Childcare Workers
Salary, job outlook, AI risk & career information
Childcare Workers in the United States earn a median salary of $34,980 per year — about $17 per hour, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Roughly 992K people work in this occupation nationwide, with projected employment growth of -3%.
AI & Automation Risk
The core responsibilities of this role—physical care, safety monitoring, hygiene, and emotional support—require a physical presence and human empathy that AI cannot replicate. While AI may assist with peripheral tasks like lesson planning, record-keeping, or parent communication, the fundamental nature of the work is hands-on and occurs in the physical world.
Salary by City — What You Actually Take Home
Real purchasing power = salary adjusted for cost of living. Higher = more money in your pocket.
| City | Local Salary | Cost of Living | Real Purchasing Power |
|---|---|---|---|
| North Port-Bradenton-Sarasota, FLBEST VALUE | $47,300 | Average (102.4) | $46,184 |
| Barnstable Town, MA | $43,480 | Average (98.4) | $44,209 |
| Longview-Kelso, WA | $42,300 | Average (97.5) | $43,365 |
| Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | $44,320 | Above avg (105.8) | $41,897 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $45,720 | Above avg (110.4) | $41,404 |
| Boulder, CO | $43,380 | Above avg (105.2) | $41,235 |
| Amherst Town-Northampton, MA | $40,560 | Average (100.2) | $40,462 |
| Pittsfield, MA | $38,410 | Below avg (95.1) | $40,387 |
| Modesto, CA | $41,920 | Above avg (104.1) | $40,266 |
| El Centro, CA | $38,220 | Below avg (95.2) | $40,158 |
| Farmington, NM | $34,820 | Below avg (87.7) | $39,700 |
| Flagstaff, AZ | $39,640 | Average (100.3) | $39,512 |
| San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA | $42,860 | Above avg (108.6) | $39,467 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $43,710 | Above avg (111.1) | $39,331 |
| Decatur, IL | $34,740 | Below avg (88.4) | $39,289 |