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

A Child Care Specialist's salary grows with experience: a Child Care Center Teacher (0-0 years)earns $42,236, a Child Care Specialist (0-1 years)earns $32,274, a Child Caregiver II (1-3 years)earns $36,428,

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

Child Care Specialist salary varies significantly by state. The top 3 highest paying states for Child Care Specialist roles are District of Columbia $35,963, California $35,827, Massachusetts $35,349. These tech hubs typically pay 10-15% above the national average.

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

Salaries for Child Care Specialist level roles vary by specialization: Child Care Administrator: $100,822; Child Care Director: $82,243; Director of Child Care: $79,288; Child Life Activities Specialist: $55,500; Child Life Program Specialist: $55,460.

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

Company size, industry, and compensation structure create significant salary variations for Child Care Specialist 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.

Child Care Specialist Salary in the United States

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

As of August 01, 2026, the average salary for a Child Care Specialist in the United States is $32,481 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $16.

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

Top Earners (90th percentile): $37,855
Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $30,107 to $35,294
Entry-Level (10th percentile): $27,945

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Child Care Specialist Salaries by Percentile

	Annual Salary	Monthly Pay	Weekly Pay	Hourly Wage
75th Percentile	$35,294	$2,941	$679	$17
Average	$32,481	$2,707	$625	$16
25th Percentile	$30,107	$2,509	$579	$14

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Key Factors That Influence Child Care Specialist Salaries

A Child Care 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 and company size can directly affect your earning potential.

How Do Child Care Specialist 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 Care Specialists. For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:

District of Columbia: $35,963.
California: $35,827.
Massachusetts: $35,349.

District of Columbia $35,963 California $35,827 Massachusetts $35,349 Washington $35,219 New Jersey $35,206 Alaska $35,161 Connecticut $34,712 New York $34,531

Hawaii $33,949 Rhode Island $33,676 Maryland $33,491 Minnesota $33,238 Colorado $33,140 Illinois $33,108 Oregon $32,984 Delaware $32,894

New Hampshire $32,836 Virginia $32,708 Pennsylvania $32,335 Nevada $32,146 North Dakota $32,085 Michigan $31,987 Wisconsin $31,952 Vermont $31,880

Texas $31,682 Maine $31,669 Arizona $31,649 Ohio $31,627 Georgia $31,328 Indiana $31,179 Wyoming $31,149 Utah $31,104

Iowa $31,084 Kansas $30,928 Louisiana $30,883 North Carolina $30,867 Missouri $30,860 Florida $30,734 Montana $30,665 Nebraska $30,600

Kentucky $30,565 South Carolina $30,435 Tennessee $30,353 Idaho $30,321 New Mexico $30,084 Oklahoma $30,032 Alabama $29,840 South Dakota $29,519

Arkansas $29,343 West Virginia $29,249 Mississippi $28,967

Top Paying Cities for Child Care Specialists

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: $40,968
San Francisco: $40,520
Oakland: $39,666

San Jose, CA $40,968

San Francisco, CA $40,520

Oakland, CA $39,666

New York, NY $37,398

Paramus, NJ $36,944

Queens Village, NY $36,942

Passaic, NJ $36,911

Bergenfield, NJ $36,908

Stamford, CT $36,837

Huntington, NY $36,823

Newark, NJ $36,583

Bridgeport, CT $36,515

Vallejo, CA $36,450

New Brunswick, NJ $36,437

Petaluma, CA $36,418

Middlesex, NJ $36,356

Somerset, NJ $36,333

Santa Cruz, CA $36,291

Boston, MA $36,093

Monterey, CA $35,979

Seattle, WA $35,904

Santa Rosa, CA $35,898

Los Angeles, CA $35,888

Juneau, AK $35,804

Washington, DC $35,768

Orange, CA $35,652

Santa Ana, CA $35,567

Long Beach, CA $35,534

Anaheim, CA $35,528

Anchorage, AK $35,511

Santa Maria, CA $35,414

Everett, WA $35,408

Danbury, CT $35,293

Bremerton, WA $35,248

Tacoma, WA $35,131

New Suffolk, NY $35,131

Sacramento, CA $35,122

Santa Barbara, CA $35,086

Trenton, NJ $35,050

San Diego, CA $35,050

Brockton, MA $35,015

Fairbanks, AK $34,935

Lompoc, CA $34,852

Lowell, MA $34,826

Ventura, CA $34,820

Nashua, NH $34,813

Stockton, CA $34,810

Modesto, CA $34,573

Poughkeepsie, NY $34,501

Olympia, WA $34,440

Kennewick, WA $34,440

New Haven, CT $34,427

Lawrence, MA $34,310

Hartford, CT $34,277

Riverside, CA $34,271

New Bedford, MA $34,238

Richland, WA $34,238

Bakersfield, CA $34,193

San Bernardino, CA $34,180

New Britain, CT $34,177

Atlantic City, NJ $34,177

New London, CT $34,164

Norwich, CT $34,154

Portsmouth, NH $34,147

Boulder, CO $34,078

Portland, OR $34,034

Worcester, MA $34,030

Minneapolis, MN $33,930

Philadelphia, PA $33,884

Honolulu, HI $33,777

Saint Paul, MN $33,761

Vineland, NJ $33,754

Providence, RI $33,660

Chicago, IL $33,566

Bellingham, WA $33,527

Springfield, MA $33,501

Baltimore, MD $33,491

Chico, CA $33,410

Pittsfield, MA $33,322

Manchester, NH $33,261

Spokane, WA $33,118

Denver, CO $33,114

Albany, NY $32,962

Troy, NY $32,949

Nassau, NY $32,914

Schenectady, NY $32,881

Wilmington, DE $32,855

Burlington, VT $32,809

Salem, OR $32,796

Portland, ME $32,695

Yakima, WA $32,663

Rochester, MN $32,562

Reno, NV $32,546

Fresno, CA $32,546

Milwaukee, WI $32,517

Detroit, MI $32,484

Ann Arbor, MI $32,479

Allentown, PA $32,475

Colorado Springs, CO $32,419

Syracuse, NY $32,403

Carson City, NV $32,403

Houston, TX $32,358

Eugene, OR $32,341

Gary, IN $32,302

Springfield, OR $32,276

Bismarck, ND $32,270

Galveston, TX $32,247

Medford, OR $32,198

Fort Collins, CO $32,185

Concord, NH $32,169

Austin, TX $32,159

Mesa, AZ $32,091

Reading, PA $32,088

Phoenix, AZ $32,085

Dallas, TX $32,075

Saint Cloud, MN $32,044

Madison, WI $32,000

Utica, NY $31,913

Rochester, NY $31,861

Des Moines, IA $31,857

Raleigh, NC $31,854

Atlanta, GA $31,805

Battle Creek, MI $31,796

Salt Lake City, UT $31,786

Lancaster, PA $31,737

Harrisburg, PA $31,692

Kansas City, MO $31,659

Champaign, IL $31,653

Kansas City, KS $31,653

Fort Worth, TX $31,649

Columbus, OH $31,644

Boca Raton, FL $31,636

Pittsburgh, PA $31,624

Richmond, VA $31,611

Indianapolis, IN $31,604

Cleveland, OH $31,601

Las Vegas, NV $31,562

Cincinnati, OH $31,562

Petersburg, VA $31,513

Huntsville, AL $31,464

Lansing, MI $31,443

Lebanon, PA $31,438

Pueblo, CO $31,435

Appleton, WI $31,425

Buffalo, NY $31,412

Dayton, OH $31,403

Racine, WI $31,396

Charlotte, NC $31,393

Saint Louis, MO $31,383

York, PA $31,364

Elkhart, IN $31,364

Gastonia, NC $31,357

Billings, MT $31,350

Beaumont, TX $31,341

Lorain, OH $31,334

Benton Harbor, MI $31,328

Toledo, OH $31,321

Binghamton, NY $31,305

Rock Hill, SC $31,302

Rockford, IL $31,286

Springfield, IL $31,273

Elyria, OH $31,269

Fargo, ND $31,269

Flagstaff, AZ $31,247

Fort Lauderdale, FL $31,227

Duluth, MN $31,208

Miami, FL $31,208

Cheyenne, WY $31,185

Grand Forks, ND $31,185

Bangor, ME $31,114

Cedar Rapids, IA $31,078

Durham, NC $31,064

Louisville, KY $31,062

Grand Rapids, MI $31,055

Hialeah, FL $31,052

Casper, WY $31,006

Scranton, PA $30,967

New Orleans, LA $30,958

Virginia Beach, VA $30,954

Akron, OH $30,938

Peoria, IL $30,896

Sarasota, FL $30,889

Nashville, TN $30,867

Omaha, NE $30,867

Green Bay, WI $30,867

Baton Rouge, LA $30,850

Charleston, SC $30,844

Jamestown, NY $30,828

Davenport, IA $30,828

Tucson, AZ $30,811

Saint Petersburg, FL $30,792

Tampa, FL $30,785

Evansville, IN $30,766

Port Arthur, TX $30,766

Bradenton, FL $30,753

Santa Fe, NM $30,695

Orlando, FL $30,636

Clearwater, FL $30,626

Canton, OH $30,558

La Crosse, WI $30,558

Albuquerque, NM $30,539

Newport News, VA $30,535

High Point, NC $30,526

Ogden, UT $30,513

Corpus Christi, TX $30,487

Norfolk, VA $30,467

Laramie, WY $30,467

Rock Island, IL $30,448

Saginaw, MI $30,441

Jacksonville, FL $30,438

Salisbury, NC $30,431

Boise, ID $30,425

Moline, IL $30,409

Fort Myers, FL $30,399

Memphis, TN $30,392

Tulsa, OK $30,376

Waterloo, IA $30,357

Spartanburg, SC $30,324

Lincoln, NE $30,308

Fort Wayne, IN $30,302

Provo, UT $30,298

Cedar Falls, IA $30,259

San Antonio, TX $30,246

Greensboro, NC $30,233

South Bend, IN $30,230

Savannah, GA $30,194

Muskegon, MI $30,181

Birmingham, AL $30,178

Winston Salem, NC $30,162

Lake Charles, LA $30,084

Anderson, IN $30,077

Lexington, KY $30,068

Augusta, GA $30,058

Greenville, SC $30,058

Lima, OH $30,032

Wichita, KS $30,029

Tuscaloosa, AL $30,029

Columbia, SC $29,999

Springfield, OH $29,993

Asheville, NC $29,941

Bloomington, IN $29,918

Knoxville, TN $29,801

Shreveport, LA $29,798

Wilmington, NC $29,756

Roanoke, VA $29,756

Topeka, KS $29,697

Frankfort, KY $29,694

Oklahoma City, OK $29,671

Chillicothe, OH $29,658

Longview, TX $29,655

Melbourne, FL $29,652

Sioux Falls, SD $29,600

Mobile, AL $29,597

Terre Haute, IN $29,584

Altoona, PA $29,564

Amarillo, TX $29,541

Killeen, TX $29,532

Fayetteville, AR $29,506

Chattanooga, TN $29,496

Sioux City, IA $29,467

Idaho Falls, ID $29,460

Lynchburg, VA $29,434

Gainesville, FL $29,392

Portsmouth, OH $29,376

Little Rock, AR $29,369

Lafayette, LA $29,356

Youngstown, OH $29,356

Daytona Beach, FL $29,337

Clarksville, TN $29,334

Pensacola, FL $29,330

Temple, TX $29,328

Hopkinsville, KY $29,233

Erie, PA $29,226

Florence, SC $29,213

Charleston, WV $29,161

Great Falls, MT $29,145

Macon, GA $29,100

Tallahassee, FL $29,096

Fayetteville, NC $29,090

Waco, TX $29,083

Helena, MT $29,061

Pine Bluff, AR $29,048

Vincennes, IN $29,009

Lubbock, TX $28,996

Alamogordo, NM $28,976

Twin Falls, ID $28,947

Rapid City, SD $28,937

Jackson, MS $28,879

Huntington, WV $28,877

Greenville, MS $28,876

Parkersburg, WV $28,842

Montgomery, AL $28,837

Wichita Falls, TX $28,804

Springfield, MO $28,804

Biloxi, MS $28,788

Monroe, LA $28,755

Johnstown, PA $28,733

Sumter, SC $28,720

Columbus, GA $28,716

Pascagoula, MS $28,655

Abilene, TX $28,655

Kingsport, TN $28,570

Albany, GA $28,570

Gulfport, MS $28,561

Alexandria, LA $28,453

Fort Smith, AR $28,372

El Paso, TX $28,284

Las Cruces, NM $28,138

Harlingen, TX $28,056

Pocatello, ID $28,051

Florence, AL $28,008

Brownsville, TX $28,002

Mcallen, TX $27,934

Dothan, AL $27,888

Columbus, MS $27,695

Altus, OK $27,544

Lawton, OK $27,482

Pierre, SD $27,365

What Skills Can Increase a Child Care Specialist'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 Child Care Specialist'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	$37,353	15%
Coordination	$35,404	9%
Problem Solving	$35,079	8%
Accountability	$35,079	8%
Customer Service	$34,755	7%
Leadership	$34,430	6%

Get Latest Data

Child Care Specialist Salary by Industry: Top Paying Sectors

For Child Care Specialist roles, the industry you choose can affect earning potential by as much as 60% (the gap between the highest and lowest paying industries). Data shows that the Healthcare and Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit sectors offer the strongest compensation, at 30% above the average. In contrast, Child Care Specialist positions in Hospitality & Leisure or Business Services typically offer lower base pay, as these industries often view Child Care Specialist as a support function rather than a direct revenue driver.

The top paying industries for a Child Care Specialist

Industry Sector	Average Annual Salary	Average Hourly Rate	Pay vs.Avg
Healthcare	$42,225	$20.0	30%
Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit	$35,729	$17.0	10%

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

Understanding how a Child Care 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.

Last Updated on August 01, 2026

$30,107

Average $32,481/year

$35,294

$2,509

Average $2,707/month

$2,941

$579

Average $625/week

$679

$14

Average $16/hour

$17

	Annual Salary	Monthly Pay	Weekly Pay	Hourly Wage
75th Percentile	$35,294	$2,941	$679	$17
Average	$32,481	$2,707	$625	$16
25th Percentile	$30,107	$2,509	$579	$14

Salaries of jobs related to Child Care Specialist

Salary Trends for Child Care Specialist

Salaries for a Child Care Specialist can change over time, reflecting shifts in market demand and the overall economy. The median salary decreased from $36,045 in 2023 to around $35,070 in 2025, reflecting changes in demand, location, experience, and the wider economy. For a detailed analysis of Child Care Specialist salary trends, .

Average Annual Salary of Child Care Specialist Over Time

2022

$???

2023

$36,045

2024

$35,450

2025

$35,070

2026

$???

2027

$???

Year	Average Annual Salary
2022	View More
2023	$36,045
2024	$35,450
2025	$35,070
2026	View More
2027	View More

Most common benefits for Child Care Specialist

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Ready to take the next step in your career? Browse thousands of current Child Care Specialist job openings on our job board. Use the search bar below to find your perfect match.

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FAQ about Child Care Specialist

1. What industry pays the highest salary for Child Care Specialist?

The Healthcare industry offers the highest average compensation for Child Care 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.)

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