39 Series · SOC 39-9011
Childcare Workers Salary
National pay, percentile range, growth outlook, and state-by-state detail from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey (May 2025).
- $34,980
- Median / year
- +9.1%
- 2024→2025
- $46,010
- Top 10% earn
- -2.9%
- Growth '24–'34
- 518,910
- Estimated US jobs
Childcare Workers earn a median of $34,980 per year.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey, the median annual wage is $34,980, based on the most recent survey of employers. Reported pay ranges from $24,260 (10th percentile) to $46,010 (90th percentile) nationally, across roughly 518,910 estimated jobs in covered establishments. The highest published state median in this ranking is District of Columbia ($47,340).
The pay verdict
Childcare Workers earn a median of $34,980, putting them among the lower-paid US occupations and higher than 2% of the 825 occupations with a published BLS median. Within Personal Care and Service, it ranks #26 of 32 by median pay. Employment is projected to fall 2.9% by 2034.
- $34,980
- Median annual wage
- Top 98%
- of 825 US occupations with published wages
- #26 of 32
- in Personal Care and Service
- 1.9×
- 90th-to-10th pay spread
Highest-paying state: District of Columbia at $47,340. Typical entry-level education: High school diploma or equivalent.
Observed pay change
What changed, BLS OEWS 2019–2025
- The published national median for Childcare Workers moved from $24,230 in May 2019 to $34,980 in May 2025 (+44.4%).
- Across the 749 occupations priced in both releases under SOC-2018, the median occupation changed +24.5%.
- Childcare Workers sits +19.9 pp ahead of that median, nominal dollars, no price deflator applied.
Childcare Workers (SOC 39-9011) has a national median of $34,980 per year in the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics May 2025 release. The published 10th-to-90th-percentile boundaries run from $24,260 to $46,010, and the published mean is $35,030. Those summary statistics describe the estimated distribution; their difference alone does not identify its cause. OEWS estimates 518,910 jobs in covered establishments nationally. WageDex has published rows for 54 state or territory areas and 519 metropolitan or nonmetropolitan wage areas. The published national median moved from $32,050 in the May 2024 OEWS release to $34,980 in May 2025, a rise of $2,930 (+9.1%). This is a change between two BLS survey estimates, not an inflation-adjusted same-worker pay raise.
BLS Employment Projections forecast a -2.9% change in employment from 2024 to 2034, which we classify as declining relative to the all-occupations baseline of 3.1%. About 160,200 openings are projected per year from growth, occupational transfers, and labor-force exits. BLS assigns High school diploma or equivalent as typical education needed for entry, and BLS classifies its typical on-the-job preparation as short-term on-the-job training. BLS does not publish a separate occupation-specific fatality and injury rate for this role in the current release. The safety panel below shows its broad Personal Care and Service Occupations SOC-group context and is not an occupation-level measurement or ranking.
Geographic variation matters as much as the headline median. District of Columbia pays the highest state median at $47,340, which is +35% above the national figure. The highest published metropolitan-area median in this ranking is North Port-Bradenton-Sarasota, FL at $47,300. The observed difference does not identify its cause. Pair the national median with the state and metropolitan-area rows below while keeping the geography and statistic consistent. OEWS includes tips, commissions, incentive pay, and production bonuses, but not employer benefits, overtime premiums, stock compensation, or nonproduction bonuses. See our methodology for the sourcing and calculation details.
Median Salary
$34,980
per year
Median Hourly
$16.82/hr
per hour
Mean Salary
$35,030
average
Employment
518,910
jobs nationwide
How does this pay compare nationally?
Where Childcare Workers pay sits nationally
Median annual wage vs. 825 detailed BLS occupations with a published median
$34,980 Bottom 2% higher than 2% of 825 US occupations
Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more US occupations. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Read the chart as text · as of May 2025
| Band | Count | Share |
|---|---|---|
| $0–$20,000 | 0 US occupations | 0% |
| $20,000–$40,000 (this entry) | 98 US occupations | 12% |
| $40,000–$60,000 | 298 US occupations | 36% |
| $60,000–$80,000 | 209 US occupations | 25% |
| $80,000–$100,000 | 82 US occupations | 10% |
| $100,000–$120,000 | 58 US occupations | 7% |
| $120,000–$140,000 | 32 US occupations | 4% |
| $140,000–$160,000 | 14 US occupations | 2% |
| $160,000–$180,000 | 9 US occupations | 1% |
| $180,000 and above | 25 US occupations | 3% |
$34,980 · 2nd percentile of 825 US occupations
Source U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS · May 2025
Does this job pay well and grow?
Each dot is a 39-series occupation, placed by projected 2024–2034 growth and median pay. The highlighted dot is Childcare Workers; the upper-right quadrant is the sweet spot (high pay + fast growth).
Read the chart as text
- Childcare Workers: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -2.9%, Median annual wage $34980
- Amusement and Recrea…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 3.4%, Median annual wage $32150
- Recreation Workers: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 4.1%, Median annual wage $36560
- Exercise Trainers an…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 11.9%, Median annual wage $47160
- Hairdressers, Hairst…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 5.6%, Median annual wage $35790
- Animal Caretakers: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 12.1%, Median annual wage $35360
- Manicurists and Pedi…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 7%, Median annual wage $35760
- Ushers, Lobby Attend…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 1.2%, Median annual wage $32910
- First-Line Superviso…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 6.7%, Median annual wage $48590
- First-Line Superviso…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 6.3%, Median annual wage $48560
- Residential Advisors: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 3.8%, Median annual wage $42240
- Gambling Dealers: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -0.6%, Median annual wage $34320
- Skincare Specialists: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 6.7%, Median annual wage $45330
- Personal Care and Se…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 6.4%, Median annual wage $41600
- Tour and Travel Guides: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 8.1%, Median annual wage $38120
- Concierges: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 2.3%, Median annual wage $38950
- Funeral Attendants: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 3.1%, Median annual wage $35680
- Baggage Porters and …: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -1.6%, Median annual wage $37080
- First-Line Superviso…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 2%, Median annual wage $63820
- Morticians, Undertak…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 3.1%, Median annual wage $55010
- Animal Trainers: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 5.1%, Median annual wage $39990
- Locker Room, Coatroo…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 6.4%, Median annual wage $36300
- Barbers: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 4.1%, Median annual wage $38210
- Gambling Service Wor…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -0.6%, Median annual wage $36310
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS (wages, May 2025) and Employment Projections (2024–2034).
Job Outlook (2024–2034)
Projected Growth
-2.9%
Declining
Annual Openings
160,200
per year (projected)
Employment Change
-29,200
991,600 (2024) → 962,400 (2034)
Typical Education
High school diploma or equivalent
On-the-Job Training
Short-term on-the-job training
Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2024–2034
Workplace Safety
All safety ratings →Personal Care and Service Occupations context
Broad SOC context, not an occupation grade
Fatality Rate
1.5/100K
Injury Rate
2/100
Danger Index
8.8/100
Source: BLS Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) & Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses (SOII), 2023
Career Intelligence
Skills, knowledge, and tasks most important for Childcare Workers roles, ranked by importance. Source: O*NET.
Top Skills
Knowledge Areas
Key Tasks
- ▸ Maintain a safe play environment.
- ▸ Observe and monitor children's play activities.
- ▸ Communicate with children's parents or guardians about daily activities, behaviors, and related issues.
- ▸ Support children's emotional and social development, encouraging understanding of others and positive self-concepts.
- ▸ Care for children in institutional setting, such as group homes, nursery schools, private businesses, or schools for people with disabilities.
- ▸ Sanitize toys and play equipment.
- ▸ Dress children and change diapers.
- ▸ Keep records on individual children, including daily observations and information about activities, meals served, and medications administered.
- ▸ Identify signs of emotional or developmental problems in children and bring them to parents' or guardians' attention.
- ▸ Instruct children in health and personal habits, such as eating, resting, and toilet habits.
Source: O*NET Online, National Center for O*NET Development. Data represents typical importance ratings for this occupation.
Salary Range
Annual Salary Distribution
Hourly Rate Distribution
Childcare Workers pay history, 2015–2025
Published national median across 11 BLS OEWS releases. Nominal dollars, not inflation-adjusted.
Read the chart as text
| Period | National median |
|---|---|
| 2015 | $20,320 |
| 2016 | $21,170 |
| 2017 | $22,290 |
| 2018 | $23,240 |
| 2019 | $24,230 |
| 2020 | $25,460 |
| 2021 | $27,490 |
| 2022 | $28,520 |
| 2023 | $30,370 |
| 2024 | $32,050 |
| 2025 | $34,980 |
2015 median
$20,320
2025 median
$34,980
2019–2025 change (same SOC)
+$10,750 (+44.4%)
Avg/year (same SOC)
+6.3%
| Release | Median | Change | Estimated jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 2015 | $20,320 | First banked release | 573,440 |
| May 2016 | $21,170 | +4.2% | 569,370 |
| May 2017 | $22,290 | +5.3% | 562,420 |
| May 2018 | $23,240 | +4.3% | 564,630 |
| May 2019 | $24,230 | Classification break | 561,520 |
| May 2020 | $25,460 | +5.1% | 494,360 |
| May 2021 | $27,490 | +8.0% | 438,520 |
| May 2022 | $28,520 | +3.7% | 459,460 |
| May 2023 | $30,370 | +6.5% | 497,450 |
| May 2024 | $32,050 | +5.5% | 520,180 |
| May 2025 | $34,980 | +9.1% | 518,910 |
Across the 11 releases WageDex holds for this occupation, the published national median went from $20,320 in May 2015 to $34,980 in May 2025. Within the SOC-2018 classification (2019–2025), the like-for-like change averages +6.3% per year in nominal terms. Within the same SOC classification, estimated employment went from 561,520 in May 2019 to 518,910 in May 2025.
Each figure is a separate BLS survey estimate, so a change between releases reflects the estimated occupation-wide median in each year. It is not the raise any individual worker received, and it is not adjusted for inflation. Years where BLS did not publish an annual median for this occupation are omitted rather than filled in. This span also crosses a classification change: releases before May 2019 use the 2010 Standard Occupational Classification and later releases use the 2018 SOC, so figures either side of that boundary are not strictly like-for-like. Headline change rates on this page use only the same-classification subset.
Salary by State
Highest Paying States
View all 54 states →
| # | State | Median Salary | vs National |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | $47,340 | +35% above national |
| 2 | Washington | $41,680 | +19% above national |
| 3 | Massachusetts | $40,900 | +17% above national |
| 4 | Colorado | $40,750 | +16% above national |
| 5 | California | $40,020 | +14% above national |
| 6 | Oregon | $38,650 | +10% above national |
| 7 | Vermont | $38,030 | +9% above national |
| 8 | New York | $37,590 | +7% above national |
| 9 | New Hampshire | $37,080 | +6% above national |
| 10 | Hawaii | $37,030 | +6% above national |
| 11 | Rhode Island | $36,940 | +6% above national |
| 12 | Connecticut | $36,660 | +5% above national |
| 13 | New Jersey | $36,390 | +4% above national |
| 14 | Maine | $36,350 | +4% above national |
| 15 | Alaska | $36,200 | +3% above national |
| 16 | Maryland | $36,030 | +3% above national |
| 17 | New Mexico | $35,840 | +2% above national |
| 18 | Illinois | $35,830 | +2% above national |
| 19 | Minnesota | $35,520 | +2% above national |
| 20 | Montana | $35,120 | same as national |
| 21 | Arizona | $35,100 | same as national |
| 22 | Virginia | $34,330 | 2% below national |
| 23 | Florida | $34,210 | 2% below national |
| 24 | Delaware | $33,210 | 5% below national |
| 25 | Wisconsin | $32,460 | 7% below national |
| 26 | Utah | $31,630 | 10% below national |
| 27 | Michigan | $30,970 | 11% below national |
| 28 | Missouri | $30,790 | 12% below national |
| 29 | Nebraska | $30,740 | 12% below national |
| 30 | North Dakota | $30,290 | 13% below national |
| 31 | Indiana | $30,180 | 14% below national |
| 32 | Idaho | $30,160 | 14% below national |
| 33 | Pennsylvania | $30,140 | 14% below national |
| 34 | Nevada | $29,740 | 15% below national |
| 35 | Ohio | $29,680 | 15% below national |
| 36 | Tennessee | $29,660 | 15% below national |
| 37 | South Carolina | $29,650 | 15% below national |
| 38 | Kansas | $29,240 | 16% below national |
| 39 | North Carolina | $29,140 | 17% below national |
| 40 | Kentucky | $28,920 | 17% below national |
| 41 | Texas | $28,570 | 18% below national |
| 42 | Arkansas | $28,450 | 19% below national |
| 43 | Iowa | $28,420 | 19% below national |
| 44 | Wyoming | $28,250 | 19% below national |
| 45 | Georgia | $28,020 | 20% below national |
| 46 | Virgin Islands | $28,010 | 20% below national |
| 47 | South Dakota | $27,940 | 20% below national |
| 48 | Oklahoma | $27,730 | 21% below national |
| 49 | West Virginia | $27,710 | 21% below national |
| 50 | Louisiana | $22,900 | 35% below national |
| 51 | Alabama | $22,720 | 35% below national |
| 52 | Puerto Rico | $22,600 | 35% below national |
| 53 | Mississippi | $22,050 | 37% below national |
| 54 | Guam | $22,020 | 37% below national |
Salary by Metro Area
Highest Paying Metros
View all 385 metro areas →
| # | Metro Area | Median Salary | vs National |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | North Port-Bradenton-Sarasota, FL | $47,300 | +35% above national |
| 2 | San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $45,720 | +31% above national |
| 3 | San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $44,540 | +27% above national |
| 4 | Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | $44,320 | +27% above national |
| 5 | Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $43,710 | +25% above national |
| 6 | Barnstable Town, MA | $43,480 | +24% above national |
| 7 | Boulder, CO | $43,380 | +24% above national |
| 8 | San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA | $42,860 | +23% above national |
| 9 | Longview-Kelso, WA | $42,300 | +21% above national |
| 10 | Modesto, CA | $41,920 | +20% above national |
| 11 | Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $41,590 | +19% above national |
| 12 | Napa, CA | $41,570 | +19% above national |
| 13 | Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | $41,260 | +18% above national |
| 14 | Amherst Town-Northampton, MA | $40,560 | +16% above national |
| 15 | Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | $40,210 | +15% above national |
| 16 | Mount Vernon-Anacortes, WA | $40,150 | +15% above national |
| 17 | Stockton-Lodi, CA | $40,010 | +14% above national |
| 18 | Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $39,890 | +14% above national |
| 19 | San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | $39,800 | +14% above national |
| 20 | Flagstaff, AZ | $39,640 | +13% above national |
| 21 | Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | $39,590 | +13% above national |
| 22 | Salinas, CA | $39,520 | +13% above national |
| 23 | Worcester, MA | $39,300 | +12% above national |
| 24 | Vallejo, CA | $38,850 | +11% above national |
| 25 | Bellingham, WA | $38,820 | +11% above national |
| 26 | Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA | $38,690 | +11% above national |
| 27 | Pittsfield, MA | $38,410 | +10% above national |
| 28 | Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA | $38,390 | +10% above national |
| 29 | Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $38,390 | +10% above national |
| 30 | Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA | $38,390 | +10% above national |
| 31 | Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA | $38,340 | +10% above national |
| 32 | El Centro, CA | $38,220 | +9% above national |
| 33 | Wenatchee-East Wenatchee, WA | $38,130 | +9% above national |
| 34 | Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA | $38,050 | +9% above national |
| 35 | Burlington-South Burlington, VT | $38,030 | +9% above national |
| 36 | Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT | $38,020 | +9% above national |
| 37 | New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $37,870 | +8% above national |
| 38 | Kennewick-Richland, WA | $37,840 | +8% above national |
| 39 | Redding, CA | $37,820 | +8% above national |
| 40 | Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $37,610 | +8% above national |
| 41 | Yuba City, CA | $37,550 | +7% above national |
| 42 | Bend, OR | $37,520 | +7% above national |
| 43 | Ithaca, NY | $37,410 | +7% above national |
| 44 | Salem, OR | $37,320 | +7% above national |
| 45 | Providence-Warwick, RI-MA | $37,230 | +6% above national |
| 46 | Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA | $37,230 | +6% above national |
| 47 | Visalia, CA | $37,190 | +6% above national |
| 48 | Colorado Springs, CO | $37,160 | +6% above national |
| 49 | Grants Pass, OR | $37,150 | +6% above national |
| 50 | Kahului-Wailuku, HI | $36,940 | +6% above national |
| 51 | Springfield, MA | $36,910 | +6% above national |
| 52 | Hanford-Corcoran, CA | $36,890 | +5% above national |
| 53 | Eugene-Springfield, OR | $36,760 | +5% above national |
| 54 | Fairbanks-College, AK | $36,750 | +5% above national |
| 55 | Urban Honolulu, HI | $36,710 | +5% above national |
| 56 | Greeley, CO | $36,690 | +5% above national |
| 57 | Chico, CA | $36,660 | +5% above national |
| 58 | Portland-South Portland, ME | $36,620 | +5% above national |
| 59 | Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | $36,610 | +5% above national |
| 60 | Merced, CA | $36,590 | +5% above national |
| 61 | New Haven, CT | $36,550 | +4% above national |
| 62 | Yakima, WA | $36,550 | +4% above national |
| 63 | Fresno, CA | $36,480 | +4% above national |
| 64 | Bozeman, MT | $36,460 | +4% above national |
| 65 | Santa Fe, NM | $36,440 | +4% above national |
| 66 | Fort Collins-Loveland, CO | $36,420 | +4% above national |
| 67 | Kingston, NY | $36,360 | +4% above national |
| 68 | Albuquerque, NM | $36,340 | +4% above national |
| 69 | Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | $36,310 | +4% above national |
| 70 | Anchorage, AK | $36,280 | +4% above national |
| 71 | Kiryas Joel-Poughkeepsie-Newburgh, NY | $36,230 | +4% above national |
| 72 | Manchester-Nashua, NH | $36,210 | +4% above national |
| 73 | Bakersfield-Delano, CA | $36,190 | +3% above national |
| 74 | Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY | $36,170 | +3% above national |
| 75 | Walla Walla, WA | $36,040 | +3% above national |
| 76 | Norwich-New London-Willimantic, CT | $35,950 | +3% above national |
| 77 | Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT | $35,920 | +3% above national |
| 78 | Binghamton, NY | $35,890 | +3% above national |
| 79 | Corvallis, OR | $35,800 | +2% above national |
| 80 | Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ | $35,760 | +2% above national |
| 81 | Billings, MT | $35,740 | +2% above national |
| 82 | Waterbury-Shelton, CT | $35,670 | +2% above national |
| 83 | Albany, OR | $35,640 | +2% above national |
| 84 | Trenton-Princeton, NJ | $35,640 | +2% above national |
| 85 | Medford, OR | $35,620 | +2% above national |
| 86 | Missoula, MT | $35,510 | +2% above national |
| 87 | Helena, MT | $35,500 | +1% above national |
| 88 | Glens Falls, NY | $35,460 | +1% above national |
| 89 | Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY | $35,410 | +1% above national |
| 90 | Grand Junction, CO | $35,390 | +1% above national |
| 91 | Pueblo, CO | $35,230 | +1% above national |
| 92 | Jacksonville, FL | $35,210 | +1% above national |
| 93 | Utica-Rome, NY | $35,190 | +1% above national |
| 94 | Springfield, IL | $35,170 | +1% above national |
| 95 | Ocala, FL | $35,150 | same as national |
| 96 | Lexington-Fayette, KY | $35,100 | same as national |
| 97 | Rochester, NY | $35,090 | same as national |
| 98 | Champaign-Urbana, IL | $34,990 | same as national |
| 99 | Prescott Valley-Prescott, AZ | $34,930 | same as national |
| 100 | Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD | $34,860 | same as national |
| 101 | Bangor, ME | $34,820 | same as national |
| 102 | Farmington, NM | $34,820 | same as national |
| 103 | Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | $34,750 | 1% below national |
| 104 | Decatur, IL | $34,740 | 1% below national |
| 105 | Punta Gorda, FL | $34,730 | 1% below national |
| 106 | Naples-Marco Island, FL | $34,670 | 1% below national |
| 107 | Green Bay, WI | $34,650 | 1% below national |
| 108 | Deltona-Daytona Beach-Ormond Beach, FL | $34,620 | 1% below national |
| 109 | Mankato, MN | $34,590 | 1% below national |
| 110 | Lewiston-Auburn, ME | $34,570 | 1% below national |
| 111 | Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ | $34,540 | 1% below national |
| 112 | Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | $34,520 | 1% below national |
| 113 | Rochester, MN | $34,510 | 1% below national |
| 114 | Madison, WI | $34,450 | 2% below national |
| 115 | Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN | $34,450 | 2% below national |
| 116 | Syracuse, NY | $34,380 | 2% below national |
| 117 | Sebastian-Vero Beach-West Vero Corridor, FL | $34,300 | 2% below national |
| 118 | Las Cruces, NM | $34,270 | 2% below national |
| 119 | Lexington Park, MD | $34,250 | 2% below national |
| 120 | Elmira, NY | $34,170 | 2% below national |
| 121 | Charlottesville, VA | $34,130 | 2% below national |
| 122 | St. Cloud, MN | $34,030 | 3% below national |
| 123 | Port St. Lucie, FL | $33,930 | 3% below national |
| 124 | Lake Havasu City-Kingman, AZ | $33,790 | 3% below national |
| 125 | Salt Lake City-Murray, UT | $33,790 | 3% below national |
| 126 | Watertown-Fort Drum, NY | $33,630 | 4% below national |
| 127 | Richmond, VA | $33,570 | 4% below national |
| 128 | Rockford, IL | $33,560 | 4% below national |
| 129 | Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL | $33,530 | 4% below national |
| 130 | Coeur d'Alene, ID | $33,510 | 4% below national |
| 131 | Salisbury, MD | $33,510 | 4% below national |
| 132 | Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL | $33,460 | 4% below national |
| 133 | Vineland, NJ | $33,390 | 5% below national |
| 134 | Peoria, IL | $33,340 | 5% below national |
| 135 | St. Louis, MO-IL | $33,320 | 5% below national |
| 136 | Lawton, OK | $33,300 | 5% below national |
| 137 | Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI | $33,280 | 5% below national |
| 138 | Bloomington, IL | $33,140 | 5% below national |
| 139 | Traverse City, MI | $33,100 | 5% below national |
| 140 | Sheboygan, WI | $33,030 | 6% below national |
| 141 | Tucson, AZ | $32,830 | 6% below national |
| 142 | Kankakee, IL | $32,820 | 6% below national |
| 143 | Topeka, KS | $32,790 | 6% below national |
| 144 | Ann Arbor, MI | $32,700 | 7% below national |
| 145 | Crestview-Fort Walton Beach-Destin, FL | $32,570 | 7% below national |
| 146 | Racine-Mount Pleasant, WI | $32,460 | 7% below national |
| 147 | Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL | $32,310 | 8% below national |
| 148 | Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL | $32,300 | 8% below national |
| 149 | Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ | $32,220 | 8% below national |
| 150 | Asheville, NC | $32,150 | 8% below national |
| 151 | Fayetteville, NC | $32,150 | 8% below national |
| 152 | Panama City-Panama City Beach, FL | $32,150 | 8% below national |
| 153 | Yuma, AZ | $32,150 | 8% below national |
| 154 | Winchester, VA-WV | $32,090 | 8% below national |
| 155 | Pensacola-Ferry Pass-Brent, FL | $32,060 | 8% below national |
| 156 | Lansing-East Lansing, MI | $32,000 | 9% below national |
| 157 | Flint, MI | $31,930 | 9% below national |
| 158 | Charleston-North Charleston, SC | $31,870 | 9% below national |
| 159 | Kansas City, MO-KS | $31,770 | 9% below national |
| 160 | Hagerstown-Martinsburg, MD-WV | $31,750 | 9% below national |
| 161 | Dubuque, IA | $31,730 | 9% below national |
| 162 | Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI | $31,690 | 9% below national |
| 163 | Sebring, FL | $31,630 | 10% below national |
| 164 | Provo-Orem-Lehi, UT | $31,610 | 10% below national |
| 165 | Sierra Vista-Douglas, AZ | $31,390 | 10% below national |
| 166 | Omaha, NE-IA | $31,330 | 10% below national |
| 167 | Great Falls, MT | $31,320 | 10% below national |
| 168 | Ogden, UT | $31,310 | 10% below national |
| 169 | Dover, DE | $31,200 | 11% below national |
| 170 | Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL | $31,200 | 11% below national |
| 171 | Appleton, WI | $31,140 | 11% below national |
| 172 | Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | $31,110 | 11% below national |
| 173 | Lewiston, ID-WA | $31,080 | 11% below national |
| 174 | Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI | $31,060 | 11% below national |
| 175 | Burlington, NC | $31,030 | 11% below national |
| 176 | Durham-Chapel Hill, NC | $30,970 | 11% below national |
| 177 | Duluth, MN-WI | $30,960 | 11% below national |
| 178 | Oshkosh-Neenah, WI | $30,950 | 12% below national |
| 179 | Battle Creek, MI | $30,940 | 12% below national |
| 180 | Gainesville, FL | $30,870 | 12% below national |
| 181 | Jackson, MI | $30,860 | 12% below national |
| 182 | St. George, UT | $30,840 | 12% below national |
| 183 | Muncie, IN | $30,800 | 12% below national |
| 184 | Staunton-Stuarts Draft, VA | $30,780 | 12% below national |
| 185 | Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL | $30,770 | 12% below national |
| 186 | Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Port Royal, SC | $30,740 | 12% below national |
| 187 | La Crosse-Onalaska, WI-MN | $30,730 | 12% below national |
| 188 | Lafayette-West Lafayette, IN | $30,720 | 12% below national |
| 189 | Carson City, NV | $30,710 | 12% below national |
| 190 | Bismarck, ND | $30,650 | 12% below national |
| 191 | Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN | $30,650 | 12% below national |
| 192 | Boise City, ID | $30,630 | 12% below national |
| 193 | Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA | $30,630 | 12% below national |
| 194 | Lancaster, PA | $30,620 | 12% below national |
| 195 | Springfield, OH | $30,610 | 12% below national |
| 196 | Reno, NV | $30,520 | 13% below national |
| 197 | Youngstown-Warren, OH | $30,520 | 13% below national |
| 198 | Cleveland, OH | $30,460 | 13% below national |
| 199 | Eau Claire, WI | $30,450 | 13% below national |
| 200 | Kalamazoo-Portage, MI | $30,420 | 13% below national |
| 201 | Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC | $30,390 | 13% below national |
| 202 | York-Hanover, PA | $30,310 | 13% below national |
| 203 | Kenosha, WI | $30,290 | 13% below national |
| 204 | Columbus, OH | $30,280 | 13% below national |
| 205 | Logan, UT-ID | $30,280 | 13% below national |
| 206 | Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR | $30,210 | 14% below national |
| 207 | Grand Forks, ND-MN | $30,210 | 14% below national |
| 208 | Wausau, WI | $30,210 | 14% below national |
| 209 | Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN | $30,150 | 14% below national |
| 210 | Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN | $30,150 | 14% below national |
| 211 | Akron, OH | $30,140 | 14% below national |
| 212 | Winston-Salem, NC | $30,060 | 14% below national |
| 213 | Fort Wayne, IN | $30,050 | 14% below national |
| 214 | Twin Falls, ID | $30,050 | 14% below national |
| 215 | Janesville-Beloit, WI | $30,040 | 14% below national |
| 216 | Minot, ND | $30,040 | 14% below national |
| 217 | Fargo, ND-MN | $30,030 | 14% below national |
| 218 | Midland, TX | $30,010 | 14% below national |
| 219 | Grand Island, NE | $30,000 | 14% below national |
| 220 | Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA | $29,950 | 14% below national |
| 221 | Kokomo, IN | $29,930 | 14% below national |
| 222 | Evansville, IN | $29,880 | 15% below national |
| 223 | Midland, MI | $29,880 | 15% below national |
| 224 | Lincoln, NE | $29,860 | 15% below national |
| 225 | Pittsburgh, PA | $29,840 | 15% below national |
| 226 | South Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MI | $29,840 | 15% below national |
| 227 | Tallahassee, FL | $29,840 | 15% below national |
| 228 | Elkhart-Goshen, IN | $29,790 | 15% below national |
| 229 | Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC | $29,790 | 15% below national |
| 230 | Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA | $29,760 | 15% below national |
| 231 | Harrisonburg, VA | $29,710 | 15% below national |
| 232 | Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV | $29,670 | 15% below national |
| 233 | Gettysburg, PA | $29,640 | 15% below national |
| 234 | Savannah, GA | $29,630 | 15% below national |
| 235 | Springfield, MO | $29,610 | 15% below national |
| 236 | Goldsboro, NC | $29,590 | 15% below national |
| 237 | Knoxville, TN | $29,590 | 15% below national |
| 238 | Sandusky, OH | $29,570 | 15% below national |
| 239 | Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | $29,530 | 16% below national |
| 240 | Reading, PA | $29,530 | 16% below national |
| 241 | Bloomington, IN | $29,510 | 16% below national |
| 242 | Lynchburg, VA | $29,500 | 16% below national |
| 243 | Saginaw, MI | $29,490 | 16% below national |
| 244 | San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX | $29,440 | 16% below national |
| 245 | Spartanburg, SC | $29,430 | 16% below national |
| 246 | Hot Springs, AR | $29,360 | 16% below national |
| 247 | Sioux City, IA-NE-SD | $29,330 | 16% below national |
| 248 | Jacksonville, NC | $29,310 | 16% below national |
| 249 | Fond du Lac, WI | $29,270 | 16% below national |
| 250 | Muskegon-Norton Shores, MI | $29,260 | 16% below national |
| 251 | Greensboro-High Point, NC | $29,240 | 16% below national |
| 252 | Cape Girardeau, MO-IL | $29,210 | 16% below national |
| 253 | Monroe, MI | $29,210 | 16% below national |
| 254 | Tulsa, OK | $29,190 | 17% below national |
| 255 | Iowa City, IA | $29,170 | 17% below national |
| 256 | Owensboro, KY | $29,150 | 17% below national |
| 257 | Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek, OH | $29,140 | 17% below national |
| 258 | St. Joseph, MO-KS | $29,130 | 17% below national |
| 259 | Wheeling, WV-OH | $29,110 | 17% below national |
| 260 | Roanoke, VA | $29,100 | 17% below national |
| 261 | Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VA | $29,090 | 17% below national |
| 262 | Lawrence, KS | $29,090 | 17% below national |
| 263 | Columbia, MO | $29,070 | 17% below national |
| 264 | Wilmington, NC | $29,040 | 17% below national |
| 265 | Johnson City, TN | $29,030 | 17% below national |
| 266 | Toledo, OH | $29,000 | 17% below national |
| 267 | Michigan City-La Porte, IN | $28,970 | 17% below national |
| 268 | Elizabethtown, KY | $28,940 | 17% below national |
| 269 | Chattanooga, TN-GA | $28,860 | 17% below national |
| 270 | Memphis, TN-MS-AR | $28,860 | 17% below national |
| 271 | Columbia, SC | $28,850 | 18% below national |
| 272 | Myrtle Beach-Conway-North Myrtle Beach, SC | $28,850 | 18% below national |
| 273 | Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | $28,840 | 18% below national |
| 274 | Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR | $28,800 | 18% below national |
| 275 | Lima, OH | $28,790 | 18% below national |
| 276 | Brunswick-St. Simons, GA | $28,760 | 18% below national |
| 277 | Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC | $28,730 | 18% below national |
| 278 | Raleigh-Cary, NC | $28,680 | 18% below national |
| 279 | Bay City, MI | $28,660 | 18% below national |
| 280 | Jefferson City, MO | $28,600 | 18% below national |
| 281 | Joplin, MO-KS | $28,600 | 18% below national |
| 282 | Manhattan, KS | $28,590 | 18% below national |
| 283 | Jonesboro, AR | $28,550 | 18% below national |
| 284 | Lebanon, PA | $28,520 | 18% below national |
| 285 | Cleveland, TN | $28,510 | 18% below national |
| 286 | Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX | $28,470 | 19% below national |
| 287 | Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC | $28,460 | 19% below national |
| 288 | Greenville-Anderson-Greer, SC | $28,440 | 19% below national |
| 289 | Clarksville, TN-KY | $28,420 | 19% below national |
| 290 | Niles, MI | $28,400 | 19% below national |
| 291 | Morgantown, WV | $28,370 | 19% below national |
| 292 | Rapid City, SD | $28,330 | 19% below national |
| 293 | Hinesville, GA | $28,250 | 19% below national |
| 294 | Wichita, KS | $28,210 | 19% below national |
| 295 | Terre Haute, IN | $28,200 | 19% below national |
| 296 | Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA | $28,190 | 19% below national |
| 297 | Pocatello, ID | $28,190 | 19% below national |
| 298 | Cedar Rapids, IA | $28,170 | 19% below national |
| 299 | Rocky Mount, NC | $28,130 | 20% below national |
| 300 | Greenville, NC | $28,110 | 20% below national |
| 301 | Cheyenne, WY | $28,070 | 20% below national |
| 302 | Erie, PA | $28,030 | 20% below national |
| 303 | Sioux Falls, SD-MN | $28,030 | 20% below national |
| 304 | Weirton-Steubenville, WV-OH | $27,970 | 20% below national |
| 305 | Fort Smith, AR-OK | $27,940 | 20% below national |
| 306 | Idaho Falls, ID | $27,920 | 20% below national |
| 307 | Casper, WY | $27,860 | 20% below national |
| 308 | Ames, IA | $27,850 | 20% below national |
| 309 | Gainesville, GA | $27,800 | 21% below national |
| 310 | Morristown, TN | $27,800 | 21% below national |
| 311 | Florence, SC | $27,780 | 21% below national |
| 312 | Pinehurst-Southern Pines, NC | $27,740 | 21% below national |
| 313 | Sumter, SC | $27,660 | 21% below national |
| 314 | New Orleans-Metairie, LA | $27,630 | 21% below national |
| 315 | Parkersburg-Vienna, WV | $27,620 | 21% below national |
| 316 | Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA | $27,580 | 21% below national |
| 317 | Jackson, TN | $27,540 | 21% below national |
| 318 | Altoona, PA | $27,520 | 21% below national |
| 319 | Williamsport, PA | $27,460 | 21% below national |
| 320 | Charleston, WV | $27,370 | 22% below national |
| 321 | College Station-Bryan, TX | $27,250 | 22% below national |
| 322 | Amarillo, TX | $27,230 | 22% below national |
| 323 | Corpus Christi, TX | $27,210 | 22% below national |
| 324 | Odessa, TX | $27,210 | 22% below national |
| 325 | Chambersburg, PA | $27,030 | 23% below national |
| 326 | Athens-Clarke County, GA | $27,010 | 23% below national |
| 327 | Abilene, TX | $26,810 | 23% below national |
| 328 | Paducah, KY-IL | $26,800 | 23% below national |
| 329 | San Angelo, TX | $26,780 | 23% below national |
| 330 | Mansfield, OH | $26,770 | 23% below national |
| 331 | Waco, TX | $26,760 | 23% below national |
| 332 | Lubbock, TX | $26,650 | 24% below national |
| 333 | Canton-Massillon, OH | $26,610 | 24% below national |
| 334 | Johnstown, PA | $26,570 | 24% below national |
| 335 | Sherman-Denison, TX | $26,400 | 25% below national |
| 336 | Enid, OK | $26,300 | 25% below national |
| 337 | Columbus, GA-AL | $26,150 | 25% below national |
| 338 | Tyler, TX | $26,050 | 26% below national |
| 339 | Killeen-Temple, TX | $25,960 | 26% below national |
| 340 | Baton Rouge, LA | $25,550 | 27% below national |
| 341 | Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH | $25,360 | 28% below national |
| 342 | Oklahoma City, OK | $25,090 | 28% below national |
| 343 | Bowling Green, KY | $24,960 | 29% below national |
| 344 | Texarkana, TX-AR | $24,680 | 29% below national |
| 345 | Wichita Falls, TX | $24,120 | 31% below national |
| 346 | Macon-Bibb County, GA | $23,910 | 32% below national |
| 347 | Warner Robins, GA | $23,590 | 33% below national |
| 348 | El Paso, TX | $23,410 | 33% below national |
| 349 | Longview, TX | $23,410 | 33% below national |
| 350 | Victoria, TX | $23,280 | 33% below national |
| 351 | Huntsville, AL | $23,110 | 34% below national |
| 352 | Albany, GA | $23,080 | 34% below national |
| 353 | Birmingham, AL | $23,070 | 34% below national |
| 354 | Beaumont-Port Arthur, TX | $22,940 | 34% below national |
| 355 | Montgomery, AL | $22,720 | 35% below national |
| 356 | Auburn-Opelika, AL | $22,640 | 35% below national |
| 357 | San Juan-Bayamon-Caguas, PR | $22,630 | 35% below national |
| 358 | Slidell-Mandeville-Covington, LA | $22,610 | 35% below national |
| 359 | Rome, GA | $22,600 | 35% below national |
| 360 | Shreveport-Bossier City, LA | $22,590 | 35% below national |
| 361 | Valdosta, GA | $22,510 | 36% below national |
| 362 | Eagle Pass, TX | $22,480 | 36% below national |
| 363 | Alexandria, LA | $22,350 | 36% below national |
| 364 | Laredo, TX | $22,350 | 36% below national |
| 365 | Mobile, AL | $22,350 | 36% below national |
| 366 | McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX | $22,310 | 36% below national |
| 367 | Brownsville-Harlingen, TX | $22,290 | 36% below national |
| 368 | Gulfport-Biloxi, MS | $22,290 | 36% below national |
| 369 | Daphne-Fairhope-Foley, AL | $22,280 | 36% below national |
| 370 | Dalton, GA | $22,260 | 36% below national |
| 371 | Aguadilla, PR | $22,240 | 36% below national |
| 372 | Decatur, AL | $22,170 | 37% below national |
| 373 | Hammond, LA | $22,150 | 37% below national |
| 374 | Houma-Bayou Cane-Thibodaux, LA | $22,100 | 37% below national |
| 375 | Arecibo, PR | $22,060 | 37% below national |
| 376 | Tuscaloosa, AL | $22,040 | 37% below national |
| 377 | Dothan, AL | $21,910 | 37% below national |
| 378 | Mayaguez, PR | $21,850 | 38% below national |
| 379 | Lafayette, LA | $21,840 | 38% below national |
| 380 | Ponce, PR | $21,840 | 38% below national |
| 381 | Lake Charles, LA | $21,820 | 38% below national |
| 382 | Jackson, MS | $21,770 | 38% below national |
| 383 | Hattiesburg, MS | $21,590 | 38% below national |
| 384 | Gadsden, AL | $21,050 | 40% below national |
| 385 | Anniston-Oxford, AL | $20,730 | 41% below national |
Same SOC major group
Other detailed occupations in SOC major group 39 (Personal Care and Service Occupations) - category peers, not a pay match.
Amusement and Recreation Attendants
SOC 39-3091
Animal Caretakers
SOC 39-2021
Animal Trainers
SOC 39-2011
Baggage Porters and Bellhops
SOC 39-6011
Barbers
SOC 39-5011
Showing 5 of 31 detailed occupations BLS assigns to this SOC major group.
Nationwide occupations with similar pay or employment scale
Two OEWS peer sets outside this SOC major group (Personal Care and Service Occupations). Same-category cards above stay inside the group; these neighborhoods are cross-group nearest neighbors on national median pay ($34,980 here) and reported employment (518,910 jobs here).
Similar median pay
Nearest other detailed occupations by BLS OEWS national median annual wage.
Similar employment scale
Nearest headcount peers (floor 1,000 national jobs), distinct from the pay column.
Peers are nearest-neighbor matches on BLS OEWS national median annual wage and reported employment. Employment peers exclude occupations already listed in the pay column so the two link sets stay distinct.
Frequently Asked Questions
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What to do with this data
How to use Childcare Workers pay figures in a real decision
- The 75th-percentile wage is about $38,570/year. Treat it as the upper-quartile market boundary, not an automatic target for experience alone; role scope, location, industry, credentials, performance, and employer context still need separate evidence. Salary calculator
- Location moves pay significantly: District of Columbia leads at $47,340/year for this role. Weigh state pay against local cost of living before relocating or negotiating remote. Pay by state
- Compare this occupation against similar roles before you decide, so you are reading the pay band in context rather than in isolation. Compare jobs
These are BLS survey estimates for the occupation, not a salary offer or a prediction for any individual. Your pay depends on experience, employer, exact role, and location.
Source data and WageDex calculations are identified in context on this page. Occupation wages use BLS OEWS May 2025; outlook uses BLS Employment Projections for 2024–2034; safety, skills, knowledge, and task panels identify their BLS or O*NET sources in context. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.
This page is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial or career advice. Actual pay for a specific role, employer, or offer may differ from these national/state figures, consult a qualified career counselor, recruiter, or financial advisor before making decisions based on this data.