Also called: State pre-K administrator, Early childhood policy director
Leads a state's early childhood system, including pre-K programs, childcare licensing, and funding.
These leaders manage hundreds of millions in funding, write rules for childcare programs, testify before legislatures, and work with governors on universal pre-K plans.
Estimate; varies by state.
Approximate: anchored on Bureau of Labor Statistics data for a broader job group.
Master's degree, about 12 years after high school. Master's in education or public policy plus years of early childhood leadership.
Ways in: Graduate school. Training cost: $60k – $150k.
Majors to look at: Early Childhood Education, Public Policy.
Growing about average. Small number of senior roles.
Low risk for 10 years. AI helps analyze funding data and draft rules; negotiating with legislators and leading a state system stays human.
Classes: Government, Economics, Speech or debate.
Official data: O*NET occupation 11-9039.
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.