### Bureau of Labor Statistics U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

Childcare Workers Summary
                        
            
                                                        
                                                                
                        
            
            
            
                            
                                                
                                                
                                                
                                                
            									
							
				                                                
                                            




            			childcare workers imageChildcare workers attend to the basic needs of children, such as dressing, bathing, feeding, and overseeing play.							
						Quick Facts:     Childcare Workers2023     Median Pay
            						$30,370     per year
										$14.60     per hourTypical Entry-Level Education
                                    High school diploma or equivalentWork Experience in a Related Occupation
                                    NoneOn-the-job Training
                                    Short-term on-the-job trainingNumber of Jobs, 2022
                                    945,900Job Outlook, 2022-32
                                    -2% (Decline)Employment Change, 2022-32
                                    -18,500What Childcare Workers Do
                                                
                        
                        
Childcare workers attend to children's needs while helping to foster early development.
            
                        Work Environment
                        
Childcare workers typically work in childcare centers, their own home, or private households. Part-time work and irregular hours are common.
            
                                                How to Become a Childcare Worker
                                                
                        
Education and training requirements for childcare workers vary by setting, state, and employer. They range from no formal education to certification in early childhood education.
            
                        Pay
                        																																					    														The median hourly wage for childcare workers was $14.60 in May 2023.									                                					
						
            
                        Job Outlook
                        						
												Employment							of childcare workers is projected to decline							 2 percent from 2022 to 2032.
						Despite declining  employment, about 153,100 openings for childcare workers are projected each year, on average, over the decade.
            			
            			 All of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to other occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire.
						State & Area Data
                       Explore resources for employment and wages by state and area for childcare workers.
            
            
						
                        Similar Occupations
                        
                                                    Compare the job duties, education, job growth, and pay of childcare workers with similar occupations.
            
            
                        More Information, Including Links to O*NET
                        
                                               
                        Learn more about childcare workers by visiting additional resources, including O*NET, a source on key characteristics of workers and occupations.
 What Childcare Workers Do 
            

			Childcare workersChildcare workers prepare and organize mealtimes and snacks for children.			
Childcare workers attend to children's needs while helping to foster early development. They may help younger children prepare for kindergarten or assist older children with homework.
Duties
Childcare workers typically do the following:
Supervise and monitor the safety of children
Prepare and organize mealtimes and snacks for children
Help children keep good hygiene
Change the diapers of infants and toddlers
Organize activities or implement a curriculum that allows children to learn about the world and explore their interests
Develop schedules and routines to ensure that children have enough physical activity, rest, and playtime
Watch for signs of emotional or developmental problems in children and bring potential problems to the attention of parents or guardians
Keep records of children’s progress, routines, and interestsChildcare workers read and play with babies and toddlers to introduce basic concepts. For example, they teach them how to share and take turns by playing games with other children.
Childcare workers help preschool-age children prepare for kindergarten. Young children learn from playing, questioning, and experimenting. Childcare workers use play and other instructional techniques to help children’s development. For example, they may use storytelling and rhyming games to teach language and vocabulary. They may help improve children’s social skills by having them work together to build something in a sandbox. Or they may teach about numbers by having children count when building with blocks. They also involve children in creative activities, such as art, dance, and music.
Childcare workers may also watch school-age children before and after school. They often help these children with their homework and may take them to afterschool activities, such as sports practices and club meetings.
During the summer, when children are out of school, childcare workers may watch older children as well as younger ones while the parents are at work.
The following are examples of types of childcare workers:
***Childcare center workers*** work in facilities that include programs offering Head Start and Early Head Start. They often take a team-based approach and may work with preschool teachers and teacher assistants to teach children through a structured curriculum. They prepare daily and long-term schedules of activities to stimulate and educate the children in their care. They also monitor and keep records of the children’s progress.
***Family childcare providers*** run a business out of their own homes to care for children during standard working hours. They need to ensure that their homes and all staff they employ meet the regulations for family childcare providers. They also prepare contracts that set rates of pay, when payment can be expected, and the number of hours children can be in care. Furthermore, they establish policies such as whether sick children can be in their care, who can pick children up, and how behavioral issues will be dealt with. Family childcare providers may market their services to prospective families.
***Nannies*** work in the homes of the families whose children they care for. Most often, they work full time for one family. They may be responsible for driving children to school, appointments, or afterschool activities. Some live in the homes of the families employing them.
 Work Environment
			Childcare workersChildcare workers may spend part of their day outdoors.			

	    
				
	
	
	
	
	
	
	    					 Childcare workers held about 945,900 jobs in 2022. The largest employers of childcare workers were as follows:
        Child day care services
                29%Self-employed workers
                24Private households
                20Elementary and secondary schools; local
                8Religious, grantmaking, civic, professional, and similar organizations
                7Family childcare workers care for children in their own homes. They may convert a portion of their living space into a dedicated space for the children. Nannies usually work in their employers’ homes.
Many states limit the number of children that each staff member is responsible for by regulating the ratio of staff to children. Ratios vary with the age of the children. Childcare workers are responsible for relatively few babies and toddlers. However, workers may be responsible for greater numbers of older children.
Work Schedules
Childcare workers’ schedules vary, and part-time work is common.
Childcare centers usually are open year round, with long hours so that parents or guardians can drop off and pick up their children before and after work. Some centers employ full-time and part-time staff with staggered shifts to cover the entire day.
Family childcare providers may work long or irregular hours to fit parents’ work schedules. In some cases, these childcare providers offer evening and overnight care to meet the needs of families. After the children go home, family childcare providers often have more responsibilities, such as shopping for food or supplies, keeping records, and cleaning.
Nannies work either full or part time. Full-time nannies may work more than 40 hours a week to cover parents’ time commuting to and from work.
 How to Become a Childcare Worker

			Childcare workersChildcare workers typically need a high school degree or equivalent.			
Education and training requirements vary by setting, state, and employer. They range from no formal education to a certification in early childhood education.
Education
Childcare workers’ education requirements vary. Some states require these workers to have a high school diploma or equivalent, but others do not have any education requirements for entry-level positions. Employers often prefer to hire workers who have at least a high school diploma. However, workers with postsecondary education or an early childhood education credential may qualify for higher level positions.
Although it is not required, bachelor's degree study in fields such as education, psychology, or family and consumer sciences may be helpful.
Childcare workers in Head Start and Early Head Start programs must meet specific education and certification requirements, which vary by work setting and job title.
States do not regulate educational requirements for nannies. However, some employers may prefer to hire workers with at least some formal instruction in childhood education or a related field, particularly when they will be hired as full-time nannies.
Licenses, Certifications, and Registrations
Many states require childcare centers, including those in private homes, to be licensed. To qualify for licensure, staff often must pass a background check, have a complete record of immunizations, and meet a minimum training requirement. Some states require staff to have certifications in cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and first aid.
Some states and employers require childcare workers to have a nationally recognized credential. Most often, states require the Child Development Associate (CDA) credential offered by the Council for Professional Recognition. Obtaining the CDA credential requires coursework, experience in the field, and a period during which the applicant is observed while working with children. The CDA credential must be renewed every 3 years.
Other organizations, such as The National Association for Family Child Care (NAFCC) may also offer optional accreditation.
Training
Many states and employers require providers to complete some training before beginning work. Also, many states require staff in childcare centers to complete a minimum number of training hours annually. Training may include information about topics such as safe sleep practices for infants.
Advancement
With a couple of years of experience and a bachelor’s degree, childcare workers may advance to become a preschool or childcare center director.
Important Qualities
***Communication skills.*** Childcare workers need good speaking skills to provide direction or information effectively and good listening skills to understand parents’ instructions.
***Decision-making skills.*** Good judgment is necessary for childcare workers so they can respond to emergencies or difficult situations.
***Interpersonal skills.*** Childcare workers need to work well with people in order to develop good relationships with parents, children, and colleagues.
***Patience.*** Childcare workers need to be able to respond calmly to overwhelming and difficult situations.
***Physical stamina.*** Working with children can be physically demanding, so childcare workers should have a lot of energy.
 Pay

			



	
 
                                                     
            
    
                Childcare WorkersMedian hourly wages, May 2023Total, all occupations$23.11   Other personal care and service workers$16.68   Childcare workers$14.60Note: All Occupations includes all occupations in the U.S. Economy.Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics
 

	
	



		
	
	
	
The median hourly wage for childcare workers was $14.60 in May 2023. 


The median wage is the wage at which half the workers in an occupation earned more than that amount and half earned less. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $10.79, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $20.80.





		
	    					 In May 2023, the median hourly wages for childcare workers in the top industries in which they worked were as follows:	
        Elementary and secondary schools; local
                $16.82Religious, grantmaking, civic, professional, and similar organizations
                14.36Child day care services
                14.04Pay varies with the worker’s education level and work setting. Those in formal childcare settings and those with more education usually earn higher wages. Pay for self-employed workers is based on the number of hours they work and the number and ages of children in their care.
Childcare workers’ schedules vary, and part-time work is common.
Childcare centers usually are open year round, with long hours so that parents or guardians can drop off and pick up their children before and after work. Some centers employ full-time and part-time staff with staggered shifts to cover the entire day.
Family childcare providers may work long or irregular hours to fit parents’ work schedules. In some cases, these childcare providers may offer evening and overnight care to meet the needs of families. After the children go home, childcare providers often have more responsibilities, such as shopping for food or supplies, keeping records, and cleaning.
Nannies work either full or part time. Full-time nannies may work more than 40 hours a week to cover parents’ commuting time to and from work.
 Job Outlook

   
        
    
          
        
    
                Childcare WorkersPercent change in employment, projected 2022-32Other personal care and service workers4%  Total, all occupations3%  Childcare workers-2%Note: All Occupations includes all occupations in the U.S. Economy.Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections program
            
            
			 
	
	
	

			Employment				of childcare workers is projected to decline				 2 percent from 2022 to 2032.
			
			Despite declining  employment, about 153,100 openings for childcare workers are projected each year, on average, over the decade.
			
			 All of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to other occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire.
			Employment
	
			
Parents or guardians who work will continue to need the assistance of childcare workers. However, the increasing cost of childcare may limit demand for these workers.
			

                        Employment projections data for     childcare workers, 2022-32
                Occupational Title
                        SOC Code
                        Employment, 2022
                        Projected Employment, 2032
                        Change, 2022-32
                        Employment by IndustryPercent
                        NumericSOURCE: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections program**Childcare workers**
			39-9011
			945,900
			927,400
			-2
			-18,500
			Get data
 State & Area Data **Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS)** The Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) program produces employment and wage estimates annually for over 800 occupations. These estimates are available for the nation as a whole, for individual states, and for metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas. The link(s) below go to OES data maps for employment and wages by state and area. Childcare workers **Projections Central** Occupational employment projections are developed for all states by Labor Market Information (LMI) or individual state Employment Projections offices. All state projections data are available at www.projectionscentral.com. Information on this site allows projected employment growth for an occupation to be compared among states or to be compared within one state. In addition, states may produce projections for areas; there are links to each state’s websites where these data may be retrieved. **CareerOneStop** CareerOneStop includes hundreds of occupational profiles with data available by state and metro area. There are links in the left-hand side menu to compare occupational employment by state and occupational wages by local area or metro area. There is also a salary info tool to search for wages by zip code.
 Similar Occupations This table shows a list of occupations with job duties that are similar to those of childcare workers. Occupation
                Job Duties
                ENTRY-LEVEL EDUCATION
                2023     MEDIAN PAY**Kindergarten and Elementary School Teachers**
            Kindergarten and elementary school teachers instruct young students in basic subjects in order to prepare them for future schooling.
            Bachelor's degree
            $63,670**Preschool and Childcare Center Directors**
            Preschool and childcare center directors supervise and lead their staffs, design program plans, oversee daily activities, and prepare budgets.
            Bachelor's degree
            $54,290**Preschool Teachers**
            Preschool teachers educate and care for children younger than age 5 who have not yet entered kindergarten.
            Associate's degree
            $37,130**Special Education Teachers**
            Special education teachers work with students who have a wide range of learning, mental, emotional, and physical disabilities.
            Bachelor's degree
            $65,910**Teacher Assistants**
            Teacher assistants work with a licensed teacher to give students additional attention and instruction.
            Some college, no degree
            $35,550
 Contacts for More Information
								
For more information about becoming a childcare provider, visit
Child Care Aware
For more information about working as a nanny, visit
International Nanny Association
For more information about family childcare providers, visit
National Association for Family Child Care
For more information about early childhood education, visit
National Association for the Education of Young Children
For more information about professional credentials, visit
Council for Professional Recognition

                                                
                                                        
                                                                                                    O*NET
                                        Childcare WorkersNannies
 Suggested citation: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S.  Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, Childcare Workers, 
        	 at https://www.bls.gov/ooh/personal-care-and-service/childcare-workers.htm (visited *May 21, 2024*).
 **Last Modified Date:**
                        Wednesday, April 17, 2024


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