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Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics

Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2021

39-9011 Childcare Workers

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 “Teaching Assistants, Preschool, Elementary, Middle, and Secondary School, Except Special Education” (25-9042).


National estimates for Childcare Workers
Industry profile for Childcare Workers
Geographic profile for Childcare Workers

National estimates for Childcare Workers:

Employment estimate and mean wage estimates for Childcare Workers:

Employment (1) Employment
RSE (3)
Mean hourly
wage
Mean annual
wage (2)
Wage RSE (3)
438,520 1.6 % $ 13.31 $ 27,680 0.5 %

Percentile wage estimates for Childcare Workers:

Percentile 10% 25% 50%
(Median)
75% 90%
Hourly Wage $ 8.91 $ 10.88 $ 13.22 $ 14.47 $ 17.99
Annual Wage (2) $ 18,540 $ 22,640 $ 27,490 $ 30,100 $ 37,430


Industry profile for Childcare Workers:

Industries with the highest published employment and wages for Childcare Workers are provided. For a list of all industries with employment in Childcare Workers, see the Create Customized Tables function.

Industries with the highest levels of employment in Childcare Workers:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Child Day Care Services 236,360 29.37 $ 12.40 $ 25,790
Elementary and Secondary Schools 93,210 1.15 $ 15.07 $ 31,350
Other Amusement and Recreation Industries 19,590 1.76 $ 11.34 $ 23,590
Civic and Social Organizations 16,070 6.15 $ 12.35 $ 25,690
Individual and Family Services 12,790 0.48 $ 14.15 $ 29,440

Industries with the highest concentration of employment in Childcare Workers:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Child Day Care Services 236,360 29.37 $ 12.40 $ 25,790
Other Residential Care Facilities 12,330 8.17 $ 14.89 $ 30,970
Civic and Social Organizations 16,070 6.15 $ 12.35 $ 25,690
Religious Organizations 4,040 2.25 $ 14.25 $ 29,630
Other Amusement and Recreation Industries 19,590 1.76 $ 11.34 $ 23,590

Top paying industries for Childcare Workers:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Psychiatric and Substance Abuse Hospitals 120 0.05 $ 24.07 $ 50,070
Scientific Research and Development Services 120 0.02 $ 19.64 $ 40,860
Business Schools and Computer and Management Training 70 0.10 $ 17.63 $ 36,670
Real Estate (8) (8) $ 17.52 $ 36,450
Management, Scientific, and Technical Consulting Services (8) (8) $ 17.50 $ 36,410


Geographic profile for Childcare Workers:

States and areas with the highest published employment, location quotients, and wages for Childcare Workers are provided. For a list of all areas with employment in Childcare Workers, see the Create Customized Tables function.



Map of employment of childcare workers by state, May 2021


States with the highest employment level in Childcare Workers:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Texas 43,200 3.53 1.14 $ 11.43 $ 23,770
New York 41,720 4.81 1.55 $ 15.89 $ 33,060
California 28,240 1.71 0.55 $ 17.02 $ 35,390
Florida 27,740 3.22 1.04 $ 13.25 $ 27,560
Georgia 17,600 4.02 1.29 $ 11.48 $ 23,880


Map of location quotient of childcare workers by state, May 2021


States with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in Childcare Workers:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
North Dakota 3,730 9.44 3.03 $ 12.22 $ 25,410
Nebraska 7,600 7.93 2.55 $ 12.31 $ 25,610
Maine 4,190 7.08 2.28 $ 14.90 $ 31,000
South Dakota 2,780 6.61 2.12 $ 11.41 $ 23,720
Kentucky 10,930 5.94 1.91 $ 11.62 $ 24,170


Map of annual mean wages of childcare workers by state, May 2021


Top paying states for Childcare Workers:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
District of Columbia 1,150 1.74 0.56 $ 17.93 $ 37,300
California 28,240 1.71 0.55 $ 17.02 $ 35,390
Massachusetts 12,050 3.55 1.14 $ 16.79 $ 34,920
Washington 5,560 1.73 0.56 $ 16.35 $ 34,020
Colorado 8,370 3.19 1.03 $ 16.03 $ 33,340



Map of employment of childcare workers by area, May 2021


Metropolitan areas with the highest employment level in Childcare Workers:

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 37,220 4.29 1.38 $ 16.33 $ 33,970
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI 12,610 2.98 0.96 $ 14.24 $ 29,630
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX 11,290 3.15 1.01 $ 12.19 $ 25,360
Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL 10,980 4.48 1.44 $ 13.33 $ 27,720
Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX 10,110 3.49 1.12 $ 11.61 $ 24,150
Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA 9,600 3.71 1.19 $ 12.36 $ 25,700
Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH 9,160 3.54 1.14 $ 16.84 $ 35,020
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA 7,810 1.37 0.44 $ 16.39 $ 34,080
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV 7,780 2.65 0.85 $ 16.01 $ 33,300
Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI 7,560 4.15 1.33 $ 14.71 $ 30,590


Map of location quotient of childcare workers by area, May 2021


Metropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in Childcare Workers:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Fargo, ND-MN 1,380 10.11 3.25 $ 11.98 $ 24,910
Bismarck, ND 670 9.59 3.08 $ 12.74 $ 26,490
Lincoln, NE 1,600 9.38 3.01 $ 12.38 $ 25,750
Muncie, IN 400 9.23 2.97 $ 12.62 $ 26,240
Manhattan, KS 320 8.65 2.78 $ 10.22 $ 21,260
Omaha-Council Bluffs, NE-IA 3,940 8.47 2.72 $ 12.61 $ 26,220
Portland-South Portland, ME 1,660 8.39 2.70 $ 15.30 $ 31,820
Sioux Falls, SD 1,280 8.24 2.65 $ 11.51 $ 23,930
Ithaca, NY 360 7.79 2.50 $ 15.03 $ 31,270
Lewiston-Auburn, ME 350 7.36 2.37 $ 14.51 $ 30,170


Map of annual mean wages of childcare workers by area, May 2021


Top paying metropolitan areas for Childcare Workers:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA 1,730 1.62 0.52 $ 18.94 $ 39,390
San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA 3,840 1.71 0.55 $ 18.81 $ 39,120
Napa, CA 80 1.15 0.37 $ 17.72 $ 36,850
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA 2,710 1.41 0.45 $ 17.66 $ 36,730
Santa Rosa, CA 350 1.82 0.58 $ 17.66 $ 36,720
North Port-Sarasota-Bradenton, FL 1,280 4.36 1.40 $ 17.38 $ 36,150
Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA 3,140 2.05 0.66 $ 17.23 $ 35,840
Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA 360 1.83 0.59 $ 17.19 $ 35,750
Pueblo, CO 160 2.70 0.87 $ 17.11 $ 35,600
Merced, CA 270 3.72 1.19 $ 17.00 $ 35,360

Nonmetropolitan areas with the highest employment in Childcare Workers:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Southwest Maine nonmetropolitan area 1,330 7.31 2.35 $ 14.61 $ 30,390
Kansas nonmetropolitan area 1,240 3.31 1.06 $ 10.49 $ 21,830
South Nebraska nonmetropolitan area 1,200 8.28 2.66 $ 11.55 $ 24,030
Central Kentucky nonmetropolitan area 1,150 6.63 2.13 $ 11.13 $ 23,150
South Central Kentucky nonmetropolitan area 1,120 6.87 2.21 $ 10.33 $ 21,490

Nonmetropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in Childcare Workers:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
East North Dakota nonmetropolitan area 690 11.26 3.62 $ 11.57 $ 24,060
South Nebraska nonmetropolitan area 1,200 8.28 2.66 $ 11.55 $ 24,030
West South Dakota nonmetropolitan area 450 7.53 2.42 $ 10.99 $ 22,860
West North Dakota nonmetropolitan area 790 7.45 2.39 $ 12.62 $ 26,250
Southwest Maine nonmetropolitan area 1,330 7.31 2.35 $ 14.61 $ 30,390

Top paying nonmetropolitan areas for Childcare Workers:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Massachusetts nonmetropolitan area 170 2.88 0.93 $ 17.07 $ 35,500
Northwest Colorado nonmetropolitan area 380 3.27 1.05 $ 17.01 $ 35,390
Eastern Sierra-Mother Lode Region of California nonmetropolitan area 210 3.72 1.20 $ 16.73 $ 34,790
North Coast Region of California nonmetropolitan area 210 2.12 0.68 $ 16.55 $ 34,420
North Valley-Northern Mountains Region of California nonmetropolitan area 280 2.83 0.91 $ 16.35 $ 34,000


About May 2021 National, State, Metropolitan, and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

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 OEWS estimates and related information:

May 2021 National Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2021 State Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2021 Metropolitan and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2021 National Industry-Specific Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2021 Occupation Profiles

Technical Notes

 

Last Modified Date: March 31, 2022