What are the main factors that influence a Daycare Worker's salary?

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

How does experience change A Daycare Worker's salary?

A Daycare Worker's salary grows with experience: a Child Care Center Teacher (0-0 years)earns $42,659, a Daycare Worker (0-1 years)earns $32,610, a Child Caregiver II (1-3 years)earns $36,782,

What are the highest paying states for a Daycare Worker?

Daycare Worker salary varies significantly by state. The top 3 highest paying states for Daycare Worker roles are District of Columbia $35,509, California $35,375, Massachusetts $34,903. These tech hubs typically pay 10-15% above the national average.

How much do different types of Daycare Worker roles make?

Salaries for Daycare Worker level roles vary by specialization: Daycare Director: $80,586; Director Of Daycare: $76,828; Daycare Coordinator: $53,216; Daycare Aide: $42,166; Daycare Administrator: $41,095.

How do different companies affect a Daycare Worker's salary?

Company size, industry, and compensation structure create significant salary variations for Daycare Worker roles. Large, established industry leaders like Kpmg Us LLP ($114,295) and Warner Bros Discovery ($114,096) offer base salaries 35-40% above the national average. In contrast, smaller firms or startups may offer closer to $88,138.

Daycare Worker Salary in the United States

How much does a Daycare Worker make in the United States?

As of January 01, 2026, the average salary for a Daycare Worker in the United States is $32,071 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $15.

However, a Daycare Worker's salary can vary significantly. Here’s a look at the typical salary range:

Top Earners (90th percentile): $37,012
Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $29,486 to $34,658
Entry-Level (10th percentile): $27,132

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Daycare Worker Salaries by Percentile

	Annual Salary	Monthly Pay	Weekly Pay	Hourly Wage
75th Percentile	$34,658	$2,888	$666	$17
Average	$32,071	$2,673	$617	$15
25th Percentile	$29,486	$2,457	$567	$14

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Key Factors That Influence Daycare Worker Salaries

A Daycare Worker'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 and company size can directly affect your earning potential.

How Do Daycare Worker 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 Daycare Workers. For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:

District of Columbia: $35,509.
California: $35,375.
Massachusetts: $34,903.

District of Columbia $35,509 California $35,375 Massachusetts $34,903 Washington $34,775 New Jersey $34,762 Alaska $34,717 Connecticut $34,275 New York $34,095

Hawaii $33,521 Rhode Island $33,252 Maryland $33,069 Minnesota $32,819 Colorado $32,722 Illinois $32,690 Oregon $32,568 Delaware $32,479

New Hampshire $32,422 Virginia $32,296 Pennsylvania $31,927 Nevada $31,741 North Dakota $31,680 Michigan $31,584 Wisconsin $31,549 Vermont $31,478

Texas $31,282 Maine $31,270 Arizona $31,250 Ohio $31,228 Georgia $30,933 Indiana $30,785 Wyoming $30,756 Utah $30,711

Iowa $30,692 Kansas $30,538 Louisiana $30,493 North Carolina $30,477 Missouri $30,471 Florida $30,346 Montana $30,279 Nebraska $30,214

Kentucky $30,179 South Carolina $30,051 Tennessee $29,971 Idaho $29,939 New Mexico $29,704 Oklahoma $29,653 Alabama $29,464 South Dakota $29,146

Arkansas $28,973 West Virginia $28,880 Mississippi $28,601

Top Paying Cities for Daycare Workers

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: $40,452
San Francisco: $40,054
Oakland: $39,165

San Jose, CA $40,452

San Francisco, CA $40,054

Oakland, CA $39,165

New York, NY $37,167

Queens Village, NY $36,927

Paramus, NJ $36,670

Passaic, NJ $36,638

Bergenfield, NJ $36,606

Stamford, CT $36,558

Huntington, NY $36,526

Newark, NJ $36,318

Bridgeport, CT $36,253

New Brunswick, NJ $36,148

Vallejo, CA $36,080

Middlesex, NJ $36,061

Somerset, NJ $36,032

Petaluma, CA $35,958

Santa Cruz, CA $35,833

Boston, MA $35,769

Monterey, CA $35,609

Fairbanks, AK $35,586

Los Angeles, CA $35,525

Washington, DC $35,509

Seattle, WA $35,452

Santa Rosa, CA $35,445

Juneau, AK $35,352

Orange, CA $35,246

Anchorage, AK $35,189

Anaheim, CA $35,166

Santa Ana, CA $35,118

Nassau, NY $35,099

Long Beach, CA $35,086

Danbury, CT $35,076

Santa Maria, CA $34,967

Everett, WA $34,961

Bremerton, WA $34,804

Trenton, NJ $34,743

Sacramento, CA $34,730

San Diego, CA $34,714

Brockton, MA $34,701

Tacoma, WA $34,688

Santa Barbara, CA $34,643

Lowell, MA $34,515

New Suffolk, NY $34,502

Nashua, NH $34,464

Lompoc, CA $34,413

Ventura, CA $34,380

Stockton, CA $34,371

New Haven, CT $34,307

Atlantic City, NJ $34,223

Hartford, CT $34,153

Modesto, CA $34,137

Poughkeepsie, NY $34,066

New Britain, CT $34,050

Olympia, WA $34,005

Kennewick, WA $34,005

New London, CT $33,999

Norwich, CT $33,989

Lawrence, MA $33,973

Bakersfield, CA $33,883

Riverside, CA $33,838

New Bedford, MA $33,838

Richland, WA $33,806

Portsmouth, NH $33,781

Vineland, NJ $33,774

San Bernardino, CA $33,749

Boulder, CO $33,659

Worcester, MA $33,633

Portland, OR $33,604

Saint Paul, MN $33,566

Minneapolis, MN $33,566

Philadelphia, PA $33,521

Honolulu, HI $33,351

Springfield, MA $33,239

Providence, RI $33,235

Chicago, IL $33,142

Bellingham, WA $33,104

Baltimore, MD $33,069

Chico, CA $32,989

Wilmington, DE $32,934

Pittsfield, MA $32,902

Manchester, NH $32,841

Spokane, WA $32,700

Denver, CO $32,697

Albany, NY $32,546

Troy, NY $32,533

Schenectady, NY $32,466

Burlington, VT $32,395

Portland, ME $32,283

Salem, OR $32,257

Yakima, WA $32,251

Ann Arbor, MI $32,241

Rochester, MN $32,151

Fresno, CA $32,135

Reno, NV $32,135

Milwaukee, WI $32,107

Detroit, MI $32,075

Allentown, PA $32,065

Carson City, NV $32,062

Houston, TX $32,014

Colorado Springs, CO $32,010

Syracuse, NY $31,994

Eugene, OR $31,933

Bismarck, ND $31,895

Gary, IN $31,895

Galveston, TX $31,895

Springfield, OR $31,869

Medford, OR $31,792

Fort Collins, CO $31,779

Austin, TX $31,754

Mesa, AZ $31,686

Phoenix, AZ $31,680

Dallas, TX $31,670

Reading, PA $31,651

Saint Cloud, MN $31,638

Concord, NH $31,609

Madison, WI $31,597

Utica, NY $31,510

Raleigh, NC $31,484

Las Vegas, NV $31,481

Rochester, NY $31,459

Des Moines, IA $31,456

Atlanta, GA $31,404

Battle Creek, MI $31,395

Salt Lake City, UT $31,385

Lancaster, PA $31,337

Champaign, IL $31,330

Harrisburg, PA $31,292

Durham, NC $31,263

Kansas City, MO $31,260

Kansas City, KS $31,253

Fort Worth, TX $31,250

Boca Raton, FL $31,237

Cleveland, OH $31,234

Columbus, OH $31,228

Pittsburgh, PA $31,225

Richmond, VA $31,212

Indianapolis, IN $31,205

Cincinnati, OH $31,164

Petersburg, VA $31,116

Billings, MT $31,045

Lansing, MI $31,045

Huntsville, AL $31,045

Lebanon, PA $31,042

Dayton, OH $31,039

Pueblo, CO $31,039

Appleton, WI $31,029

Buffalo, NY $31,016

Racine, WI $31,000

Charlotte, NC $30,997

Saint Louis, MO $30,987

Springfield, IL $30,974

Elkhart, IN $30,968

York, PA $30,968

Gastonia, NC $30,965

Benton Harbor, MI $30,965

Beaumont, TX $30,946

Lorain, OH $30,939

Toledo, OH $30,926

Binghamton, NY $30,910

Rock Hill, SC $30,907

Rockford, IL $30,891

Fargo, ND $30,875

Elyria, OH $30,875

Flagstaff, AZ $30,853

Fort Lauderdale, FL $30,833

Miami, FL $30,814

Duluth, MN $30,763

Bangor, ME $30,721

Cedar Rapids, IA $30,686

Louisville, KY $30,670

Grand Rapids, MI $30,663

Hialeah, FL $30,660

Casper, WY $30,615

Scranton, PA $30,577

New Orleans, LA $30,567

Virginia Beach, VA $30,564

Akron, OH $30,548

Peoria, IL $30,506

Sarasota, FL $30,500

Green Bay, WI $30,477

Baton Rouge, LA $30,461

Charleston, SC $30,455

Nashville, TN $30,445

Jamestown, NY $30,439

Davenport, IA $30,439

Tucson, AZ $30,423

Cheyenne, WY $30,413

Saint Petersburg, FL $30,404

Tampa, FL $30,397

Omaha, NE $30,391

Port Arthur, TX $30,378

Evansville, IN $30,378

Bradenton, FL $30,365

Santa Fe, NM $30,307

Orlando, FL $30,275

Clearwater, FL $30,240

Canton, OH $30,173

La Crosse, WI $30,173

Grand Forks, ND $30,163

Albuquerque, NM $30,153

Tulsa, OK $30,153

Newport News, VA $30,150

High Point, NC $30,141

Ogden, UT $30,128

Corpus Christi, TX $30,102

Laramie, WY $30,083

Norfolk, VA $30,083

Rock Island, IL $30,064

Saginaw, MI $30,057

Jacksonville, FL $30,054

Salisbury, NC $30,048

Memphis, TN $30,041

Moline, IL $30,025

Fort Myers, FL $30,016

Waterloo, IA $29,974

Spartanburg, SC $29,942

Lincoln, NE $29,926

Fort Wayne, IN $29,919

Birmingham, AL $29,884

Cedar Falls, IA $29,878

Provo, UT $29,874

Springfield, OH $29,871

San Antonio, TX $29,865

Greensboro, NC $29,852

South Bend, IN $29,849

Winston Salem, NC $29,846

Boise, ID $29,836

Savannah, GA $29,813

Muskegon, MI $29,756

Lima, OH $29,717

Lake Charles, LA $29,704

Anderson, IN $29,698

Lexington, KY $29,688

Augusta, GA $29,679

Greenville, SC $29,679

Wichita, KS $29,650

Tuscaloosa, AL $29,650

Columbia, SC $29,621

Bloomington, IN $29,541

Roanoke, VA $29,522

Asheville, NC $29,480

Knoxville, TN $29,425

Shreveport, LA $29,422

Wilmington, NC $29,381

Frankfort, KY $29,320

Oklahoma City, OK $29,297

Chillicothe, OH $29,284

Longview, TX $29,281

Topeka, KS $29,271

Mobile, AL $29,223

Terre Haute, IN $29,211

Erie, PA $29,207

Altoona, PA $29,191

Melbourne, FL $29,182

Amarillo, TX $29,169

Killeen, TX $29,159

Fayetteville, AR $29,134

Sioux Falls, SD $29,111

Chattanooga, TN $29,092

Idaho Falls, ID $29,089

Gainesville, FL $29,021

Portsmouth, OH $29,005

Little Rock, AR $28,999

Lynchburg, VA $28,999

Lafayette, LA $28,986

Youngstown, OH $28,986

Temple, TX $28,973

Daytona Beach, FL $28,967

Clarksville, TN $28,964

Pensacola, FL $28,960

Hopkinsville, KY $28,864

Charleston, WV $28,861

Florence, SC $28,845

Sioux City, IA $28,826

Macon, GA $28,733

Tallahassee, FL $28,729

Fayetteville, NC $28,723

Waco, TX $28,717

Wichita Falls, TX $28,717

Pine Bluff, AR $28,704

Vincennes, IN $28,643

Lubbock, TX $28,630

Great Falls, MT $28,611

Alamogordo, NM $28,608

Abilene, TX $28,582

Rapid City, SD $28,540

Monroe, LA $28,540

Albany, GA $28,521

Huntington, WV $28,518

Jackson, MS $28,515

Greenville, MS $28,511

Parkersburg, WV $28,479

Montgomery, AL $28,473

Johnstown, PA $28,466

Springfield, MO $28,441

Biloxi, MS $28,425

Sumter, SC $28,357

Columbus, GA $28,354

Twin Falls, ID $28,335

Pascagoula, MS $28,293

Kingsport, TN $28,210

Gulfport, MS $28,200

Alexandria, LA $28,094

Fort Smith, AR $28,014

El Paso, TX $27,928

Helena, MT $27,886

Las Cruces, NM $27,783

Harlingen, TX $27,694

Pocatello, ID $27,665

Florence, AL $27,655

Brownsville, TX $27,649

Dothan, AL $27,597

Mcallen, TX $27,581

Columbus, MS $27,344

Altus, OK $27,196

Lawton, OK $27,136

Pierre, SD $27,020

What Skills Can Increase a Daycare Worker's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

Commitment (Mentioned in 3.73% Job Postings): An agreement or pledge to do something in the future a commitment to improve conditions at the prison especially : an engagement to assume a financial obligation at a future date.
Child Development (Mentioned in 9.81% Job Postings): Child development refers to the sequence of physical, language, thought and emotional changes that occur in a child from birth to the beginning of adulthood.
Early Childhood Education (Mentioned in 4.68% Job Postings): Early childhood education, also known as nursery education, is a branch of education theory that relates to the teaching of children from birth up to the age of eight.

See More Skills

Skills	Demand Percentage
Commitment	3.73%
Child Development	9.81%
Early Childhood Education	4.68%

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 Daycare Worker's salary.

Motivating: Can increase your salary by up to 15%.
Coordination: Can increase your salary by up to 9%.
Problem Solving: Can increase your salary by up to 8%.

Skill	Salary	Salary % Increase
Motivating	$36,882	15%
Coordination	$34,958	9%
Problem Solving	$34,637	8%
Accountability	$34,637	8%
Customer Service	$34,316	7%
Leadership	$33,996	6%

Get Latest Data

Daycare Worker Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how a Daycare Worker'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.

Last Updated on January 01, 2026

$29,486

Average $32,071/year

$34,658

$2,457

Average $2,673/month

$2,888

$567

Average $617/week

$666

$14

Average $15/hour

$17

	Annual Salary	Monthly Pay	Weekly Pay	Hourly Wage
75th Percentile	$34,658	$2,888	$666	$17
Average	$32,071	$2,673	$617	$15
25th Percentile	$29,486	$2,457	$567	$14

Salaries of jobs related to Daycare Worker

Salary Trends for Daycare Worker

Salaries for a Daycare Worker can change over time, reflecting shifts in market demand and the overall economy. The median salary decreased from $36,392 in 2023 to around $35,407 in 2025, reflecting changes in demand, location, experience, and the wider economy. For a detailed analysis of Daycare Worker salary trends, .

Average Annual Salary of Daycare Worker Over Time

2022

$???

2023

$36,392

2024

$35,791

2025

$35,407

2026

$???

2027

$???

Year	Average Annual Salary
2022	View More
2023	$36,392
2024	$35,791
2025	$35,407
2026	View More
2027	View More

Most common benefits for Daycare Worker

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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.

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