The average wage for a childcare worker in the United States is around $1.01 per hour.
Avg Wage
Childcare workers earn an average hourly wage of $1.01.
Salaries typically start from $0.75 per hour and go up to $1.37 per hour.
97% below national average Updated in 2023
Childcare worker earnings by seniority
90th percentile
Top-level childcare worker earnings begin at:
$1.37 per hour
$2,855 per year
75th percentile
Senior-level childcare worker earnings begin at:
$1.19 per hour
$2,474 per year
50th percentile
Mid-level childcare worker earnings begin at:
$1.01 per hour
$2,110 per year
25th percentile
Junior-level childcare worker earnings begin at:
$0.87 per hour
$1,800 per year
10th percentile
Starting level childcare worker earnings begin at:
$0.75 per hour
$1,560 per year
Approximate values based on highest and lowest earning segments.
Childcare worker salary by state
| State Name | Average Salary |
|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $36,330 |
| California | $34,170 |
| Washington | $33,160 |
| Massachusetts | $31,160 |
| Colorado | $30,350 |
| New York | $29,850 |
| Oregon | $29,810 |
| Arizona | $29,460 |
| New Jersey | $29,460 |
| Maine | $29,450 |
| Minnesota | $29,430 |
| Vermont | $29,270 |
| Connecticut | $29,200 |
| Alaska | $28,880 |
| Maryland | $28,750 |
| Hawaii | $28,690 |
| Rhode Island | $27,570 |
| Illinois | $26,730 |
| Florida | $26,630 |
| Virginia | $24,420 |
| Missouri | $24,360 |
| Wisconsin | $24,060 |
| Michigan | $23,990 |
| Nevada | $23,900 |
| Utah | $23,520 |
| Pennsylvania | $23,430 |
| North Carolina | $23,350 |
| Wyoming | $23,340 |
| Montana | $23,280 |
| North Dakota | $23,280 |
| Kentucky | $23,240 |
| Nebraska | $23,240 |
| Arkansas | $23,230 |
| Ohio | $23,230 |
| Virgin Islands, U.S. | $23,200 |
| New Hampshire | $23,180 |
| New Mexico | $23,080 |
| Indiana | $23,010 |
| Georgia | $22,970 |
| Tennessee | $22,880 |
| Delaware | $22,850 |
| South Dakota | $22,710 |
| Texas | $22,610 |
| Kansas | $22,460 |
| Iowa | $22,380 |
| South Carolina | $22,310 |
| Oklahoma | $22,190 |
| Idaho | $22,060 |
| West Virginia | $20,680 |
| Louisiana | $19,080 |
| Guam | $18,720 |
| Alabama | $18,610 |
| Puerto Rico | $18,500 |
| Mississippi | $17,580 |
How do childcare worker salaries compare to similar careers?
Childcare workers earn 82% less than similar careers in the United States. On average, they make less than graduate teaching assistants.
| Career | Median Salary |
|---|---|
| Graduate teaching assistant salary | $20K |
| Teacher assistant salary | $20K |
| Private tutor salary | $8K |
| Preschool teacher salary | $9K |
| Nanny salary | $9K |
| Childcare worker salary | $2K |
Source: CareerExplorer (Aggregated)