Education and Childcare Administrators, Preschool and Daycare: Salary, Job Outlook & How to Become One (2026 Parent Guide)
Management · SOC 11-9031 · O*NET 11-9031.00
Education and Childcare Administrators, Preschool and Daycare fall under the Management category in the U.S. occupational classification. Education and Childcare Administrators, Preschool and Daycare earn a median salary of $59,300 per year, ranking in the top 53% of all U.S. occupations. The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects -3.1% job growth through 2035, projected to lose jobs through 2035. Entry into this field typically requires a bachelor's degree, with specific licensing or certification depending on the state and employer. For parents whose teenager is exploring this path, the most actionable step is mapping the education requirements to specific colleges and majors before junior year — not waiting until application season.
What do education and childcare administrators, preschool and daycare earn?
The median annual wage for education and childcare administrators, preschool and daycare is $59,300. That puts education and childcare administrators, preschool and daycare at #438 on the BLS ranked list of all U.S. occupations by median pay. This salary is around or below the U.S. median for individual workers, so career growth often depends on advancement into supervisory roles, specialization, or additional credentials. Actual pay varies meaningfully by state, employer type, and years of experience — entry-level salaries are typically 30–40% below the median, while top-decile earners often exceed it by 50% or more.
Is education and childcare administrators, preschool and daycare a growing career?
The 10-year outlook for education and childcare administrators, preschool and daycare is -3.1%, projected to lose jobs through 2035. Employment is projected to move from approximately 91K positions in 2024 to 89K in 2034, a net change of <1K. A declining outlook does not mean the field is disappearing; it means automation, demographics, or substitution effects are shrinking the pool of openings. Students entering a declining field should plan for adjacent skills that transfer to growing roles.
What education does my child need to become education and childcare administrators, preschool and daycare?
The standard path into education and childcare administrators, preschool and daycare begins with a bachelor's degree in a related field, followed by entry-level experience or internships during college. For parents helping a teen prepare, the highest-leverage step before junior year is identifying colleges and programs that feed reliably into this occupation — Solyo's college search lets parents filter by major and admissions data side by side.
Related careers your child might also consider
How parents help teens explore careers like this
Solyo helps parents map a teen's interests to specific careers, then back to the colleges and majors that lead there. Salary, outlook, and education data come from BLS and O*NET — the same sources high school counselors use — but presented for the parent's planning lens, not the student's exploration view.
Common questions parents ask about education and childcare administrators, preschool and daycare
What is the median salary for education and childcare administrators, preschool and daycare?
The median annual salary for education and childcare administrators, preschool and daycare is $59,300 according to the latest Bureau of Labor Statistics data.
Is education and childcare administrators, preschool and daycare a growing career?
BLS projects -3.1% growth for education and childcare administrators, preschool and daycare from 2025 through 2035, which is declining growth projected to lose jobs through 2035.
What education does my child need to become education and childcare administrators, preschool and daycare?
The typical entry path requires a bachelor's degree, plus any state licensure or certification specific to the role. Programs that align well with this career can be filtered inside Solyo's college search.
What careers are similar to education and childcare administrators, preschool and daycare?
Related occupations within the Management category share education paths and skill profiles, so they're a useful starting set when a teen is uncertain. The "Related careers" section below lists nearby options.
Salary data sourced from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment Statistics program. Skills, tasks, and education distribution from the O*NET database. Job outlook from the BLS Employment Projections 2025–2035 release.