245 metro areas
Daycare Director Salary by City (2026)
Daycare directors earn the most in New York, NY-NJ, an average of $99,530 a year, against $64,800 nationally. After local prices, pay goes furthest in Merced, CA ($88,430 in national-average dollars). Every metro area with its own BLS estimate is ranked below.
- US average (mean)
- $64,800BLS OEWS, May 2025
- Highest-paying city
- $99,530New York, NY-NJ
- Best after cost of living
- $88,430Merced, CA
- Metro areas
- 245With their own estimate
Top cities
Highest-paying cities for daycare directors
Top 10 metro areas
- New York, NY-NJ$99,530
- Merced, CA$86,900
- Mount Vernon, WA$84,070
- Trenton, NJ$83,620
- San Francisco, CA$83,030
- Visalia, CA$82,490
- Modesto, CA$81,830
- Seattle, WA$81,410
- Vineland, NJ$80,750
- Salinas, CA$80,060
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $99,530 |
| Merced, CA | $86,900 |
| Mount Vernon-Anacortes, WA | $84,070 |
| Trenton-Princeton, NJ | $83,620 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $83,030 |
| Visalia, CA | $82,490 |
| Modesto, CA | $81,830 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $81,410 |
| Vineland, NJ | $80,750 |
| Salinas, CA | $80,060 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
Mean wage ÷ BEA price level
- Merced, CA$86,900 nominal$88,430
- New York, NY-NJ$99,530 nominal$88,420
- Vineland, NJ$80,750 nominal$84,140
- Yakima, WA$79,600 nominal$83,310
- Visalia, CA$82,490 nominal$82,630
- Las Cruces, NM$74,050 nominal$82,080
- Mount Vernon, WA$84,070 nominal$82,070
- Trenton, NJ$83,620 nominal$81,040
- Modesto, CA$81,830 nominal$78,600
- Rockford, IL$72,320 nominal$78,480
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Merced, CA | $88,430 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $88,420 |
| Vineland, NJ | $84,140 |
| Yakima, WA | $83,310 |
| Visalia, CA | $82,630 |
| Las Cruces, NM | $82,080 |
| Mount Vernon-Anacortes, WA | $82,070 |
| Trenton-Princeton, NJ | $81,040 |
| Modesto, CA | $78,600 |
| Rockford, IL | $78,480 |
Source: BLS OEWS 2025 · BEA RPP 2024
Every city
Daycare Director salary in every metro area
Mean annual wage, with the Department of Labor's entry (Level I) and experienced (Level IV) prevailing-wage benchmarks for the same metro, and the mean at national-average prices. Sorted by mean pay.
| # | Metro area | Mean | Entry (Level I) | Experienced (Level IV) | At US prices |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New York, NY-NJ | $99,530 | $63,960 | $117,040 | $88,420 |
| 2 | Merced, CA | $86,900 | $49,730 | $105,230 | $88,430 |
| 3 | Mount Vernon, WA | $84,070 | $54,430 | $98,680 | $82,070 |
| 4 | Trenton, NJ | $83,620 | $53,440 | $98,490 | $81,040 |
| 5 | San Francisco, CA | $83,030 | $54,430 | $97,140 | $71,820 |
| 6 | Visalia, CA | $82,490 | $48,460 | $99,240 | $82,630 |
| 7 | Modesto, CA | $81,830 | $48,760 | $98,110 | $78,600 |
| 8 | Seattle, WA | $81,410 | $53,270 | $95,280 | $73,250 |
| 9 | Vineland, NJ | $80,750 | $48,980 | $96,410 | $84,140 |
| 10 | Salinas, CA | $80,060 | $51,940 | $93,910 | $73,420 |
| 11 | Yakima, WA | $79,600 | $46,030 | $96,140 | $83,310 |
| 12 | San Jose, CA | $77,250 | $55,720 | $87,860 | $69,960 |
| 13 | Kiryas Joel, NY | $77,230 | $53,730 | $88,820 | $70,580 |
| 14 | Albany, NY | $76,770 | $55,100 | $87,460 | $77,100 |
| 15 | Vallejo, CA | $75,320 | $49,320 | $88,110 | $69,430 |
| 16 | Napa, CA | $75,130 | $49,900 | $87,550 | $66,750 |
| 17 | Boulder, CO | $74,440 | $53,890 | $84,570 | $70,760 |
| 18 | Anchorage, AK | $74,190 | $48,510 | $86,860 | $70,380 |
| 19 | Chico, CA | $74,050 | $46,090 | $87,820 | $73,170 |
| 20 | Las Cruces, NM | $74,050 | $50,130 | $85,820 | $82,080 |
| 21 | Rochester, NY | $73,530 | $53,210 | $83,530 | $75,780 |
| 22 | Santa Maria, CA | $73,360 | $46,860 | $86,400 | $67,430 |
| 23 | Barnstable Town, MA | $73,320 | $54,520 | $82,580 | $74,550 |
| 24 | Boston, MA-NH | $73,030 | $50,900 | $83,950 | $67,450 |
| 25 | Urban Honolulu, HI | $72,780 | $55,850 | $81,120 | $65,590 |
| 26 | Kennewick, WA | $72,650 | $47,220 | $85,180 | $72,590 |
| 27 | Bakersfield, CA | $72,570 | $47,200 | $85,070 | $71,930 |
| 28 | Denver, CO | $72,430 | $54,160 | $81,390 | $68,470 |
| 29 | Rockford, IL | $72,320 | $47,170 | $84,700 | $78,480 |
| 30 | Worcester, MA | $72,240 | $51,480 | $82,470 | $70,460 |
| 31 | Buffalo, NY | $72,180 | $53,640 | $81,310 | $75,310 |
| 32 | Fresno, CA | $71,990 | $46,490 | $84,550 | $70,470 |
| 33 | San Diego, CA | $71,610 | $47,150 | $83,660 | $64,000 |
| 34 | Washington, DC-VA-MD-WV | $71,390 | $49,940 | $81,970 | $65,570 |
| 35 | Stockton, CA | $71,070 | $47,380 | $82,740 | $67,630 |
| 36 | Oxnard, CA | $70,950 | $46,740 | $82,890 | $64,190 |
| 37 | Bridgeport, CT | $70,820 | $45,970 | $83,080 | $66,270 |
| 38 | Los Angeles, CA | $70,570 | $50,110 | $80,660 | $62,140 |
| 39 | Riverside, CA | $69,780 | $45,660 | $81,660 | $65,560 |
| 40 | Spokane, WA | $69,720 | $45,510 | $81,660 | $69,480 |
| 41 | Redding, CA | $68,990 | $45,760 | $80,450 | $68,520 |
| 42 | Bend, OR | $68,870 | $48,070 | $79,120 | $66,470 |
| 43 | Amherst Town, MA | $68,560 | $48,170 | $78,580 | $68,390 |
| 44 | Sacramento, CA | $68,200 | $46,820 | $78,730 | $63,940 |
| 45 | Santa Cruz, CA | $68,140 | $46,900 | $78,600 | $62,000 |
| 46 | Las Vegas, NV | $68,020 | $43,620 | $80,040 | $67,870 |
| 47 | Naples, FL | $68,020 | $45,050 | $79,330 | $65,910 |
| 48 | Baltimore, MD | $67,720 | $48,900 | $77,000 | $64,810 |
| 49 | Salt Lake City, UT | $67,660 | $42,370 | $80,120 | $67,080 |
| 50 | Asheville, NC | $67,540 | $43,430 | $79,410 | $69,990 |
| 51 | Burlington, VT | $67,120 | $52,670 | $74,240 | $66,490 |
| 52 | Santa Rosa, CA | $67,020 | $48,090 | $76,340 | $62,180 |
| 53 | San Luis Obispo, CA | $66,980 | $46,470 | $77,080 | $61,680 |
| 54 | Pittsfield, MA | $66,790 | $50,460 | $74,840 | $70,230 |
| 55 | Spartanburg, SC | $66,660 | $40,660 | $79,480 | $73,210 |
| 56 | Champaign, IL | $66,190 | $46,610 | $75,820 | $71,400 |
| 57 | Springfield, MA | $66,190 | $49,280 | $74,530 | $68,900 |
| 58 | Yuba City, CA | $66,140 | $46,990 | $75,570 | $63,450 |
| 59 | Colorado Springs, CO | $65,920 | $50,400 | $73,550 | $65,460 |
| 60 | New Haven, CT | $65,830 | $43,600 | $76,790 | $62,960 |
| 61 | Eugene, OR | $65,770 | $43,930 | $76,520 | $64,750 |
| 62 | Lexington Park, MD | $65,730 | $45,860 | $75,500 | $65,230 |
| 63 | Minneapolis, MN-WI | $65,500 | $47,650 | $74,300 | $62,490 |
| 64 | Portland, OR-WA | $65,440 | $46,130 | $74,940 | $62,070 |
| 65 | Rochester, MN | $65,250 | $41,250 | $77,080 | $71,840 |
| 66 | Ogden, UT | $64,770 | $40,000 | $76,980 | $64,540 |
| 67 | Lincoln, NE | $64,420 | $42,680 | $75,110 | $70,340 |
| 68 | Lynchburg, VA | $64,250 | $40,190 | $76,110 | $71,900 |
| 69 | Fort Collins, CO | $64,110 | $47,900 | $72,090 | $63,390 |
| 70 | Hartford, CT | $64,040 | $42,870 | $74,460 | $62,330 |
| 71 | Madison, WI | $63,690 | $44,260 | $73,260 | $65,470 |
| 72 | Philadelphia, PA-NJ-DE-MD | $63,560 | $44,910 | $72,740 | $61,980 |
| 73 | Grand Rapids, MI | $63,420 | $44,390 | $72,780 | $66,380 |
| 74 | Kahului, HI | $63,090 | $52,850 | $68,140 | $57,670 |
| 75 | Charleston, SC | $62,960 | $40,040 | $74,240 | $62,360 |
| 76 | Wilmington, NC | $62,960 | $42,520 | $73,050 | $65,300 |
| 77 | Raleigh, NC | $62,730 | $44,240 | $71,820 | $63,910 |
| 78 | Savannah, GA | $62,730 | $38,080 | $74,860 | $65,890 |
| 79 | Kansas City, MO-KS | $62,670 | $42,680 | $72,490 | $67,720 |
| 80 | Waterbury, CT | $62,630 | $42,290 | $72,630 | $62,770 |
| 81 | South Bend, IN-MI | $62,550 | $43,870 | $71,740 | $67,360 |
| 82 | Greeley, CO | $62,500 | $48,260 | $69,530 | $62,390 |
| 83 | Medford, OR | $62,480 | $47,010 | $70,120 | $61,600 |
| 84 | Charlotte, NC-SC | $62,440 | $45,070 | $71,010 | $64,140 |
| 85 | Duluth, MN-WI | $62,130 | $43,490 | $71,320 | $69,990 |
| 86 | Tampa, FL | $62,030 | $42,910 | $71,430 | $61,480 |
| 87 | Sioux Falls, SD-MN | $61,730 | $45,320 | $69,830 | $68,110 |
| 88 | Lansing, MI | $61,690 | $43,800 | $70,490 | $64,940 |
| 89 | Appleton, WI | $61,670 | $42,080 | $71,320 | $66,730 |
| 90 | El Centro, CA | $61,650 | $44,600 | $70,050 | $64,780 |
| 91 | Chattanooga, TN-GA | $61,570 | $39,830 | $72,260 | $67,320 |
| 92 | Fargo, ND-MN | $61,570 | $38,420 | $72,970 | $67,760 |
| 93 | Greensboro, NC | $61,570 | $42,740 | $70,820 | $66,300 |
| 94 | Providence, RI-MA | $61,380 | $49,360 | $67,310 | $60,310 |
| 95 | Reno, NV | $61,170 | $41,770 | $70,740 | $60,560 |
| 96 | Omaha, NE-IA | $61,090 | $43,330 | $69,850 | $66,470 |
| 97 | North Port, FL | $61,070 | $42,760 | $70,080 | $59,630 |
| 98 | Austin, TX | $60,940 | $43,120 | $69,720 | $62,140 |
| 99 | Durham, NC | $60,860 | $42,740 | $69,760 | $62,370 |
| 100 | Norwich, CT | $60,800 | $43,060 | $69,530 | $60,530 |
| 101 | Chicago, IL-IN | $60,530 | $44,370 | $68,470 | $58,430 |
| 102 | Ann Arbor, MI | $60,400 | $42,830 | $69,060 | $59,870 |
| 103 | Orlando, FL | $60,240 | $41,020 | $69,700 | $59,400 |
| 104 | Indianapolis, IN | $60,220 | $41,450 | $69,450 | $62,930 |
| 105 | Dover, DE | $60,130 | $38,630 | $70,720 | $61,670 |
| 106 | Cleveland, OH | $59,990 | $39,640 | $70,010 | $63,870 |
| 107 | Portland, ME | $59,900 | $47,280 | $66,120 | $58,810 |
| 108 | Cheyenne, WY | $59,760 | $40,770 | $69,120 | $61,930 |
| 109 | Miami, FL | $59,630 | $40,100 | $69,240 | $52,240 |
| 110 | Atlanta, GA | $59,450 | $39,810 | $69,140 | $59,420 |
| 111 | Memphis, TN-MS-AR | $59,450 | $39,120 | $69,450 | $64,490 |
| 112 | Detroit, MI | $59,430 | $43,280 | $67,370 | $59,250 |
| 113 | St. Louis, MO-IL | $59,380 | $41,500 | $68,180 | $62,450 |
| 114 | Lakeland, FL | $59,320 | $39,890 | $68,890 | $61,070 |
| 115 | Lafayette, IN | $58,930 | $43,160 | $66,680 | $63,070 |
| 116 | Hagerstown, MD-WV | $58,860 | $40,350 | $68,000 | $62,500 |
| 117 | Gainesville, FL | $58,820 | $41,770 | $67,200 | $60,810 |
| 118 | Palm Bay, FL | $58,800 | $42,000 | $67,080 | $58,800 |
| 119 | Saginaw, MI | $58,780 | $40,890 | $67,600 | $64,670 |
| 120 | Jacksonville, FL | $58,740 | $42,240 | $66,850 | $59,040 |
| 121 | Allentown, PA-NJ | $58,720 | $45,530 | $65,210 | $58,740 |
| 122 | Flint, MI | $58,590 | $42,660 | $66,460 | $62,980 |
| 123 | Davenport, IA-IL | $58,280 | $40,750 | $66,910 | $65,430 |
| 124 | Macon, GA | $58,160 | $36,150 | $68,970 | $65,700 |
| 125 | San Antonio, TX | $57,800 | $37,170 | $67,950 | $61,020 |
| 126 | Deltona, FL | $57,760 | $38,710 | $67,140 | $58,130 |
| 127 | Salem, OR | $57,740 | $42,040 | $65,480 | $55,710 |
| 128 | Topeka, KS | $57,700 | $41,370 | $65,730 | $64,960 |
| 129 | Milwaukee, WI | $57,600 | $41,230 | $65,640 | $59,420 |
| 130 | Cape Coral, FL | $57,410 | $42,080 | $64,940 | $56,090 |
| 131 | Ocala, FL | $57,300 | $40,830 | $65,420 | $60,170 |
| 132 | Dayton, OH | $57,160 | $39,460 | $65,870 | $61,670 |
| 133 | Crestview, FL | $56,800 | $39,330 | $65,400 | $58,540 |
| 134 | Akron, OH | $56,780 | $40,600 | $64,770 | $60,810 |
| 135 | Green Bay, WI | $56,780 | $41,270 | $64,440 | $61,000 |
| 136 | Canton, OH | $56,700 | $37,150 | $66,330 | $63,420 |
| 137 | Richmond, VA | $56,700 | $42,140 | $63,880 | $57,940 |
| 138 | Eau Claire, WI | $56,660 | $40,410 | $64,670 | $61,060 |
| 139 | Houston, TX | $56,660 | $41,560 | $64,110 | $57,450 |
| 140 | Baton Rouge, LA | $56,600 | $37,170 | $66,160 | $62,350 |
| 141 | Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN | $56,530 | $39,580 | $64,900 | $59,270 |
| 142 | Hickory, NC | $56,510 | $38,920 | $65,190 | $63,860 |
| 143 | Fort Wayne, IN | $56,430 | $39,290 | $64,850 | $60,960 |
| 144 | Lawrence, KS | $56,410 | $45,860 | $61,590 | $62,510 |
| 145 | Oklahoma City, OK | $56,390 | $36,880 | $65,980 | $62,370 |
| 146 | Winston, NC | $56,240 | $41,270 | $63,610 | $61,100 |
| 147 | Waco, TX | $56,220 | $38,210 | $65,080 | $60,750 |
| 148 | Traverse City, MI | $56,120 | $44,490 | $61,840 | $60,100 |
| 149 | Peoria, IL | $55,930 | $45,120 | $61,260 | $61,310 |
| 150 | New Orleans, LA | $55,910 | $36,980 | $65,250 | $60,380 |
| 151 | Columbus, OH | $55,850 | $41,410 | $62,940 | $58,500 |
| 152 | Greenville, SC | $55,790 | $35,050 | $66,000 | $59,820 |
| 153 | Reading, PA | $55,700 | $41,120 | $62,880 | $57,390 |
| 154 | Kenosha, WI | $55,680 | $40,710 | $63,070 | $55,060 |
| 155 | Tallahassee, FL | $55,660 | $39,830 | $63,460 | $59,260 |
| 156 | Springfield, IL | $55,600 | $43,080 | $61,780 | $59,950 |
| 157 | Port St. Lucie, FL | $55,490 | $40,930 | $62,650 | $55,360 |
| 158 | El Paso, TX | $55,450 | $35,170 | $65,440 | $61,670 |
| 159 | Williamsport, PA | $55,450 | $42,450 | $61,880 | $60,040 |
| 160 | Columbia, SC | $55,410 | $36,070 | $64,940 | $59,160 |
| 161 | Roanoke, VA | $55,350 | $41,720 | $62,070 | $59,120 |
| 162 | Bloomington, IL | $55,290 | $42,310 | $61,690 | $59,110 |
| 163 | Augusta, GA-SC | $55,220 | $35,530 | $64,920 | $60,090 |
| 164 | Sioux City, IA-NE-SD | $55,120 | $40,790 | $62,170 | $63,760 |
| 165 | Jonesboro, AR | $55,020 | $34,010 | $65,370 | $64,070 |
| 166 | Bismarck, ND | $55,000 | $39,190 | $62,770 | $60,420 |
| 167 | Lancaster, PA | $54,750 | $41,270 | $61,400 | $55,720 |
| 168 | San Juan, PR | $54,750 | $41,020 | $61,510 | N/A |
| 169 | Racine, WI | $54,720 | $39,620 | $62,150 | $57,020 |
| 170 | Tulsa, OK | $54,620 | $35,860 | $63,880 | $61,220 |
| 171 | Des Moines, IA | $54,580 | $40,560 | $61,460 | $59,520 |
| 172 | Columbia, MO | $54,520 | $33,320 | $64,980 | $60,960 |
| 173 | Kalamazoo, MI | $54,480 | $40,000 | $61,590 | $57,440 |
| 174 | Odessa, TX | $54,450 | $41,120 | $61,010 | $57,990 |
| 175 | York, PA | $54,370 | $40,930 | $60,960 | $56,640 |
| 176 | Phoenix, AZ | $54,330 | $40,580 | $61,110 | $52,590 |
| 177 | Pensacola, FL | $54,120 | $38,420 | $61,860 | $55,380 |
| 178 | Manchester, NH | $54,100 | $39,100 | $61,480 | $51,200 |
| 179 | Laredo, TX | $54,000 | $35,320 | $63,190 | $62,100 |
| 180 | Dubuque, IA | $53,980 | $37,500 | $62,110 | $61,810 |
| 181 | Killeen, TX | $53,980 | $39,290 | $61,210 | $59,230 |
| 182 | La Crosse, WI-MN | $53,960 | $36,980 | $62,320 | $58,800 |
| 183 | Scranton, PA | $53,870 | $41,100 | $60,150 | $57,580 |
| 184 | Fayetteville, NC | $53,810 | $35,590 | $62,770 | $58,500 |
| 185 | Sumter, SC | $53,750 | $38,880 | $61,070 | $61,070 |
| 186 | Dallas, TX | $53,710 | $34,720 | $63,040 | $52,100 |
| 187 | Pittsburgh, PA | $53,620 | $36,230 | $62,170 | $56,640 |
| 188 | Amarillo, TX | $53,540 | $37,460 | $61,440 | $58,310 |
| 189 | Cedar Rapids, IA | $53,520 | $39,330 | $60,510 | $60,160 |
| 190 | Coeur d'Alene, ID | $53,520 | $39,980 | $60,170 | $54,450 |
| 191 | Harrisburg, PA | $53,500 | $40,710 | $59,800 | $54,230 |
| 192 | Jacksonville, NC | $53,440 | $38,830 | $60,630 | $58,030 |
| 193 | College Station, TX | $53,370 | $37,650 | $61,130 | $58,680 |
| 194 | Greenville, NC | $53,060 | $38,880 | $60,050 | $60,020 |
| 195 | Huntington, WV-KY-OH | $53,060 | $35,690 | $61,610 | $60,010 |
| 196 | Boise City, ID | $52,980 | $40,210 | $59,260 | $53,850 |
| 197 | Myrtle Beach, SC | $52,980 | $37,980 | $60,360 | $56,580 |
| 198 | Virginia Beach, VA-NC | $52,710 | $41,230 | $58,360 | $53,820 |
| 199 | Iowa City, IA | $52,560 | $37,710 | $59,880 | $57,440 |
| 200 | Youngstown, OH | $52,520 | $36,090 | $60,630 | $60,100 |
| 201 | Tucson, AZ | $52,460 | $37,190 | $59,990 | $54,140 |
| 202 | Nashville, TN | $52,230 | $42,970 | $56,780 | $54,220 |
| 203 | Toledo, OH | $52,190 | $38,670 | $58,840 | $57,070 |
| 204 | Billings, MT | $51,710 | $36,400 | $59,260 | $55,290 |
| 205 | Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN | $51,670 | $33,900 | $60,420 | $55,510 |
| 206 | Erie, PA | $51,630 | $38,690 | $58,010 | $56,770 |
| 207 | Ames, IA | $51,560 | $38,480 | $57,990 | $58,040 |
| 208 | Little Rock, AR | $51,540 | $32,340 | $61,010 | $57,670 |
| 209 | Birmingham, AL | $51,460 | $32,700 | $60,690 | $56,150 |
| 210 | Slidell, LA | $51,170 | $34,260 | $59,490 | $55,180 |
| 211 | Corpus Christi, TX | $51,060 | $37,150 | $57,930 | $55,100 |
| 212 | Yuma, AZ | $51,040 | $38,850 | $57,030 | $55,060 |
| 213 | Wichita, KS | $50,940 | $38,710 | $56,950 | $57,270 |
| 214 | Fayetteville, AR | $50,730 | $33,780 | $59,090 | $55,530 |
| 215 | Altoona, PA | $50,560 | $38,420 | $56,560 | $56,490 |
| 216 | Daphne, AL | $50,170 | $32,640 | $58,820 | $52,980 |
| 217 | Jackson, MS | $49,960 | $29,810 | $59,880 | $56,100 |
| 218 | Johnstown, PA | $49,920 | $36,550 | $56,490 | $58,090 |
| 219 | Lexington, KY | $49,670 | $33,680 | $57,550 | $53,470 |
| 220 | Montgomery, AL | $49,550 | $32,680 | $57,840 | $55,250 |
| 221 | Lubbock, TX | $49,420 | $35,900 | $56,080 | $54,120 |
| 222 | Panama City, FL | $49,300 | $37,500 | $55,100 | $50,670 |
| 223 | Waterloo, IA | $49,030 | $38,290 | $54,310 | $56,320 |
| 224 | Goldsboro, NC | $48,920 | $31,970 | $57,260 | $55,300 |
| 225 | Shreveport, LA | $48,800 | $31,220 | $57,450 | $57,570 |
| 226 | Tyler, TX | $48,460 | $30,930 | $57,120 | $52,580 |
| 227 | Columbus, GA-AL | $48,300 | $32,720 | $55,950 | $54,090 |
| 228 | Gulfport, MS | $47,780 | $32,760 | $55,180 | $53,090 |
| 229 | Brownsville, TX | $47,690 | $31,620 | $55,620 | $55,470 |
| 230 | Monroe, LA | $47,320 | $31,490 | $55,120 | $56,600 |
| 231 | Huntsville, AL | $47,110 | $31,390 | $54,850 | $50,620 |
| 232 | Auburn, AL | $47,090 | $32,160 | $54,450 | $53,550 |
| 233 | Clarksville, TN-KY | $46,700 | $33,130 | $53,370 | $51,350 |
| 234 | Springfield, MO | $46,430 | $35,960 | $51,560 | $52,410 |
| 235 | Lafayette, LA | $46,320 | $32,300 | $53,230 | $53,110 |
| 236 | Prescott Valley, AZ | $46,300 | $36,250 | $51,250 | $47,120 |
| 237 | Tuscaloosa, AL | $46,240 | $30,700 | $53,890 | $52,710 |
| 238 | Fort Smith, AR-OK | $45,950 | $31,700 | $52,960 | $53,500 |
| 239 | Houma, LA | $45,700 | $31,600 | $52,620 | $53,700 |
| 240 | McAllen, TX | $45,260 | $32,640 | $51,480 | $52,690 |
| 241 | Jefferson City, MO | $45,140 | $34,050 | $50,590 | $51,310 |
| 242 | Dothan, AL | $44,120 | $29,390 | $51,360 | $52,630 |
| 243 | Texarkana, TX-AR | $44,100 | $28,180 | $51,940 | $52,490 |
| 244 | Lawton, OK | $42,620 | $32,050 | $47,820 | $49,590 |
| 245 | Bowling Green, KY | $41,290 | $30,430 | $46,650 | $45,790 |
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More on daycare directors
Method
About these numbers
- Mean wages are BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) May 2025 estimates for each metropolitan statistical area, as published in the Department of Labor’s 2026–27 OFLC prevailing-wage file. Only metros with their own BLS estimate are listed.
- Entry (Level I) and experienced (Level IV) are the Department of Labor’s prevailing-wage levels for the occupation in that metro, used for employer visa filings. They are benchmarks from the same OEWS survey, not percentiles.
- OEWS top-codes wages at $115 an hour ($239,200 a year); top-coded means are shown as "$239,200+" and left out of rankings.
- At US prices divides the mean by the metro’s BEA Regional Price Parity (2024) over 100, a NueCareer calculation.
Questions
Daycare Director salary by city: FAQ
Which city pays daycare directors the most?
New York, NY-NJ, where the average (mean) wage is $99,530 a year, followed by Merced, CA ($86,900), Mount Vernon, WA ($84,070), Trenton, NJ ($83,620). The national mean is $64,800 (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
Where do daycare directors earn the most after cost of living?
Divided by each metro's BEA price level, pay goes furthest in Merced, CA ($88,430 at national prices, $86,900 nominal), New York, NY-NJ ($88,420 at national prices, $99,530 nominal), Vineland, NJ ($84,140 at national prices, $80,750 nominal).
How much do daycare directors make in the biggest cities?
New York, NY-NJ: $99,530; Los Angeles, CA: $70,570; Chicago, IL-IN: $60,530; Dallas, TX: $53,710; Houston, TX: $56,660 (mean annual wage, BLS OEWS May 2025).
Where do daycare directors earn the least?
Of the 245 metro areas with their own estimate, Bowling Green, KY has the lowest mean wage, $41,290. At local prices that is worth $45,790.