Head Start Administrator Salary in the United States
How much does a Head Start Administrator make in the United States?
As of July 01, 2026, the average salary for a Head Start Administrator in the United States is $45,860 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $22.
However, a Head Start Administrator's salary can vary significantly. Here’s a look at the typical salary range:
Top Earners (90th percentile): $54,655
Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $40,281 to $50,464
Key Factors That Influence Head Start Administrator Salaries
A Head Start Administrator'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 Head Start Administrator Salaries?
Experience is a primary driver of a Head Start Administrator'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): $44,543
Early Career (1-2 years): $45,705
Mid-Level (2-4 years): $47,120
Senior-Level (5-8 years): $48,065
Expert (over 8 years): $48,428
Levels
Salary
Entry Level Head Start Administrator
$44,543
Intermediate Level Head Start Administrator
$45,705
Senior Level Head Start Administrator
$47,120
Specialist Level Head Start Administrator
$48,065
Expert Level Head Start Administrator
$48,428
$44,5430 yr
$45,705< 2 yrs
$47,1202-4 yrs
$48,0655-8 yrs
$48,428> 8 yrs
View as Table
View as Graph
What Am I Worth?
How Do Head Start Administrator 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 Head Start Administrators.
For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:
District of Columbia: $50,777.
California: $50,584.
Massachusetts: $49,910.
District of Columbia$50,777
California$50,584
Massachusetts$49,910
Washington$49,726
New Jersey$49,708
Alaska$49,644
Connecticut$49,011
New York$48,754
Hawaii$47,933
Rhode Island$47,548
Maryland$47,287
Minnesota$46,929
Colorado$46,791
Illinois$46,746
Oregon$46,571
Delaware$46,443
New Hampshire$46,362
Virginia$46,181
Pennsylvania$45,654
Nevada$45,388
North Dakota$45,301
Michigan$45,163
Wisconsin$45,113
Vermont$45,012
Texas$44,732
Maine$44,714
Arizona$44,686
Ohio$44,654
Georgia$44,232
Indiana$44,021
Wyoming$43,980
Utah$43,916
Iowa$43,888
Kansas$43,668
Louisiana$43,604
North Carolina$43,581
Missouri$43,572
Florida$43,393
Montana$43,297
Nebraska$43,205
Kentucky$43,155
South Carolina$42,971
Tennessee$42,857
Idaho$42,811
New Mexico$42,476
Oklahoma$42,403
Alabama$42,132
South Dakota$41,678
Arkansas$41,430
West Virginia$41,297
Mississippi$40,898
Top Paying Cities for Head Start Administrators
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: $57,844
San Francisco: $57,210
Oakland: $56,005
San Jose, CA$57,844
San Francisco, CA$57,210
Oakland, CA$56,005
New York, NY$52,803
Paramus, NJ$52,161
Queens Village, NY$52,159
Passaic, NJ$52,115
Bergenfield, NJ$52,111
Stamford, CT$52,010
Huntington, NY$51,991
Newark, NJ$51,653
Bridgeport, CT$51,556
Vallejo, CA$51,465
New Brunswick, NJ$51,446
Petaluma, CA$51,419
Middlesex, NJ$51,332
Somerset, NJ$51,299
Santa Cruz, CA$51,240
Boston, MA$50,960
Monterey, CA$50,799
Seattle, WA$50,694
Santa Rosa, CA$50,685
Los Angeles, CA$50,671
Juneau, AK$50,552
Washington, DC$50,501
Orange, CA$50,338
Santa Ana, CA$50,217
Long Beach, CA$50,171
Anaheim, CA$50,162
Anchorage, AK$50,139
Santa Maria, CA$50,002
Everett, WA$49,992
Danbury, CT$49,831
Bremerton, WA$49,768
Tacoma, WA$49,603
New Suffolk, NY$49,602
Sacramento, CA$49,589
Santa Barbara, CA$49,538
Trenton, NJ$49,488
San Diego, CA$49,488
Brockton, MA$49,438
Fairbanks, AK$49,325
Lompoc, CA$49,208
Lowell, MA$49,171
Ventura, CA$49,162
Nashua, NH$49,153
Stockton, CA$49,149
Modesto, CA$48,814
Poughkeepsie, NY$48,713
Olympia, WA$48,626
Kennewick, WA$48,626
New Haven, CT$48,607
Lawrence, MA$48,442
Hartford, CT$48,396
Riverside, CA$48,387
New Bedford, MA$48,341
Richland, WA$48,341
Bakersfield, CA$48,277
San Bernardino, CA$48,259
New Britain, CT$48,254
Atlantic City, NJ$48,254
New London, CT$48,236
Norwich, CT$48,222
Portsmouth, NH$48,213
Boulder, CO$48,116
Portland, OR$48,053
Worcester, MA$48,048
Minneapolis, MN$47,906
Philadelphia, PA$47,842
Honolulu, HI$47,690
Saint Paul, MN$47,668
Vineland, NJ$47,658
Providence, RI$47,525
Chicago, IL$47,392
Bellingham, WA$47,337
Springfield, MA$47,300
Baltimore, MD$47,287
Chico, CA$47,172
Pittsfield, MA$47,048
Manchester, NH$46,961
Spokane, WA$46,759
Denver, CO$46,755
Albany, NY$46,539
Troy, NY$46,521
Nassau, NY$46,472
Schenectady, NY$46,424
Wilmington, DE$46,388
Burlington, VT$46,324
Salem, OR$46,305
Portland, ME$46,163
Yakima, WA$46,117
Rochester, MN$45,975
Reno, NV$45,952
Fresno, CA$45,952
Milwaukee, WI$45,911
Detroit, MI$45,865
Ann Arbor, MI$45,857
Allentown, PA$45,851
Colorado Springs, CO$45,773
Syracuse, NY$45,750
Carson City, NV$45,750
Houston, TX$45,686
Eugene, OR$45,663
Gary, IN$45,608
Springfield, OR$45,571
Bismarck, ND$45,562
Galveston, TX$45,530
Medford, OR$45,461
Fort Collins, CO$45,443
Concord, NH$45,420
Austin, TX$45,406
Mesa, AZ$45,310
Reading, PA$45,305
Phoenix, AZ$45,301
Dallas, TX$45,287
Saint Cloud, MN$45,243
Madison, WI$45,182
Utica, NY$45,058
Rochester, NY$44,984
Des Moines, IA$44,980
Raleigh, NC$44,975
Atlanta, GA$44,907
Battle Creek, MI$44,893
Salt Lake City, UT$44,879
Lancaster, PA$44,810
Harrisburg, PA$44,746
Kansas City, MO$44,700
Champaign, IL$44,691
Kansas City, KS$44,691
Fort Worth, TX$44,686
Columbus, OH$44,679
Boca Raton, FL$44,668
Pittsburgh, PA$44,650
Richmond, VA$44,631
Indianapolis, IN$44,622
Cleveland, OH$44,618
Las Vegas, NV$44,563
Cincinnati, OH$44,563
Petersburg, VA$44,494
Huntsville, AL$44,425
Lansing, MI$44,394
Lebanon, PA$44,388
Pueblo, CO$44,384
Appleton, WI$44,370
Buffalo, NY$44,352
Dayton, OH$44,338
Racine, WI$44,329
Charlotte, NC$44,324
Saint Louis, MO$44,310
York, PA$44,283
Elkhart, IN$44,283
Gastonia, NC$44,274
Billings, MT$44,263
Beaumont, TX$44,251
Lorain, OH$44,242
Benton Harbor, MI$44,232
Toledo, OH$44,223
Binghamton, NY$44,200
Rock Hill, SC$44,196
Rockford, IL$44,173
Springfield, IL$44,154
Elyria, OH$44,150
Fargo, ND$44,150
Flagstaff, AZ$44,118
Fort Lauderdale, FL$44,090
Duluth, MN$44,063
Miami, FL$44,063
Cheyenne, WY$44,031
Grand Forks, ND$44,031
Bangor, ME$43,930
Cedar Rapids, IA$43,879
Durham, NC$43,860
Louisville, KY$43,856
Grand Rapids, MI$43,847
Hialeah, FL$43,843
Casper, WY$43,778
Scranton, PA$43,723
New Orleans, LA$43,710
Virginia Beach, VA$43,705
Akron, OH$43,682
Peoria, IL$43,622
Sarasota, FL$43,613
Nashville, TN$43,581
Omaha, NE$43,581
Green Bay, WI$43,581
Baton Rouge, LA$43,558
Charleston, SC$43,549
Jamestown, NY$43,526
Davenport, IA$43,526
Tucson, AZ$43,503
Saint Petersburg, FL$43,476
Tampa, FL$43,466
Evansville, IN$43,439
Port Arthur, TX$43,439
Bradenton, FL$43,421
Santa Fe, NM$43,338
Orlando, FL$43,256
Clearwater, FL$43,242
Canton, OH$43,145
La Crosse, WI$43,145
Albuquerque, NM$43,118
Newport News, VA$43,113
High Point, NC$43,100
Ogden, UT$43,081
Corpus Christi, TX$43,045
Norfolk, VA$43,017
Laramie, WY$43,017
Rock Island, IL$42,990
Saginaw, MI$42,980
Jacksonville, FL$42,976
Salisbury, NC$42,967
Boise, ID$42,957
Moline, IL$42,935
Fort Myers, FL$42,921
Memphis, TN$42,912
Tulsa, OK$42,889
Waterloo, IA$42,861
Spartanburg, SC$42,815
Lincoln, NE$42,792
Fort Wayne, IN$42,783
Provo, UT$42,779
Cedar Falls, IA$42,724
San Antonio, TX$42,705
Greensboro, NC$42,687
South Bend, IN$42,682
Savannah, GA$42,632
Muskegon, MI$42,613
Birmingham, AL$42,609
Winston Salem, NC$42,586
Lake Charles, LA$42,476
Anderson, IN$42,467
Lexington, KY$42,453
Augusta, GA$42,439
Greenville, SC$42,439
Lima, OH$42,403
Wichita, KS$42,398
Tuscaloosa, AL$42,398
Columbia, SC$42,357
Springfield, OH$42,347
Asheville, NC$42,274
Bloomington, IN$42,242
Knoxville, TN$42,077
Shreveport, LA$42,072
Wilmington, NC$42,013
Roanoke, VA$42,013
Topeka, KS$41,930
Frankfort, KY$41,925
Oklahoma City, OK$41,893
Chillicothe, OH$41,875
Longview, TX$41,871
Melbourne, FL$41,866
Sioux Falls, SD$41,793
Mobile, AL$41,788
Terre Haute, IN$41,770
Altoona, PA$41,742
Amarillo, TX$41,710
Killeen, TX$41,696
Fayetteville, AR$41,660
Chattanooga, TN$41,646
Sioux City, IA$41,605
Idaho Falls, ID$41,595
Lynchburg, VA$41,559
Gainesville, FL$41,499
Portsmouth, OH$41,476
Little Rock, AR$41,467
Lafayette, LA$41,449
Youngstown, OH$41,449
Daytona Beach, FL$41,421
Clarksville, TN$41,417
Pensacola, FL$41,412
Temple, TX$41,409
Hopkinsville, KY$41,274
Erie, PA$41,265
Florence, SC$41,247
Charleston, WV$41,173
Great Falls, MT$41,151
Macon, GA$41,086
Tallahassee, FL$41,082
Fayetteville, NC$41,073
Waco, TX$41,063
Helena, MT$41,031
Pine Bluff, AR$41,014
Vincennes, IN$40,958
Lubbock, TX$40,940
Alamogordo, NM$40,912
Twin Falls, ID$40,871
Rapid City, SD$40,857
Jackson, MS$40,774
Huntington, WV$40,771
Greenville, MS$40,770
Parkersburg, WV$40,723
Montgomery, AL$40,715
Wichita Falls, TX$40,669
Springfield, MO$40,669
Biloxi, MS$40,646
Monroe, LA$40,600
Johnstown, PA$40,568
Sumter, SC$40,550
Columbus, GA$40,545
Pascagoula, MS$40,458
Abilene, TX$40,458
Kingsport, TN$40,339
Albany, GA$40,339
Gulfport, MS$40,325
Alexandria, LA$40,174
Fort Smith, AR$40,059
El Paso, TX$39,935
Las Cruces, NM$39,729
Harlingen, TX$39,612
Pocatello, ID$39,605
Florence, AL$39,545
Brownsville, TX$39,536
Mcallen, TX$39,440
Dothan, AL$39,376
Columbus, MS$39,103
Altus, OK$38,890
Lawton, OK$38,802
Pierre, SD$38,637
What Skills Can Increase a Head Start Administrator's Salary?
Demanded Skills for the Role:
Customer Service (Mentioned in 9.53% Job Postings): Customer service is the provision of service to customers before, during and after a purchase. The perception of success of such interactions is dependent on employees "who can adjust themselves to the personality of the guest". Customer service concerns the priority an organization assigns to customer service relative to components such as product innovation and pricing. In this sense, an organization that values good customer service may spend more money in training employees than the average organization or may proactively interview customers for feedback. From the point of view of an overall sales process engineering effort, customer service plays an important role in an organization's ability to generate income and revenue. From that perspective, customer service should be included as part of an overall approach to systematic improvement. One good customer service experience can change the entire perception a customer holds towards the organization.
Emergency Services (Mentioned in 5.11% Job Postings): Emergency Services are the public organizations that respond to and deal with emergencies when they occur, especially those that provide police, ambulance, and firefighting services.
Public Safety Communications (Mentioned in 2.07% Job Postings): Public safety communication networks are used by emergency services organizations, such as police, fire and emergency medical services to prevent or respond to incidents that harm or endanger persons and/or properties.
See More Skills
Skills
Demand Percentage
Customer Service
9.53%
Emergency Services
5.11%
Public Safety Communications
2.07%
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 Head Start Administrator's salary.
Safety Procedures: Can increase your salary by up to 35%.
Innovation: Can increase your salary by up to 17%.
Coordination: Can increase your salary by up to 16%.
Skill
Salary
Salary % Increase
Safety Procedures
$61,912
35%
Innovation
$53,657
17%
Coordination
$53,198
16%
Verbal Communication
$51,364
12%
Microsoft Office
$50,905
11%
Problem Solving
$50,905
11%
Get Latest Data
Head Start Administrator Salary by Industry: Top Paying Sectors
For Head Start Administrator roles, the industry you choose can impact your earning potential
by as much as 40% (the gap between the highest and lowest paying industries).
Data shows that the highest-paying industry, Healthcare,
offers compensation 20% above the average. Conversely,
Head Start Administrator positions in Business Services typically offer lower base pay,
as this sector often view Head Start Administrator as a support function rather than a direct revenue driver.
The top paying industry for a Head Start Administrator
Industry Sector
Average Annual Salary
Average Hourly Rate
Pay vs.Avg
Healthcare
$55,032
$26.0
20%
How Education impacts a Head Start Administrator's Salary?
Your level of education can impact your salary potential.
While many Head Start Administrators enter the field with a No Diploma degree,
higher education can lead to more specialized and higher-paying roles.
According to our 100% employer-reported salary data,
the median salary for a Head Start Administrator with a No Diploma is between
$41,255
and $44,099).
Head Start Administrator Salaries by Degree Level
Typical Education for Head Start Administrator
No Diploma33.3%
High School50.0%
Associates16.7%
Bachelors16.7%
Masters0.0%
Doctorate0.0%
view as table
Degree Level
% of user with this level of education
No Diploma
33.3%
High School
50.0%
Associates
16.7%
Bachelors
16.7%
Masters
0.0%
Doctorate
0.0%
view as graph
Head Start Administrator Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay
Understanding how a Head Start Administrator'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.
Hourly
Monthly
Weekly
Yearly
Table View
Last Updated on July 01, 2026
$40,281
Average$45,860/year
$50,464
$3,357
Average$3,822/month
$4,205
$775
Average$882/week
$970
$19
Average$22/hour
$24
Annual Salary
Monthly Pay
Weekly Pay
Hourly Wage
75th Percentile
$50,464
$4,205
$970
$24
Average
$45,860
$3,822
$882
$22
25th Percentile
$40,281
$3,357
$775
$19
Salaries of jobs related to Head Start Administrator
Salaries for a Head Start Administrator can change over time,
reflecting shifts in market demand and the overall economy.
The median salary increased from $47,767 in 2023
to around $47,903 in 2025,
reflecting changes in demand, location, experience, and the wider economy.
For a detailed analysis of Head Start Administrator salary trends,
.
Average Annual Salary of Head Start Administrator Over Time
2022
$???
2023
$47,767
2024
$48,157
2025
$47,903
2026
$???
2027
$???
Year
Average Annual Salary
2022
View More
2023
$47,767
2024
$48,157
2025
$47,903
2026
View More
2027
View More
Most common benefits for Head Start Administrator
Social Security
401(k)
Disability
Healthcare
Pension
Time Off (days)
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Common company salaries for Head Start Administrator
Here are companies hiring for Head Start Administrator and their salaries, click below for more details.
K
$114,295/per year
Kpmg Us LLP
Business Services
the United States
W
$114,096/per year
Warner Bros Discovery
Business Services
the United States
D
$111,927/per year
Dentsu International Ltd
Business Services
the United States
G
$111,873/per year
GroupM Worldwide Inc
Business Services
the United States
C
$111,651/per year
CoWorx Staffing
Business Services
the United States
C
$110,194/per year
Contemporary Services Corp
Business Services
the United States
S
$107,128/per year
Showcase Cinemas
Business Services
the United States
A
$106,429/per year
Amentum Services Inc
Business Services
the United States
A
$106,199/per year
Allied Universal Security Services LLC
Business Services
the United States
S
$106,104/per year
Sodexo USA
Business Services
the United States
J
$105,192/per year
JLL Technologies
Business Services
the United States
I
$104,478/per year
Intact Insurance Group USA LLC
Business Services
the United States
N
$101,619/per year
NielsenIQ
Business Services
the United States
T
$101,470/per year
The Leading Edge Alliance
Business Services
the United States
H
$101,308/per year
Honeywell UOP
Business Services
the United States
R
$97,720/per year
Reeve & Associates
Business Services
the United States
M
$97,584/per year
ManpowerGroup Global Inc
Business Services
the United States
F
$95,980/per year
Financial Sys Nco
Business Services
the United States
A
$95,314/per year
Arrow Global Ltd
Business Services
the United States
C
$94,777/per year
CarMax Enterprise Services LLC
Business Services
the United States
D
$94,479/per year
DZConneX
Business Services
the United States
A
$93,802/per year
Adecco Staffing, USA
Business Services
the United States
R
$92,937/per year
Resource MFG
Business Services
the United States
Z
$92,774/per year
Zachry Brands Inc
Business Services
the United States
G
$88,138/per year
Greystar Worldwide LLC
Business Services
the United States
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