How to become a Preschool and Daycare Education and Childcare Administrator

Official title: Education and Childcare Administrators, Preschool and Daycare

Also called: Child Care Center Director, Child Care Director, Childcare Director, Day Care Director, Early Childhood Program Supervisor (ECP Supervisor), Early Childhood Services Director, Education Coordinator, Education Director, Education Site Manager, Preschool Program Director

Plan, direct, or coordinate academic or nonacademic activities of preschools or childcare centers and programs, including before- and after-school care.

Main tasks

• Recruit, hire, train, and evaluate primary and supplemental staff and recommend personnel actions for programs and services.
• Confer with parents and staff to discuss educational activities and policies and students' behavioral or learning problems.
• Teach classes or courses or provide direct care to children.
• Determine allocations of funds for staff, supplies, materials, and equipment and authorize purchases.
• Direct and coordinate activities of teachers or administrators at daycare centers, schools, public agencies, or institutions.
• Monitor students' progress and provide students and teachers with assistance in resolving any problems.
• Determine the scope of educational program offerings and prepare drafts of program schedules and descriptions to estimate staffing and facility requirements.
• Review and evaluate new and current programs to determine their efficiency, effectiveness, and compliance with state, local, and federal regulations and recommend any necessary modifications.

How to become one

A bachelor's degree and experience in early childhood education are typically required to become a preschool and childcare center director. However, educational requirements vary. Additionally, some employers require these directors to have a nationally recognized credential.

Typical education to start: Bachelor's degree

Read the full guide from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

Ways in

• Apprenticeship: Early Childhood Education Operations Manager.
• College: Education & Teaching degrees, Offered by 35 universities in the US
• Licence: A licence is required in 18 states.

Pay · Outlook · AI and this job

• Median pay: $59,300 a year The middle half earn $47,040 to $75,500.
• About 91,900 people work in this job now, and about 89,000 are projected by 2035. (-3.1%)
• People use generative AI for relatively little of this work so far. Microsoft Research rates its AI applicability as low.

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Questions people ask

How do I become a Preschool and Daycare Education and Childcare Administrator?

A bachelor's degree and experience in early childhood education are typically required to become a preschool and childcare center director. However, educational requirements vary. Additionally, some employers require these directors to have a nationally recognized credential.

How much does a Preschool and Daycare Education and Childcare Administrator earn in the US?

Median full-time pay is $59,300 a year (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics). The middle half earn $47,040 to $75,500.

Is a Preschool and Daycare Education and Childcare Administrator a growing career in the US?

Employment is projected to fall 3% by 2035, from about 91,900 to about 89,000 people (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics).

Do you need a degree to become a Preschool and Daycare Education and Childcare Administrator?

Usually. 83% of people in this job hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

Will AI change the work of a Preschool and Daycare Education and Childcare Administrator?

People use generative AI for relatively little of this work so far. Microsoft Research rates its AI applicability as low.

Sources

• Microsoft Research: Working with AI: AI applicability by occupation (2025-12-22 (built on O*NET 29.0)), CC BY 4.0, retrieved 2026-10-03
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Employment Projections (2025-35 (released 2026-08-27)), Public domain (BLS), retrieved 2026-10-03
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Occupational Outlook Handbook (2025-35 edition (published 2026-08-27)), Public domain (BLS); photographs excluded, retrieved 2026-10-03
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (May 2025), Public domain (BLS), retrieved 2026-10-03

Updated 2026-10-03

This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.