Childcare Workers pay in the United States

Goes furthest in District of Columbia
·Personal Care and Service·
519k jobs
Figures from US Bureau of Labor StatisticsOccupational Employment and Wage Statistics
$16.82/hr median
518,910 employed
-2% to 2035
41% AI exposure
High school diploma or equivalent
54 states reported
and more...

What this work is

Attend to children at schools, businesses, private households, and childcare institutions. Perform a variety of tasks, such as dressing, feeding, bathing, and overseeing play.

Where the money actually goes furthest

District of Columbia pays the most both before and after cost of living — $47,340, worth $43,075 once local prices are counted.

Pay by state

54 states and territories publish a median for this occupation. Switch the ranking to see how much the order changes.

Adjusted for what things cost in that state.

Median pay for Childcare Workers by state, ranked by what it is worth locally
StateHourlyAnnualWorth locallyAfter state taxJobs
District of Columbia$22.76/hr$47,340$43,075$45,5751,350
Colorado$19.59/hr$40,750$39,543$39,63813,310
Washington$20.04/hr$41,680$38,949$41,6804,340
New Mexico$17.23/hr$35,840$38,867$35,1714,120
Vermont$18.29/hr$38,030$38,821$36,990Not published
Massachusetts$19.66/hr$40,900$38,672$38,85513,140
Maine$17.47/hr$36,350$37,454$35,0884,990
Oregon$18.58/hr$38,650$37,393$35,8095,240
Montana$16.89/hr$35,120$37,105$34,1552,190
California$19.24/hr$40,020$36,145$39,25852,780
Rhode Island$17.76/hr$36,940$36,116$35,9501,800
Minnesota$17.08/hr$35,520$36,017$34,39911,570
Illinois$17.23/hr$35,830$35,844$34,19323,900
New Hampshire$17.83/hr$37,080$35,595$37,0802,820
Connecticut$17.63/hr$36,660$35,382$35,26012,020
Alaska$17.40/hr$36,200$35,365$36,2001,340
Arizona$16.88/hr$35,100$34,862$34,5875,530
New York$18.07/hr$37,590$34,831$36,12744,020
Wisconsin$15.61/hr$32,460$34,495$31,7465,560
Maryland$17.32/hr$36,030$34,327$34,4999,750
Nebraska$14.78/hr$30,740$34,117$29,9949,390
North Dakota$14.56/hr$30,290$34,049$30,2904,030
Virginia$16.51/hr$34,330$33,956$33,10213,930
Missouri$14.80/hr$30,790$33,902$30,19912,430
Hawaii$17.80/hr$37,030$33,678$35,5831,870
New Jersey$17.49/hr$36,390$33,443$35,79825,070
Delaware$15.97/hr$33,210$33,273$31,9331,230
Florida$16.45/hr$34,210$33,081$34,21021,760
Arkansas$13.68/hr$28,450$32,723$27,5175,400
Kansas$14.06/hr$29,240$32,463$27,8967,430
Iowa$13.66/hr$28,420$32,383$27,8946,020
Indiana$14.51/hr$30,180$32,336$29,3048,280
Tennessee$14.26/hr$29,660$32,284$29,66013,650
Michigan$14.89/hr$30,970$32,186$29,89114,010
Kentucky$13.90/hr$28,920$32,076$27,8895,820
Utah$15.21/hr$31,630$31,994$30,1904,830
Ohio$14.27/hr$29,680$31,993$29,58011,300
South Carolina$14.26/hr$29,650$31,626$29,30510,660
Idaho$14.50/hr$30,160$31,584$29,3354,430
Oklahoma$13.33/hr$27,730$31,568$26,9027,590
South Dakota$13.43/hr$27,940$31,538$27,9402,370
West Virginia$13.32/hr$27,710$30,960$26,9531,930
North Carolina$14.01/hr$29,140$30,891$28,44312,550
Pennsylvania$14.49/hr$30,140$30,890$29,21413,000
Wyoming$13.58/hr$28,250$30,477$28,2501,110
Nevada$14.30/hr$29,740$29,745$29,7403,740
Texas$13.73/hr$28,570$29,435$28,57034,160
Georgia$13.47/hr$28,020$29,099$27,18821,040
Louisiana$11.01/hr$22,900$25,960$22,5888,000
Alabama$10.92/hr$22,720$25,579$21,7744,580
Mississippi$10.60/hr$22,050$25,359$21,1815,420
Virgin Islands$13.47/hr$28,010Not publishedNot published50
Puerto Rico$10.86/hr$22,600Not publishedNot published1,960
Guam$10.59/hr$22,020Not publishedNot publishedNot published

National median for comparison: $34,980. “Worth locally” divides pay by the area’s price level, so a figure above the headline means money goes further there than the US average.

$34,980/year

$16.82/hr an hour, national median

Across the states

$19,750$56,040

25th to 75th percentile, lowest and highest state

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How much of this job could software do?

41%Moderate exposure
Hands, places, peopleLanguage and information

Both methods agree closely.

Method 1 — ability mix45%

Cognitive share of O*NET ability importance (element families 1.A.1–1.A.4), O*NET 31.0

Method 2 — task content37%

Importance-weighted share of O*NET tasks classed as language or information work, O*NET 31.0

What this does and does not mean

Exposure means a model could plausibly do a meaningful share of the tasks in this job. It is not a forecast that the job disappears, and it says nothing about whether any employer will actually automate it.

For what the labour market expects, the Bureau of Labor Statistics projects employment in this occupation to change by -2% between 2025 and 2035, with about 150,300 openings a year.

Which parts are exposed

  • Instruct children in safe behavior, such as seeking adult assistance when crossing the street and avoiding contact with unsafe objects.
  • Perform first aid or cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) when required.
  • Remove hazards and develop appropriate boundaries and rules to create a safe environment for children.
  • Instruct and assist children in the development of health and personal habits, such as eating, resting, and toilet behavior.
  • Regulate children's rest periods and nap schedules.
  • Teach and perform age-appropriate activities, such as lap play, reading, and arts and crafts, to encourage intellectual development of children.

Amber marks language and information work. Green marks tasks that need a person in a place.

Where childcare workers move next

Occupations that share most of this one’s skills, with the pay difference and the change in AI exposure.

Location

San Diego, CA, United States of America (SAN-San Diego Intl.)

Photograph by Ionela Mat.