California Early Care and Education Workforce Study
The California Early Care and Education (ECE) Workforce Study focuses on the demographics, working conditions, compensation, well-being, and composition of California’s ECE workforce. The ongoing study provides a reliable source of statewide and regional workforce data that confronts systemic inequities and examines opportunities for policy reform. Policy solutions, such as how to allocate local, state, and federal funding to support the workforce, are also featured.
The study includes three phases: 2025-2029, 2020-2024, and 2006.
We extend our sincere gratitude to the early care and education professionals who have entrusted us with their information and personal stories. We are committed to being good stewards of the data, ensuring its accuracy and quality, and making it available to educators and stakeholders to inform the urgent early care and education workforce policy needs before us.
Featured Publications
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California’s Early Care and Education Workforce in Eight Charts
Explore the findings from the 2025 California Workforce Study.
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Building the Plane While Flying It: California Transitional Kindergarten Teachers’ Experiences of TK Expansion
Limited guidance as the state rapidly expands TK.
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The Multilayered Effects of Racism on Early Educators in California : An Examination of Disparities in Wages, Leadership Roles, and Education
Racism drives disparities among California’s early educators.
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The Economic Well-Being of Early Educators in California: Early Educator Well-Being Series
Persistent financial insecurities impact California’s early educators.
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California Early Educator Experience and Interest in Teaching Birth to Three
Examine early educator readiness to teach children under four.
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California’s Early Care and Education Workforce in Eight Charts
This snapshot is drawn from our report, State of the Early Care and Education Workforce, which provides a look at the professionals who work in family
The Early Care and Education Workforce of San Diego County
This report was generously funded by the YMCA of San Diego County, San Diego County Child Care and Development Local Planning Council, the UPK Mixed
State of the Early Care and Education Workforce – California
This profile draws on data gathered in the 2025 California Early Care and Workforce Study, with funding from the Heising-Simons Foundation, Blue Shield of California
State of the Early Care and Education Workforce – Ventura County, 2025
The 2025 California Early Care and Education Workforce Study was funded by the Heising-Simons Foundation, the Blue Shield of California Foundation, and Silicon Valley Community
State of the Early Education Workforce – Butte County, 2025
The 2025 California Early Care and Education Workforce Study was funded by the Heising-Simons Foundation, the Blue Shield of California Foundation, and Silicon Valley Community
The Early Care and Education Workforce of Central California
This report was generously funded by the Office of the Fresno County Superintendent of Schools, Kings County Office of Education, Madera County Superintendent of Schools,
State of the Early Care and Education Workforce – Humboldt County, 2025
The 2025 California Early Care and Education Workforce Study was funded by the Heising-Simons Foundation, the Blue Shield of California Foundation, and Silicon Valley Community
State of the Early Care and Education Workforce – Fresno County, 2025
The 2025 California Early Care and Education Workforce Study was funded by the Heising-Simons Foundation, the Blue Shield of California Foundation, and Silicon Valley Community
State of the Early Care and Education Workforce – City and County of San Francisco, 2025
The 2025 California Early Care and Education Workforce Study was funded by the Heising-Simons Foundation, the Blue Shield of California Foundation, and Silicon Valley Community
State of the Early Care and Education Workforce – Napa County, 2025
The 2025 California Early Care and Education Workforce Study was funded by the Heising-Simons Foundation, the Blue Shield of California Foundation, and Silicon Valley Community
State of the Early Care and Education Workforce – Alameda County, 2025
The 2025 California Early Care and Education Workforce Study was funded by the Heising-Simons Foundation, the Blue Shield of California Foundation, and Silicon Valley Community
State of the Early Care and Education Workforce – Contra Costa County, 2025
The 2025 California Early Care and Education Workforce Study was funded by the Heising-Simons Foundation, the Blue Shield of California Foundation, and Silicon Valley Community
State of the Early Care and Education Workforce – Kings County, 2025
The 2025 California Early Care and Education Workforce Study was funded by the Heising-Simons Foundation, the Blue Shield of California Foundation, and Silicon Valley Community
State of the Early Care and Education Workforce – Madera County, 2025
The 2025 California Early Care and Education Workforce Study was funded by the Heising-Simons Foundation, the Blue Shield of California Foundation, and Silicon Valley Community
State of the Early Care and Education Workforce – Monterey County, 2025
The 2025 California Early Care and Education Workforce Study was funded by the Heising-Simons Foundation, the Blue Shield of California Foundation, and Silicon Valley Community
State of the Early Care and Education Workforce – San Luis Obispo County, 2025
The 2025 California Early Care and Education Workforce Study was funded by the Heising-Simons Foundation, the Blue Shield of California Foundation, and Silicon Valley Community
State of the Early Care and Education Workforce – Sacramento County, 2025
The 2025 California Early Care and Education Workforce Study was funded by the Heising-Simons Foundation, the Blue Shield of California Foundation, and Silicon Valley Community
State of the Early Care and Education Workforce – El Dorado County, 2025
The 2025 California Early Care and Education Workforce Study was funded by the Heising-Simons Foundation, the Blue Shield of California Foundation, and Silicon Valley Community
State of the Early Care and Education Workforce – Yuba and Sutter Counties, 2025
The 2025 California Early Care and Education Workforce Study was funded by the Heising-Simons Foundation, the Blue Shield of California Foundation, and Silicon Valley Community
State of the Early Care and Education Workforce – Los Angeles County, 2025
The 2025 California Early Care and Education Workforce Study was funded by the Heising-Simons Foundation, the Blue Shield of California Foundation, and Silicon Valley Community
State of the Early Care and Education Workforce – Riverside County, 2025
The 2025 California Early Care and Education Workforce Study was funded by the Heising-Simons Foundation, the Blue Shield of California Foundation, and Silicon Valley Community
State of the Early Care and Education Workforce – San Diego County, 2025
The 2025 California Early Care and Education Workforce Study was funded by the Heising-Simons Foundation, the Blue Shield of California Foundation, and Silicon Valley Community
TK Teachers Need Principals to Be Mentors, Not Just Cheerleaders
This report was generously supported with grants from the Heising-Simons Foundation, the Blue Shield of California Foundation, and First 5 California. In Spring 2024, the
This report was generously supported with grants from the Heising-Simons Foundation, the Blue Shield of California Foundation, and the Silicon Valley Community Foundation. California is
The Impact of Pandemic Relief Funds on California’s Early Care and Education Programs and Workforce
This report was generously supported with grants from the Heising-Simons Foundation, the Blue Shield of California Foundation, and the Silicon Valley Community Foundation. Federal legislation
The Early Care and Education Workforce of Stanislaus County
This report was generously supported by the Stanislaus County Office of Education. Building on the California Early Care and Education (ECE) Workforce Study, this report
2024 Profiles of California Early Care and Education Programs: Enrollment and Staffing Trends
This report was generously supported with grants from the Heising-Simons Foundation, the Blue Shield of California Foundation, and First 5 California. Challenges with early care
California Early Educator Experience and Interest in Teaching Birth to Three
This report was generously supported with grants from the Heising-Simons Foundation, the Blue Shield of California Foundation, and First 5 California. California will soon offer
The Economic Well-Being of Early Educators in California
This report was generously supported with grants from the Heising-Simons Foundation, the Blue Shield of California Foundation, the David and Lucile Packard Foundation, and the
The Early Care and Education Workforce of San Mateo County
This report was generously supported with funding from the California Department of Social Services, the California Department of Education, First 5 San Mateo County, the
“I Could Not Afford to Continue”
This snapshot and the California ECE Workforce Study are generously supported by grants from the Heising-Simons Foundation and the Silicon Valley Community Foundation. Family child
The Professional Well-Being of Early Educators in California
This report was generously supported with grants from the Heising-Simons Foundation, the Blue Shield of California Foundation, the David and Lucile Packard Foundation, and the
Infographic: The Multilayered Effects of Racism on Early Educators in California
This infographic highlights the many ways that racism affects California’s early care and education workforce and offers policy solutions.
The Multilayered Effects of Racism on Early Educators in California
This report was generously supported through grants from the Heising-Simons Foundation, the Blue Shield of California Foundation, the David and Lucile Packard Foundation, and the
The Early Care and Education Workforce of Contra Costa County
This report was generously funded by First 5 Contra Costa, the Contra Costa County Office of Education/Local Planning Council, the Contra Costa County Employment Human
The Emotional and Physical Well-Being of Early Educators in California
This report was generously supported with grants from the Heising-Simons Foundation, the Blue Shield of California Foundation, the David and Lucile Packard Foundation, and the
The Early Care and Education Workforce and Workplace in Los Angeles County
This report was generously sponsored by First 5 Los Angeles and the Los Angeles County Office of Education. First 5 Los Angeles County partnered with
The Early Care and Education Workforce of Ventura County
This report was generously sponsored by the Ventura County Office of Education and the Local Planning Council of Ventura County. Building on the California Early Care
Teachers of Preschool-Age Children in California
Drawing on findings from the 2020 California Early Care and Education Workforce Study, this brief provides statewide data on teachers of preschool-age children. This brief
Teaching Transitional Kindergarten: A Snapshot of the Teacher Experience Before UTK Expansion
In the fall of 2020, CSCCE surveyed almost 300 TK teachers in classrooms throughout California as part of the California Early Care and Education Workforce
Profiles of the California Early Care and Education Workforce, 2020
This publication is part of CSCCE’s 2020 California Early Care and Education (ECE) Workforce Study, the first comprehensive study of early educators in the state
Drawing on findings from the 2020 California Early Care and Education Workforce Study, this report provides statewide and regional wage and benefits data for home-
Early Care and Education Programs During COVID-19
This report takes a closer look at the impact of COVID-19 on early care and education (ECE) programs, staffing and disparities using data collected by
Double or Nothing? Potential TK Wages for California’s Early Educators
California has proposed a broad expansion of transitional kindergarten (TK), a school-based early learning program serving four-year-olds. This improvement will make TK universally available to
Impacts of COVID-19 on the early care and education sector in California
In this article, published in the 3rd Quarter 2022 volume of Early Childhood Research Quarterly, Dr. Kim, Ms. Montoya, and co-authors highlight how the impacts
“The Forgotten Ones”—The Economic Well-Being of Early Educators During COVID-19
This report provides a closer look at the well-being of the early care and education (ECE) workforce in California, using data collected by the Center
Education and Experience of the California ECE Workforce
This publication is part of CSCCE's 2020 California Early Care and Education (ECE) Workforce Study, the first comprehensive study of early educators in the state in
Demographics of the California ECE Workforce
This data snapshot features demographics for center directors, family child care providers, and center teachers in California. It is one of a series of releases
Estimated Size of the California ECE Workforce
The Center for the Study of Child Care Employment (CSCCE) is eager to share results from the 2020 California Early Care & Education (ECE) Workforce
New Data Shows Early Educators Equipped to Teach TK
California is moving quickly to transform transitional kindergarten (TK) into a universal preschool program to be available to all four-year-olds in the state by 2025
California Child Care in Crisis
The COVID-19 pandemic has prompted an unprecedented crisis in California child care. In May 2020, the Center for the Study of Child Care Employment (CSCCE)
A Regional Look at California Child Care at the Brink
The California COVID-19 Impact Study is supported by grants from the Heising-Simons Foundation and the David and Lucile Packard Foundation. Between April 13 and April
California Child Care at the Brink
In an effort to understand the effects of COVID-19 on child care programs and early educators throughout California, the Center for the Study of Child
I. Introduction In 2006, to provide an in-depth portrait of the center-based and licensed family child care workforce across the state and regionally, the Center
This report is intended to identify the characteristics of Alameda County’s current center-based early care and education workforce, both in light of proposed new requirements,
This report is intended to identify the characteristics of Los Angeles County’s current center-based early care and education workforce, both in light of proposed new
California Early Care and Education Workforce Study: Licensed Child Care Centers, Marin County 2006
This report is intended to identify the characteristics of Marin County’s current center-based early care and education workforce, both in light of proposed new requirements,
California Early Care and Education Workforce Study: Licensed Child Care Centers, Merced County 2006
This report is intended to identify the characteristics of Merced County’s current center-based early care and education workforce, both in light of proposed new requirements,
California Early Care and Education Workforce Study: Licensed Child Care Centers, Mono County 2006
This report is intended to identify the characteristics of Mono County’s current center-based early care and education workforce, both in light of proposed new requirements,
This report is intended to identify the characteristics of Sacramento County’s current center-based early care and education workforce, both in light of proposed new requirements,
This report is intended to identify the characteristics of San Francisco County’s current center-based early care and education workforce, both in light of proposed new
This report is intended to identify the characteristics of Santa Barbara County’s current center-based early care and education workforce, both in light of proposed new
This report is intended to identify the characteristics of Santa Clara County’s current center-based early care and education workforce, both in light of proposed new
California Early Care and Education Workforce Study: Licensed Child Care Centers, Statewide 2006
This report is intended to identify the characteristics of Statewide current center-based early care and education workforce, both in light of proposed new requirements, and to
California at Berkeley and the California Child Care Resource and Referral Network (Network) have gathered this information to help Marin County policymakers and planners assess
In partnership, the Center for the Study of Child Care Employment (CSCCE) at the University of California at Berkeley and the California Child Care Resource
In partnership, the Center for the Study of Child Care Employment (CSCCE) at the University of California at Berkeley and the California Child Care Resource
California at Berkeley and the California Child Care Resource and Referral Network (Network) have gathered this information to help Merced County policymakers and planners assess
In partnership, the Center for the Study of Child Care Employment (CSCCE) at the University of California at Berkeley and the California Child Care Resource
gathered this information to help Sacramento County policymakers and planners assess current demand at teacher training institutions; plan for further investments in early childhood teacher
In partnership, the Center for the Study of Child Care Employment (CSCCE) at the University of California at Berkeley and the California Child Care Resource
In partnership, the Center for the Study of Child Care Employment (CSCCE) at the University of California at Berkeley and the California Child Care Resource
In partnership, the Center for the Study of Child Care Employment (CSCCE) at the University of California at Berkeley and the California Child Care Resource
In partnership, the Center for the Study of Child Care Employment (CSCCE) at the University of California at Berkeley, and the California Child Care Resource
Frequently Asked Questions
As the most comprehensive early childhood workforce study in the state, the findings provide a throughline of educator compensation, conditions, and experiences since 2006. The results have deepened awareness of systemic inequities that lead to racial pay gaps and economic hardships in the ECE workforce. They have informed advocates and policymakers about the challenges, needs, and opportunities for reform and investment across the sector. Counties and local policymakers depend on the data to inform and adjust their policies.
CSCCE releases a lot of data, and we want to help you find the exact datapoints you need. Researchers, policymakers, educators, and state/local leaders are welcome to submit a data request using this form. Please note: raw data are not available at this time. Instead, we can produce a memo with summary tables. If you have more complicated data needs, or if your questions cannot be answered with data that are currently available, we will reach out to you to discuss.
We welcome early educators’ participation in our study as well as non-research activities such as providing feedback about research topics and products, taking part in webinars, or speaking with reporters. To participate in our study, look out for our outreach information or visit our California ECE Workforce Study website at https://caecestudy.org/. If you have taken the survey and would like to speak with reporters to bring the data to life with your experience and perspectives, please share your information.
2025: The Heising-Simons Foundation, Blue Shield of California Foundation, and Silicon Valley Community Foundation supported this phase of the study.
2020 – 2024: Conducted by CSCCE in partnership with the California Resource and Referral Network, with support from the California Department of Education, First 5 California, the Heising-Simons Foundation, and the David and Lucile Packard Foundation.
2006: Conducted by CSCCE in partnership with the California Resource and Referral Network, with support from First 5 California and the David and Lucile Packard Foundation who supported an initial pilot study on which this study was based.
The California ECE Workforce Study collects data directly from early educators and administrators across the state who work with children under age five.
More than 10,000 early educators participated in our 2025 survey. While most data were collected in spring 2025, a small number of sites were surveyed in early fall 2025. The surveys took place online in English, Spanish, Arabic, and Chinese. Participants included home-based family child care providers, center directors/administrators, center–based teaching staff (lead and assistant teachers), and transitional kindergarten teachers and paraprofessionals.
All available licensed early care and education programs serving children from birth to five in California were invited to participate, using contact information from Community Care Licensing and California State Preschool. CSCCE received outreach support from local resource and referral agencies, professional associations, and the California ECE Workforce Registry. We reached transitional kindergarten teachers through school leaders and administrators.
In addition, 19 counties partnered with CSCCE to boost survey outreach. View the map of these participating counties.
About 7,800 early educators participated in the 2020 statewide survey from October through December 2020. These contained representative samples of approximately 2,000 center administrators and 3,000 home-based family child care (FCC) providers. Non-probability samples of about 2,500 center-based teachers and assistant teachers and 280 transitional kindergarten teachers were also included.
This report includes additional information on the 2020 study design.
CSCCE surveyed representative samples of child care center staff, directors, teachers and assistant teachers in all 8,740 active, licensed child care centers in California. These data were aggregated, cleaned and verified by the California Child Care Resource and Referral Network.
In addition, nine counties (Alameda, Los Angeles, Marin, Merced, Mono, Sacramento, San Francisco, Santa Barbara, and Santa Clara) contracted for county-specific studies of their licensed child care homes and centers. These studies made use of the interviews conducted for the statewide survey, as well as additional interviews conducted in each county to ensure a sizeable enough sample to generate reliable county level findings.
The 2006 statewide report includes additional details on the study design.
If your county did not partner with CSCCE to conduct a study and you would like similar early care and education workforce information to power your policy, it’s not too late. To learn more about how to commission a study about your county, contact Anna Powell at @anna_powell@berkeley.edu
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“We are a forgotten field. Benefits and retirement options are a dream for us… We will continue losing quality teachers and administrators unless they can be adequately compensated for all that they do.”
— Center director