Personal Care & Service
Childcare Workers
Also called: Caregiver, Child Care Worker, Child Caregiver, Childcare Provider
US median pay
$34,980
per year, 2025
Job growth 2025–35
-2%
declining
Openings a year (US)
150,300
1,010,300 employed
Typical entry education
High school diploma or equivalent
Preparation 2/5 · Some preparation
What this job is
Attend to children at schools, businesses, private households, and childcare institutions. Perform a variety of tasks, such as dressing, feeding, bathing, and overseeing play.
What they do day to day
- Maintain a safe play environment.
- Observe and monitor children's play activities.
- Communicate with children's parents or guardians about daily activities, behaviors, and related issues.
- Support children's emotional and social development, encouraging understanding of others and positive self-concepts.
- Care for children in institutional setting, such as group homes, nursery schools, private businesses, or schools for people with disabilities.
- Sanitize toys and play equipment.
- Dress children and change diapers.
- Keep records on individual children, including daily observations and information about activities, meals served, and medications administered.
- Identify signs of emotional or developmental problems in children and bring them to parents' or guardians' attention.
- Instruct children in health and personal habits, such as eating, resting, and toilet habits.
Skills and knowledge that matter most
Skills
- Service Orientation3.4/5
- Social Perceptiveness3.2/5
- Coordination3.1/5
- Judgment and Decision Making3.0/5
- Instructing3.0/5
- Complex Problem Solving3.0/5
- Time Management2.9/5
- Persuasion2.9/5
Knowledge
- Customer and Personal Service3.7/5
- English Language3.5/5
- Education and Training3.4/5
- Public Safety and Security3.2/5
- Psychology3.0/5
- Administration and Management2.9/5
Importance rated by people working in the job (1 = not important, 5 = extremely important).
Education and preparation
Preparation level 2 of 5 — Some preparation. Usually a high school diploma; some previous work experience or training helps.
Typical entry education (BLS): High school diploma or equivalent.
Highest education of people in this job:
- High school diploma39%
- Associate's degree23%
- Less than high school14%
Who this job suits
Mostly Social
Helping, teaching and caring for people
Artistic
Creating, designing and self-expression
Conventional
Organising data, details and procedures
Based on the Holland (RIASEC) interest profile for this occupation.