The median hourly wage of childcare workers was $9.28 in May 2010. The median wage is the wage at which half the workers in an occupation earned more than that amount and half earned less. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $7.65, and the top 10 percent earned more than $14.08.
Pay varies with the worker’s education and work setting. Those in formal childcare settings and those with more education usually earn higher wages. Pay for self-employed workers is based on the number of hours they work and the numbers and ages of the children in their care.
Although many childcare workers work full time, a large portion, about 39 percent, work part time.
The following table shows the median hourly wages of childcare workers in the industries employing the most childcare workers in May 2010:
| Elementary and secondary schools | $10.75 |
| Religious, grantmaking, civic, professional, and similar organizations | 9.00 |
| Child day care services | 8.82 |
Childcare workers’ schedules vary widely. Childcare centers usually are open year round, with long hours so that parents can drop off and pick up their children before and after work. Some centers employ full-time and part-time staff with staggered shifts to cover the entire day.
Family childcare providers usually have daily routines, but they may work long or unusual hours to fit parents' work schedules.
Live-in nannies usually work longer hours than do childcare workers who live in their own homes. However, although nannies may work evenings or weekends, they usually get other time off.
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2012-13 Edition