Center for American Progress data shows preschool teachers' median hourly wages increased 10 cents between 2015 and 2022, when adjusted for inflation. Child care workers' wages increased by $1.70 in the same period.
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An interactive dashboard and report released by the Center for American Progress last month details key national child care and early learning trends, including access to affordable care, the early learning workforce and exclusionary discipline policies.
Collectively, the data shows too few families in the U.S. have access to affordable and high-quality child care and early learning opportunities. Additionally, the statistics show greater burdens on low-income families, according to CAP. Most of the data in the report includes statistics from 2022.
“The time is long overdue for large-scale public investments in a child care system that truly meets the needs of all families while also promoting fair compensation for the essential work of early childhood educators,” said Allie Schneider, research associate for Early Childhood Policy at CAP and co-author of the report, in a statement.
Here are some of the data highlighted in the report and dashboard:
By the numbers
14.4 million
More than 14.4 million, or 67.8%, of children under age 6 have “all available parents” in the workforce.
2.7 million
The number of parents making job changes as a result of child care issues.
$13,167
The average annual tuition for one infant’s child care in 2022.
$29,678
The federal poverty threshold in 2022 for a family of four with two children.
35.5%
The percentage of 3- and 4-year-olds in poverty who participated in Head Start programs in the 2022-23 school year. In the 2018-19 school year, the participation was 49.4%.
53.5%
The percentage of children under the age of 6 who are children of color.
$0.10
The median hourly wage increase for preschool teachers — adjusted for inflation — between 2015 and 2022. Child care workers' wages increased by $1.70 in the same period.
$16.99
The median hourly wage of preschool teachers in 2022. Child care workers earned $13.71 per hour.
-38,200
As of October 2023, there were 38,200 fewer employees in child care services compared to February 2020. In total, just over 1 million people work in child care, as of October 2023.
31
The number of states, as well as the District of Columbia, that have statewide policies aimed at reducing the use of exclusionary discipline in early care and education settings.
