So you’ve read the job description of a daycare worker and are interested in it. But you have questions, such as: How much does a daycare worker make? And what is the salary for a daycare worker? This post will answer all of your questions about the salary for this job, as well as provide information on what a daycare worker actually does all day.
The average salary for a daycare worker is $24,000 per year. This includes both full-time and part-time workers, as well as those in the United States. The highest paid employees in this industry are those who work at large companies (e.g., McDonald’s) or large chains (e.g., Bright Horizons).
Salary for daycare worker
A person working as a Child Care Worker in United States typically earns around 66,200 USD per year. Salaries range from 32,400 USD (lowest) to 103,000 USD (highest).
This is the average yearly salary including housing, transport, and other benefits. Child Care Worker salaries vary drastically based on experience, skills, gender, or location. Below you will find a detailed breakdown based on many different criteria.
Child Care Worker Salary Distribution in United States
The median, the maximum, the minimum, and the range
- Salary RangeChild Care Worker salaries in United States range from 32,400 USD per year (minimum salary) to 103,000 USD per year (maximum salary).
- Median SalaryThe median salary is 67,500 USD per year, which means that half (50%) of people working as Child Care Worker(s) are earning less than 67,500 USD while the other half are earning more than 67,500 USD. The median represents the middle salary value. Generally speaking, you would want to be on the right side of the graph with the group earning more than the median salary.
- PercentilesClosely related to the median are two values: the 25th and the 75th percentiles. Reading from the salary distribution diagram, 25% of Child Care Worker(s) are earning less than 45,000 USD while 75% of them are earning more than 45,000 USD. Also from the diagram, 75% of Child Care Worker(s) are earning less than 87,100 USD while 25% are earning more than 87,100 USD.
Child Care Worker Salary Comparison by Years of Experience
How does experience and age affect your pay?
The experience level is the most important factor in determining the salary. Naturally the more years of experience the higher your wage. We broke down Child Care Worker salaries by experience level and this is what we found.
A Child Care Worker with less than two years of experience makes approximately 38,400 USD per year.
While someone with an experience level between two and five years is expected to earn 49,400 USD per year, 29% more than someone with less than two year’s experience.
Moving forward, an experience level between five and ten years lands a salary of 68,200 USD per year, 38% more than someone with two to five years of experience.
Additionally, Child Care Worker(s) whose expertise span anywhere between ten and fifteen years get a salary equivalent to 84,500 USD per year, 24% more than someone with five to ten years of experience.
If the experience level is between fifteen and twenty years, then the expected wage is 90,500 USD per year, 7% more than someone with ten to fifteen years of experience.
Lastly, employees with more than twenty years of professional experience get a salary of 96,500 USD per year, 7% more than people with fifteen to twenty years of experience.
Child Care Worker average salary change by experience in United States
0 – 2 Years | 38,400 USD | |
2 – 5 Years | +29% | 49,400 USD |
5 – 10 Years | +38% | 68,200 USD |
10 – 15 Years | +24% | 84,500 USD |
15 – 20 Years | +7% | 90,500 USD |
20+ Years | +7% | 96,500 USD |
Percentage increase and decrease are relative to the previous value
Child Care Worker Salary Comparison By Education
How do education levels affect salaries?
We all know that higher education equals a bigger salary, but how much more money can a degree add to your income? We broke down Child Care Worker salaries by education level in order to make a comparison.
When the education level is Certificate or Diploma, the average salary of a Child Care Worker is 54,400 USD per year.
While someone with a Bachelor’s Degree gets a salary of 83,400 USD per year, 53% more than someone having a Certificate or Diploma degree.
Child Care Worker average salary difference by education level in United States
Certificate or Diploma | 54,400 USD | |
Bachelor’s Degree | +53% | 83,400 USD |
Percentage increase and decrease are relative to the previous value