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Attend to children at schools, businesses, private households, and childcare institutions. Perform a variety of tasks, such as dressing, feeding, bathing, and overseeing play. Excludes "Preschool Teachers, Except Special Education" (25-2011) and "Teacher Assistants" (25-9041).
Employment estimate and mean wage estimates for this occupation:
| Employment (1) | Employment RSE (3) |
Mean hourly wage |
Mean annual wage (2) |
Wage RSE (3) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 564,630 | 1.2 % | $11.83 | $24,610 | 0.5 % |
Percentile wage estimates for this occupation:
| Percentile | 10% | 25% | 50% (Median) |
75% | 90% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hourly Wage | $8.53 | $9.44 | $11.17 | $13.41 | $16.55 |
| Annual Wage (2) | $17,750 | $19,640 | $23,240 | $27,900 | $34,430 |
Industries with the highest published employment and wages for this occupation are provided. For a list of all industries with employment in this occupation, see the Create Customized Tables function.
Industries with the highest levels of employment in this occupation:
| Industry | Employment (1) | Percent of industry employment | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage (2) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Child Day Care Services | 280,420 | 31.09 | $11.11 | $23,110 |
| Elementary and Secondary Schools | 122,510 | 1.43 | $13.33 | $27,720 |
| Other Amusement and Recreation Industries | 38,890 | 2.97 | $11.00 | $22,870 |
| Civic and Social Organizations | 27,570 | 7.18 | $10.99 | $22,850 |
| Other Residential Care Facilities | 19,980 | 12.25 | $12.74 | $26,500 |
Industries with the highest concentration of employment in this occupation:
| Industry | Employment (1) | Percent of industry employment | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage (2) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Child Day Care Services | 280,420 | 31.09 | $11.11 | $23,110 |
| Other Residential Care Facilities | 19,980 | 12.25 | $12.74 | $26,500 |
| Civic and Social Organizations | 27,570 | 7.18 | $10.99 | $22,850 |
| Religious Organizations | 7,470 | 3.80 | $12.22 | $25,410 |
| Other Amusement and Recreation Industries | 38,890 | 2.97 | $11.00 | $22,870 |
Top paying industries for this occupation:
| Industry | Employment (1) | Percent of industry employment | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage (2) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Performing Arts Companies | 30 | 0.02 | $19.59 | $40,750 |
| Psychiatric and Substance Abuse Hospitals | 150 | 0.06 | $18.56 | $38,600 |
| State Government, excluding schools and hospitals (OES Designation) | 340 | 0.02 | $17.62 | $36,650 |
| Agents and Managers for Artists, Athletes, Entertainers, and Other Public Figures | (8) | (8) | $16.43 | $34,170 |
| Management, Scientific, and Technical Consulting Services | 120 | 0.01 | $15.10 | $31,400 |
States and areas with the highest published employment, location quotients, and wages for this occupation are provided. For a list of all areas with employment in this occupation, see the Create Customized Tables function.
States with the highest employment level in this occupation:
| State | Employment (1) | Employment per thousand jobs | Location quotient (9) | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage (2) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| California | 60,460 | 3.55 | 0.91 | $13.77 | $28,630 |
| New York | 47,260 | 5.04 | 1.29 | $13.86 | $28,820 |
| Texas | 46,890 | 3.87 | 0.99 | $10.65 | $22,150 |
| Florida | 30,070 | 3.49 | 0.90 | $11.34 | $23,590 |
| Pennsylvania | 25,370 | 4.34 | 1.11 | $11.02 | $22,920 |
States with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in this occupation:
| State | Employment (1) | Employment per thousand jobs | Location quotient (9) | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage (2) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nebraska | 9,090 | 9.29 | 2.38 | $11.53 | $23,980 |
| North Dakota | 2,880 | 6.91 | 1.77 | $12.11 | $25,190 |
| Wyoming | 1,800 | 6.68 | 1.71 | $11.94 | $24,840 |
| South Dakota | 2,660 | 6.29 | 1.61 | $10.25 | $21,330 |
| Kentucky | 11,340 | 6.00 | 1.54 | $10.36 | $21,540 |
Top paying States for this occupation:
| State | Employment (1) | Employment per thousand jobs | Location quotient (9) | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage (2) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | 2,310 | 3.25 | 0.83 | $15.92 | $33,110 |
| Massachusetts | 13,300 | 3.73 | 0.95 | $14.47 | $30,090 |
| Washington | 7,890 | 2.42 | 0.62 | $14.15 | $29,430 |
| Vermont | 1,480 | 4.84 | 1.24 | $14.15 | $29,430 |
| New York | 47,260 | 5.04 | 1.29 | $13.86 | $28,820 |
Metropolitan areas with the highest employment level in this occupation:
| Metropolitan area | Employment (1) | Employment per thousand jobs | Location quotient (9) | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage (2) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA | 45,800 | 4.82 | 1.24 | $13.98 | $29,080 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | 22,250 | 3.64 | 0.93 | $13.41 | $27,880 |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | 13,680 | 4.80 | 1.23 | $11.65 | $24,240 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI | 13,450 | 2.90 | 0.74 | $11.70 | $24,330 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | 12,500 | 3.50 | 0.90 | $10.82 | $22,510 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | 12,330 | 3.93 | 1.01 | $14.14 | $29,410 |
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | 11,680 | 4.51 | 1.16 | $11.73 | $24,400 |
| Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX | 10,780 | 3.61 | 0.93 | $11.46 | $23,840 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH | 10,300 | 3.73 | 0.96 | $14.45 | $30,050 |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | 8,800 | 3.28 | 0.84 | $11.01 | $22,910 |
Metropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in this occupation:
| Metropolitan area | Employment (1) | Employment per thousand jobs | Location quotient (9) | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage (2) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hammond, LA | 510 | 11.90 | 3.05 | $9.74 | $20,250 |
| Omaha-Council Bluffs, NE-IA | 5,730 | 11.69 | 3.00 | $11.77 | $24,480 |
| Muncie, IN | 510 | 11.24 | 2.88 | $11.68 | $24,290 |
| Ithaca, NY | 470 | 9.46 | 2.42 | $13.05 | $27,140 |
| Iowa City, IA | 870 | 9.45 | 2.42 | $10.63 | $22,110 |
| Bismarck, ND | 620 | 8.90 | 2.28 | $11.41 | $23,730 |
| Johnstown, PA | 440 | 8.61 | 2.21 | $9.06 | $18,840 |
| Yuba City, CA | 380 | 8.47 | 2.17 | $12.97 | $26,980 |
| Auburn-Opelika, AL | 480 | 8.35 | 2.14 | $9.54 | $19,840 |
| Great Falls, MT | 290 | 8.30 | 2.13 | $10.41 | $21,660 |
Top paying metropolitan areas for this occupation:
| Metropolitan area | Employment (1) | Employment per thousand jobs | Location quotient (9) | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage (2) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fairbanks, AK | 150 | 4.31 | 1.11 | $16.62 | $34,570 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA | 7,360 | 3.04 | 0.78 | $16.13 | $33,550 |
| Santa Rosa, CA | 890 | 4.36 | 1.12 | $15.45 | $32,130 |
| Barnstable Town, MA | 240 | 2.32 | 0.59 | $15.36 | $31,950 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | 1,860 | 1.66 | 0.43 | $15.10 | $31,420 |
| Salinas, CA | 460 | 2.56 | 0.66 | $15.09 | $31,390 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | 4,780 | 2.41 | 0.62 | $14.90 | $30,990 |
| Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA | 1,230 | 3.93 | 1.01 | $14.78 | $30,750 |
| Bremerton-Silverdale, WA | 150 | 1.71 | 0.44 | $14.64 | $30,460 |
| Boulder, CO | 700 | 3.86 | 0.99 | $14.57 | $30,310 |
Nonmetropolitan areas with the highest employment in this occupation:
| Nonmetropolitan area | Employment (1) | Employment per thousand jobs | Location quotient (9) | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage (2) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kansas nonmetropolitan area | 1,450 | 3.69 | 0.95 | $9.64 | $20,040 |
| Piedmont North Carolina nonmetropolitan area | 1,420 | 5.47 | 1.40 | $10.28 | $21,390 |
| Central Kentucky nonmetropolitan area | 1,310 | 7.35 | 1.88 | $10.15 | $21,100 |
| Hill Country Region of Texas nonmetropolitan area | 1,240 | 6.48 | 1.66 | $10.21 | $21,240 |
| Southwest Maine nonmetropolitan area | 1,220 | 6.38 | 1.63 | $12.19 | $25,350 |
Nonmetropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in this occupation:
| Nonmetropolitan area | Employment (1) | Employment per thousand jobs | Location quotient (9) | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage (2) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Northwest Mississippi nonmetropolitan area | 1,010 | 10.52 | 2.70 | $9.10 | $18,930 |
| Eastern Wyoming nonmetropolitan area | 770 | 9.19 | 2.36 | $12.06 | $25,090 |
| East North Dakota nonmetropolitan area | 500 | 7.78 | 1.99 | $12.13 | $25,220 |
| East Arkansas nonmetropolitan area | 530 | 7.70 | 1.97 | $10.00 | $20,800 |
| Southwest Mississippi nonmetropolitan area | 530 | 7.39 | 1.89 | $8.59 | $17,860 |
Top paying nonmetropolitan areas for this occupation:
| Nonmetropolitan area | Employment (1) | Employment per thousand jobs | Location quotient (9) | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage (2) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Northern Vermont nonmetropolitan area | 190 | 2.67 | 0.68 | $16.32 | $33,950 |
| Northwest Colorado nonmetropolitan area | 370 | 3.05 | 0.78 | $15.81 | $32,880 |
| North Valley-Northern Mountains Region of California nonmetropolitan area | 320 | 3.26 | 0.83 | $14.02 | $29,170 |
| Eastern Sierra-Mother Lode Region of California nonmetropolitan area | (8) | (8) | (8) | $13.86 | $28,820 |
| Western Washington nonmetropolitan area | 500 | 4.08 | 1.04 | $13.82 | $28,750 |
These estimates are calculated with data collected from employers in all industry sectors, all metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas, and all states and the District of Columbia. The top employment and wage figures are provided above. The complete list is available in the downloadable XLS files.
The percentile wage estimate is the value of a wage below which a certain percent of workers fall. The median wage is the 50th percentile wage estimate--50 percent of workers earn less than the median and 50 percent of workers earn more than the median. More about percentile wages.
(1) Estimates for detailed occupations do not sum to the totals because the totals include occupations not shown separately. Estimates do not include self-employed workers.
(2) Annual wages have been calculated by multiplying the hourly mean wage by a "year-round, full-time" hours figure of 2,080 hours; for those occupations where there is not an hourly wage published, the annual wage has been directly calculated from the reported survey data.
(3) The relative standard error (RSE) is a measure of the reliability of a survey statistic. The smaller the relative standard error, the more precise the estimate.
(8) Estimate not released.
(9) The location quotient is the ratio of the area concentration of occupational employment to the national average concentration. A location quotient greater than one indicates the occupation has a higher share of employment than average, and a location quotient less than one indicates the occupation is less prevalent in the area than average.
Other OES estimates and related information:
May 2018 National Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates
May 2018 State Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates
May 2018 Metropolitan and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates
May 2018 National Industry-Specific Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates
Last Modified Date: March 29, 2019