The Childcare Workforce Gap: Staffing Shortages by State – 2026 Study

The demand for child care is much higher than the supply in the U.S., with a recent study by the Bipartisan Policy Center reporting a 28% gap in child care spots relative to the number of children in need of care. State-mandated staffing ratios, credentials and relatively low wages continue to bottleneck the industry, driving up the cost of child care without that revenue reliably showing up in the business’s bottom line. 

On average, there are 36 children under age five for each person employed in the child care industry across the nation. However, the relative availability of child care staff varies across each state by a factor of up to 10x at the furthest extremes.

With this in mind, Playground evaluated the number of active child care staff in each state compared to the number of resident children under five to determine where staffing constraints for child care business are worst, and thus where directors and staff alike face the most competition.

Help boost staff retention in your own child care business. The Playground app helps your staff streamline important operations, with less mistakes – leading to higher retention and better service. Book a demo to see what Playground can do for your business.

Key Findings

• There are nearly 100 children under five per childcare worker in this state. Washington has the most restrictive supply of childcare workers relative to the number of young children in the state, at a ratio of 97.3 children per worker. This ratio far outshadows the second- and third-highest ranking states of Wisconsin and Arizona, which are home to 77.5 and 63.6 young children per childcare worker, respectively.

• These states are least constrained for childcare workers. There are 11.27 children under age five per childcare worker in North Dakota – the best ratio of childcare workers nationwide. Nebraska (13.4 children per worker); Maine (14.2); Connecticut (18.7); and Idaho (20.1) also have among the most available staff per child.

• Childcare worker pay is not correlated with the supply of workers. The hourly median pay for childcare workers is not typically reflective of worker-to-child ratios. For example, childcare workers in Massachusetts have the highest average median hourly income at $18.89 per hour, despite having a mid-range supply of childcare workers at 28.1 children per worker. Meanwhile, Mississippi childcare workers have the lowest median pay at $10.46 per hour, despite also having a mid-range ratio of 33.3 children per worker. This suggests industry pay may be based primarily on factors other than worker supply.

• Utah, Texas have the most children under age five. Relative to the total population, these states have the most children potentially in need of child care services. In Utah, 6.5% of the population are children under five, compared to 6.2% in Texas. On the other end of the spectrum, northern New England states have the fewest children, with Vermont (4.1% of the population); Maine (4.2%); and New Hampshire (4.4%) at the far end of this metric.

Children per Childcare Worker by State

States are ranked based on the number of children under age five residing in the state per childcare worker.

1. Washington

   • Young children per childcare worker: 97.33

   • Children under five: 418,515

   • Childcare workers: 4,300

   • Median hourly childcare worker pay: $18.18

   • Young children as a percent of total population: 5.26%

2. Wisconsin

   • Young children per childcare worker: 77.50

   • Children under five: 303,044

   • Childcare workers: 3,910

   • Median hourly childcare worker pay: $14.27

   • Young children as a percent of total population: 5.08%

3. Arizona

   • Young children per childcare worker: 63.65

   • Children under five: 393,963

   • Childcare workers: 6,190

   • Median hourly childcare worker pay: $16.89

   • Young children as a percent of total population: 5.20%

4. Utah

   • Young children per childcare worker: 58.57

   • Children under five: 229,016

   • Childcare workers: 3,910

   • Median hourly childcare worker pay: $14.84

   • Young children as a percent of total population: 6.54%

5. Alabama

   • Young children per childcare worker: 58.56

   • Children under five: 285,758

   • Childcare workers: 4,880

   • Median hourly childcare worker pay: $10.78

   • Young children as a percent of total population: 5.54%

6. West Virginia

   • Young children per childcare worker: 57.61

   • Children under five: 86,422

   • Childcare workers: 1,500

   • Median hourly childcare worker pay: $11.48

   • Young children as a percent of total population: 4.88%

7. Nevada

   • Young children per childcare worker: 53.88

   • Children under five: 169,737

   • Childcare workers: 3,150

   • Median hourly childcare worker pay: $14.01

   • Young children as a percent of total population: 5.19%

8. Florida

   • Young children per childcare worker: 52.62

   • Children under five: 1,146,626

   • Childcare workers: 21,790

   • Median hourly childcare worker pay: $14.85

   • Young children as a percent of total population: 4.91%

9. Ohio

   • Young children per childcare worker: 51.85

   • Children under five: 652,242

   • Childcare workers: 12,580

   • Median hourly childcare worker pay: $13.57

   • Young children as a percent of total population: 5.49%

10. North Carolina

    • Young children per childcare worker: 49.58

    • Children under five: 604,897

    • Childcare workers: 12,200

    • Median hourly childcare worker pay: $13.69

    • Young children as a percent of total population: 5.48%

11. Oregon

• Young children per childcare worker: 46.62

• Children under five: 197,191

• Childcare workers: 4,230

• Median hourly childcare worker pay: $17.43

• Young children as a percent of total population: 4.62%

12. Indiana

• Young children per childcare worker: 45.91

• Children under five: 403,534

• Childcare workers: 8,790

• Median hourly childcare worker pay: $14.11

• Young children as a percent of total population: 5.83%

13. Pennsylvania

• Young children per childcare worker: 45.84

• Children under five: 660,513

• Childcare workers: 14,410

• Median hourly childcare worker pay: $13.62

• Young children as a percent of total population: 5.05%

14. California

• Young children per childcare worker: 44.14

• Children under five: 2,083,154

• Childcare workers: 47,190

• Median hourly childcare worker pay: $18.38

• Young children as a percent of total population: 5.28%

15. Texas

• Young children per childcare worker: 43.35

• Children under five: 1,951,749

• Childcare workers: 45,020

• Median hourly childcare worker pay: $13.71

• Young children as a percent of total population: 6.24%

16. Delaware

• Young children per childcare worker: 43.14

• Children under five: 54,788

• Childcare workers: 1,270

• Median hourly childcare worker pay: $14.45

• Young children as a percent of total population: 5.21%

17. Hawaii

• Young children per childcare worker: 40.89

• Children under five: 76,057

• Childcare workers: 1,860

• Median hourly childcare worker pay: $17.52

• Young children as a percent of total population: 5.26%

18. Maryland

• Young children per childcare worker: 39.39

• Children under five: 350,973

• Childcare workers: 8,910

• Median hourly childcare worker pay: $16.90

• Young children as a percent of total population: 5.60%

19. Alaska

• Young children per childcare worker: 35.65

• Children under five: 44,922

• Childcare workers: 1,260

• Median hourly childcare worker pay: $16.82

• Young children as a percent of total population: 6.07%

20. Michigan

• Young children per childcare worker: 35.56

• Children under five: 524,888

• Childcare workers: 14,760

• Median hourly childcare worker pay: $14.08

• Young children as a percent of total population: 5.18%

21. Kentucky

• Young children per childcare worker: 34.82

• Children under five: 261,525

• Childcare workers: 7,510

• Median hourly childcare worker pay: $13.73

• Young children as a percent of total population: 5.70%

22. Virginia

• Young children per childcare worker: 33.32

• Children under five: 471,514

• Childcare workers: 14,150

• Median hourly childcare worker pay: $14.49

• Young children as a percent of total population: 5.35%

23. Mississippi

• Young children per childcare worker: 33.27

• Children under five: 163,692

• Childcare workers: 4,920

• Median hourly childcare worker pay: $10.46

• Young children as a percent of total population: 5.56%

24. Missouri

• Young children per childcare worker: 32.36

• Children under five: 343,005

• Childcare workers: 10,600

• Median hourly childcare worker pay: $14.33

• Young children as a percent of total population: 5.49%

25. Iowa

• Young children per childcare worker: 31.70

• Children under five: 186,076

• Childcare workers: 5,870

• Median hourly childcare worker pay: $13.43

• Young children as a percent of total population: 5.74%

26. Tennessee

• Young children per childcare worker: 31.10

• Children under five: 410,205

• Childcare workers: 13,190

• Median hourly childcare worker pay: $13.96

• Young children as a percent of total population: 5.68%

27. New Mexico

• Young children per childcare worker: 29.87

• Children under five: 103,356

• Childcare workers: 3,460

• Median hourly childcare worker pay: $16.46

• Young children as a percent of total population: 4.85%

28. Louisiana

• Young children per childcare worker: 29.67

• Children under five: 271,498

• Childcare workers: 9,150

• Median hourly childcare worker pay: $10.63

• Young children as a percent of total population: 5.91%

29. Minnesota

• Young children per childcare worker: 29.20

• Children under five: 318,595

• Childcare workers: 10,910

• Median hourly childcare worker pay: $16.16

• Young children as a percent of total population: 5.50%

30. Illinois

• Young children per childcare worker: 29.06

• Children under five: 655,117

• Childcare workers: 22,540

• Median hourly childcare worker pay: $15.80

• Young children as a percent of total population: 5.15%

31. Arkansas

• Young children per childcare worker: 28.48

• Children under five: 176,599

• Childcare workers: 6,200

• Median hourly childcare worker pay: $13.07

• Young children as a percent of total population: 5.72%

32. Massachusetts

• Young children per childcare worker: 28.05

• Children under five: 346,996

• Childcare workers: 12,370

• Median hourly childcare worker pay: $18.89

• Young children as a percent of total population: 4.86%

33. Colorado

• Young children per childcare worker: 26.51

• Children under five: 306,464

• Childcare workers: 11,560

• Median hourly childcare worker pay: $18.47

• Young children as a percent of total population: 5.14%

34. Montana

• Young children per childcare worker: 26.07

• Children under five: 53,955

• Childcare workers: 2,070

• Median hourly childcare worker pay: $15.11

• Young children as a percent of total population: 4.74%

35. South Carolina

• Young children per childcare worker: 25.35

• Children under five: 293,334

• Childcare workers: 11,570

• Median hourly childcare worker pay: $13.67

• Young children as a percent of total population: 5.35%

36. Oklahoma

• Young children per childcare worker: 25.26

• Children under five: 241,245

• Childcare workers: 9,550

• Median hourly childcare worker pay: $12.60

• Young children as a percent of total population: 5.89%

37. New Hampshire

• Young children per childcare worker: 24.39

• Children under five: 61,710

• Childcare workers: 2,530

• Median hourly childcare worker pay: $16.62

• Young children as a percent of total population: 4.38%

38. New York

• Young children per childcare worker: 24.29

• Children under five: 1,039,067

• Childcare workers: 42,780

• Median hourly childcare worker pay: $17.61

• Young children as a percent of total population: 5.23%

39. Vermont

• Young children per childcare worker: 23.95

• Children under five: 26,820

• Childcare workers: 1,120

• Median hourly childcare worker pay: $18.19

• Young children as a percent of total population: 4.14%

40. Georgia

• Young children per childcare worker: 23.88

• Children under five: 612,543

• Childcare workers: 25,650

• Median hourly childcare worker pay: $13.44

• Young children as a percent of total population: 5.48%

41. Kansas

• Young children per childcare worker: 23.82

• Children under five: 171,018

• Childcare workers: 7,180

• Median hourly childcare worker pay: $13.84

• Young children as a percent of total population: 5.76%

42. New Jersey

• Young children per childcare worker: 22.20

• Children under five: 525,751

• Childcare workers: 23,680

• Median hourly childcare worker pay: $16.49

• Young children as a percent of total population: 5.53%

43. Rhode Island

• Young children per childcare worker: 21.52

• Children under five: 51,425

• Childcare workers: 2,390

• Median hourly childcare worker pay: $16.79

• Young children as a percent of total population: 4.62%

44. Wyoming

• Young children per childcare worker: 21.31

• Children under five: 28,344

• Childcare workers: 1,330

• Median hourly childcare worker pay: $13.25

• Young children as a percent of total population: 4.82%

45. South Dakota

• Young children per childcare worker: 20.30

• Children under five: 53,584

• Childcare workers: 2,640

• Median hourly childcare worker pay: $12.92

• Young children as a percent of total population: 5.79%

46. Idaho

• Young children per childcare worker: 20.11

• Children under five: 110,595

• Childcare workers: 5,500

• Median hourly childcare worker pay: $14.00

• Young children as a percent of total population: 5.53%

47. Connecticut

• Young children per childcare worker: 18.68

• Children under five: 179,896

• Childcare workers: 9,630

• Median hourly childcare worker pay: $16.97

• Young children as a percent of total population: 4.90%

48. Maine

• Young children per childcare worker: 14.24

• Children under five: 58,509

• Childcare workers: 4,110

• Median hourly childcare worker pay: $16.69

• Young children as a percent of total population: 4.16%

49. Nebraska

• Young children per childcare worker: 13.40

• Children under five: 121,522

• Childcare workers: 9,070

• Median hourly childcare worker pay: $13.88

• Young children as a percent of total population: 6.06%

50. North Dakota

• Young children per childcare worker: 11.27

• Children under five: 43,600

• Childcare workers: 3,870

• Median hourly childcare worker pay: $14.61

• Young children as a percent of total population: 5.47%

Data and Methodology

Childcare worker data – including hourly median wages – comes from the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) Tables for child care workers as of May 2024. Data for total population and population of children under age five comes from the U.S. Census Bureau 1-Year American Community Survey for calendar year 2024. States are ranked based on the number of resident children under age five in each state relative to the number of child care workers. 

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