← All careers

Social Services

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.

Median salary (BLS)

$34,980

10th–90th percentile (BLS)

$24k – $46k

Job outlook

No separate BLS projection for this specific role

AI exposure

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports one wage for this occupational group, which covers 2 related roles — so read the median as an approximate group figure, and the range as the truer picture for this specific title. BLS source.

Plan a path to Childcare Workers

Education

Typical entry: No degree required

Plan my path to this →

Typical progression

  1. Junior Childcare Workers

    Entry / Junior

    $24,260

    ~2 yrs to advance

  2. Childcare Workers

    Established

    $34,980

    ~3 yrs to advance

  3. Senior Childcare Workers

    Senior

    $40,495

Key skills

A typical day

  • Maintain a safe play environment.
  • Observe and monitor children's play activities.
  • Communicate with children's parents or guardians about daily activities, behaviors, and related issues.
  • Support children's emotional and social development, encouraging understanding of others and positive self-concepts.
  • Care for children in institutional setting, such as group homes, nursery schools, private businesses, or schools for people with disabilities.

Fields of study

Any field

Top colleges for Social Services

Explore all

Reputation-based selection; stats shown are outcome data per school.