Exploring Child Care Careers: Find the Perfect Path for You

There are a number of solid reasons to get into the child care industry — you have a real impact on children’s social and emotional development; employees are in demand (!); and, of course, it’s fun. But deciding which professional track can be tough, as there are several job types that each look a little different.

“There are many options out there for child care professionals,” says Lydia Thibodeau, founder of Sommet Nannies in Boston. The key, she and other experts note, is seeing what works best with your personality, experience, schedule and more.

If you’re interested in becoming a child care professional, but aren’t sure which job type is best for you, check out our list of jobs involving child care and child care careers. Here, you’ll find job benefits, salary information and more.

A comparison of child care careers and jobs

Check out the table below to compare different types of child care careers, including benefits and considerations.

Option	Benefits	Considerations
Full-time nanny	• Transferable skills. • Competitive pay. • Benefits, including PTO, sick days and more. • Long-term opportunities. • Rewarding work.	• Children may “outgrow” your care. • Professional boundaries can get blurred. • Potential for job creep.
Part-time nanny	• Transferable skills. • Competitive hourly rate. • Rewarding work. • Flexible.	• Children may “outgrow your care.” • Professional boundaries can get blurred. • You may need more than one job.
Nanny share	• Competitive pay, typically at slightly a higher rate for working with multiple families. • Benefits, including PTO, sick days and more. • • Transferable skills. • Rewarding work.	• Children may “outgrow” your care. • Professional lines can be blurry. • Potential for job creep. • Increased coordination among multiple families. • More complex communication and logistics.
Live-in nanny	• Room and board included. • Competitive pay. • Benefits, including PTO, sick days and more. • Transferable skills.	• Children may “outgrow” your care. • Professional lines can be blurry. • Potential for job creep. • Lack of privacy.
Babysitter	• Rewarding work. • Fun! • Flexible. • Perfect for students. • Good stepping stone for other child care careers.	• Short-term work. • Often last-minute requests (and cancellations). • You may need multiple jobs.
Preschool teacher	• Rewarding work. • Good “first teaching” job. • Benefits, such as PTO, health insurance and more. • Consistent hours. • Room for growth. • Connections with community.	• School politics with which to contend. • Multiple families with whom to contend. • Exposure to germs. • State and center certifications and/or trainings may be required.
Daycare or child care center worker	• Rewarding work. • Benefits, such as PTO, health insurance and more. • Consistent hours. • Room for growth. • Connections with community.	• School politics with which to contend. • Multiple families with which to contend. • Exposure to germs. • State and center certifications and/or trainings may be required.
Child care center director	• Competitive pay. • Transferable skills (such as business and team management). • Consistent hours Rewarding work.	• Politics and families with which to contend. • Exposure to germs. • State and center certifications and/or trainings may be required.
In-home daycare provider	• You’re the boss. • Convenient for stay-at-home parents and parents of school-aged kids. • Can save your family money on paying for outside child care.	• Multiple families with whom to contend. • Potential licensure and other business owner requirements. • Exposure to germs. • No backup for sick or vacation days.
Au pair	• Cultural immersion. • Rewarding work. • Deep connection with host family.	• Potential for work-personal lines to be blurred. • Potential language barriers. • Education classes to complete.
Mother’s helper	• Rewarding work. • Fun. • Convenient for students. • Good stepping stone for other child care jobs.	• You’re learning as you go. • Can be last minute.

The cost of care calculator can help estimate going child care rates for jobs in your city.

1. Nanny

Find a full-time nanny job or a part-time nanny job

Nannies are child care professionals who provide care for children in the family’s home. While each job is different, nannies provide more than “here and now” care. A nanny is invested in the overall development of children and works to organize enriching, educational activities. Additionally, they’ll take on tasks such as preparing healthy snacks and light meals, driving kids to activities and playdates and more.

Working as a nanny is “meaningful and heart filled, while at the same time helps develop transferable skill sets, such as collaborative leadership and project management skills, to name a few,” according to Danielle Sadler, marketing director at Adventure Nannies.

“Nannies can earn an excellent wage while continuing their education, staying up-to-date with their certifications and creating exciting opportunities to grow their careers,” Sadler continues. “While nannying provides tons of skills that are relevant across multiple industries, these days, nannying is also a full blow career with great pay, full benefits, bonuses and more.”

There are a number of nannying jobs to choose from, including:

Training: Specific training and experience requirements vary from job to job, but here are a few trainings and certifications to consider:

Child and infant CPR and first aid certifications (anyone working with children should be CPR certified).
Infant care classes.
Water safety.
Defensive driver training.
Special needs care.

You may also consider a degree in early childhood education or a related field, but it’s not required. For more information on trainings, check out our list of child care training courses and certifications.

Nanny rate: $766 a week (that’s $19.15 an hour or $39,832 annually), on average, according to Care.com’s 2024 Cost of Care Report. Your salary will vary based on a number of factors, including experience, location and number of kids.

Nanny share rate: About $12.77 an hour, on average, or $26,554 annually — per family — as the cost of a nanny share is about two-thirds of the cost of a full-time nanny. Based on these rates, if you have a nanny share job caring for children in two families, your hourly rate would be $25.54, your weekly rate would be $1,022, and your annual salary would be about $53,123.

2. Babysitter

Find a babysitting job or an after-school babysitting job.

Different from nannies, babysitters provide here and now care and don’t always have a set schedule. Often babysitters are hired on an as-needed basis, such as for date nights, appointments, etc. An exception is if you’re hired as an after-school sitter, in which case, you’ll likely be hired to pick the kids up from school, help with homework and drive to activities.

Typically, babysitters are expected to play with the children, keep them safe and maybe provide snacks or light meals.

Training: There are no training requirements to work as a babysitter, but every hiring family will have different standards and expectations. To increase your odds of getting hired, here are a few babysitter classes and certifications to consider:

Child and infant CPR and first aid certifications (anyone working with children should be CPR certified).
Basic babysitter training.

For more information on trainings, check out our list of the best babysitting certification programs, classes and trainings.

Babysitter rate: $16-$23 per hour, according to recent Care data from top U.S. cities, but it may be more if you’re caring for multiple children, are hired for last-minute care or have a lot of experience. After-school sitters caring for one child and working 15 hours a week earn about $292 per week, or $19.47 per hour, according to our latest Cost of Care Report.

3. Preschool teacher

Leading classrooms for kids aged 3-5 years old, “preschool teachers help create foundations that prepare children for kindergarten, elementary school and beyond,” notes Gigi Schweikert, parenting expert and CEO of Lightbridge Academy. “They create a structured learning environment that helps children develop effective communication skills, the ability to follow instructions and work cooperatively with peers.”

Being a lead preschool teacher, Schweikert continues, “is often the perfect first teaching position for college graduates.”

Training: “Each state and each early childhood education provider has different training requirements for their teachers to ensure each teacher and staff member is prepared for the great responsibility of educating and caring for young children,” notes Marquita Davis, chief academic officer at KinderCare Learning Companies. That said, preschool teachers typically need an associate’s degree and CPR training.

Donna Whittaker, vice president of curriculum and education at Big Blue Marble Academy, adds: “Some state-funded preschool programs require a higher level of education for their instructors and mandatory training on age-appropriate best practices.”

Preschool teacher rate: $17 per hour, or $35,330 per year on average, according to the latest Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).

4. Daycare or child care center worker

Find a child care center job.

Employees of daycare or child care centers provide care to young children during the day while their parents are at work. “Daycare workers have the privilege of helping children along their educational and developmental journey,” notes Whittaker. “They are able to spend their days tending to children’s physical needs, such as feeding and toileting, but also singing, reading and playing with children.”

On the other end of the spectrum are employees of after-school child care centers. These folks provide care to older kids after school (typically through fifth or sixth grade) while their parents are at work. Duties at each center will vary, but most involve homework time and games and activities.

Training: “Training requirements for daycare/child care employees vary from state to state; however, most states require first aid, CPR and mandated reporter training,” Whittaker says. “In addition to these safety trainings, most states require daycare/child care workers to have at least ten hours annual training related to caring for children.”

Child care center employee rate: $13.71 per hour, or $28,520 per year, according to the latest BLS data.

5. Child care center director

If you’ve worked at a daycare or child care center for a while and have found you have a true passion for the space, another option is a daycare or child care center director. “Many young people start their careers as caregivers in an infant or 2-year-old room and find it is a lifelong passion,” says Whittaker. “Some stay in daycare for their entire career, whereas others might use their time there as a stepping stone to something more.”

Training: Again, every state and facility is different, but according to the BLS, you’ll need a bachelor’s degree — preferably in early education — in order to become a director. The BLS also adds that some employers require directors to have a nationally recognized credential, such as the Child Development Associate (CDA) credential.

Child care center director rate: $23.89 an hour or $49,690 per year, according to the latest BLS data.

6. In-home daycare provider

According to Thibodeau, in-home daycare providers are people that run a (fairly unregulated) child care center from their home. Unlike daycare and child care centers, in-home day cares — or family centers, as they are sometimes called — typically have no set curriculum and, Thibodeau adds, they’re somewhat of a “free-for-all.”

Training: It’s important for anyone working with children to have a CPR certification, but there are no formal child care licenses or requirements in this type of setting.

In-home daycare provider rate: $230 per week, on average, based on findings in the latest Cost of Care Report. That said, the rate may vary depending on location and other factors.

7. Au pair

The au pair experience offers young adults worldwide the opportunity to immerse themselves in a new culture and live with a host family while providing child care assistance. Generally, au pairs stay in their position for about a year. The U.S. au pair program is regulated by the Department of State; however, worldwide au pair programs, requirements and pay vary by country.

Different agencies represent different countries/continents, but Au Pair International places au pairs in France, Italy, Spain, Germany, Australia and New Zealand. The Cultural Exchange Program places au pairs in the former locations, as well as The Netherlands. Au Pair World has a search tool, where au pairs can research potential locations and families.

Training: To work as an au pair in most countries, you’ll likely need to complete CPR and Red Cross training, as well as a background check.

Au pair rate: Weekly stipend or pay rates vary by country.

8. Mother’s helper

Find a mother’s helper job.

A mother’s helper is kind of like a “second in command,” Thibodeau notes, or better yet, a “second set of hands.” Typically you’re watching the kids when mom or dad is home in order to provide them with time and space for other activities and tasks, such as work phone calls or an activity with one of the (other) kids.

Some mother’s helper duties may include playing, coloring, reading, helping with homework, fixing simple snacks or lunches.

Training: Aside from CPR training, which is recommended, most of the training is done on the job, notes Thibodeau.

Mother’s helper rate: Generally less per hour than a babysitter or nanny and can fluctuate based on location, duties and experience.