Childcare Workers in Pennsylvania
Thinking about a career as a Childcare Workers in Pennsylvania? Below are the key facts. Attend to children at schools, businesses, private households, and childcare institutions. Perform a variety of tasks, such as dressing, feeding, bathing, and overseeing play. Excludes “Preschool Teachers, Except Special Education” (25-2011) and “Teaching Assistants, Preschool, Elementary, Middle, and Secondary School, Except Special Education” (25-9042).
What do Childcare Workers Make in Pennsylvania?
For childcare workers working in Pennsylvania, wages run about $28,330 per year (or about $13.62/hour).Pay can range from $21,090 at the 10th percentile to $38,150 at the 90th percentile.
| Wage Statistic | Annual | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $21,090 | $10.14 |
| 25th percentile | $23,750 | $11.42 |
| Median (50th) | $28,330 | $13.62 |
| 75th percentile | $34,470 | $16.57 |
| 90th percentile | $38,150 | $18.34 |
Location quotient — how concentrated this career is in Pennsylvania relative to the national average — is 0.71, suggesting fewer childcare workers per worker than the national average.
National Wage Comparison
Nationally, childcare workers earn a median of $50,186 per year ($24.13/hour), below the Pennsylvania median.
Employment Outlook
National employment for 395,644 childcare workers nationwide. In Pennsylvania alone, approximately 14,410 people work in this role. That’s higher than the typical state, which employs around 6,200 childcare workers.
Top Pennsylvania Metros for Childcare Workers
The largest metro-area employers of childcare workers in Pennsylvania.
| Metro Area | Number Employed | Annual Median Salary |
|---|---|---|
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | 8,340 | $31,670 |
| Pittsburgh, PA | 2,660 | $28,020 |
| Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ | 1,140 | $31,020 |
| Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA | 820 | $28,190 |
| Scranton–Wilkes-Barre, PA | 750 | $28,600 |
| Lancaster, PA | 500 | $28,130 |
| York-Hanover, PA | 460 | $28,980 |
| Reading, PA | 430 | $27,510 |
| Erie, PA | 370 | $24,300 |
| Altoona, PA | 190 | $26,520 |
| Chambersburg, PA | 160 | $25,770 |
| Johnstown, PA | 160 | $22,660 |
| State College, PA | 140 | $26,400 |
| Lebanon, PA | 120 | $27,400 |
| Williamsport, PA | 120 | $27,450 |
| Gettysburg, PA | 100 | $31,500 |
Top States for Childcare Workers Employment
These states have the highest employment of childcare workers work.
| State | Number Employed |
|---|---|
| California | 47,190 |
| Texas | 45,020 |
| New York | 42,780 |
| Georgia | 25,650 |
| New Jersey | 23,680 |
| Illinois | 22,540 |
| Florida | 21,790 |
| Michigan | 14,760 |
| Pennsylvania | 14,410 |
| Virginia | 14,150 |
| Tennessee | 13,190 |
| Ohio | 12,580 |
| Massachusetts | 12,370 |
| North Carolina | 12,200 |
| South Carolina | 11,570 |
| Colorado | 11,560 |
| Minnesota | 10,910 |
| Missouri | 10,600 |
| Connecticut | 9,630 |
| Oklahoma | 9,550 |
Highest-Paying States for Childcare Workers
These states pay the most for childcare workers.
| State | Annual Median Salary |
|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $45,400 |
| Massachusetts | $39,290 |
| Colorado | $38,410 |
| California | $38,220 |
| Vermont | $37,830 |
| Washington | $37,800 |
| New York | $36,630 |
| Hawaii | $36,440 |
| Oregon | $36,250 |
| Connecticut | $35,290 |
Skills
Top childcare workers skills, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Knowledge Areas
Important knowledge areas for this occupation, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Abilities
The abilities that matter most for childcare workers, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Daily Tasks
Day-to-day, childcare workers typically:
- 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.
- Identify signs of emotional or developmental problems in children and bring them to parents' or guardians' attention.
- Instruct children in health and personal habits, such as eating, resting, and toilet habits.
- Organize and store toys and materials to ensure order in activity areas.
- Perform general administrative tasks, such as taking attendance, editing internal paperwork, and making phone calls.
Work Activities
- Assisting and Caring for Others
- Making Decisions and Solving Problems
- Thinking Creatively
- Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates
- Getting Information
- Resolving Conflicts and Negotiating with Others
- Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work
- Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships
- Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events
- Performing General Physical Activities
- Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings
- Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards
Tools & Technology
Software and systems commonly involved: Hot technologies: Microsoft Office software
What Major Will Prepare You For This Career?
Related college programs include:
- Child Development & Family Studies
Featured schools near , edit
Related Careers
Other careers like childcare workers include:
- Education and Childcare Administrators, Preschool and Daycare
- Education Administrators, Kindergarten through Secondary
- Medical and Health Services Managers
- Social and Community Service Managers
- Child, Family, and School Social Workers
- Health Education Specialists
Also Known As
After School Coordinator, After School Counselor, Attendant, Baby Attendant, Baby Sitter, Before and After School Daycare Worker, Boarding Mother, Care Provider, Caregiver, Child Attendant, Child Care Aide, Child Care Assistant, Child Care Attendant, Child Care Development Specialist, Child Care Professional.
References
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics — https://www.bls.gov/oes/
- O*NET Online — https://www.onetonline.org/
- BLS Employment Projections — https://www.bls.gov/emp/
- O*NET-SOC code: 39-9011.00