Caring for, teaching, and mentoring kids and teens outside the regular classroom — daycare, camps, clubs, after-school programs, and youth development.
Youth Organization CEO: Leads a large youth-serving nonprofit with many sites, camps, and programs. Typical pay $140k.
Mid pay: solid pay, degree or apprenticeship
Developmental Psychologist: Studies how children's brains, emotions, and social skills grow, often at a university lab. Typical pay $95k.
Childcare Center Director: Runs a daycare or preschool — staff, safety, budgets, and parent relationships. Typical pay $57k.
Head Start Program Director: Runs a federally funded preschool program for low-income families. Typical pay $72k.
Early Intervention Specialist: Visits babies and toddlers with developmental delays to help them catch up in talking, moving, and playing. Typical pay $60k.
Child Life Specialist: Helps hospitalized children understand and cope with medical procedures through play and preparation. Typical pay $62k.
4-H Youth Development Educator: Runs 4-H clubs and youth programs through a state university's extension service. Typical pay $58k.
Summer Camp Director: Runs a summer camp year-round — hiring, safety, programs, and recruiting campers. Typical pay $60k.
Youth Program Director: Plans and leads after-school, mentoring, or summer programs for kids and teens. Typical pay $55k.
YMCA Branch Executive Director: Runs a local YMCA branch, from childcare and swim lessons to the gym and summer camp. Typical pay $80k.
Child Care Health Consultant: A nurse or health professional who visits daycares to help them handle allergies, medicines, illness outbreaks and safe sleep for babies. Typical pay $72k.
Starter: fastest way in
Preschool Teacher: Teaches 3- to 5-year-olds early reading, numbers, and how to get along with others. Typical pay $37k.
Childcare Worker: Takes care of babies and young children — feeding, playing, napping, and keeping them safe. Typical pay $32k.
Nanny: Cares for a family's children in their home, handling meals, school pickups, homework help and play, and sometimes living with or traveling with the family. Typical pay $38k.
Camp Counselor: Leads a group of campers through activities, meals, and nights at summer camp. Typical pay $28k.
Residential Youth Counselor: Works in group homes or residential programs caring for teens who can't live at home. Typical pay $40k.
Wilderness Therapy Field Guide: Lives in the backcountry for weeks with struggling teens in an outdoor therapy program. Typical pay $40k.
Youth Mentoring Match Specialist: Matches kids with adult volunteer mentors and supports those friendships over time. Typical pay $45k.
Afterschool Program Site Coordinator: Runs an afterschool program at a school or community center: homework help, snacks, games, and clubs. Typical pay $36k.
Scouting District Executive: Professional staff who start new scout units, recruit volunteers, and raise money for Scouting America or Girl Scouts. Typical pay $50k.
Teen Court Coordinator: Runs a program where teen volunteers serve as the jury, lawyers, and bailiffs for other teens' minor offenses. Typical pay $47k.
Event Childcare Provider: Runs pop-up childcare rooms at conventions, weddings and corporate events so parents can attend while their kids play nearby. Typical pay $38k.
Babysitter: Watches children in their own home for a few hours while parents work or go out, keeping them safe, fed and busy. Typical pay $30k.
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.