Education and Childcare Administrators, Preschool and Daycare Salary in California
Preschool and daycare education and childcare administrators in California earned a median of $67,100 a year ($32.26 an hour) and a mean of $73,830 in May 2025. The median is 13.2% above the U.S. median of $59,300, ranking 7th of 52 states and territories, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
- Median annual
- $67,100
- Median hourly
- $32.26
- Mean annual
- $73,830
- Jobs on record
- 9,810
Grey needle: U.S. median, $59,300 a year.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, state file, May 2025. Wage and salary jobs only; the self-employed are not counted. OEWS pay excludes overtime, shift differentials and non-production bonuses. Confirm any figure on bls.gov/oes. Latest BLS release: May 2025, published May 15, 2026; checked November 10, 2026.
How does California compare on pay for preschool and daycare education and childcare administrators?
California ranks 7th of 52 states and territories. New York is highest at $96,810, $29,710 more than the California median.
| State | Rank | Median | Against U.S. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Washington | 5 | $70,470 | +19% | 1,560 |
| Massachusetts | 6 | $70,320 | +19% | 2,260 |
| California | 7 | $67,100 | +13% | 9,810 |
| Hawaii | 8 | $65,080 | +10% | 260 |
| Colorado | 9 | $64,620 | +9% | 1,150 |
Source: BLS OEWS state file, May 2025. Rank 1 is the highest median among 52 states and territories with a published figure. See every state.
Does California pay go further after prices?
Prices in California run 10.7% above the U.S. average, so the $67,100 median buys about what $60,603 buys at average U.S. prices, above the $59,300 U.S. median. On this measure California ranks 19th of 50, down from 7th before the adjustment.
Source: BLS OEWS state file, May 2025; BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024. The adjustment divides pay by the state's price level.
Which areas in California pay preschool and daycare education and childcare administrators the most?
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA is highest at $78,770, 17.4% above the California median.
| Area | Median | Jobs |
|---|---|---|
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $78,770 | 1,920 |
| Salinas, CA | $76,620 | 120 |
| North Valley-Northern Mountains Region of California nonmetropolitan area | $74,360 | 60 |
| Visalia, CA | $73,100 | 60 |
| Napa, CA | $70,440 | 50 |
| Modesto, CA | $70,180 | 70 |
| Merced, CA | $68,440 | 40 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $67,140 | 2,570 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $67,030 | 720 |
| Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA | $65,480 | 150 |
| Chico, CA | $64,540 | 60 |
| Bakersfield-Delano, CA | $64,420 | 150 |
| Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA | $64,410 | 220 |
| Fresno, CA | $63,460 | 250 |
| Yuba City, CA | $63,250 | 40 |
| Stockton-Lodi, CA | $63,090 | 160 |
| Redding, CA | $63,060 | 50 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | $63,060 | 710 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $62,840 | 830 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | $62,500 | 830 |
| San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA | $62,060 | 60 |
| Vallejo, CA | $61,740 | 120 |
| Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA | $60,210 | 60 |
| North Coast Region of California nonmetropolitan area | $58,790 | 90 |
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | $58,330 | 190 |
| El Centro, CA | $49,620 | 40 |
Source: BLS OEWS metropolitan and nonmetropolitan area file, May 2025. Every area BLS lists for this job in California is shown; an area that crosses state lines is listed under the first state in its BLS title.
How many preschool and daycare education and childcare administrators work in California?
BLS counts 9,810 jobs in California, 13.3% of the 73,660 in the U.S. That is the largest count among the 51 states and territories with a published figure. That is 0.54 of every 1,000 jobs in California, a location quotient of 1.14: the occupation's share of local jobs is 1.14 times its national share, so it is more concentrated here than in the U.S. as a whole.
Source: BLS OEWS state file, May 2025 and national file.
How does the California minimum wage compare with pay for preschool and daycare education and childcare administrators?
The 10th-percentile hourly pay for preschool and daycare education and childcare administrators in California was $22.88 in May 2025, $5.98 above the $16.90 minimum wage that applies there now. The pay figure dates from May 2025 and the minimum wage is the current rate, so the two are not from the same date.
Source: U.S. Department of Labor, State Minimum Wage Laws, updated 2026-11-05; BLS OEWS state file, May 2025, 10th-percentile hourly wage.
Related jobs in California
Related occupations from O*NET; pay from BLS OEWS state file, May 2025.