What are the main factors that influence a Child Life Specialist's salary?

The primary factors are: 1) Experience Level, 2) Geographic Location, 3) Education/Skills, 4) Company Size & Industry

How does experience change A Child Life Specialist's salary?

A Child Life Specialist's salary grows with experience: starting around $54,257 for beginners, reaching about $55,841 at mid-level, and approach $57,142 for experts.

What are the highest paying states for a Child Life Specialist?

Child Life Specialist salary varies significantly by state. The top 3 highest paying states for Child Life Specialist roles are District of Columbia $61,403, California $61,170, Massachusetts $60,355. These tech hubs typically pay 10-15% above the national average.

How much do different types of Child Life Specialist roles make?

Salaries for Child Life Specialist level roles vary by specialization: Child Welfare Specialist: $136,354; Director of Child Life Programs: $106,900; Head of Child Life Programs: $106,870; Child Life Program Director: $106,864; Child Specialist: $57,315.

How do different companies affect a Child Life Specialist's salary?

Company size, industry, and compensation structure create significant salary variations for Child Life Specialist roles. Large, established industry leaders like New York Police Department ($97,099) and State of New York - Metropolitan Transportation Authority ($95,962) offer base salaries 35-40% above the national average. In contrast, smaller firms or startups may offer closer to $75,106.

Child Life Specialist Salary in the United States

How much does a Child Life Specialist make in the United States?

As of August 01, 2026, the average salary for a Child Life Specialist in the United States is $55,458 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $27.

However, a Child Life Specialist's salary can vary significantly. Here’s a look at the typical salary range:

Top Earners (90th percentile): $65,255
Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $47,412 to $60,586
Entry-Level (10th percentile): $40,087

10% $40,087

50% (Median) $55,458

90% $65,255

Child Life Specialist Salaries by Percentile

	Annual Salary	Monthly Pay	Weekly Pay	Hourly Wage
75th Percentile	$60,586	$5,049	$1,165	$29
Average	$55,458	$4,622	$1,067	$27
25th Percentile	$47,412	$3,951	$912	$23

Salary Factors Salary-Boosting Skills Salary by Experience Related Job Salaries Top Paying Cities Explore Related Jobs

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Key Factors That Influence Child Life Specialist Salaries

A Child Life Specialist's salary isn't a fixed number. It's shaped by several important factors. Below, we'll explore how your years of experience, geographic location, education and company size can directly affect your earning potential.

How Experience Level Affects Child Life Specialist Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of a Child Life Specialist's salary. As you build your skills and take on more complex tasks, your compensation generally increases. Here's how the average salary grows at different career stages:

Entry-Level (less than 1 year): $54,257
Early Career (1-2 years): $54,617
Mid-Level (2-4 years): $55,841
Senior-Level (5-8 years): $56,989
Expert (over 8 years): $57,142

Levels	Salary
Entry Level Child Life Specialist	$54,257
Intermediate Level Child Life Specialist	$54,617
Senior Level Child Life Specialist	$55,841
Specialist Level Child Life Specialist	$56,989
Expert Level Child Life Specialist	$57,142

View as Graph

How Do Child Life Specialists Salaries Vary from State to State?

Your salary can change significantly depending on where you work. States with a higher cost of living and strong industrial sectors often pay more to attract Child Life Specialists. For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:

District of Columbia: $61,403.
California: $61,170.
Massachusetts: $60,355.

District of Columbia $61,403 California $61,170 Massachusetts $60,355 Washington $60,133 New Jersey $60,111 Alaska $60,033 Connecticut $59,268 New York $58,957

Hawaii $57,965 Rhode Island $57,499 Maryland $57,183 Minnesota $56,750 Colorado $56,584 Illinois $56,528 Oregon $56,318 Delaware $56,162

New Hampshire $56,065 Virginia $55,846 Pennsylvania $55,208 Nevada $54,887 North Dakota $54,781 Michigan $54,615 Wisconsin $54,554 Vermont $54,432

Texas $54,094 Maine $54,072 Arizona $54,038 Ohio $53,999 Georgia $53,489 Indiana $53,234 Wyoming $53,184 Utah $53,107

Iowa $53,073 Kansas $52,807 Louisiana $52,729 North Carolina $52,702 Missouri $52,691 Florida $52,474 Montana $52,358 Nebraska $52,247

Kentucky $52,186 South Carolina $51,964 Tennessee $51,826 Idaho $51,770 New Mexico $51,365 Oklahoma $51,276 Alabama $50,949 South Dakota $50,400

Arkansas $50,101 West Virginia $49,940 Mississippi $49,457

Top Paying Cities for Child Life Specialist

Salaries can also vary between different cities. Major metropolitan areas or cities with a high demand for technicians often offer more competitive pay. Here are a few examples of average annual salaries in different U.S. cities:

San Jose: $69,949
San Francisco: $69,183
Oakland: $67,725

San Jose, CA $69,949

San Francisco, CA $69,183

Oakland, CA $67,725

New York, NY $63,854

Paramus, NJ $63,077

Queens Village, NY $63,075

Passaic, NJ $63,022

Bergenfield, NJ $63,017

Stamford, CT $62,895

Huntington, NY $62,872

Newark, NJ $62,462

Bridgeport, CT $62,345

Vallejo, CA $62,235

New Brunswick, NJ $62,213

Petaluma, CA $62,180

Middlesex, NJ $62,074

Somerset, NJ $62,035

Santa Cruz, CA $61,963

Boston, MA $61,625

Monterey, CA $61,430

Seattle, WA $61,303

Santa Rosa, CA $61,292

Los Angeles, CA $61,276

Juneau, AK $61,131

Washington, DC $61,070

Orange, CA $60,873

Santa Ana, CA $60,727

Long Beach, CA $60,671

Anaheim, CA $60,660

Anchorage, AK $60,632

Santa Maria, CA $60,466

Everett, WA $60,455

Danbury, CT $60,260

Bremerton, WA $60,183

Tacoma, WA $59,983

New Suffolk, NY $59,982

Sacramento, CA $59,967

Santa Barbara, CA $59,906

Trenton, NJ $59,845

San Diego, CA $59,845

Brockton, MA $59,784

Fairbanks, AK $59,648

Lompoc, CA $59,506

Lowell, MA $59,462

Ventura, CA $59,451

Nashua, NH $59,440

Stockton, CA $59,434

Modesto, CA $59,029

Poughkeepsie, NY $58,907

Olympia, WA $58,802

Kennewick, WA $58,802

New Haven, CT $58,780

Lawrence, MA $58,580

Hartford, CT $58,525

Riverside, CA $58,514

New Bedford, MA $58,458

Richland, WA $58,458

Bakersfield, CA $58,381

San Bernardino, CA $58,358

New Britain, CT $58,353

Atlantic City, NJ $58,353

New London, CT $58,331

Norwich, CT $58,314

Portsmouth, NH $58,303

Boulder, CO $58,185

Portland, OR $58,109

Worcester, MA $58,103

Minneapolis, MN $57,931

Philadelphia, PA $57,854

Honolulu, HI $57,671

Saint Paul, MN $57,644

Vineland, NJ $57,632

Providence, RI $57,471

Chicago, IL $57,310

Bellingham, WA $57,244

Springfield, MA $57,199

Baltimore, MD $57,183

Chico, CA $57,044

Pittsfield, MA $56,894

Manchester, NH $56,789

Spokane, WA $56,545

Denver, CO $56,539

Albany, NY $56,279

Troy, NY $56,257

Nassau, NY $56,197

Schenectady, NY $56,140

Wilmington, DE $56,096

Burlington, VT $56,018

Salem, OR $55,996

Portland, ME $55,824

Yakima, WA $55,769

Rochester, MN $55,597

Reno, NV $55,569

Fresno, CA $55,569

Milwaukee, WI $55,519

Detroit, MI $55,464

Ann Arbor, MI $55,454

Allentown, PA $55,447

Colorado Springs, CO $55,353

Syracuse, NY $55,325

Carson City, NV $55,325

Houston, TX $55,247

Eugene, OR $55,220

Gary, IN $55,153

Springfield, OR $55,109

Bismarck, ND $55,098

Galveston, TX $55,059

Medford, OR $54,976

Fort Collins, CO $54,953

Concord, NH $54,926

Austin, TX $54,909

Mesa, AZ $54,793

Reading, PA $54,787

Phoenix, AZ $54,781

Dallas, TX $54,765

Saint Cloud, MN $54,712

Madison, WI $54,637

Utica, NY $54,487

Rochester, NY $54,399

Des Moines, IA $54,393

Raleigh, NC $54,388

Atlanta, GA $54,304

Battle Creek, MI $54,288

Salt Lake City, UT $54,271

Lancaster, PA $54,188

Harrisburg, PA $54,110

Kansas City, MO $54,055

Champaign, IL $54,044

Kansas City, KS $54,044

Fort Worth, TX $54,038

Columbus, OH $54,029

Boca Raton, FL $54,016

Pittsburgh, PA $53,994

Richmond, VA $53,972

Indianapolis, IN $53,961

Cleveland, OH $53,955

Las Vegas, NV $53,889

Cincinnati, OH $53,889

Petersburg, VA $53,805

Huntsville, AL $53,722

Lansing, MI $53,685

Lebanon, PA $53,678

Pueblo, CO $53,672

Appleton, WI $53,656

Buffalo, NY $53,633

Dayton, OH $53,617

Racine, WI $53,606

Charlotte, NC $53,600

Saint Louis, MO $53,584

York, PA $53,550

Elkhart, IN $53,550

Gastonia, NC $53,540

Billings, MT $53,526

Beaumont, TX $53,511

Lorain, OH $53,500

Benton Harbor, MI $53,489

Toledo, OH $53,478

Binghamton, NY $53,450

Rock Hill, SC $53,445

Rockford, IL $53,417

Springfield, IL $53,395

Elyria, OH $53,389

Fargo, ND $53,389

Flagstaff, AZ $53,351

Fort Lauderdale, FL $53,317

Duluth, MN $53,284

Miami, FL $53,284

Cheyenne, WY $53,245

Grand Forks, ND $53,245

Bangor, ME $53,123

Cedar Rapids, IA $53,062

Durham, NC $53,039

Louisville, KY $53,034

Grand Rapids, MI $53,023

Hialeah, FL $53,018

Casper, WY $52,940

Scranton, PA $52,874

New Orleans, LA $52,857

Virginia Beach, VA $52,851

Akron, OH $52,824

Peoria, IL $52,752

Sarasota, FL $52,741

Nashville, TN $52,702

Omaha, NE $52,702

Green Bay, WI $52,702

Baton Rouge, LA $52,674

Charleston, SC $52,663

Jamestown, NY $52,635

Davenport, IA $52,635

Tucson, AZ $52,607

Saint Petersburg, FL $52,574

Tampa, FL $52,563

Evansville, IN $52,530

Port Arthur, TX $52,530

Bradenton, FL $52,508

Santa Fe, NM $52,408

Orlando, FL $52,308

Clearwater, FL $52,291

Canton, OH $52,175

La Crosse, WI $52,175

Albuquerque, NM $52,142

Newport News, VA $52,136

High Point, NC $52,119

Ogden, UT $52,097

Corpus Christi, TX $52,053

Norfolk, VA $52,020

Laramie, WY $52,020

Rock Island, IL $51,986

Saginaw, MI $51,975

Jacksonville, FL $51,970

Salisbury, NC $51,959

Boise, ID $51,948

Moline, IL $51,920

Fort Myers, FL $51,903

Memphis, TN $51,892

Tulsa, OK $51,864

Waterloo, IA $51,831

Spartanburg, SC $51,776

Lincoln, NE $51,748

Fort Wayne, IN $51,737

Provo, UT $51,731

Cedar Falls, IA $51,665

San Antonio, TX $51,642

Greensboro, NC $51,620

South Bend, IN $51,615

Savannah, GA $51,554

Muskegon, MI $51,532

Birmingham, AL $51,526

Winston Salem, NC $51,499

Lake Charles, LA $51,365

Anderson, IN $51,354

Lexington, KY $51,337

Augusta, GA $51,321

Greenville, SC $51,321

Lima, OH $51,276

Wichita, KS $51,271

Tuscaloosa, AL $51,271

Columbia, SC $51,221

Springfield, OH $51,210

Asheville, NC $51,121

Bloomington, IN $51,082

Knoxville, TN $50,883

Shreveport, LA $50,877

Wilmington, NC $50,805

Roanoke, VA $50,805

Topeka, KS $50,705

Frankfort, KY $50,699

Oklahoma City, OK $50,661

Chillicothe, OH $50,639

Longview, TX $50,633

Melbourne, FL $50,628

Sioux Falls, SD $50,539

Mobile, AL $50,533

Terre Haute, IN $50,511

Altoona, PA $50,478

Amarillo, TX $50,439

Killeen, TX $50,422

Fayetteville, AR $50,378

Chattanooga, TN $50,361

Sioux City, IA $50,311

Idaho Falls, ID $50,300

Lynchburg, VA $50,256

Gainesville, FL $50,184

Portsmouth, OH $50,156

Little Rock, AR $50,145

Lafayette, LA $50,123

Youngstown, OH $50,123

Daytona Beach, FL $50,090

Clarksville, TN $50,084

Pensacola, FL $50,079

Temple, TX $50,075

Hopkinsville, KY $49,912

Erie, PA $49,901

Florence, SC $49,879

Charleston, WV $49,790

Great Falls, MT $49,762

Macon, GA $49,685

Tallahassee, FL $49,679

Fayetteville, NC $49,668

Waco, TX $49,657

Helena, MT $49,618

Pine Bluff, AR $49,597

Vincennes, IN $49,530

Lubbock, TX $49,507

Alamogordo, NM $49,474

Twin Falls, ID $49,424

Rapid City, SD $49,408

Jackson, MS $49,308

Huntington, WV $49,304

Greenville, MS $49,302

Parkersburg, WV $49,246

Montgomery, AL $49,236

Wichita Falls, TX $49,180

Springfield, MO $49,180

Biloxi, MS $49,152

Monroe, LA $49,097

Johnstown, PA $49,058

Sumter, SC $49,036

Columbus, GA $49,030

Pascagoula, MS $48,925

Abilene, TX $48,925

Kingsport, TN $48,781

Albany, GA $48,781

Gulfport, MS $48,764

Alexandria, LA $48,581

Fort Smith, AR $48,443

El Paso, TX $48,293

Las Cruces, NM $48,043

Harlingen, TX $47,902

Pocatello, ID $47,894

Florence, AL $47,821

Brownsville, TX $47,810

Mcallen, TX $47,694

Dothan, AL $47,616

Columbus, MS $47,287

Altus, OK $47,028

Lawton, OK $46,923

Pierre, SD $46,723

What Skills Can Increase a Child Life Specialist's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

Written Communication (Mentioned in 5.28% Job Postings): Communicating information through written media to educate, inform and influence the target audience.
CPR (Mentioned in 6.47% Job Postings): Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) combines rescue breathing (mouth-to-mouth) and chest compressions to temporarily pump enough blood to the brain until specialized treatment is available.
Case Management (Mentioned in 3.33% Job Postings): Connecting patients with suitable healthcare providers, resources, and services to ensure they receive optimal, cost-effective care.

Skills	Demand Percentage
Written Communication	5.28%
CPR	6.47%
Case Management	3.33%

See More Skills

What skills can make your compensation higher?

Mastering certain specialized skills can lead to a significant increase in pay. Here are examples of skills and the potential impact they can have on a Child Life Specialist's salary.

Facilitation: Can increase your salary by up to 4%.
Flexibility: Can increase your salary by up to 3%.
Coordination: Can increase your salary by up to 3%.

Skill	Salary	Salary % Increase
Facilitation	$57,676	4%
Flexibility	$57,122	3%
Coordination	$57,122	3%

Get Latest Data

Child Life Specialist Salary by Company Size: Startups vs. Enterprise

Child Life Specialist salary potential scales significantly with company size. Data shows that Enterprise companies (5,000+ employees) pay the highest average salary at around $58,825. While startup companies pay approximate $50,128.

Child Life Specialist Salary by Company Size

Company Size	Employees	Average Salary
Startup	1~50	$50,128
Growth Stage	51~500	$52,917
Established	501~5000	$56,902
Enterprise	5000+	$58,825

Child Life Specialist Salary by Industry: Top Paying Sectors

For Child Life Specialist roles, the industry you choose can impact your earning potential by as much as 60% (the gap between the highest and lowest paying industries). Data shows that the highest-paying industry, Healthcare, offers compensation 30% above the average. Conversely, Child Life Specialist positions in Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit typically offer lower base pay, as this sector often view Child Life Specialist as a support function rather than a direct revenue driver.

The top paying industry for a Child Life Specialist

Industry Sector	Average Annual Salary	Average Hourly Rate	Pay vs.Avg
Healthcare	$72,095	$35.0	30%

How Education impacts an Child Life Specialist's Salary?

Your level of education can impact your salary potential. While many Child Life Specialist enter the field with a Bachelor's Degree, higher education can lead to more specialized and higher-paying roles.

According to our 100% employer-reported salary data, the median salary for an Child Life Specialist with a Bachelor's Degree is between $57,625 and $61,193.

Child Life Specialist Salaries by Degree Level

$63,400
$62,500
$61,500
$60,500
$59,600
$58,600
$57,600
$56,600

Typical Education for Child Life Specialist
Degree Level	% of user with this level of education
No Diploma	2.7%
High School	2.7%
Associates	3.6%
Bachelors	60.5%
Masters	31.7%
Doctorate	1.5%

View as Graph

Child Life Specialist Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how a Child Life Specialist's annual salary breaks down can help with budgeting. Below, you can see the average hourly rate, weekly pay, and monthly pay for this role. Use the buttons to switch between different pay periods.

$47,412

Average $55,458/year

$60,586

$3,951

Average $4,622/month

$5,049

$912

Average $1,067/week

$1,165

$23

Average $27/hour

$29

	Annual Salary	Monthly Pay	Weekly Pay	Hourly Wage
75th Percentile	$60,586	$5,049	$1,165	$29
Average	$55,458	$4,622	$1,067	$27
25th Percentile	$47,412	$3,951	$912	$23

Child Life Specialist Salary Growth & Career Path

Child Life Specialist

Next Role

Promotions are the fastest way to increase your earnings. As a Child Life Specialist, you have the following paths for advancement. The table below compares the salary raises for common next-step roles. By comparing these figures, you can choose the career path that best meets your financial goals.

Child Life Specialist Salary Growth and Career Path
Next Step Role	Estimate Salary	Projected Raise
Child Life Program Director	$106,864	93%
Sign Language Interpreter	$72,320	30%

Salary Trends for Child Life Specialist

Salaries for a Child Life Specialist can change over time, reflecting shifts in market demand and the overall economy. The median salary decreased from $47,829 in 2023 to around $47,289 in 2025, reflecting changes in demand, location, experience, and the wider economy. For a detailed analysis of Child Life Specialist salary trends, .

Average Annual Salary of Child Life Specialist Over Time

$???
$47,829
$47,854
$47,289
$???
$???

2022
2023
2024
2025
2026
2027

Year	Average Annual Salary
2022	View More
2023	$47,829
2024	$47,854
2025	$47,289
2026	View More
2027	View More

Most common benefits for Child Life Specialist

Social Security
401 (k)
Disability
Healthcare
Pension
Time Off (days)

Common company salaries for Child Life Specialist

Here are companies hiring for Child Life Specialist and their salaries, click below for more details.

N $97,099/per year

New York Police Department Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit the United States

S $95,962/per year

State of New York - Metropolitan Transportation Authority Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit the United States

U $94,615/per year

US Department of Transportation Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit the United States

U $93,141/per year

US General Services Administration Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit the United States

L $92,342/per year

Los Angeles County Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit the United States

D $92,011/per year

Department of Justice - Federal Bureau of Prisons Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit the United States

U $91,967/per year

US Department of Commerce Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit the United States

U $91,755/per year

US Department of Energy Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit the United States

F $91,673/per year

Federal Bureau of Investigation Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit the United States

N $90,276/per year

Naval Sea Systems Command Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit the United States

T $88,975/per year

The US Immigration and Customs Enforcement Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit the United States

S $88,721/per year

San Diego County Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit the United States

T $88,664/per year

The TTB Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit the United States

L $87,569/per year

Lutheran Services Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit the United States

M $85,066/per year

Maryland Inc Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit the United States

S $83,780/per year

State University of New York Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit the United States

N $82,969/per year

New York State Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit the United States

P $82,703/per year

Puerto Rico Department of Education Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit the United States

U $80,526/per year

US Central Command Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit the United States

H $80,286/per year

Health and Safety Executive Northern Ireland Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit the United States

A $79,270/per year

Air Force Reserve Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit the United States

A $78,505/per year

American Automobile Association (AAA) Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit the United States

S $76,678/per year

State of Florida - Department of Health Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit the United States

N $75,183/per year

New York State Department Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit the United States

S $75,106/per year

State University System of Florida Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit the United States

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FAQ about Child Life Specialist

1. Where can a Child Life Specialist earn the most?

A Child Life Specialist'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 Life Specialist earns the most in San Jose, CA, where the annual salary of a Child Life Specialist is $69,949.

2. What is the highest pay for Child Life Specialist?

The highest pay for Child Life Specialist is $65,255.

3. What is the lowest pay for Child Life Specialist?

The lowest pay for Child Life Specialist is $40,087.

4. What are the responsibilities of Child Life Specialist?

Responsible for the design and implementation of pediatric programs, therapies, and activities among young patients. Works with families to assist in caring for childhood hospitalizations or disabilities. Monitors child development to ensure normal progression. Provides in-depth care as needed to more urgent cases. May require a bachelor's degree in area of specialty. Typically reports to a supervisor or manager. Typically requires 0-2 years of related experience. Works on projects/matters of limited complexity in a support role. Work is closely managed.

5. What industry pays the highest salary for Child Life Specialist?

The Healthcare industry offers the highest average compensation for Child Life Specialist roles, with salaries approximately 30% above the market median.

Where Does Our Salary Data Come From?

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.

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