment Projections: employment of Education and Childcare Administrators, Preschool and Daycare is projected to decline 3.1% from 2025 to 2035, from about 91,900 to 89,000 jobs (a change of -2,900). These counts include self-employed workers. BLS Employment Projections
- BLS Employment Projections: about 5,200 openings for Education and Childcare Administrators, Preschool and Daycare are projected each year, on average, from 2025 to 2035. Openings include jobs that open when workers retire or move to other occupations, not only new jobs. BLS Employment Projections
- BLS OEWS, May 2025, annual wage percentiles for Education and Childcare Administrators, Preschool and Daycare: 10th percentile $38,580, 25th percentile $47,040, 75th percentile $75,500, 90th percentile $98,240. The 10th percentile means 10% of workers earned less. BLS OEWS, May 2025
- BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for all occupations in the US was $50,980. BLS OEWS, May 2025
- BLS Employment Projections, typical path into Education and Childcare Administrators, Preschool and Daycare: education needed for entry: Bachelor's degree; work experience in a related occupation: Less than 5 years; typical on-the-job training: None. BLS Employment Projections
- BLS OEWS, May 2025: the mean (average) wage for Education and Childcare Administrators, Preschool and Daycare was $64,800 per year and $31.15 per hour. BLS OEWS, May 2025
- BLS OEWS, May 2025, hourly wage percentiles for Education and Childcare Administrators, Preschool and Daycare: 10th percentile $18.55, 25th percentile $22.62, 75th percentile $36.30, 90th percentile $47.23. BLS OEWS, May 2025
- BLS OEWS FAQ: a percentile wage is a boundary. The median (50th percentile) separates the highest-paid 50% from the lowest-paid 50% of workers in the occupation. OEWS publishes percentile wages, not a starting salary. BLS OEWS, May 2025
- BLS OEWS FAQ: OEWS covers part-time and full-time workers paid a wage or salary. It does not cover the self-employed, owners and partners in unincorporated firms, household workers or unpaid family workers. OEWS wages do not include nonproduction bonuses or employer costs of benefits such as health insurance or retirement contributions. BLS OEWS, May 2025
- Median annual wage for Education and Childcare Administrators, Preschool and Daycare in every state with published data, May 2025 (table on this page). BLS OEWS, May 2025
- BLS OEWS, May 2025, metro areas with the highest median annual wage for Education and Childcare Administrators, Preschool and Daycare (areas with at least 100 jobs): New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ $98,470; San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA $78,770; Salinas, CA $76,620; Trenton-Princeton, NJ $76,390; Kiryas Joel-Poughkeepsie-Newburgh, NY $72,910; Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH $72,560; Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA $71,150; Worcester, MA $70,560. BLS OEWS, May 2025
- BLS OEWS, May 2025, states with the most Education and Childcare Administrators, Preschool and Daycare jobs: California 9,810; Florida 5,980; Texas 5,480; Pennsylvania 4,100; New York 3,950. BLS OEWS, May 2025
- BLS OEWS, May 2025, metro areas with the most Education and Childcare Administrators, Preschool and Daycare jobs: New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ 5,020 (median $98,470); Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA 2,570 (median $67,140); Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN 2,530 (median $59,150); Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD 2,450 (median $58,960); Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL 2,060 (median $56,680); San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA 1,920 (median $78,770). BLS OEWS, May 2025
- Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Education. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
- Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Work Experience in a Related Occupation. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
- Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
- Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Licenses, Certifications, and Registrations. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
- Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Licenses, Certifications, and Registrations. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
- O*NET description of Education and Childcare Administrators, Preschool and Daycare. O*NET OnLine
- O*NET task list for Education and Childcare Administrators, Preschool and Daycare. O*NET OnLine
- O*NET 11-9031.00 sample job titles reported by workers: Child Care Center Director, Child Care Director, Childcare Director, Day Care Director, Early Childhood Program Supervisor (ECP Supervisor), Early Childhood Services Director, Education Coordinator, Education Director. O*NET OnLine
- BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, largest employers of preschool and childcare center directors in 2025: Child daycare services 72%. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
- Occupational Outlook Handbook, Work Environment. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
- Occupational Outlook Handbook, Work Environment: Work Schedules. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
- Occupational Outlook Handbook, Work Environment. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
- BLS Employment Projections: employment in all occupations is projected to grow 3.5% from 2025 to 2035. BLS Employment Projections
- BLS Employment Projections: 5.8% of Education and Childcare Administrators, Preschool and Daycare were self-employed in 2025. BLS Employment Projections
- BLS Employment Projections, 2025-35 annual average for Education and Childcare Administrators, Preschool and Daycare: 2.2% of workers leave the labor force each year and 3.8% move to a different occupation. BLS Employment Projections
- BLS OEWS, May 2025: about 73,660 people were employed as Education and Childcare Administrators, Preschool and Daycare in the US (wage and salary jobs, not counting self-employed workers). BLS OEWS, May 2025
- Related occupations (O*NET) with BLS pay, growth and entry education. O*NET OnLine
This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. CareerFacts has modified all or some of this information. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.