Early Childhood EducationCareer Opportunities

Career Option 1: Teacher

• Employment Options: public or private preschool, Head Start, child care center, or unlicensed registered ministry

• Average Salary: $17,200-$46,830 (Child Care Service Association, 2011)

• Job Responsibilities: educate and care for children, communicate with families, be committed to furthering own education

Goals: Teacher

• IAEYC/NAEYC• Attend 12+ hours of yearly training• Complete CDA

• Attend 20+ hours of yearly training• Complete Associate’s/Bachelor’s

Degree in Early Childhood• Begin training in second language

Short Term

Long Term

Career Option 2: In-Home Provider

• Employment Options: Private residence• Average Salary: $15,900-$29,280 (Child Care

Service Association, 2011)• Job Responsibilities: Maintain a safe and

nurturing home enviornment, plan and implement developmentally appropriate activities, oversee the financial management of in home program (Council on Children and Families, 2012)

Goals: In-Home Provider

• Attend training sessions and obtain license (State of Indiana, 2012)

• Enroll in Paths to Quality• Enroll in CDA or Associate’s program

• Complete Paths to Quality• Enroll in Early Childhood Bachelor’s

program

Short Term

Long Term

Career Option 3: Regulator

• Employment Options: Child care licensing, Child and Adult Care Food Program, County/state department of social services or education

• Average Salary: $34,540-$94,800• Job Responsibilities: Knowledge of state

licensing requirements, technical training and assistance in compliance, investigation in noncompliance cases (Child Care Service Association, 2011)

Goals: Regulator

• Become familiar with the Indiana licensing requirements

• Enroll in coursework in social services and child development

• Complete graduate degree in social work

• Develop exemplary communication and intrapersonal skills (Child Care Service Association, 2011)

Short Term

Long Term

Career Option 4: Director/Administrator

• Employment Options: public or private preschool, Head Start, child care center, or unlicensed registered ministry

• Average Salary: $27,210-$85,110 (Child Care Service Association, 2011)

• Job Responsibilities: Developing/selecting curriculum, communicate effectively with staff and patrons, market center, oversee spending and budget (Council on Children and Families, 2012)

Goals: Director/Administrator• Enroll in an Early Childhood

Bachelor’s degree program• Develop mission statement, center

philosopy, and policies

• Complete Bachelor’s degree in Early Childhood with course work in Early Childhood Administration (Child Care Service Association, 2011)

Short Term

Long Term

Career Option 5: Researcher

• Employment Options: Universities, government agencies, nonprofit and for profit research organizations

• Average Salary: $64,000 (Child Care Service Association, 2011)

• Job Responsibilities: Evaluate and assess children and programs, analyze data, conduct studies (Council on Children and Families, 2012)

Goals: Researcher

• Enroll in a Ph.D. program studying child development

• Network with NAEYC and become familiar with its reserach publications

• Complete Ph.D. program in child development

• Publish one research study

Short Term

Long Term

Resources

• Child Care Service Association. (2011, June). Careers in early childhood. Retrieved from Indiana Association for the Education of Young Children website: http://www.iaeyc.org/ LinkClick.aspx?fileticket=NkZJ%2f3MXFJA%3d&tabid=510&language=en-US

• Council on Children and Families. (2012). Exploring positions. In Career development resource guide (position seven). Retrieved from State of New York website: http://www.earlychildhood.org/cdrg/intro.cfm

• State of Indiana. (2012). Becoming a licensed or registered provider. Retrieved from http://www.in.gov/fssa/carefinder/2736.htm