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Child Care Chains and Early Learning Franchises
KinderCare, Bright Horizons, The Goddard School
Education and Childcare Administrators, Preschool and Daycare
These administrators run preschool and daycare programs by managing staff, budgets, schedules, enrollment, and family concerns all at once. The job is distinct because it sits right between child development and business operations: you have to keep children safe and supported while also meeting licensing rules, payroll realities, and changing enrollment. The main tradeoff is that the work is people-centered, but the pressure is often administrative, budget-driven, and hard to do remotely.
Also known as Child Care Center DirectorDaycare Center DirectorPreschool DirectorEarly Childhood Program DirectorChildcare Program Manager
Median Salary
$56,270
Mean $62,640
U.S. Workforce
~72K
5.5K openings per year
10-Year Growth
+-2.5%
90.2K to 87.9K
Entry Education
Bachelor's degree
+ Less than 5 years experience
What This Role Looks Like in Practice
Education and Childcare Administrators, Preschool and Daycare sits in the Education category. In practical terms, this role combines day-to-day execution, cross-team coordination, and consistent decision-making under real business constraints.
U.S. employment is currently about ~72K workers, with a median annual pay of $56,270 and roughly 5.5K openings each year. Based on BLS projections, total employment is expected to decline from 90.2 K in 2024 to 87.9K in 2034.
Most hiring paths start with High school diploma or GED, and employers typically expect less than 5 years of related experience. Many careers in this track begin around Assistant Teacher and can progress toward Regional Childcare Director. High-value skills usually include Budgeting in Excel, Google Sheets & Accounting Software, Child Care Management Systems, Scheduling & Rostering Software, and Licensing, Safety & Compliance Tracking Tools, paired with soft skills such as Active Listening, Coordination, and Critical Thinking.
Core Responsibilities
- Watch enrollment trends, family data, and local demand to decide whether a program should add classrooms, change hours, or update what it offers.
- Meet with parents and staff to talk through behavior issues, learning concerns, and day-to-day policies.
- Build and approve budgets for payroll, supplies, classroom materials, and equipment purchases.
- Hire, train, and review teachers and support staff, then make recommendations about raises, discipline, or other personnel changes.
Keep exploring: more Education careers or browse all job titles.
A Day in the Life
01 Watch enrollment trends, family data, and local demand to decide whether a program should add classrooms, change hours, or update what it offers.
02 Meet with parents and staff to talk through behavior issues, learning concerns, and day-to-day policies.
03 Build and approve budgets for payroll, supplies, classroom materials, and equipment purchases.
04 Hire, train, and review teachers and support staff, then make recommendations about raises, discipline, or other personnel changes.
05 Plan class schedules and program offerings so the center has enough staff, space, and materials to run smoothly.
06 Oversee teaching and care routines by checking that activities, instruction, and student support are working as intended.
Industries That Hire
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Public School Districts and Pre-K Programs
New York City Public Schools, Los Angeles Unified School District, Chicago Public Schools
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Nonprofit Child Development and Family Services
YMCA, Easterseals, Boys & Girls Clubs of America
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Employer-Sponsored Child Care
Bright Horizons, Google, Patagonia
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Montessori and Private Early Education
Montessori Global Education, Primrose Schools, La Petite Academy
Pros and Cons
Advantages
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The work combines leadership with direct impact on children and families, so you see the results of good decisions every day.
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The pay is not top-tier, but the mean annual wage of $62,640 is higher than many classroom-only childcare jobs.
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There are still about 5.5 thousand annual openings, so even with a slight decline in total employment, hiring continues.
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The BLS says typical entry is a bachelor's degree with less than 5 years of experience and no on-the-job training, which makes the path straightforward for motivated candidates.
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You build transferable skills in budgeting, hiring, scheduling, conflict resolution, and compliance that can move you into larger programs later.
Challenges
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Employment is projected to fall 2.5% over the next decade, with jobs dropping from 90.2 thousand to 87.9 thousand, so growth is not strong.
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The median salary of $56,270 can feel modest for a job that carries staffing, safety, budget, and parent-relations responsibility.
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A lot of the job is administrative and compliance-heavy, not just working with children, so it can feel like paperwork and rule enforcement dominate the day.
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The career ladder is often tied to center size, enrollment, and local funding, which creates a real ceiling in smaller programs and makes advancement uneven.
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The work is mostly on-site and schedule-driven, so remote work is rare and staffing shortages can force last-minute coverage and long days.
Career Progression
Assistant Teacher
0-2 years
$28K-$34K
Supports classrooms, learns licensing rules, and gets hands-on experience with children and families.
Lead Preschool Teacher
2-5 years
$34K-$42K
Runs a classroom more independently, handles communication with families, and helps guide newer staff.
Assistant Center Director THIS ROLE
5-8 years
$43K-$53K
Takes on scheduling, staff support, compliance tasks, and daily problem-solving for the program.
Education and Childcare Administrator, Preschool and Daycare
8-15 years
$54K-$64K
Leads the center or program, balancing staffing, budgets, enrollment, parent concerns, and regulatory requirements.
Regional Childcare Director
15+ years
$65K-$82K
Oversees multiple sites or programs, focuses on performance, budgets, and long-term growth rather than one classroom.
Education Paths
High school diploma or GED
A common path, held by 25.65% of workers in this occupation, especially for people who move up through experience in childcare settings.
Some college or associate-level coursework
Also common, at 19.7% of workers, and often paired with long experience in a center or preschool before stepping into management.
Bachelor's degree in early childhood education, child development, or business administration
A less common route at 10.33% of workers, but it matches the BLS typical entry expectation for this role.
Child Development Associate (CDA) or state childcare director credential
A practical alternative for people who want a management credential without completing a full degree program.
Key Skills
Technical
Budgeting in Excel, Google Sheets & Accounting Software 80%
Child Care Management Systems, Scheduling & Rostering Software 80%
Licensing, Safety & Compliance Tracking Tools 80%
Enrollment Forecasting, Survey Analysis & Reporting 80%
Records Management, HRIS & Student Information Systems 78%
Curriculum Planning, Lesson Scheduling & LMS Platforms 78%
Soft Skills
Active ListeningCoordinationCritical ThinkingSpeakingComplex Problem SolvingInstructing Job Outlook and Trends
+-2.5%
Projected growth (2024-2034)
5.5K
Annual job openings
Employment is projected to rise from 90.2K to 87.9 K over the next decade, representing -2.5% growth. Around 5.5 K openings per year include both newly created roles and replacement hiring from turnover.
Remote availability is currently Rare. Demand remains strongest where employers need practical domain knowledge plus modern workflow and data skills.