Education and Childcare Administrators, Preschool and Daycare Salary in the United States
The median annual wage for education and childcare administrators, preschool and daycare in the U.S. is $59,300 ($28.51 per hour), according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program, May 2025 estimates.
- Median annual wage
- $59,300
- Mean annual wage
- $64,800
- Median hourly wage
- $28.51
- Employment
- 73,660
73,660 employed
Wage percentiles
| Percentile | Annual wage | Hourly wage |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $38,580 | $18.55 |
| 25th percentile | $47,040 | $22.62 |
| Median (50th) | $59,300 | $28.51 |
| 75th percentile | $75,500 | $36.30 |
| 90th percentile | $98,240 | $47.23 |
Highest-paying states for education and childcare administrators, preschool and daycare
| State | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|
| New York | $96,810 | 3,950 |
| New Jersey | $78,770 | 2,900 |
| District of Columbia | $77,850 | 410 |
| Alaska | $75,540 | 60 |
| Washington | $70,470 | 1,560 |
| Massachusetts | $70,320 | 2,260 |
| California | $67,100 | 9,810 |
| Hawaii | $65,080 | 260 |
| Colorado | $64,620 | 1,150 |
| South Dakota | $63,240 | 150 |
Lowest-paying states
- Alabama: $41,780 median annual wage
- Kentucky: $44,530 median annual wage
- Arkansas: $44,990 median annual wage
- West Virginia: $45,660 median annual wage
- Louisiana: $46,030 median annual wage
About this occupation
Plan, direct, or coordinate academic or nonacademic activities of preschools or childcare centers and programs, including before- and after-school care.
Typical tasks
- Set educational standards and goals and help establish policies, procedures, and programs to carry them out.
- Inform businesses, community groups, and governmental agencies about educational needs, available programs, and program policies.
- Prepare and submit budget requests or grant proposals to solicit program funding.
- Plan, direct, and monitor instructional methods and content of educational, vocational, or student activity programs.
- Collect and analyze survey data, regulatory information, and demographic and employment trends to forecast enrollment patterns and the need for curriculum changes.
- Determine the scope of educational program offerings and prepare drafts of program schedules and descriptions to estimate staffing and facility requirements.
Education of the current workforce — typical entry: Bachelor's degree
| Education level | Share of workers |
|---|---|
| Less than high school diploma | 1.0% |
| High school diploma or equivalent | 5.1% |
| Some college, no degree | 7.0% |
| Associate's degree | 4.2% |
| Bachelor's degree | 25.4% |
| Master's degree | 44.1% |
| Doctoral or professional degree | 13.2% |
Occupation profile data from CareerOneStop, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor.
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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.
- CareerOneStop Occupation Profiles — data period 2026-08, retrieved August 14, 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.