Childcare Workers Salary
Childcare Workers in San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA make a median of $44,540 a year, or about $21.41 an hour. The range runs from $38K at the entry level to $57K for experienced workers. Prices run high here (RPP 115.61), so that salary is closer to $38,526 in real purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $3,604/month, about 117.2% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $45K get you in San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont’s Regional Price Parity (115.61). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
About childcare workers
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What this looks like in San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont sits well above the national pay line for childcare workers, local pay runs about 27% higher than the U.S. median of $35K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $3,604/month, which is 117.3% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost-of-living overall is 16% above the national average (BEA RPP 115.61), so groceries and services cost more too. The pay premium is real, but so are the offsets.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for childcare workers in metros near San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim | $40K | $35K |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario | $40K | $38K |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad | $40K | $36K |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara | $46K | $41K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA
Entry-level childcare workers (10th percentile) start around $38K. Mid-career wages sit at $45K. Top earners bring in $57K or more, a $19K spread from bottom to top.
Childcare Workers pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Childcare Workers salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $47K | +35% | 1,350 |
| Washington | $42K | +19% | 4,340 |
| Massachusetts | $41K | +17% | 13,140 |
| Colorado | $41K | +16% | 13,310 |
| California | $40K | +14% | 52,780 |
| Oregon | $39K | +10% | 5,240 |
| Vermont | $38K | +9% | N/A |
| New York | $38K | +7% | 44,020 |
| New Hampshire | $37K | +6% | 2,820 |
| Hawaii | $37K | +6% | 1,870 |
| Rhode Island | $37K | +6% | 1,800 |
| Connecticut | $37K | +5% | 12,020 |
| New Jersey | $36K | +4% | 25,070 |
| Maine | $36K | +4% | 4,990 |
| Alaska | $36K | +3% | 1,340 |
| Maryland | $36K | +3% | 9,750 |
| New Mexico | $36K | +2% | 4,120 |
| Illinois | $36K | +2% | 23,900 |
| Minnesota | $36K | +2% | 11,570 |
| Montana | $35K | +0% | 2,190 |
| Arizona | $35K | +0% | 5,530 |
| Virginia | $34K | -2% | 13,930 |
| Florida | $34K | -2% | 21,760 |
| Delaware | $33K | -5% | 1,230 |
| Wisconsin | $32K | -7% | 5,560 |
| Utah | $32K | -10% | 4,830 |
| Michigan | $31K | -11% | 14,010 |
| Missouri | $31K | -12% | 12,430 |
| Nebraska | $31K | -12% | 9,390 |
| North Dakota | $30K | -13% | 4,030 |
| Indiana | $30K | -14% | 8,280 |
| Idaho | $30K | -14% | 4,430 |
| Pennsylvania | $30K | -14% | 13,000 |
| Nevada | $30K | -15% | 3,740 |
| Ohio | $30K | -15% | 11,300 |
| Tennessee | $30K | -15% | 13,650 |
| South Carolina | $30K | -15% | 10,660 |
| Kansas | $29K | -16% | 7,430 |
| North Carolina | $29K | -17% | 12,550 |
| Kentucky | $29K | -17% | 5,820 |
| Texas | $29K | -18% | 34,160 |
| Arkansas | $28K | -19% | 5,400 |
| Iowa | $28K | -19% | 6,020 |
| Wyoming | $28K | -19% | 1,110 |
| Georgia | $28K | -20% | 21,040 |
| South Dakota | $28K | -20% | 2,370 |
| Oklahoma | $28K | -21% | 7,590 |
| West Virginia | $28K | -21% | 1,930 |
| Louisiana | $23K | -35% | 8,000 |
| Alabama | $23K | -35% | 4,580 |
| Mississippi | $22K | -37% | 5,420 |
Showing 1–10 of 51 (all 50 states + DC)
Track childcare workers salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont numbers change.
Related careers in Personal Care
Frequently asked questions
Can a childcare worker afford a 2BR apartment alone in San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $45K, rent takes 117.3% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $3,604/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $900/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for childcare workers in San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new childcare workers typically earn — is $38K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,276/month. At HUD’s $3,604/month FMR, rent would take 158% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is childcare worker a high-paying job in San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont?
Local pay is 27% above the national median — $45K here vs. $35K nationally. Keep in mind cost of living here is 16% above the national average, which offsets some of that premium.
How does San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont compare to the national average for childcare workers?
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont pays $45K median vs. the U.S. average of $35K — that’s +27%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 115.61), the purchasing-power equivalent is $39K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do childcare workers make in San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA?
The median is $44,540 a year, that works out to about $21 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $37,930, and experienced childcare workers can clear $57,410. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $45K enough to live in San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,072/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $3,604/month, which eats 117.3% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.
How far does a childcare workers salary go in San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont?
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont has a Regional Price Parity of 115.61 (100 is the national average). Prices are above average here, so your dollar buys less than the same salary would in a cheaper metro. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median childcare workers salary is worth about $38,526 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do childcare workers get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.