Education and childcare administrators run preschools and daycare centers. You manage staff, ensure quality care and learning, handle budgets, and work with families. You need an associate degree and considerable preparation. It is leadership work in a field that matters.
Pathly builds you a free, personalized roadmap and helps your counselor champion you along the way.
You oversee daily operations at preschools and daycare facilities. You hire, train, and supervise teachers and support staff. You develop curriculum and educational standards, monitor classrooms to ensure compliance with regulations, and evaluate staff performance. You communicate with parents about their children's progress and handle administrative tasks like budgeting and scheduling. You also work with outside organizations, licensing agencies, and community partners to maintain quality standards and keep the center running smoothly.
Core work activities
Career video courtesy of CareerOneStop.
Education and Childcare Administrators, Preschool and Daycare earn a median of $59,300 a year, based on 2025 data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Pay rises with experience, specialty, and location.
The outlook is softer here. Employment is projected to fall 3 percent from 2024 to 2034, though there are still about 5,500 openings a year from turnover.
Top skills
Knowledge areas
You need an associate degree as a foundation. Your education should cover early childhood development, education and training, administration and management, and public safety and security. Beyond coursework, you will need considerable preparation through hands-on experience in childcare or education settings. Many administrators start as teachers or assistant directors, building skills in classroom management, staff supervision, and program planning. This progression helps you develop the critical thinking and leadership abilities the role requires.
Most paths to this role start with teaching or assistant director experience combined with an associate degree. If you are deciding between jumping in quickly or building more credentials first, Pathly can map the education and childcare administrator, preschool and daycare path that fits you to map out your steps with your counselor.
Many education and childcare administrator, preschool and daycares must be licensed to practice.
Licensing is handled at the state level and the requirements vary, so check the licensing board in your state. Pathly shows your state's specific steps inside your roadmap.
You are drawn to working with people, building relationships, and helping others grow. You enjoy teaching, mentoring staff, and creating supportive environments where children and families thrive.
Reading about a career is the easy part. Turning it into a plan is where most students get stuck. Pathly takes you from curious to a clear next step, and gives your counselor the insight to champion you along the way.
Start with a quick quiz and assessments that surface your personality, your EQ, and what really motivates you, so your next steps are built around who you actually are.
Your free AI guide weighs this career against your strengths and goals, and surfaces the colleges, trades, and scholarships that match, so you know if it truly fits before you commit.
Get a personalized, step-by-step plan to reach this career, with the training, coursework, and credentials tracked in one place. Link your school or IEC and your counselor in the loop.
Last updated July 1, 2026.
Data sources. Career details from the O*NET 30.3 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under CC BY 4.0. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. Salary and outlook figures from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025 wages; 2024–2034 projections), delivered via the CareerOneStop API. Certification, licensing, wage, and outlook data from CareerOneStop, sponsored by USDOL/ETA and the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED).