Childcare Workers pay in California
$42,790avg. a year
$20.57 an hour · 52,780 employed
Childcare Workers in California earn an average of $42,790 a year. That is $7,760 (22%) more than the U.S. average of $35,030. The best-paying metro area is San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA at $48,450.
$40,020Median pay
$20.57Average hourly
+26%Avg. pay since 2020
#2Of 50 states + D.C.
Top-paying California metro areas
Average pay for childcare workers by metro area. Swipe to see all 25.
13,090 jobs
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA
$48,450
$23.30 an hour
28,260 jobs
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA
$46,100
$22.17 an hour
3620 jobs
Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA
$43,840
$21.08 an hour
4380 jobs
El Centro, CA
$43,020
$20.68 an hour
5170 jobs
Napa, CA
$42,870
$20.61 an hour
65,110 jobs
Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA
$42,870
$20.61 an hour
7660 jobs
Modesto, CA
$42,600
$20.48 an hour
8530 jobs
Salinas, CA
$42,380
$20.37 an hour
94,420 jobs
San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA
$42,370
$20.37 an hour
1016,530 jobs
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA
$41,930
$20.16 an hour
11570 jobs
Vallejo, CA
$41,810
$20.10 an hour
12810 jobs
Stockton-Lodi, CA
$41,640
$20.02 an hour
13790 jobs
Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA
$41,620
$20.01 an hour
14370 jobs
San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA
$41,570
$19.99 an hour
152,280 jobs
Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA
$41,370
$19.89 an hour
16330 jobs
Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA
$41,210
$19.81 an hour
17860 jobs
Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA
$40,680
$19.56 an hour
18220 jobs
Yuba City, CA
$40,100
$19.28 an hour
19680 jobs
Visalia, CA
$40,070
$19.27 an hour
20200 jobs
Hanford-Corcoran, CA
$39,840
$19.16 an hour
21240 jobs
Redding, CA
$39,640
$19.06 an hour
22310 jobs
Chico, CA
$39,400
$18.94 an hour
23390 jobs
Merced, CA
$38,980
$18.74 an hour
241,520 jobs
Fresno, CA
$38,790
$18.65 an hour
251,690 jobs
Bakersfield-Delano, CA
$38,400
$18.46 an hour
Why people trust JobPayFacts
Official government dataEvery number comes from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics wage survey of employers, not self-reported salaries.
Every state and city830 jobs across all 50 states, D.C. and 199 large metro areas.
Updated every yearNew figures each spring when BLS releases them. This site uses May 2025 data.
Childcare Workers pay in California, charted
Pay over time
California, annual wage, May of each year
AverageMedian
Where California childcare workers work
Employment by metro area, May 2025
Average pay by state
May 2025 · California highlighted · tap a state
AKMEWIVTNHWAIDMTNDMNILMINYMAORNVWYSDIAINOHPANJCTRICAUTCONEMOKYWVVAMDDEAZNMKSARTNNCSCDCOKLAMSALGAHITXFL
Under $31k$31k–$33k$33k–$38k$38k+California
California vs. neighbors
Average pay, May 2025
| Area | Avg. pay | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| United States | $35,030 | $16.84 |
| California | $42,790 | $20.57 |
| Oregon | $39,170 | $18.83 |
| Arizona | $36,350 | $17.48 |
| Nevada | $32,030 | $15.40 |
Related jobs in California
Average pay, California, May 2025
Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS
Questions and answers
How much do childcare workers make in California?
The average is $42,790 a year, and the median is $40,020. That is $7,760 (22%) more than the U.S. average of $35,030.
What is the hourly wage in California?
$20.57 an hour on average; the median is $19.24.
Where in California do they earn the most?
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($48,450), followed by San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA ($46,100). The lowest average among 25 metro areas with data is Bakersfield-Delano, CA ($38,400).
How does California rank?
California ranks #2 of 51 states (including D.C.) with published data for this job, by average pay.
Sources and notes. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 (trend: May 2020–May 2025), occupation code 39-9011. State rank compares average pay across states with published data. Metro figures cover metropolitan statistical areas; a metro area can cross state lines. See also the national childcare workers page. Wages are gross pay before taxes and don't include overtime premiums, tips, bonuses or benefits; self-employed workers aren't included. Year-to-year changes can partly reflect survey method changes, so treat the trend as a guide. How we use the data. JobPayFacts isn't affiliated with BLS.