Childcare Workers Salary in the United States
The median annual wage for childcare workers in the U.S. is $34,980 ($16.82 per hour), according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program, May 2025 estimates.
- Median annual wage
- $34,980
- Mean annual wage
- $35,030
- Median hourly wage
- $16.82
- Employment
- 518,910
518,910 employed
Wage percentiles
| Percentile | Annual wage | Hourly wage |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $24,260 | $11.66 |
| 25th percentile | $29,360 | $14.12 |
| Median (50th) | $34,980 | $16.82 |
| 75th percentile | $38,570 | $18.55 |
| 90th percentile | $46,010 | $22.12 |
Highest-paying states for childcare workers
| State | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $47,340 | 1,350 |
| Washington | $41,680 | 4,340 |
| Massachusetts | $40,900 | 13,140 |
| Colorado | $40,750 | 13,310 |
| California | $40,020 | 52,780 |
| Oregon | $38,650 | 5,240 |
| Vermont | $38,030 | — |
| New York | $37,590 | 44,020 |
| New Hampshire | $37,080 | 2,820 |
| Hawaii | $37,030 | 1,870 |
Lowest-paying states
- Mississippi: $22,050 median annual wage
- Alabama: $22,720 median annual wage
- Louisiana: $22,900 median annual wage
- West Virginia: $27,710 median annual wage
- Oklahoma: $27,730 median annual wage
Related occupations
About this data
- Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics — data period May 2025, retrieved August 13, 2026.
- Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics — data period May 2025, retrieved August 13, 2026.
Figures are shown exactly as published by the source or derived by the documented formulas on our methodology page. Where a source suppresses an estimate, we show “—” rather than a substitute value.