Education and Childcare Administrators, Preschool and Daycare: Career Profile
Plan, direct, or coordinate academic or nonacademic activities of preschools or childcare centers and programs, including before- and after-school care.
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The Daily Work of Education and Childcare Administrators, Preschool and Daycare Do?
Typical responsibilities of education and childcare administrators, preschool and daycare span:
- Confer with parents and staff to discuss educational activities and policies and students' behavioral or learning problems.
- Monitor students' progress and provide students and teachers with assistance in resolving any problems.
- Recruit, hire, train, and evaluate primary and supplemental staff and recommend personnel actions for programs and services.
- Teach classes or courses or provide direct care to children.
- Set educational standards and goals and help establish policies, procedures, and programs to carry them out.
- Determine the scope of educational program offerings and prepare drafts of program schedules and descriptions to estimate staffing and facility requirements.
- Determine allocations of funds for staff, supplies, materials, and equipment and authorize purchases.
- Direct and coordinate activities of teachers or administrators at daycare centers, schools, public agencies, or institutions.
What Education and Childcare Administrators, Preschool and Daycare Need to Know
Successful education and childcare administrators, preschool and daycare combine a mix of skills and domain knowledge.
Key Skills
The abilities that matter most in this role, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Core Knowledge
Related Job Titles
People in this occupation may also be known by titles such as:
- After School Site Director
- Art Coordinator
- Assessment Coordinator
- Before and After School Program Director
- Before and After School Site Director
- Center Administrator
- Center Manager
- Child Care Center Administrator
Job Outlook
There are roughly 102,953 education and childcare administrators, preschool and daycare working in the United States today. Employment is projected to grow by +2.6% over the projection horizon.
Salary for Education and Childcare Administrators, Preschool and Daycare
| Statistic | Value |
|---|---|
| Annual median | $178,795 |
| Hourly median | $85.96 |
| 10th percentile | $109,923 |
| 25th percentile | $144,359 |
| 75th percentile | $213,231 |
| 90th percentile | $247,667 |
Wages vary widely based on experience, location, and industry.
Pay by State
| State | Annual median salary |
|---|---|
| New York | $79,660 |
| District of Columbia | $76,270 |
| Massachusetts | $68,660 |
| New Mexico | $67,780 |
| New Jersey | $66,360 |
| California | $65,420 |
| Washington | $64,360 |
| Delaware | $63,950 |
| Hawaii | $63,220 |
| Nebraska | $61,590 |
| Colorado | $61,150 |
| Connecticut | $60,300 |
| Nevada | $60,200 |
| Minnesota | $59,850 |
| Virginia | $59,420 |
| Utah | $59,400 |
| Vermont | $58,260 |
| Wisconsin | $57,790 |
| South Dakota | $55,270 |
| Michigan | $55,100 |
| Oregon | $54,510 |
| Montana | $52,300 |
| Kansas | $51,670 |
| Maine | $50,620 |
| Pennsylvania | $50,540 |
| North Carolina | $50,270 |
| Indiana | $50,250 |
| Rhode Island | $50,130 |
| New Hampshire | $50,000 |
| Florida | $49,990 |
| Arizona | $49,220 |
| Illinois | $48,580 |
| Texas | $48,510 |
| Wyoming | $47,230 |
| Ohio | $47,140 |
| South Carolina | $46,650 |
| Iowa | $46,550 |
| North Dakota | $46,300 |
| Tennessee | $45,620 |
| Georgia | $44,510 |
| West Virginia | $44,240 |
| Oklahoma | $44,110 |
| Arkansas | $42,430 |
| Alabama | $41,150 |
| Mississippi | $40,630 |
| Louisiana | $40,220 |
| Puerto Rico | $39,370 |
| Missouri | $39,370 |
| Kentucky | $38,860 |
Where Education and Childcare Administrators, Preschool and Daycare Earn the Most
Compensation for education and childcare administrators, preschool and daycare shift depending on where you work. Top regions by median wage:
| Region | Median annual wage | Share of U.S. jobs | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|
| Middle Atlantic | $66,377 | 17.3% | 1.16 |
| Far Western US | $63,475 | 18.6% | 1.04 |
| New England | $61,846 | 7.5% | 1.38 |
| Rocky Mountains | $58,994 | 3.4% | 0.85 |
| Plains States | $53,851 | 5.7% | 1.07 |
| Great Lakes | $50,546 | 16.2% | 1.05 |
| Southwest | $49,060 | 14.6% | 1.00 |
| Southeast | $46,819 | 16.4% | 0.93 |
Highest-Paying Metro Areas for Education and Childcare Administrators, Preschool and Daycare
| Metro area | State | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | NY | $79,000 | 4,740 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | WA | $77,390 | 950 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | CA | $77,120 | 680 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | CA | $76,580 | 1,490 |
| Salinas, CA | CA | $74,690 | 70 |
| Modesto, CA | CA | $73,660 | 90 |
| Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT | CT | $71,280 | 360 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | MA | $71,240 | 1,730 |
Top Industries Employing Education and Childcare Administrators, Preschool and Daycare
The largest employers of education and childcare administrators, preschool and daycare are concentrated in the following sectors:
| Industry | Employment | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Health Care and Social Assistance | 61,760 | $54,670 |
| Educational Services | 5,610 | $72,720 |
| Other Services (except Public Administration) | 2,530 | $59,740 |
| Management of Companies and Enterprises | 770 | $80,050 |
| Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation | 240 | $56,500 |
| Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services | 40 | $50,010 |
The table below shows some of the most common industries where those employed in this career field work.
Software Education and Childcare Administrators, Preschool and Daycare Use
- Accounting software: Intuit QuickBooks (hot technology)
- Spreadsheet software: Microsoft Excel (hot technology)
- Office suite software: Microsoft Office software (hot technology)
- Electronic mail software: Microsoft Outlook (hot technology)
- Presentation software: Microsoft PowerPoint (hot technology)
- Word processing software: Microsoft Word (hot technology)
What the Workplace Is Like
Daily working conditions for education and childcare administrators, preschool and daycare reflects the following characteristics:
- Contact With Others
- Telephone Conversations
- Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams
- Work Outcomes and Results of Other Workers
How to Become Education and Childcare Administrators, Preschool and Daycare
Typical education and childcare administrators, preschool and daycare positions require an associate’s degree as the typical entry-level education. This career aligns with Considerable Preparation Needed (Job Zone 4), reflecting the level of preparation typically expected.
Other Careers to Consider
Similar Occupations
- Training and Development Managers (Primary-Long)
- Education Administrators, Kindergarten through Secondary (Primary-Short)
- Education Administrators, Postsecondary (Supplemental)
- Medical and Health Services Managers (Supplemental)
- Social and Community Service Managers (Primary-Short)
- Management Analysts (Supplemental)
- Training and Development Specialists (Supplemental)
- Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and Advisors (Supplemental)
Degree Programs
Aspiring education and childcare administrators, preschool and daycare often complete programs in:
Education
5 programs across 1 majors
References
Statistics shown above are sourced from the following authoritative sources:
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) for employment and wage data by state and industry.
- BLS Employment Projections for total employment and growth forecasts.
- O*NET (Occupational Information Network) for skills, knowledge, tasks, work activities, work context, technology, and education-zone data.
SOC code: 11-9031.00 (Education and Childcare Administrators, Preschool and Daycare).