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

Preschool and Childcare Center Directors Summary
                        
            
                                                        
                                                                
                        
            
            
            
                            
                                                
                                                
                                                
                                                
            									
							
				                                                
                                            




            			preschool and childcare center directors imagePreschool and childcare center directors lead staff, design program plans, oversee daily activities, and prepare plans and budgets.							
						Quick Facts:     Preschool and Childcare Center Directors2023     Median Pay
            						$54,290     per year
										$26.10     per hourTypical Entry-Level Education
                                    Bachelor's degreeWork Experience in a Related Occupation
                                    Less than 5 yearsOn-the-job Training
                                    NoneNumber of Jobs, 2022
                                    74,800Job Outlook, 2022-32
                                    -3% (Decline)Employment Change, 2022-32
                                    -2,200What Preschool and Childcare Center Directors Do
                                                
                        
                        
Preschool and childcare center directors supervise and lead their staffs, design program plans, oversee daily activities, and prepare budgets.
            
                        Work Environment
                        
Preschool and childcare center directors work primarily in child daycare services. Most work full time, and some work more than 40 hours per week.
            
                                                How to Become a Preschool or Childcare Center Director
                                                
                        
A bachelor’s degree and experience in early childhood education are typically required to become a preschool and childcare center director. However, educational requirements vary. Additionally, some employers require these directors to have a nationally recognized credential, such as the Child Development Associate (CDA) credential.
            
                        Pay
                        												                            																				    														The median annual wage for preschool and childcare center directors was $54,290 in May 2023.									                                					
						
            
                        Job Outlook
                        						
												Employment							of preschool and childcare center directors is projected to decline							 3 percent from 2022 to 2032.
						Despite declining  employment, about 4,600 openings for preschool and childcare center directors 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 preschool and childcare center directors.
            
            
						
                        Similar Occupations
                        
                                                    Compare the job duties, education, job growth, and pay of preschool and childcare center directors with similar occupations.
            
            
                        More Information, Including Links to O*NET
                        
                                               
                        Learn more about preschool and childcare center directors by visiting additional resources, including O*NET, a source on key characteristics of workers and occupations.
 What Preschool and Childcare Center Directors Do 
            

			Preschool and childcare center directorsPreschool and childcare center directors assist staff with caring for and teaching children.			
Preschool and childcare center directors supervise and lead staffs, design program plans, oversee daily activities, and prepare budgets. They are responsible for all aspects of their center’s program, which may include before- and after-school care.
Duties
Preschool and childcare center directors typically do the following:
Supervise preschool teachers and childcare workers
Hire and train new staff members
Provide professional development opportunities for staff
Establish policies and communicate them to staff and parents
Develop educational programs and standards
Maintain instructional excellence
Assist staff in communicating with parents and children
Meet with parents and staff to discuss students’ progress
Prepare budgets and allocate program funds
Ensure that facilities are maintained and cleaned according to state regulationsSome preschools and childcare centers are independently owned and operated. In these facilities, directors must follow the instructions and guidelines of the owner. Sometimes, the directors are the owners, so they decide how to operate them.
Other preschools and childcare centers are part of a national chain or franchise. The director of a chain or franchise must ensure that the facility meets the parent organization’s standards and regulations.
In addition, some preschools and childcare centers, such as Head Start programs, receive state and federal funding. Directors need to follow the requirements set by Department of Health and Human Services for program, staff, and facilities.
 Work Environment
			Preschool and childcare center directorsMost preschool and childcare center directors work in childcare facilities.			

	    
				
	
	
	
	
	
	
	    					 Preschool and childcare center directors held about 74,800 jobs in 2022. The largest employers of preschool and childcare center directors were as follows:
        Child day care services
                71%Religious, grantmaking, civic, professional, and similar organizations
                8Self-employed workers
                7Elementary and secondary schools; state, local, and private
                6Although preschool and childcare center directors work in schools and childcare centers, they spend most of their day in an office. They also visit classrooms to check on students, speak to preschool teachers or childcare workers, and meet with parents.
Preschool and childcare center directors may find working in an early childhood educational environment rewarding, but they also have significant responsibilities. Coordinating and interacting with staff, parents, and children may be fast paced and stimulating but also stressful.
Work Schedules
Most preschool and childcare center directors work full time, and some work more than 40 hours per week. They are on the job while the childcare center is open and may work early in the morning and late in the evening, particularly in centers that provide before- and after-school care. In large facilities, the director and assistant directors may stagger their schedules to ensure that someone is always onsite.
 How to Become a Preschool or Childcare Center Director

			Preschool and childcare center directorsPreschool and childcare center directors need to be able to interact with children, staff, and parents.			
A bachelor’s degree and experience in early childhood education are typically required to become a preschool or childcare center director. However, educational requirements vary. Additionally, some employers require these directors to have a nationally recognized credential, such as the Child Development Associate (CDA) credential.
Education
Most states require preschool and childcare center directors to have at least a bachelor’s degree, but educational requirements vary by state. Employers may prefer candidates who have a degree, or at least some postsecondary coursework, in early childhood education. These programs teach child development, provide strategies for instructing young children, and show how to observe and document children’s progress.
Work Experience in a Related Occupation
Most positions for preschool and childcare center directors require several years of experience in early childhood education. The length of experience required varies by job.
Licenses, Certifications, and Registrations
States may require childcare centers, including those in private homes, to be licensed. To qualify for licensure, staff must pass a background check and meet a minimum training requirement. Some states have more requirements, such as requiring staff to have certifications in cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and first aid.
Some employers have additional requirements, such as the CDA credential offered by the Council for Professional Recognition. Candidates need to pay a fee, take coursework, obtain experience in the field, and be observed while working with children. This credential needs to be renewed every 3 years.
Important Qualities
***Business skills.*** Preschool and childcare center directors manage childcare centers and need to be able to operate the business effectively.
***Communication skills.*** Directors inform parents and staff about the children’s progress. They need good writing and speaking skills to convey this information.
***Interpersonal skills.*** Preschool and childcare center directors must be able to develop relationships with parents, children, and staff.
***Leadership skills.*** Preschool and childcare center directors need leadership skills to supervise staff and inspire diligence. They also must enforce rules and regulations.
***Organizational skills.*** Directors need to maintain clear records about children and staff. In addition, they must be able to multitask when several people or situations require their attention.
 Pay

			



	
 
                                                     
            
    
                Preschool and Childcare Center DirectorsMedian annual wages, May 2023Other management occupations$102,510  Education and childcare administrators, preschool and daycare$54,290  Total, all occupations$48,060Note: All Occupations includes all occupations in the U.S. Economy.Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics
 

	
	



		
	
	
	
The median annual wage for preschool and childcare center directors was $54,290 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 $36,550, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $94,890.





		
	    					 In May 2023, the median annual wages for preschool and childcare center directors in the top industries in which they worked were as follows:	
        Elementary and secondary schools; state, local, and private
                $67,230Religious, grantmaking, civic, professional, and similar organizations
                57,200Child day care services
                50,910Most preschool and childcare center directors work full time, and some work more than 40 hours per week. They are on the job while the childcare center is open and may work early in the morning and late in the evening, particularly in centers that provide before- and after-school care. In large facilities, the director and assistant directors may stagger their schedules to ensure that someone is always onsite.
 Job Outlook

   
        
    
          
        
    
                Preschool and Childcare Center DirectorsPercent change in employment, projected 2022-32Other management occupations5%  Total, all occupations3%  Education and childcare administrators, preschool and daycare-3%Note: All Occupations includes all occupations in the U.S. Economy.Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections program
            
            
			 
	
	
	

			Employment				of preschool and childcare center directors is projected to decline				 3 percent from 2022 to 2032.
			
			Despite declining  employment, about 4,600 openings for preschool and childcare center directors 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
	
			
Early childhood education is widely recognized as important for a child’s intellectual and emotional development. However, the rising cost of childcare may limit the demand for preschool and childcare center directors over the projections decade.
			

                        Employment projections data for     preschool and childcare center directors, 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**Education and childcare administrators, preschool and daycare**
			11-9031
			74,800
			72,600
			-3
			-2,200
			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. Education and childcare administrators, preschool and daycare **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 preschool and childcare center directors. Occupation
                Job Duties
                ENTRY-LEVEL EDUCATION
                2023     MEDIAN PAY**Childcare Workers**
            Childcare workers attend to children's needs while helping to foster early development.
            High school diploma or equivalent
            $30,370**High School Teachers**
            High school teachers teach academic lessons and various skills that students will need to attend college and to enter the job market.
            Bachelor's degree
            $65,220**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**Middle School Teachers**
            Middle school teachers educate students, typically in sixth through eighth grades.
            Bachelor's degree
            $64,290**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**Elementary, Middle, and High School Principals**
            Elementary, middle, and high school principals oversee all school operations, including daily school activities.
            Master's degree
            $103,460
 Contacts for More Information
								
For more information on childcare centers, visit
Child Care Aware
For 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
National Early Childhood Program Accreditation
CareerOneStop
For a career video on preschool and childcare center directors, visit
Preschool and childcare center directors

                                                
                                                        
                                                                                                    O*NET
                                        Education and Childcare Administrators, Preschool and Daycare
 Suggested citation: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S.  Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, Preschool and Childcare Center Directors, 
        	 at https://www.bls.gov/ooh/management/preschool-and-childcare-center-directors.htm (visited *May 21, 2024*).
 **Last Modified Date:**
                        Wednesday, April 17, 2024


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