Personal care and service
Childcare worker
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 pay
$34,980
Growth to 2035
−2%
declining
Openings a year
150,300
Time to qualify*
1 month
* From a bachelor's degree in an unrelated field.
Pay
Childcare worker
Getting in
- Typical entry education
- High school diploma or equivalent
- On-the-job training
- Short-term on-the-job training
- Prior experience
- None
What the work is like
Dealing with the public
Unpleasant or angry people
Time pressure
Cost of a mistake
Freedom to make decisions
Repeating the same tasks
Time sitting
Time standing
Outdoors in all weather
Hazardous conditions
Exposure to disease
Childcare worker: 7% usually work over 40 hours a week
Core tasks
- 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.
- Sanitize toys and play equipment.
- Dress children and change diapers.
- Keep records on individual children, including daily observations and information about activities, meals served, and medications administered.
Also called: Caregiver · Child Care Worker · Child Caregiver · Childcare Provider · Childcare Worker · Daycare Teacher · Daycare Worker · Infant Teacher
Outlook and AI
Childcare workers held 1,010,300 jobs in 2025. BLS projects 990,400 by 2035 (−2%, declining; all jobs: +3.5%).
Compare with
- Childcare worker vs. Preschool teachers, except special education
- Childcare worker vs. Home health and personal care aides
- Childcare worker vs. Kindergarten teachers, except special education
- Childcare worker vs. Health education specialist
- Childcare worker vs. Special education teachers, secondary school
- Childcare worker vs. Special education teachers, preschool