Education and Childcare Administrators, Preschool and Daycare Salary
In California, education and childcare administrators, preschool and daycares earn $67,100 at the median, or about $32.26 an hour. The range runs from $48K at the entry level to $101K for experienced workers. Prices run high here (RPP 106.14), so that salary is closer to $63,218 in real purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $2,471/month, about 56.4% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across California. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $67K get you in California?
About education and childcare administrators, preschool and daycares
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What this looks like in California
California sits well above the national pay line for education and childcare administrators, preschool and daycare, local pay runs about 13% higher than the U.S. median of $59K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $2,471/month, which is 55.8% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost-of-living overall is 6% above the national average (BEA RPP 106.14), so groceries and services cost more too. The pay premium is real, but so are the offsets.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, California
Entry-level education and childcare administrators, preschool and daycares (10th percentile) start around $48K. Mid-career wages sit at $67K. Top earners bring in $101K or more, a $53K spread from bottom to top.
Education and Childcare Administrators, Preschool and Daycare salary by metro in California
24 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont | $79K | +17% | 1,920 |
| Salinas | $77K | +14% | 120 |
| Visalia | $73K | +9% | 60 |
| Napa | $70K | +5% | 50 |
| Modesto | $70K | +5% | 70 |
| Merced | $68K | +2% | 40 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim | $67K | +0% | 2,570 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom | $67K | -0% | 720 |
| Santa Maria-Santa Barbara | $65K | -2% | 150 |
| Chico | $65K | -4% | 60 |
| Bakersfield-Delano | $64K | -4% | 150 |
| Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura | $64K | -4% | 220 |
| Fresno | $63K | -5% | 250 |
| Yuba City | $63K | -6% | 40 |
| Stockton-Lodi | $63K | -6% | 160 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario | $63K | -6% | 710 |
| Redding | $63K | -6% | 50 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara | $63K | -6% | 830 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad | $63K | -7% | 830 |
| San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles | $62K | -8% | 60 |
| Vallejo | $62K | -8% | 120 |
| Santa Cruz-Watsonville | $60K | -10% | 60 |
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma | $58K | -13% | 190 |
| El Centro | $50K | -26% | 40 |
Showing 1–10 of 24 metros
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Frequently asked questions
Can a education and childcare administrators, preschool and daycare afford a 2BR apartment alone in California?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $67K, rent takes 55.8% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $2,471/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,300/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 California?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new education and childcare administrators, preschool and daycares typically earn — is $48K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,855/month. At HUD’s $2,471/month FMR, rent would take 87% 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 California?
Local pay is 13% above the national median — $67K here vs. $59K nationally. Keep in mind cost of living here is 6% above the national average, which offsets some of that premium.
How does California compare to the national average for education and childcare administrators, preschool and daycares?
California pays $67K median vs. the U.S. average of $59K — that’s +13%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 106.14), the purchasing-power equivalent is $63K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do education and childcare administrators, preschool and daycares make in California?
The median is $67,100 a year, that works out to about $32 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $47,590, and experienced education and childcare administrators, preschool and daycares can clear $100,800. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $67K enough to live in California?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,427/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $2,471/month, which eats 55.8% 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 California?
California has a Regional Price Parity of 106.14 (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 education and childcare administrators, preschool and daycare salary is worth about $63,218 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.