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How to become a childcare worker

Personal care & beauty · SOC 39-9011

$34,980US median pay, 2025
-2%Projected growth, 2025–35
150,300Openings per year
On the jobUsual way in

How you get in

Most people are hired and trained on the job, so school is optional. A program can still help you stand out.

  1. High school diploma or equivalent (a program is optional for this job)
  2. Short-term on-the-job training
  3. Work as a childcare worker

Programs that lead to this job

These are the federal program codes (CIP) that the Department of Education maps to this occupation, and how many US colleges, community colleges or trade schools report awarding credentials in each.

ProgramCodeSchools
Child Care Provider/AssistantCIP 19.0709410
Child DevelopmentCIP 19.0706215
Early Childhood and Family StudiesCIP 19.071113

See the 606 schools that offer these programs →

Common questions

How long does it take to become a childcare worker?
Typically no schooling after high school, then a few weeks of training on the job. That is the usual route rather than a rule — people arrive by other paths all the time.
How much do childcare workers make?
The US median is $34,980 a year, meaning half earn more and half less. Pay varies widely by state, employer and experience.
Do you need a degree to become a childcare worker?
No. Most people are hired and trained on the job; a program is optional.
Where can you train to become a childcare worker?
606 US colleges, community colleges and trade schools award credentials in a matching program. See which ones →

Pay and growth are national figures. What you earn depends on where you work, your employer and your experience, and these are projections rather than promises. Education requirements describe how most people enter the job, not a rule — plenty of people take another route.

Pay, growth, openings and entry requirements: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections 2025–35. Program-to-occupation mapping: NCES CIP–SOC crosswalk (2020/2018). School counts: IPEDS completions, 2022–23.

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