Career Overview
Plan, direct, or coordinate academic or nonacademic activities of preschools or childcare centers and programs, including before- and after-school care.
Also Known As
- Education Director
- Preschool Director
- Principal
- Site Coordinator
Alternate Job Titles
- After School Site Director
- Art Coordinator
- Assessment Coordinator
- Before and After School Program Director
- Before and After School Site Director
- Center Administrator
- Center Manager
- Child Care Center Administrator
- Child Care Center Director
- Child Care Director
- Childcare Center Administrator
- Childcare Center Director
- Childcare Director
- Day Care Center Director
- Daycare Director
What You'll Do
In this role, your typical responsibilities include:
- Confer with parents and staff to discuss educational activities and policies and students' behavioral or learning problems.
- Monitor students' progress and provide students and teachers with assistance in resolving any problems.
- Recruit, hire, train, and evaluate primary and supplemental staff and recommend personnel actions for programs and services.
- Teach classes or courses or provide direct care to children.
- Set educational standards and goals and help establish policies, procedures, and programs to carry them out.
- Determine the scope of educational program offerings and prepare drafts of program schedules and descriptions to estimate staffing and facility requirements.
- Determine allocations of funds for staff, supplies, materials, and equipment and authorize purchases.
Knowledge You'll Use
You'll need solid knowledge in these areas:
- Customer and Personal Service
- Education and Training
- Administration and Management
- English Language
- Psychology
- Public Safety and Security
- Personnel and Human Resources
Essential Skills
Success in this career requires strong skills in:
- Reading Comprehension
- Active Listening
- Speaking
- Critical Thinking
- Monitoring
- Coordination
- Social Perceptiveness
- Instructing
- Service Orientation
- Complex Problem Solving
Key Abilities
This career requires key abilities in:
- Written Expression
- Oral Comprehension
- Deductive Reasoning
- Oral Expression
- Written Comprehension
- Speech Recognition
- Inductive Reasoning
- Speech Clarity
- Problem Sensitivity
- Information Ordering
Work Style
People who excel in this career typically demonstrate:
- Dependability
- Cooperation
- Leadership Orientation
- Integrity
- Empathy
What Matters in This Career
This career tends to satisfy these work values:
- Relationships
- Achievement
- Independence
- Working Conditions
- Recognition
Education & Preparation
Typical Education: Associate's Degree (or other 2-year degree)
Related Work Experience Needed: Over 2 years, up to and including 4 years
On-the-Job Training: Over 2 years, up to and including 4 years
Education Details: Most of these occupations require a four-year bachelor's degree, but some do not.
Experience Required: A considerable amount of work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is needed for these occupations. For example, an accountant must complete four years of college and work for several years in accounting to be considered qualified.
Technology You'll Use
Popular Technologies & Software
- Intuit QuickBooks
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Office software
- Microsoft Outlook
- Microsoft PowerPoint
- Microsoft Word
Tools & Equipment
- Compact digital cameras
- Computer laser printers
- Desktop computers
- Emergency first aid kits
- Laptop computers
- Laser facsimile machines
- Multi-line telephone systems
- Personal computers
Work Environment
- Contact With Others
- Telephone Conversations
- Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams
- Work Outcomes and Results of Other Workers
Salary & Job Market
| Salary Percentile | Annual Wage |
|---|---|
| Entry-Level (10th percentile) | $37,060 |
| Median | $56,270 |
| Top Earners (90th percentile) | $96,400 |
Workers Employed Nationally: 71,620
Related Careers
If you're interested in this career, you might also consider:
Education Administrators, Kindergarten through Secondary
Education: Master's Degree
Median Salary: $104,070
Preschool Teachers, Except Special Education
Education: High School Diploma - or the equivalent (for example, GED)
Median Salary: $37,120
Social and Community Service Managers
Education: Bachelor's Degree
Median Salary: $78,240
Special Education Teachers, Kindergarten
Education: Not specified
Median Salary: Varies
Special Education Teachers, Secondary School
Education: Bachelor's Degree
Median Salary: $69,590
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Occupational data sourced from the O*NET OnLine database, developed by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration. Wage data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), 2024.