Education and Childcare Administrators, Preschool and Daycare pay in California
$73,830avg. a year
$35.50 an hour · 9,810 employed
Education and Childcare Administrators, Preschool and Daycare in California earn an average of $73,830 a year. That is $9,030 (14%) more than the U.S. average of $64,800. The best-paying metro area is Merced, CA at $86,910.
$67,100Median pay
$35.50Average hourly
+25%Avg. pay since 2020
#6Of 49 states + D.C.
Top-paying California metro areas
Average pay for education and childcare administrators, preschool and daycare by metro area. Swipe to see all 24.
140 jobs
Merced, CA
$86,910
$41.78 an hour
21,920 jobs
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA
$83,040
$39.92 an hour
360 jobs
Visalia, CA
$82,480
$39.66 an hour
470 jobs
Modesto, CA
$81,830
$39.34 an hour
5120 jobs
Salinas, CA
$80,060
$38.49 an hour
6830 jobs
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA
$77,250
$37.14 an hour
7120 jobs
Vallejo, CA
$75,310
$36.21 an hour
850 jobs
Napa, CA
$75,120
$36.12 an hour
960 jobs
Chico, CA
$74,040
$35.60 an hour
10150 jobs
Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA
$73,350
$35.27 an hour
11150 jobs
Bakersfield-Delano, CA
$72,570
$34.89 an hour
12250 jobs
Fresno, CA
$71,990
$34.61 an hour
13830 jobs
San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA
$71,610
$34.43 an hour
14160 jobs
Stockton-Lodi, CA
$71,060
$34.17 an hour
15220 jobs
Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA
$70,950
$34.11 an hour
162,570 jobs
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA
$70,570
$33.93 an hour
17710 jobs
Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA
$69,780
$33.55 an hour
1850 jobs
Redding, CA
$69,000
$33.17 an hour
19720 jobs
Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA
$68,200
$32.79 an hour
2060 jobs
Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA
$68,150
$32.76 an hour
21190 jobs
Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA
$67,020
$32.22 an hour
2260 jobs
San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA
$66,980
$32.20 an hour
2340 jobs
Yuba City, CA
$66,140
$31.80 an hour
2440 jobs
El Centro, CA
$61,650
$29.64 an hour
Why people trust JobPayFacts
Official government dataEvery number comes from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics wage survey of employers, not self-reported salaries.
Every state and city830 jobs across all 50 states, D.C. and 199 large metro areas.
Updated every yearNew figures each spring when BLS releases them. This site uses May 2025 data.
Education and Childcare Administrators, Preschool and Daycare pay in California, charted
Pay over time
California, annual wage, May of each year
AverageMedian
Where California education and childcare administrators, preschool and daycare work
Employment by metro area, May 2025
Average pay by state
May 2025 · California highlighted · tap a state
AKMEWIVTNHWAIDMTNDMNILMINYMAORNVWYSDIAINOHPANJCTRICAUTCONEMOKYWVVAMDDEAZNMKSARTNNCSCDCOKLAMSALGAHITXFL
Under $56k$56k–$59k$59k–$66k$66k+California
California vs. neighbors
Average pay, May 2025
| Area | Avg. pay | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| United States | $64,800 | $31.15 |
| California | $73,830 | $35.50 |
| Nevada | $65,530 | $31.51 |
| Oregon | $63,900 | $30.72 |
| Arizona | $53,310 | $25.63 |
Related jobs in California
Average pay, California, May 2025
Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS
Questions and answers
How much do education and childcare administrators, preschool and daycare make in California?
The average is $73,830 a year, and the median is $67,100. That is $9,030 (14%) more than the U.S. average of $64,800.
What is the hourly wage in California?
$35.50 an hour on average; the median is $32.26.
Where in California do they earn the most?
Merced, CA ($86,910), followed by San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA ($83,040). The lowest average among 24 metro areas with data is El Centro, CA ($61,650).
How does California rank?
California ranks #6 of 50 states (including D.C.) with published data for this job, by average pay.
Sources and notes. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 (trend: May 2020–May 2025), occupation code 11-9031. State rank compares average pay across states with published data. Metro figures cover metropolitan statistical areas; a metro area can cross state lines. See also the national education and childcare administrators, preschool and daycare page. Wages are gross pay before taxes and don't include overtime premiums, tips, bonuses or benefits; self-employed workers aren't included. Year-to-year changes can partly reflect survey method changes, so treat the trend as a guide. How we use the data. JobPayFacts isn't affiliated with BLS.