Also called: Daycare teacher, Infant/toddler caregiver
Cares for babies and young children in daycare centers or homes while parents work.
Childcare workers feed and change infants, lead play and songs, comfort crying toddlers, and keep careful notes for parents. Many love the work but pay is low, so it's often a starting point toward teaching.
BLS childcare workers, May 2024.
High school diploma, about 0 years after high school. High school diploma; a Child Development Associate (CDA) credential helps.
Ways in: On-the-job training, Certification. Training cost: Under $15k.
Majors to look at: Early Childhood Education.
Growing slowly (about 0% over 10 years). BLS projects little or no change.
Low risk for 10 years. Apps handle parent messages and check-in; feeding, comforting and supervising babies and toddlers can't be done by AI or robots.
Age 16+. One way to start: Apply as an assistant teacher at a daycare center; they set up your background check and training First: State background check plus CPR/pediatric first aid and a few hours of required state training
Classes: Child development CTE class, Family and consumer sciences, Health.
Official data: O*NET occupation 39-9011.
Career Universe is an early version. Pay, training and AI-risk figures are estimates to start your own research, not verified facts. The research was written with AI research assistants, checked by validation scripts and spot-checked by hand. Check anything important with schools, employers and official sources. How the numbers work.