Preschool and Childcare Center Directors
Salary, job outlook, AI risk & career information
Preschool and Childcare Center Directors in the United States earn a median salary of $59,300 per year — about $29 per hour, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Roughly 90K people work in this occupation nationwide, with projected employment growth of -3%.
AI & Automation Risk
This role is a hybrid of administrative knowledge work and high-stakes physical presence. While AI can significantly automate digital tasks like budgeting, scheduling, and curriculum planning, the core of the job involves physical facility oversight, staff supervision, and building trust-based relationships with parents and children that cannot be replicated by AI.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJBEST VALUE | $98,470 | Above avg (112.6) | $87,480 |
| Mount Vernon-Anacortes, WA | $83,600 | Average (102.4) | $81,606 |
| Vineland, NJ | $73,480 | Below avg (96.0) | $76,567 |
| Yakima, WA | $72,250 | Below avg (95.5) | $75,619 |
| Barnstable Town, MA | $74,080 | Average (98.4) | $75,322 |
| Trenton-Princeton, NJ | $76,390 | Above avg (103.2) | $74,036 |
| Visalia, CA | $73,100 | Average (99.8) | $73,228 |
| Las Cruces, NM | $65,020 | Below avg (90.2) | $72,075 |
| Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA | $71,150 | Average (100.3) | $70,905 |
| Rockford, IL | $64,850 | Below avg (92.2) | $70,371 |
| Salinas, CA | $76,620 | Above avg (109.0) | $70,267 |
| Sioux Falls, SD-MN | $63,650 | Below avg (90.6) | $70,230 |
| Pittsfield, MA | $66,540 | Below avg (95.1) | $69,964 |
| Merced, CA | $68,440 | Average (98.3) | $69,641 |
| Rochester, MN | $62,850 | Below avg (90.8) | $69,202 |