As of January 01, 2025, the average annual salary for a Child Care Center Director in the United States is $85,788. According to Salary.com, salaries can range from a low of $64,537 to a high of $114,765, with most professionals earning between $74,664 and $100,956.
| Annual Salary |
Monthly Pay |
Weekly Pay |
Hourly Wage |
|
| 75th Percentile | $100,956 | $8,413 | $1,941 | $49 |
| Average | $85,788 | $7,149 | $1,650 | $41 |
| 25th Percentile | $74,664 | $6,222 | $1,436 | $36 |
An entry-level Child Care Center Director with less than 1 year of experience earns about $79,757. With 1-2 years of experience, the average salary increases to $80,725. For 2-4 years of experience, the pay typically rises to $82,338. Senior-level professionals with 5-8 years of experience earn around $83,951, and those with over 8 years of experience can expect an average of $86,765.
| Levels | Salary |
|---|---|
| Entry Level Child Care Center Director | $79,757 |
| Intermediate Level Child Care Center Director | $80,725 |
| Senior Level Child Care Center Director | $82,338 |
| Specialist Level Child Care Center Director | $83,951 |
| Expert Level Child Care Center Director | $86,765 |
| Entry Level | 7% |
| Mid Level | 6% |
| Senior Level | 4% |
| Top Level | 2% |
| Experienced | 1% |
Salaries in the United States differ widely between states due to factors like cost of living, local economies, and industry presence.
What Am I Worth?
Salaries in the United States can vary greatly between cities due to factors like cost of living, local economies, and industry presence.
As of January 01, 2025, our research reveals a significant shift in Child Care Center Director compensation over the past six years. For example, the median salary increased from $79,653 in 2023 to approximately $79,366 in 2024. (For a detailed analysis of Child Care Center Director salary trends, click here.)
Key factors like location, experience, industry demand, and economic growth significantly influence salary variations, making them important to consider.
Salary.com job board provides millions of Child Care Center Director information for you to search for. Click on search button below to see Child Care Center Director job openings or enter a new job title here.
Here are companies hiring for Child Care Center Director and their salaries, click below for more details.
| Core Compensation | ||||
| Core Compensation | Median | % of Total | ||
| Base Salary | $85,788 | 71.3% | ||
| Bonus | $1,425 | 1.2% | ||
| Value of Benefits | ||||
| Core Compensation | Median | % of Total | ||
| Social Security | $6,672 | 5.5% | ||
| 401K/403B | $4,099 | 3.4% | ||
| Disability | $698 | 0.6% | ||
| Healthcare | $6,056 | 5.0% | ||
| Pension | $4,797 | 4.0% | ||
| Time Off | $10,734 | 8.9% | ||
| Total Compensation | $120,268 | 100% | ||
| Degree Level | % of user with this level of education |
|---|---|
| No Diploma | 0.7% |
| High School | 15.5% |
| Associates | 19.6% |
| Bachelors | 46.6% |
| Masters | 15.5% |
| Doctorate | 2.0% |
What Am I Worth?
The average annual salary of Child Care Center Director is $85,788. In case you are finding an easy salary calculator, the average hourly pay of Child Care Center Director is $41; the average weekly pay of Child Care Center Director is $1,650; the average monthly pay of Child Care Center Director is $7,149.
A Child Care Center Director's earning potential can vary widely depending on several factors, including location, industry, experience, education, and the specific employer. According to the latest salary data by Salary.com, a Child Care Center Director earns the most in San Jose, CA, where the annual salary of a Child Care Center Director is $107,664.
The highest pay for Child Care Center Director is $114,765.
The lowest pay for Child Care Center Director is $64,537.
Child Care Center Director directs the daily operations of a child care center in accordance with state licensing requirements and regulations. Administers recruiting and staffing processes. Being a Child Care Center Director provides training and professional development for staff. Oversees enrollment activities, communications, and events that foster positive relations with families and the community. Additionally, Child Care Center Director ensures that the activities and surroundings meet the needs of children and provide safety and security. Typically requires a bachelor's degree in early childhood education or equivalent. Depending on the location, may require a state specific director certification or a more general certification such as the Child Development Associate (CDA). Typically requires Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) certification. Typically reports to senior management. The Child Care Center Director typically manages through subordinate managers and professionals in larger groups of moderate complexity. Provides input to strategic decisions that affect the functional area of responsibility. May give input into developing the budget. To be a Child Care Center Director typically requires 3+ years of managerial experience. Capable of resolving escalated issues arising from operations and requiring coordination with other departments.
Specify the abilities and skills that a person needs in order to carry out the specified job duties. Each competency has five to ten behavioral assertions that can be observed, each with a corresponding performance level (from one to five) that is required for a particular job.
Leadership: Knowledge of and ability to employ effective strategies that motivate and guide other members within our business to achieve optimum results.
Professional Development: Professional development refers to continuing education and career training after a person has entered the workforce in order to help them develop new skills, stay up-to-date on current trends, and advance their career.
Billing: Billing refers to the aspect of banking, whereby someone is charged accurately for what item they purchased.
Salary.com provides salary estimates, histograms, trends, and comparisons using data from employer job postings and third-party sources.
We offer detailed salary information across multiple percentiles for your reference. (Click here to learn Why the Salary Midpoint Formula Is Crucial for Achieving Pay Equity.)
With the most extensive online, real-time compensation data available, Salary.com helps you pinpoint your exact pay target.
