Child Care Worker | Salary & Job Information

Becoming a Child Care Worker via Online Education?

At the very least, online education can help you lay a foundation and/or open up alternate career paths. Ashford University, one of the highest ranking online schools, is a US school (accredited) offering child care courses to train individuals to become top-notch child care professionals, child care workers, nannies, day care specialists, day care workers, etc. Currently, according to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics there are 595,650 people employed as child care workers alone in America, and their average annual salary is $20,940. Community and social services employees make on average $42,750 per year and there are about 1,891,320 of them employed today. Colleges and universities like Ashford University that provide online education are successfully launching workers into this field.

Typical Work Locations for a Child Care Worker
  • Office
  • Nursery
  • Elementary school
  • Day care facility
  • Community center
  • Preschool
  • Church
  • Hospital
  • Camp
  • Gym
Potential Advantages and Benefits of Working as a Child Care Worker
  • Fun work atmosphere
  • Play games with kids
  • Art projects with kids
  • Give young children a great experience in their childhood
  • Get to see children smile
  • Help children learn
  • Good insurance
  • Health benefits
  • Build and maintain relationships with families
  • Teach kids great communications skills
Potential Drawbacks
  • High level of patience needed
  • Must have self control
  • High stress tolerance required
  • Adaptability/flexibility
  • Having to use discipline
  • Instruct children in health and personal habits
  • Communicate often with parents
  • Sanitize toys and equipment
  • Structured versus unstructured work
  • Responsible for others' health and safety
Related Professions to Consider
  • Social Worker
  • Home Health Aid
  • Behavioral Health Specialist
  • Counselor
  • Coach
  • Juvenile Probation Officer
  • Family Therapist
  • Nurse
  • Teacher
  • Pediatrician
Possible Interview Questions When Applying to be a Child Care Worker
  • What qualifications or training do you have?
  • Have you had a recent background check?
  • Are you a registered child care provider?
  • Tell me about your experience working with children with special needs?
  • Tell me about your experience working with a group of children?
  • What skills can you bring to our company?
  • What interests you most about the job?
  • What do you like most about working with children?
  • What salary do you expect What salary do you expect?
  • Why are you leaving your current job?
Common Collaborating Professions
  • Teacher
  • Social Worker
  • Guidance Counselor
  • School Psychologist
  • Speech Pathologist
  • Special Education Instructor
  • Principal
  • Janitor
  • Cook
  • English As A Second Language (esl) Teacher Esl/tesol Instructor
Child Care Worker Training books Child Care Worker (More) Popular books Potential Companies to Work For Common College Majors
  • Positive Discipline
  • Infant and Toddler Care
  • Preschool Science: A Sense of Wonder and Discovery
  • Learning Styles
  • Developmentally Appropriate Practice: Choosing toys and art activities
  • Managing Mixed Age Groups in a Child Care Setting
  • Taming Temper Tantrums
  • The Impact of Violence on Young Children
  • Separation Anxiety
  • Learning Through Play

Child Care Worker Salary Information

Category: Community and social services occupations

Total # Employed in the US 1,891,320
Average Hourly Wage: $20.55/hr
Hourly Wage Range
PERCENTILE
10%25%50%75%90%
$10.88 $14.09 $18.74 $25.48 $32.95
Average Yearly Salary $42,750
Yearly Salary Range
PERCENTILE
10%25%50%75%90%
$22,640 $29,310 $38,970 $52,990 $68,540
Employment Demographics
% OF WORKERS WITH
< High School Diploma High School Diploma Some College Associate Degree Bachelor Degree Master Degree Doctoral Degree
% % % % % % %
Community and social services occupations — WAGES BY STATE, SORTED BY SALARY
STATEAverage Hourly WageAverage Annual Salary
Colorado $24.37/hr $50,700
Delaware $24.26/hr $50,450
North Dakota $23.92/hr $49,760
New York $23.63/hr $49,140
Mississippi $22.85/hr $47,540
Florida $22.85/hr $47,520
Oklahoma $22.04/hr $45,840
Indiana $21.94/hr $45,630
Kansas $21.52/hr $44,760
Virginia $21.35/hr $44,410
Missouri $21.07/hr $43,830
Alaska $20.91/hr $43,490
Montana $20.83/hr $43,330
Wyoming $20.57/hr $42,780
District of Columbia $20.4/hr $42,430
South Carolina $20.22/hr $42,060
Connecticut $19.94/hr $41,470
Idaho $19.75/hr $41,080
Tennessee $19.7/hr $40,970
Nebraska $19.53/hr $40,620
Hawaii $19.46/hr $40,470
Alabama $19.2/hr $39,930
Puerto Rico $19/hr $39,530
North Carolina $19/hr $39,520
Arkansas $18.96/hr $39,440
Massachusetts $18.87/hr $39,250
Kentucky $18.8/hr $39,100
Ohio $18.66/hr $38,820
Utah $18.65/hr $38,780
Michigan $18.49/hr $38,460
Oregon $18.34/hr $38,150
Maryland $18.24/hr $37,950
New Hampshire $18.19/hr $37,830
Iowa $18.11/hr $37,680
Washington $17.42/hr $36,230
Wisconsin $17.37/hr $36,120
Louisiana $17.36/hr $36,100
Guam $17.35/hr $36,080
Maine $17.33/hr $36,040
Pennsylvania $17.33/hr $36,050
South Dakota $17.18/hr $35,740
West Virginia $17.05/hr $35,450
Nevada $16.99/hr $35,340
California $16.93/hr $35,210
New Mexico $16.61/hr $34,540
New Jersey $16.41/hr $34,140


Category: Child, family, and school social workers

Total # Employed in the US 277,670
Average Hourly Wage: $20.93/hr
Hourly Wage Range
PERCENTILE
10%25%50%75%90%
$12.52 $15.36 $19.21 $25.2 $32.38
Average Yearly Salary $43,540
Yearly Salary Range
PERCENTILE
10%25%50%75%90%
$26,050 $31,950 $39,960 $52,410 $67,360
Employment Demographics
% OF WORKERS WITH
< High School Diploma High School Diploma Some College Associate Degree Bachelor Degree Master Degree Doctoral Degree
1.2% 6.2% 10.4% 6.0% 42.3% 32.2% 1.6%
Child, family, and school social workers — WAGES BY STATE, SORTED BY SALARY
STATEAverage Hourly WageAverage Annual Salary
Delaware $29.66/hr $61,690
Nebraska $26.36/hr $54,820
Virginia $26.04/hr $54,170
North Dakota $25.77/hr $53,610
Kansas $25.59/hr $53,230
Florida $24.66/hr $51,290
Oklahoma $24.44/hr $50,830
New York $24.23/hr $50,400
Colorado $24.2/hr $50,340
Mississippi $23.85/hr $49,600
Montana $23.81/hr $49,520
Indiana $23.68/hr $49,250
Missouri $22.21/hr $46,200
Alaska $21.4/hr $44,500
Connecticut $21.33/hr $44,370
Massachusetts $20.99/hr $43,660
Oregon $20.71/hr $43,090
Maine $19.89/hr $41,370
Alabama $19.6/hr $40,760
Hawaii $19.47/hr $40,500
Michigan $19.33/hr $40,200
Puerto Rico $19.16/hr $39,860
Guam $19.15/hr $39,840
Pennsylvania $18.98/hr $39,480
Louisiana $18.92/hr $39,360
Tennessee $18.91/hr $39,330
North Carolina $18.79/hr $39,090
South Carolina $18.39/hr $38,240
Maryland $18.01/hr $37,450
Wyoming $17.9/hr $37,230
Idaho $17.75/hr $36,910
Utah $17.69/hr $36,790
Arkansas $17.58/hr $36,560
West Virginia $17.25/hr $35,870
Ohio $17.2/hr $35,780
Iowa $17.13/hr $35,630
California $17.13/hr $35,620
New Mexico $17.07/hr $35,510
New Jersey $17.01/hr $35,390
Kentucky $16.82/hr $34,990
Wisconsin $16.6/hr $34,530
New Hampshire $16.31/hr $33,910
South Dakota $15.91/hr $33,090
Washington $15.69/hr $32,630
Nevada $15.34/hr $31,910


Category: Child care workers

Total # Employed in the US 595,650
Average Hourly Wage: $10.07/hr
Hourly Wage Range
PERCENTILE
10%25%50%75%90%
$7.37 $8.0 $9.25 $11.49 $14.24
Average Yearly Salary $20,940
Yearly Salary Range
PERCENTILE
10%25%50%75%90%
$15,340 $16,640 $19,240 $23,900 $29,620
Employment Demographics
% OF WORKERS WITH
< High School Diploma High School Diploma Some College Associate Degree Bachelor Degree Master Degree Doctoral Degree
16.2% 36.5% 25.4% 8.4% 11.2% 1.8% 0.3%
Child care workers — WAGES BY STATE, SORTED BY SALARY
STATEAverage Hourly WageAverage Annual Salary
Florida $11.82/hr $24,590
Missouri $11.77/hr $24,480
Oklahoma $11.56/hr $24,040
Colorado $11.41/hr $23,730
Alaska $11.38/hr $23,670
Delaware $11.19/hr $23,280
Connecticut $11/hr $22,890
North Dakota $10.92/hr $22,710
Virginia $10.83/hr $22,530
Puerto Rico $10.63/hr $22,100
South Carolina $10.59/hr $22,030
Kansas $10.58/hr $22,010
Mississippi $10.55/hr $21,940
Michigan $10.47/hr $21,780
Montana $10.38/hr $21,590
Tennessee $10.26/hr $21,340
North Carolina $9.87/hr $20,520
Nebraska $9.78/hr $20,340
Utah $9.7/hr $20,170
District of Columbia $9.63/hr $20,030
Arkansas $9.6/hr $19,970
New Hampshire $9.56/hr $19,880
New York $9.55/hr $19,850
Hawaii $9.45/hr $19,660
Indiana $9.45/hr $19,660
Louisiana $9.23/hr $19,210
Maine $9.13/hr $18,980
Ohio $9.12/hr $18,960
Kentucky $9.11/hr $18,940
Oregon $9.04/hr $18,800
Guam $8.96/hr $18,640
Maryland $8.86/hr $18,430
Idaho $8.83/hr $18,360
West Virginia $8.8/hr $18,300
Wyoming $8.75/hr $18,210
Massachusetts $8.74/hr $18,190
New Mexico $8.73/hr $18,150
Washington $8.64/hr $17,960
South Dakota $8.59/hr $17,880
Iowa $8.58/hr $17,850
Wisconsin $8.56/hr $17,800
New Jersey $8.53/hr $17,740
Alabama $8.44/hr $17,560
Pennsylvania $8.38/hr $17,440
Nevada $8.15/hr $16,950
California $8.05/hr $16,750


Category: Nannies

Total # Employed in the US 595,650
Average Hourly Wage: $10.07/hr
Hourly Wage Range
PERCENTILE
10%25%50%75%90%
$7.37 $8.0 $9.25 $11.49 $14.24
Average Yearly Salary $20,940
Yearly Salary Range
PERCENTILE
10%25%50%75%90%
$15,340 $16,640 $19,240 $23,900 $29,620
Employment Demographics
% OF WORKERS WITH
< High School Diploma High School Diploma Some College Associate Degree Bachelor Degree Master Degree Doctoral Degree
16.2% 36.5% 25.4% 8.4% 11.2% 1.8% 0.3%


Child Care Programs by State & City