Child Care Provider and Assistant: Program Overview, Universities, Careers & Salaries
Program Overview
Designed for individuals seeking to become skilled and responsible professionals in early childhood environments, this program equips learners with the foundational knowledge and practical competencies required to deliver high-quality care across diverse settings—including homes, family centers, residential facilities, and institutional programs. The curriculum emphasizes holistic child development, safety, and effective engagement with families and communities.
- Child Growth and Development: Explores physical, cognitive, emotional, and social milestones from infancy through early childhood, enabling caregivers to support age-appropriate progress.
- Nutrition and Health Practices: Focuses on proper dietary needs for young children, meal planning, food safety, and promoting healthy habits from an early age.
- Recreational and Learning Activities: Teaches how to design and supervise structured and unstructured play experiences that foster creativity, motor skills, and cognitive development.
- Child Abuse and Neglect Prevention: Provides training in recognizing signs of maltreatment, understanding reporting protocols, and creating safe, nurturing environments.
- Parent-Child and Family Engagement: Develops strategies for building strong, respectful relationships with families and supporting their roles in child development.
- Legal and Administrative Standards: Covers regulatory compliance, licensing requirements, record-keeping, and ethical practices essential for operating in professional child care settings.
Child Care Provider and Assistant Graduate Trends (2010-2024)
Child Care Provider and Assistant Career Pathways & Salary Outlook
The following table presents salary data for occupations typically aligned with Child Care Provider and Assistant degrees, including Childcare Workers. These career paths represent common employment outcomes but are not guaranteed for all graduates. Salary ranges vary by location, employer, experience level, and specific role requirements. Nationally, these occupations employ approximately 520,180 professionals.
National Average Salaries
| Occupation | Median Salary | Salary Range | Total Employment | Hourly Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Childcare Workers 39-9011 | $32,050 | $22,900 - $44,560 | 520,180 | $15.41 |
Child Care Provider and Assistant Salary Map by State
Geographic location significantly impacts earning potential for these careers. Average salaries range from $21,760 in Mississippi to $45,400 in District of Columbia—a 109% difference. The highest-paying states include District of Columbia, Massachusetts, and Colorado. Nationwide, these occupations employ over 520,180 professionals across all states. Explore the interactive map below to compare regional compensation and identify optimal markets for your career goals.
Average Salary Range:
Top Universities for Child Care Provider and Assistant by Graduate Enrollment
Below are the top 100 institutions offering Child Care Provider and Assistant programs for the 2023-2024 academic year (the most recent data reported as of 2025), ranked by the number of graduates. The highest graduate enrollment in Child Care Provider and Assistant is found at Cerritos College (1,057 graduates), City College of San Francisco (CCSF) (844 graduates), College of the Sequoias (COS) (478 graduates), College of the Desert (COD) (367 graduates), and Santa Monica College (SMC) (288 graduates). Combined, these colleges produced 15,653 graduates across all degree levels. Program availability varies by award level, including Associate, Bachelor's, Master's, and Doctoral degrees at participating universities and schools.
| College Name | Award Levels | Graduates | Location | Control | Website |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cerritos College |
Certificate (1-2 yrs)
Associate's
Other Award
|
1,057 | Norwalk, California | Public | cerritos.edu |
| City College of San Francisco (CCSF) |
Associate's
Other Award
|
844 | San Francisco, California | Public | ccsf.edu |
| College of the Sequoias (COS) |
Associate's
Other Award
|
478 | Visalia, California | Public | cos.edu |
| College of the Desert (COD) |
Certificate (1-2 yrs)
Associate's
Other Award
|
367 | Palm Desert, California | Public | collegeofthedesert.edu |
| Santa Monica College (SMC) |
Certificate (1-2 yrs)
Associate's
Other Award
|
288 | Santa Monica, California | Public | smc.edu |
| Lemoore College |
Associate's
Other Award
|
283 | Lemoore, California | Public | westhillscollege.com |
| Los Angeles Mission College (LAMC) |
Certificate (1-2 yrs)
Associate's
Other Award
|
263 | Sylmar, California | Public | lamission.edu |
| Santa Ana College (SAC) |
Certificate (1-2 yrs)
Associate's
Other Award
|
261 | Santa Ana, California | Public | sac.edu |
| Mt San Antonio College (Mt. SAC) |
Certificate (1-2 yrs)
Associate's
Other Award
|
249 | Walnut, California | Public | mtsac.edu |
| Fresno City College (FCC) |
Certificate (1-2 yrs)
Associate's
Other Award
|
245 | Fresno, California | Public | fresnocitycollege.edu |
| Merritt College |
Certificate (1-2 yrs)
Associate's
Other Award
|
244 | Oakland, California | Public | merritt.edu |
| Rio Hondo College (RHC) |
Associate's
Other Award
|
240 | Whittier, California | Public | riohondo.edu |
| Riverside City College (RCC) |
Certificate (1-2 yrs)
Associate's
Other Award
|
231 | Riverside, California | Public | rcc.edu |
| East Los Angeles College (ELAC) |
Certificate (1-2 yrs)
Associate's
Other Award
|
228 | Monterey Park, California | Public | elac.edu |
| MiraCosta College |
Certificate (1-2 yrs)
Associate's
Residency
Other Award
|
222 | Oceanside, California | Public | miracosta.edu |
| Victor Valley College (VVC) |
Certificate (1-2 yrs)
Associate's
Other Award
|
220 | Victorville, California | Public | vvc.edu |
| Central New Mexico Community College (CNM) |
Other Award
|
206 | Albuquerque, New Mexico | Public | cnm.edu |
| Woodland Community College (WCC) |
Certificate (1-2 yrs)
Associate's
Other Award
|
205 | Woodland, California | Public | wcc.yccd.edu |
| Los Angeles Pierce College (LAPC) |
Certificate (1-2 yrs)
Associate's
Other Award
|
204 | Woodland Hills, California | Public | lapc.edu |
| Los Angeles Valley College (LAVC) |
Associate's
Other Award
|
203 | Valley Glen, California | Public | lavc.edu |
| Northern Virginia Community College (NOVA) |
Certificate (1-2 yrs)
Associate's
Other Award
|
200 | Annandale, Virginia | Public | nvcc.edu |
| Long Beach City College (LBCC) |
Associate's
Other Award
|
184 | Long Beach, California | Public | lbcc.edu |
| Diablo Valley College (DVC) |
Certificate (1-2 yrs)
Associate's
Other Award
|
182 | Pleasant Hill, California | Public | dvc.edu |
| Tidewater Community College (TCC) |
Certificate (1-2 yrs)
Associate's
Other Award
|
177 | Norfolk, Virginia | Public | tcc.edu |
| Southwestern Illinois College (SWIC) |
Associate's
Residency
Other Award
|
175 | Belleville, Illinois | Public | swic.edu |
| Chabot College (CC) |
Associate's
Other Award
|
172 | Hayward, California | Public | chabotcollege.edu |
| Cuesta College |
Certificate (1-2 yrs)
Associate's
Other Award
|
168 | San Luis Obispo, California | Public | cuesta.edu |
| Chattahoochee Technical College |
Other Award
|
167 | Marietta, Georgia | Public | chattahoocheetech.edu |
| Coalinga College |
Associate's
Other Award
|
166 | Coalinga, California | Public | westhillscollege.com |
| El Camino Community College District (ECC) |
Certificate (1-2 yrs)
Associate's
Other Award
|
162 | Torrance, California | Public | elcamino.edu |
| Los Angeles City College (LACC) |
Certificate (1-2 yrs)
Associate's
Other Award
|
162 | Los Angeles, California | Public | lacitycollege.edu |
| Southern Crescent Technical College (SCTC) |
Other Award
|
161 | Griffin, Georgia | Public | sctech.edu |
| Santiago Canyon College (SCC) |
Associate's
Other Award
|
159 | Orange, California | Public | sccollege.edu |
| Orange Coast College (OCC) |
Certificate (1-2 yrs)
Associate's
Other Award
|
153 | Costa Mesa, California | Public | orangecoastcollege.edu |
| College of Lake County (CLC) |
Certificate (1-2 yrs)
Associate's
Other Award
|
152 | Grayslake, Illinois | Public | clcillinois.edu |
| American River College (ARC) |
Certificate (1-2 yrs)
Associate's
Other Award
|
151 | Sacramento, California | Public | arc.losrios.edu |
| Shasta College |
Associate's
Other Award
|
144 | Redding, California | Public | shastacollege.edu |
| Bakersfield College (BC) |
Certificate (1-2 yrs)
Associate's
|
143 | Bakersfield, California | Public | bakersfieldcollege.edu |
| Hazard Community and Technical College (HCTC) |
Certificate (1-2 yrs)
Associate's
Residency
Other Award
|
143 | Hazard, Kentucky | Public | hazard.kctcs.edu |
| Moorpark College |
Associate's
Other Award
|
141 | Moorpark, California | Public | moorparkcollege.edu |
| Modesto Junior College (MJC) |
Associate's
Other Award
|
137 | Modesto, California | Public | mjc.edu |
| Broward College (BC) |
Certificate (1-2 yrs)
Other Award
|
137 | Fort Lauderdale, Florida | Public | broward.edu |
| J Sargeant Reynolds Community College |
Certificate (1-2 yrs)
Associate's
Other Award
|
137 | Richmond, Virginia | Public | reynolds.edu |
| Saddleback College |
Certificate (1-2 yrs)
Associate's
Other Award
|
136 | Mission Viejo, California | Public | saddleback.edu |
| Pinellas Technical College (PTC) |
Certificate (≥2 yrs)
Residency
Other Award
|
136 | Saint Petersburg, Florida | Public | myptc.edu |
| Carl Albert State College (CASC) |
Associate's
Other Award
|
136 | Poteau, Oklahoma | Public | carlalbert.edu |
| Georgia Northwestern Technical College (GNTC) |
Other Award
|
130 | Rome, Georgia | Public | gntc.edu |
| Lanier Technical College (Lanier Tech) |
Other Award
|
127 | Gainesville, Georgia | Public | laniertech.edu |
| Somerset Community College (SCC) |
Certificate (1-2 yrs)
Associate's
Residency
Other Award
|
123 | Somerset, Kentucky | Public | somerset.kctcs.edu |
| Tallahassee Community College (TCC) |
Certificate (1-2 yrs)
Other Award
|
120 | Tallahassee, Florida | Public | tcc.fl.edu |
| Gwinnett Technical College (Gwinnett Tech) |
Other Award
|
120 | Lawrenceville, Georgia | Public | gwinnetttech.edu |
| West Kentucky Community and Technical College (WKCTC) |
Certificate (1-2 yrs)
Associate's
Residency
Other Award
|
118 | Paducah, Kentucky | Public | westkentucky.kctcs.edu |
| Miller-Motte College |
Associate's
|
118 | Chattanooga, Tennessee | Private | miller-motte.edu |
| Santa Rosa Junior College (SRJC) |
Certificate (1-2 yrs)
Associate's
Other Award
|
117 | Santa Rosa, California | Public | santarosa.edu |
| Porterville College |
Certificate (1-2 yrs)
Associate's
|
116 | Porterville, California | Public | portervillecollege.edu |
| City Colleges of Chicago (TRU) |
Certificate (1-2 yrs)
Associate's
Other Award
|
113 | Chicago, Illinois | Public | ccc.edu |
| Cerro Coso Community College |
Certificate (1-2 yrs)
Associate's
Other Award
|
111 | Ridgecrest, California | Public | cerrocoso.edu |
| Athens Technical College (Athens Tech) |
Other Award
|
110 | Athens, Georgia | Public | athenstech.edu |
| Hinds Community College |
Certificate (1-2 yrs)
Associate's
|
108 | Raymond, Mississippi | Public | hindscc.edu |
| City Colleges of Chicago |
Certificate (1-2 yrs)
Associate's
Other Award
|
107 | Chicago, Illinois | Public | ccc.edu |
| Los Medanos College (LMC) |
Certificate (1-2 yrs)
Associate's
Other Award
|
106 | Pittsburg, California | Public | losmedanos.edu |
| Oxnard College |
Associate's
Other Award
|
104 | Oxnard, California | Public | oxnardcollege.edu |
| Contra Costa College (CCC) |
Certificate (1-2 yrs)
Associate's
Other Award
|
103 | San Pablo, California | Public | contracosta.edu |
| Norco College |
Certificate (1-2 yrs)
Associate's
Other Award
|
102 | Norco, California | Public | norcocollege.edu |
| Colorado Mesa University (CMU) |
Certificate (1-2 yrs)
Bachelor's
Other Award
|
101 | Grand Junction, Colorado | Public | coloradomesa.edu |
| Atlanta Technical College (Atlanta Tech) |
Other Award
|
101 | Atlanta, Georgia | Public | atlantatech.edu |
| Palomar College |
Certificate (1-2 yrs)
Associate's
Other Award
|
99 | San Marcos, California | Public | www2.palomar.edu |
| Danville Community College (DCC) |
Associate's
Other Award
|
99 | Danville, Virginia | Public | danville.edu |
| American Public University System (APUS) |
Associate's
Other Award
|
98 | Charles Town, West Virginia | Private | apus.edu |
| Henderson Community College (HCC) |
Certificate (1-2 yrs)
Associate's
Residency
Other Award
|
95 | Henderson, Kentucky | Public | henderson.kctcs.edu |
| Reedley College |
Associate's
Other Award
|
94 | Reedley, California | Public | reedleycollege.edu |
| Central Georgia Technical College (CGTC) |
Other Award
|
94 | Warner Robins, Georgia | Public | centralgatech.edu |
| Southeastern Oklahoma State University |
Bachelor's
Master's
|
91 | Durant, Oklahoma | Public | se.edu |
| Moraine Valley Community College (MVCC) |
Certificate (1-2 yrs)
Associate's
Other Award
|
90 | Palos Hills, Illinois | Public | morainevalley.edu |
| San Joaquin Delta College |
Associate's
Other Award
|
87 | Stockton, California | Public | deltacollege.edu |
| Pasadena City College (PCC) |
Certificate (1-2 yrs)
Associate's
|
84 | Pasadena, California | Public | pasadena.edu |
| Butte College |
Associate's
Other Award
|
83 | Oroville, California | Public | butte.edu |
| Santa Barbara City College (SBCC) |
Certificate (1-2 yrs)
Certificate (≥2 yrs)
Associate's
Other Award
|
83 | Santa Barbara, California | Public | sbcc.edu |
| Columbus Technical College (Columbus Tech) |
Other Award
|
83 | Columbus, Georgia | Public | columbustech.edu |
| Minneapolis Community and Technical College (MCTC) |
Certificate (1-2 yrs)
Associate's
Other Award
|
83 | Minneapolis, Minnesota | Public | minneapolis.edu |
| Merced College |
Certificate (1-2 yrs)
Associate's
|
82 | Merced, California | Public | mccd.edu |
| Citrus College |
Certificate (1-2 yrs)
Associate's
|
80 | Glendora, California | Public | citruscollege.edu |
| Los Angeles Trade Technical College (LATTC) |
Certificate (1-2 yrs)
Associate's
Other Award
|
80 | Los Angeles, California | Public | lattc.edu |
| West Georgia Technical College (WGTC) |
Other Award
|
80 | Waco, Georgia | Public | westgatech.edu |
| Maysville Community and Technical College (MCTC) |
Certificate (1-2 yrs)
Associate's
Residency
Other Award
|
80 | Maysville, Kentucky | Public | maysville.kctcs.edu |
| Clovis Community College (CCC) |
Associate's
Other Award
|
80 | Fresno, California | Public | cloviscollege.edu |
| Kaskaskia College (KC) |
Certificate (1-2 yrs)
Associate's
Residency
Other Award
|
79 | Centralia, Illinois | Public | kaskaskia.edu |
| Bluegrass Community and Technical College (BCTC) |
Certificate (1-2 yrs)
Associate's
Residency
Other Award
|
79 | Lexington, Kentucky | Public | bluegrass.kctcs.edu |
| Foothill College |
Associate's
Other Award
|
78 | Los Altos Hills, California | Public | foothill.edu |
| Fullerton College |
Certificate (1-2 yrs)
Associate's
|
76 | Fullerton, California | Public | fullcoll.edu |
| City Colleges of Chicago (HWC) |
Certificate (1-2 yrs)
Associate's
Other Award
|
75 | Chicago, Illinois | Public | ccc.edu |
| Moreno Valley College (MVC) |
Certificate (1-2 yrs)
Associate's
Other Award
|
75 | Moreno Valley, California | Public | mvc.edu |
| Cabrillo College |
Certificate (1-2 yrs)
Associate's
Other Award
|
74 | Aptos, California | Public | cabrillo.edu |
| Lewis and Clark Community College (L&C) |
Certificate (1-2 yrs)
Associate's
Other Award
|
74 | Godfrey, Illinois | Public | lc.edu |
| Sierra College |
Associate's
Other Award
|
73 | Rocklin, California | Public | sierracollege.edu |
| Irvine Valley College (IVC) |
Certificate (1-2 yrs)
Associate's
Other Award
|
71 | Irvine, California | Public | ivc.edu |
| Illinois Valley Community College (IVCC) |
Certificate (1-2 yrs)
Associate's
Other Award
|
71 | Oglesby, Illinois | Public | ivcc.edu |
| H W Brewster Technical College |
Other Award
|
70 | Tampa, Florida | Public | hillsboroughschools.org |
| Southern Regional Technical College (SRTC) |
Other Award
|
70 | Thomasville, Georgia | Public | southernregional.edu |
| Antelope Valley Community College District (AVCCD) |
Certificate (1-2 yrs)
Associate's
|
69 | Lancaster, California | Public | avc.edu |
Frequently Asked Questions
Find answers to the most common questions about Child Care Provider and Assistant programs
How much can I earn with a Child Care Provider and Assistant degree?
Salaries for Child Care Provider and Assistant graduates vary by role and location. Childcare Workers earn a median of $32,050 annually. Geographic location significantly impacts earnings—professionals in District of Columbia average $45,400 compared to $21,760 in Mississippi. Approximately 520,180 professionals work in related occupations nationwide.
Salary data from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS program, May 2024. Earnings vary by experience, employer, and market conditions.
Which universities have the largest Child Care Provider and Assistant programs?
Currently 410 accredited institutions offer Child Care Provider and Assistant degrees across the U.S. Programs with the highest enrollment include Cerritos College (1,057 graduates), City College of San Francisco (CCSF) (844 graduates), and College of the Sequoias (COS) (478 graduates).
Program size doesn't necessarily indicate quality—consider factors like faculty expertise, production opportunities, location, and available degree levels when choosing a school.
Data based on IPEDS program completions for 2023-2024 academic year. Numbers reflect programs where students graduated.
Is enrollment in Child Care Provider and Assistant growing or declining?
Graduate numbers have increased over the past decade, rising from 12,895 in 2010 to 22,533 in 2023-24. This represents a 75% increase overall from 2010.
The field remains specialized with steady interest, though opportunities are most concentrated in major metropolitan areas with active arts scenes like New York, California, and Illinois.
Graduate enrollment data from IPEDS, 2010-2024 academic years. Trends reflect reported completions at participating institutions.
What career paths are available with a Child Care Provider and Assistant degree?
This degree prepares you for roles such as Childcare Workers. Related occupations employ approximately 520,180 professionals nationwide.
Skills in project management, creative leadership, and collaboration also transfer to event planning, arts administration, marketing, and corporate training roles. Many professionals work freelance or on a project basis across theatre, film, and live events.
Career pathways mapped using CIP-SOC crosswalk from the National Center for Education Statistics. Employment data from BLS OEWS May 2024.
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