Education and Childcare Administrators, Preschool and Daycare salary in the U.S.
Education and Childcare Administrators, Preschool and Daycare in the U.S. earn a median of $59,300 a year ($28.51 an hour), based on BLS data for 73,660 workers.
Pay ranges from $38,580 for the lowest-paid 10% to $98,240 for the top 10%. The average (mean) salary is $64,800, above the median because a few high earners pull it up.
Pay range for education and childcare administrators, preschool and daycare in the U.S.
| Pay level | Yearly | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $38,580 | $18.55 |
| 25th percentile | $47,040 | $22.62 |
| Median | $59,300 | $28.51 |
| 75th percentile | $75,500 | $36.30 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $98,240 | $47.23 |
| Average (mean) | $64,800 | $31.15 |
Half of education and childcare administrators, preschool and daycare earn more than the median and half earn less. Percentiles show the spread: 10% earn less than the 10th percentile, and 10% earn more than the 90th.
Median paycheck, before taxes
| Pay period | Amount |
|---|---|
| Monthly | $4,941.67 |
| Semi-monthly (24 a year) | $2,470.83 |
| Biweekly (26 a year) | $2,280.77 |
| Weekly | $1,140.38 |
| Hourly | $28.51 |
Based on a full-time year of 2,080 hours. Convert any amount with the hourly to salary converter.
Buying a home? On a $59,300 salary, see how much house you can afford at today's mortgage rates, or work out a payment with the mortgage calculator.
Education and Childcare Administrators, Preschool and Daycare salary by state
| State | Median salary | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| New York | $96,810 | 3,950 |
| New Jersey | $78,770 | 2,900 |
| District of Columbia | $77,850 | 410 |
| Alaska | $75,540 | 60 |
| Washington | $70,470 | 1,560 |
| Massachusetts | $70,320 | 2,260 |
| California | $67,100 | 9,810 |
| Hawaii | $65,080 | 260 |
| Colorado | $64,620 | 1,150 |
| South Dakota | $63,240 | 150 |
| Vermont | $63,220 | 190 |
| Maryland | $62,520 | 1,270 |
| Minnesota | $62,020 | 1,010 |
| Utah | $60,980 | 400 |
| Georgia | $60,300 | 1,550 |
| Oregon | $60,250 | 1,230 |
| Nevada | $60,120 | n/a |
| Maine | $60,090 | 240 |
| Wisconsin | $59,930 | 1,320 |
| Connecticut | $59,760 | 1,290 |
| Indiana | $58,740 | 750 |
| Illinois | $58,550 | 3,090 |
| Delaware | $58,230 | 420 |
| North Carolina | $57,200 | 2,410 |
| Kansas | $56,970 | 600 |
| Michigan | $56,870 | 1,890 |
| Florida | $56,750 | 5,980 |
| Pennsylvania | $56,380 | 4,100 |
| Wyoming | $56,170 | 160 |
| Nebraska | $56,160 | 550 |
| Rhode Island | $55,290 | 390 |
| New Hampshire | $55,120 | 410 |
| Virginia | $53,320 | 1,590 |
| North Dakota | $51,390 | 290 |
| South Carolina | $51,200 | 700 |
| Texas | $50,840 | 5,480 |
| Mississippi | $49,740 | 580 |
| Ohio | $49,580 | 3,030 |
| Tennessee | $49,200 | 710 |
| Idaho | $48,530 | 200 |
| Arizona | $48,160 | 1,210 |
| Montana | $48,140 | 180 |
| Missouri | $47,940 | 1,060 |
| Iowa | $47,480 | 1,020 |
| Oklahoma | $46,690 | 830 |
| Louisiana | $46,030 | 690 |
| Puerto Rico | $45,990 | 220 |
| West Virginia | $45,660 | 290 |
| Arkansas | $44,990 | 1,090 |
| Kentucky | $44,530 | 1,000 |
| Alabama | $41,780 | 940 |
| Guam | $33,030 | 40 |
Best-paying metro areas for education and childcare administrators, preschool and daycare
| Metro area | Median salary | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $98,470 | 5,020 |
| Mount Vernon-Anacortes, WA | $83,600 | 40 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $78,770 | 1,920 |
| Salinas, CA | $76,620 | 120 |
| Trenton-Princeton, NJ | $76,390 | 160 |
| Barnstable Town, MA | $74,080 | 40 |
| Vineland, NJ | $73,480 | 60 |
| Visalia, CA | $73,100 | 60 |
| Kiryas Joel-Poughkeepsie-Newburgh, NY | $72,910 | 150 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $72,560 | 1,770 |
| Yakima, WA | $72,250 | 60 |
| Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA | $71,150 | 100 |
| Worcester, MA | $70,560 | 220 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $70,470 | 950 |
| Napa, CA | $70,440 | 50 |
Metro areas with the most education and childcare administrators, preschool and daycare
| Metro area | Workers | Median salary |
|---|---|---|
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | 5,020 | $98,470 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | 2,570 | $67,140 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | 2,530 | $59,150 |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | 2,450 | $58,960 |
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | 2,060 | $56,680 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | 1,920 | $78,770 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | 1,770 | $72,560 |
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | 1,770 | $53,520 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | 1,660 | $61,960 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | 1,330 | $49,390 |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | 1,120 | $60,290 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | 950 | $70,470 |
| Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL | 870 | $60,530 |
| Columbus, OH | 840 | $49,950 |
| Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | 840 | $61,300 |
Related jobs in the U.S.
| Job | Median salary | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| Managers, All Other | $141,900 | $68.22 |
| Medical and Health Services Managers | $123,860 | $59.55 |
| Construction Manager | $114,990 | $55.28 |
| Education Administrators, Kindergarten through Secondary | $105,870 | — |
| Property, Real Estate, and Community Association Managers | $69,990 | $33.65 |
| Food Service Manager | $69,390 | $33.36 |
| Architectural and Engineering Managers | $171,270 | $82.34 |
| Social and Community Service Managers | $80,390 | $38.65 |
| Education Administrators, Postsecondary | $104,590 | $50.29 |
| Natural Sciences Manager | $167,220 | $80.39 |
| Education Administrators, All Other | $95,200 | $45.77 |
| Lodging Manager | $69,250 | $33.29 |
| Entertainment and Recreation Managers, Except Gambling | $79,520 | $38.23 |
| Funeral Home Manager | $78,790 | $37.88 |
More: Management Occupations
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 estimates, occupation code 11-9031. Wages include base pay, tips, commissions and shift pay, but not overtime, bonuses or benefits, and exclude the self-employed.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a education and childcare administrators, preschool and daycare make in the U.S.?
The median salary for education and childcare administrators, preschool and daycare in the U.S. is $59,300 a year, or $28.51 an hour. Pay ranges from $38,580 for the lowest-paid 10% to $98,240 for the top 10%.
How much do the highest-paid education and childcare administrators, preschool and daycare make in the U.S.?
The top 10% of education and childcare administrators, preschool and daycare in the U.S. earn at least $98,240 a year. The top 25% earn $75,500 or more.
What is the starting pay for education and childcare administrators, preschool and daycare in the U.S.?
Entry-level pay (the 10th percentile) is about $38,580 a year, and a quarter of education and childcare administrators, preschool and daycare earn $47,040 or less.
How many education and childcare administrators, preschool and daycare work in the U.S.?
About 73,660 education and childcare administrators, preschool and daycare are employed in the U.S., not counting the self-employed.