Education and Childcare Administrators, Preschool and Daycare Salary
In Colorado, education and childcare administrators, preschool and daycares earn $64,620 at the median, or about $31.07 an hour. The range runs from $49K at the entry level to $96K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 103.71), that's roughly $62,308 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,832/month, about 42.3% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Colorado. Jump to a metro for precise data:
Where the paycheck goes
What $65K actually covers in Colorado, month by month
About education and childcare administrators, preschool and daycares
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What this looks like in Colorado
Education and childcare administrators, preschool and daycare pay in Colorado tracks closely to the national median, $65K locally vs. $59K nationwide, a 9% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,832/month, which is 43.1% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost of living (RPP 103.71) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Colorado
Entry-level education and childcare administrators, preschool and daycares (10th percentile) start around $49K. Mid-career wages sit at $65K. Top earners bring in $96K or more, a $48K spread from bottom to top.
Education and Childcare Administrators, Preschool and Daycare salary by metro in Colorado
5 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Boulder | $70K | +8% | 80 |
| Denver-Aurora-Centennial | $69K | +7% | 610 |
| Colorado Springs | $64K | -1% | 150 |
| Fort Collins-Loveland | $62K | -4% | 70 |
| Greeley | $57K | -12% | 40 |
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Quick answers
The stuff people actually ask about this job
Can a education and childcare administrators, preschool and daycare afford a 2BR apartment alone in Colorado?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $65K, rent takes 43.1% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,832/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 Colorado?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new education and childcare administrators, preschool and daycares typically earn — is $49K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,269/month. At HUD’s $1,832/month FMR, rent would take 56% 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 Colorado?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $65K locally vs. $59K nationally, a 9% difference.
How does Colorado compare to the national average for education and childcare administrators, preschool and daycares?
Colorado pays $65K median vs. the U.S. average of $59K — that’s +9%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 103.71), the purchasing-power equivalent is $62K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do education and childcare administrators, preschool and daycares make in Colorado?
The median is $64,620 a year, that works out to about $31 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $48,970, and experienced education and childcare administrators, preschool and daycares can clear $96,490. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $65K enough to live in Colorado?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,250/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,832/month, which eats 43.1% 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 Colorado?
Colorado has a Regional Price Parity of 103.71 (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 $62,308 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.