Hi…I live in NE philadelphia, not too far from the poconos. I am an elementary education major with certifications in special ed. and early childhood education. The daycares and nursery schools down here are the same way. I’ve learned that childcare as a field is just horrible with pay and benefits. Unless you got your degree and began teaching in a school district, I’d say there is no future as a career working in daycares. I am as saddened by that fact as you are. Something so important as shaping young minds and caring for children…you’d think they’d value your services and care MUCH more than they do. It’s just one of those things in life that doesn’t make any sense. I agree though that there is NO WAY to support yourself living on those wages, that would be impossible.

If you want to teach it really can’t be about the money becaue they will not ever truly pay a teacher what they are worth. It is hard, trust me I know from personal experience. I am going into my third year of teaching and money is really tight and you have to budget everything.

However, if you get an Early Childhood Degree you can actually teach in a school setting and than you would be making salary and it’s a little better than $8 an hour.

Hang in their I know it’s rough, but the best thing truly is seeing how thankful the parents are and how much the children learn in just a little amount of time.

I also like ot think one day when I’m older one of my students may be president and I can say I taught that person–so you never know how much you impact these children’s lives. So keep doing a good job and maybe one day people will get a clue and pay teachers more.

I work in CA, and with a Child Development Master Teacher Permit (a level system based on education & experience we have in CA) and an Associates Degree in Child Development, along with 14 years experience working in preschools, I make $13/hr. My first job in a preschool (when I was barely old enough to drive) I made a paltry $4.35/hr. But, I love what I do- so I take the substandard pay because working with children with disabilities is what I am passionate about. Unfortunately, our country cares far less for the future generation than the value of a football player. Only once the focus shifts from fame and fortune, to education and the creation of a better society in the future, will pay for the most influential teachers go up. All this focus on “the first five years are the most critical”, and yet those who devote their lives to teaching those children are the most underpaid in the country- while basketball stars make millions. The focus is skewed.

Most schools pay that way, But I live In Cali, and it varies here you can make anywhere from 7.50—25.00 Hr. Go Back to school and get your degree, Because there r others jobs you can do besides Pre-school, I just stopped teaching , I taught pre-school for 8 years and it was not paying that well I had my degree and different certificates in all areas of ECC. Now I work as a bookkeeper and I make Between 4,000-5,000 a month. Try something else you can always go back to pre-school. I do miss the childfren a lot but I need to survive, I have my own child.

It’s especially harder these days. At $7.15 an hour…40 hours a week. That’s $286 a week. And that’s gross salary…not net. (It is quite a “gross” pay too.) $286 is my weekly gas money. (Roll your eyes now, but wait until it hits those prices)

The honest answer is that if you want to make any kind of living in Early Childhood Education, you have to get away from a “daycare” setting and look more into getting your degree and moving into teaching in schools. Not that you make a lot of money that way too, but it’s survivable.

I make a decent amount of money now, but I work overseas, which poses quite a few different challenges.

Matt

PS- with your avatar picture of Bush, I thought you were going to say “I really enjoy working with children, but their books are too complicated.”

That is the perils of working in any type of service related field like that. I did it for years and let me tell you I could not support my family on the pay. It is sad that these people are doing some of the most important jobs and one of those being teaching other people’s children for them. You would think they would give a dang, but they don’t. I don’t see anything changing in the near future. The only higher pay you would get is if you work in a Headstart type of program. Even here in California where like one poster said the air is expensive to breath they pay awful too.

I totally agree we you ,in fact I feel when people say we do it for the money, it puts us back even further! Occasionally you can find places that pay really well for great teachers. I was lucky and found a job at a co-operative preschool in Ca. The parents run the school , They value the teachers and I make $30.00 an hour plus benefits. Check out Co-op preschools in your area. Keep working on your units/education , I’m sure some preschools pay well in NYC.

I am an Asst. in a public school with Pre-k and it took me 7 years to get to $9 an hour. I am defiantly in it for the kids and to be off when my child is off school. Some of the benefits out way the pay. I get paid year round. So I don’t work in the summer and still get a check.

About the same here in Tennessee! I work for Head Start as a Teacher Assistant and its horrible pay. You cant do this job for the money thats for sure. We were just talking about it the other day, and for what they pay, then they put all these requirements on you, its hardly worth it. I cleaned cabins and made alot more. But this kind of money is just barely above min. wage. So dont feel lonely. I feel your pain!!!

sadly, not much better. The only jobs like that which pay well are with the local school districts, which seem to run anywhere between $10-13 an hour… but this is Southern California where even the AIR is expensive. (eyeroll)