Education and Childcare Administrators, Preschool and Daycare Salary
The median education and childcare administrators, preschool and daycare salary in the United States is $59,300 per year ($28.51/hour). Salaries range from $38,580 at the entry level to $98,240+ for the top 10% of earners. There are 73,660 education and childcare administrators, preschool and daycare jobs nationwide. Employment is projected to decline 2.5% through 2034.
Last updated: June 2026 · Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
Median Salary
$59,300
per year
Hourly Rate
$28.51
per hour
Employment
73,660
jobs in the U.S.
Salary Distribution
10th percentile
$38,580
25th percentile
$47,040
Median
$59,300
75th percentile
$75,500
90th percentile
$98,240
Job Growth (2024-2034)
-2.5%
Decline
Annual Openings
5,500
jobs/year (growth + replacements)
Education Required
Bachelor's degree
+ Less than 5 years experience
Education and Childcare Administrators, Preschool and Daycare Salary by State
Best Cities (cost-adjusted) →Salary Map — Click a state for details
$42K$97K■ No data
Top Paying States
New York
$97K
+63%
New Jersey
$79K
+33%
District of Columbia
$78K
+31%
Alaska
$76K
+27%
Washington
$70K
+19%
Massachusetts
$70K
+19%
California
$67K
+13%
Hawaii
$65K
+10%
Colorado
$65K
+9%
South Dakota
$63K
+7%
Vertical line = national median. Click a state for full details.
| State | Median | vs. National |
|---|---|---|
| New York | $96,810 | +63.3% |
| New Jersey | $78,770 | +32.8% |
| District of Columbia | $77,850 | +31.3% |
| Alaska | $75,540 | +27.4% |
| Washington | $70,470 | +18.8% |
| Massachusetts | $70,320 | +18.6% |
| California | $67,100 | +13.2% |
| Hawaii | $65,080 | +9.7% |
| Colorado | $64,620 | +9.0% |
| South Dakota | $63,240 | +6.6% |
Showing 1–10 of 50
Education and Childcare Administrators, Preschool and Daycare Salary by Metro Area
| Metro Area | Median | vs. National |
|---|---|---|
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $98,470 | +66.1% |
| Mount Vernon-Anacortes, WA | $83,600 | +41.0% |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $78,770 | +32.8% |
| Salinas, CA | $76,620 | +29.2% |
| Trenton-Princeton, NJ | $76,390 | +28.8% |
| Barnstable Town, MA | $74,080 | +24.9% |
| Vineland, NJ | $73,480 | +23.9% |
| Visalia, CA | $73,100 | +23.3% |
| Kiryas Joel-Poughkeepsie-Newburgh, NY | $72,910 | +23.0% |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $72,560 | +22.4% |
Showing 1–10 of 247
Data Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS). Data reflects the most recent annual survey.
How does this compare to pro athletes?
A education and childcare administrators, preschool and daycare earning $59,300/year would need 1005 years to match Stephen Curry's NBA salary, or 1079 yearsto match Patrick Mahomes' NFL contract.
See all sports & celebrity salaries →📈 See how education and childcare administrators, preschool and daycare salaries have changed over the past decade.
View Education and Childcare Administrators, Preschool and Daycare salary trend (2011–2024) →