Education and Childcare Administrators, Preschool and Daycare Salary - BLS OEWS Wage Benchmarks
SOC 11-9031 · National · May 2024 OEWS Data
Median Annual Salary
$56,264
$27.05/hr
Verified BLS OEWS data · Updated Apr 3, 2025
Source: BLS OEWS · Published Apr 2, 2025
Next refresh: May 15, 2026
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The national median salary for Education and Childcare Administrators, Preschool and Daycare is $56,264 per year ($27.05/hr) according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey, May 2024. The middle 50% of earners make between $45,302 and $72,696 annually. Top earners at the 90th percentile reach $96,408 per year. There are approximately 71,620 education and childcare administrators, preschool and daycare employed in the United States.
About This Role
BLS Standard Occupational Classification 2018
Plan, direct, or coordinate academic or nonacademic activities of preschools or childcare centers and programs, including before- and after-school care.
Career Outlook
BLS Employment Projections · 2024-2034
10-year growth
-2.5%
Slower than average
Annual openings
6K
per year, on avg
Workforce today
90K
as of 2024
Why those openings exist
0% from new growth100% from people leaving the role
Most openings come from replacement, not growth. Retention matters more than recruiting here.
Typical entry requirements
Education
Bachelor's degree
Experience
Less than 5 years
On-the-job training
None
Industry Wage Breakdown
Top 5 industries by employment · median annual wage, sector-specific
Industry
Workforce
Median Pay
Child Care Services
NAICS 624400
59K
$53,500
Elementary and Secondary Schools
NAICS 611100
4K
$76,850
Individual and Family Services
NAICS 624100
2K
$66,210
Civic and Social Organizations
NAICS 813400
1K
$59,260
Religious Organizations
NAICS 813100
1K
$57,800
Wage range across top 5 industries: $53,500 to $76,850 (44% spread)
Wage Percentiles
Hourly & annualized (2,080 hours)
Percentile
Hourly Rate
Annual Salary
P10
$17.82
$37,066
P25
$21.78
$45,302
P50MEDIAN
$27.05
$56,264
P75
$34.95
$72,696
P90
$46.35
$96,408
Market Context Signal
JOLTS · other sector
Active
Openings Rate
3.4%
Quits Rate
2.0%
The labor market rebounded in March: hires jumped to 5.6M (+655K) and separations rose to 5.4M (+356K), both more than offsetting February's drop. Job openings held at 6.9M. Quits ticked to 2.0%.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average education and childcare administrators, preschool and daycare salary?
The national median salary for Education and Childcare Administrators, Preschool and Daycare is $56,264 per year ($27.05/hr) according to BLS OEWS May 2024 data. The middle 50% earn between $45,302 and $72,696 annually.
How much do top-earning education and childcare administrators, preschool and daycare make?
The 90th percentile salary for Education and Childcare Administrators, Preschool and Daycare is $96,408 per year ($46.35/hr). The 75th percentile is $72,696 per year.
What is the entry-level salary for education and childcare administrators, preschool and daycare?
Entry-level Education and Childcare Administrators, Preschool and Daycare (10th percentile) earn approximately $37,066 per year ($17.82/hr). The 25th percentile is $45,302 per year.
Wage figures on this page come from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey, May 2024 release. OEWS surveys roughly 1.1 million establishments annually. It is the most comprehensive employer-reported wage dataset in the United States.
P10 through P90 percentiles represent the wage distribution across all surveyed employers (not self-reported by workers). Geographic adjustments use BLS-derived cost multipliers calibrated from regional wage variation.
Wages are estimates. Individual compensation depends on experience, education, employer size, industry, and negotiation. Use this as benchmark context, not absolute ground truth.
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