About the Index

The biennial Early Childhood Workforce Index represents the first effort to establish a baseline description of early childhood employment conditions and policies on a state-by-state basis in order to improve early childhood jobs.

The Index provides a current appraisal of workforce conditions and policies across all 50 states and the District of Columbia. Three topical sections form the bulk of the cross-state analysis: earnings and economic security; early childhood workforce policies; and family and income support policies across occupations. In the section on earnings and economic security, we provide data on early care and education (ECE) workforce pay, noting changes over time. For the remaining two sections, we have identified measurable indicators of state policy for each topic, grouped by categories within each section. These indicators represent opportunities for state policies that have the potential to enhance the lives of the many children and adults affected by ECE employment conditions.

Based on the indicators, we assign states to one of three groups for each category, as follows:

Red represents stalled:
the state has made limited or no progress;

Yellow represents edging forward:
the state has made partial progress;

Green represents making headway:
the state is taking action and advancing promising policies.

About the Index

Based on the indicators, we assign states to one of three groups for each category, as follows:

Red represents stalled:
the state has made limited or no progress;

Yellow represents edging forward:
the state has made partial progress;

Green represents making headway:
the state is taking action and advancing promising policies.

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Click on a U.S. state in the map, select a state from the dropdown menu, or download a data table to learn more about early educators of color.

Percent of Early Educators of Color

< 20%
20%–40%
40%–60%
≥ 60%

Educators of Color
Children Under Age 6 of Color

Click on a U.S. state in the map, select a state from the dropdown menu, or download a data table to learn more about early educators with a primary language other than English.

Percent of Early Educators With a Primary Language Other Than English

< 5%
5%–20%
20%–35%
≥ 35%

Primary Language Other Than English
Most Common Language Other Than English
Second Most Common Language Other Than English

Click on a U.S. state in the map, select a state from the dropdown menu, or download a data table to learn more about median wages.

Median Wage Amounts, 2022

< $12
$12–$13.99
≥ $14

Early Care and Education Workforce
Child Care Workers
Preschool Teachers
Elementary and Middle School Teachers
All Occupations

Click on a U.S. state in the map, select a state from the dropdown menu, or download a data table to learn more about percent change in wages.

Percent Change in Wages, 2019 - 2022

decrease (1% or more)
no change (less than 1%)
small increase (1-4.9%)
moderate increase (5-9.9%)
large increase (10+%)

Early Care and Education Workforce
Elementary and Middle School Teachers
All Occupations

Click on a U.S. state in the map, select a state from the dropdown menu, or download a data table to learn more about the living wage gap.

Percent of Early Educator Living Wage Gap, 2022

0 - 14%
15 - 24%
25 - 29%
30% +

Living Wage Gap (Percent)
Living Wage Gap (Amount)
Median Wage
Living Wage for One Adult, No Children

Click on a U.S. state in the map, select a state from the dropdown menu, or download a data table to learn more about early educators’ living below the federal poverty line.

Percent Living Below the Federal Poverty Line, 2022

< 14%
14%–15%
15%–17%
≥ 17%

Early Care and Education Workforce
Elementary and Middle School Teachers
All Occupations
Poverty Ratio (ECE to Elementary/Middle)
Public Safety Net Participation
Public Safety Net Cost

Click on a U.S. state in the map, select a state from the dropdown menu, or download a data table to learn whether a state is stalled, edging forward, or is making headway to improve qualifications and educational supports for the ECE workforce.

State Progress on Qualifications

Not Applicable or Not Available
Stalled
Edging Forward
Making Headway

Minimum Qualifications: Pre-K
Lead - BA: Assistant - CDA:
Minimum Qualifications: Center-Based
Director - BA: Lead - BA: Assistant - CDA:
Minimum Qualifications: Home-Based
Lead - BA: Assistant - CDA:
Scholarships to Support Educational Pathways
Collects Data on Scholarship Recipients?

Click on a U.S. state in the map, select a state from the dropdown menu, or download a data table to learn whether a state is stalled, edging forward, or is making headway to improve work environments for the ECE workforce.

State Progress on Work Environments

Not Applicable or Not Available
Stalled
Edging Forward
Making Headway

Paid Time for Professional Development?
Centers: Homes:
Paid Planning and/or Preparation Time?
Centers: Homes:
Salary Schedule / Benefits?
Centers: Homes:

Click on a U.S. state in the map, select a state from the dropdown menu, or download a data table to learn whether a state is stalled, edging forward, or is making headway to improve compensation & financial relief for the ECE workforce.

State Progress on Compensation & Financial Relief

Not Applicable or Not Available
Stalled
Edging Forward
Making Headway

Salary Parity:
Compensation Requirements:
Compensation Guidelines or Plans:
Dedicated public funding for compensation
Stipend / Tax Credit
Bonus

State Progress on Workforce Data

Not Applicable or Not Available
Stalled
Edging Forward
Making Headway

Inclusive Across Settings
Registry Survey
Collects Compensation Data
Wages (Registry): Wages (Survey): Benefits (Registry): Benefits (Survey):
Collect Race / Ethnicity Data?
Registry Survey
Reports Aggregate Data Publicly Online?
Registry Survey

Click on a U.S. state in the map, select a state from the dropdown menu, or download a data table to learn whether a state is stalled, edging forward, or is making headway to improve public funding for the ECE workforce.

State Progress on Public Funding