Education and Childcare Administrators, Preschool and Daycare Salary
In Alabama, education and childcare administrators, preschool and daycares earn $41,780 at the median, or about $20.09 an hour. The range runs from $27K at the entry level to $78K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 88.36), which stretches that salary to about $47,284 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,085/month, about 38.1% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Alabama. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $42K get you in Alabama?
About education and childcare administrators, preschool and daycares
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What this looks like in Alabama
Pay for education and childcare administrators, preschool and daycare in Alabama runs about 30% below the U.S. median of $59K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,085/month, which is 38.7% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 88.36 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 12% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. That combination, below-market pay with high housing costs, makes this a financially demanding market for education and childcare administrators, preschool and daycares.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Alabama
Entry-level education and childcare administrators, preschool and daycares (10th percentile) start around $27K. Mid-career wages sit at $42K. Top earners bring in $78K or more, a $50K spread from bottom to top.
Education and Childcare Administrators, Preschool and Daycare salary by metro in Alabama
7 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Montgomery | $46K | +11% | 90 |
| Auburn-Opelika | $45K | +9% | 60 |
| Birmingham | $44K | +6% | 230 |
| Daphne-Fairhope-Foley | $44K | +5% | 40 |
| Huntsville | $42K | +1% | 110 |
| Tuscaloosa | $39K | -7% | 30 |
| Dothan | $36K | -13% | 30 |
Compare to other states
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Frequently asked questions
Can a education and childcare administrators, preschool and daycare afford a 2BR apartment alone in Alabama?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $42K, rent takes 38.7% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,085/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $800/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for education and childcare administrators, preschool and daycares in Alabama?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new education and childcare administrators, preschool and daycares typically earn — is $27K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,637/month. At HUD’s $1,085/month FMR, rent would take 66% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is education and childcare administrators, preschool and daycare a high-paying job in Alabama?
Local pay runs 30% below the national median — $42K here vs. $59K nationally. Cost of living is 12% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Alabama compare to the national average for education and childcare administrators, preschool and daycares?
Alabama pays $42K median vs. the U.S. average of $59K — that’s -30%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 88.36), the purchasing-power equivalent is $47K — below the national median.
How much do education and childcare administrators, preschool and daycares make in Alabama?
The median is $41,780 a year, that works out to about $20 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $27,290, and experienced education and childcare administrators, preschool and daycares can clear $77,530. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $42K enough to live in Alabama?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,807/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,085/month, which eats 38.7% 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 education and childcare administrators, preschool and daycare salary go in Alabama?
Alabama has a Regional Price Parity of 88.36 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median education and childcare administrators, preschool and daycare salary is worth about $47,284 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do education and childcare administrators, preschool and daycares 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.