As of June 2026, Childcare Workers has an AI-exposure score of 40/100 (Moderate exposure) on the AI-Safe Careers index, blending O*NET tasks, the Anthropic Economic Index, the Penn/OpenAI study, and BLS data. This is an estimate of task exposure, not a prediction of job loss.
Childcare Workers
More exposed than 9% of the roles we track. Median pay ~US$34,980. About 160,200 projected openings a year (BLS 2024–34 — growth plus replacement).
Pay & demand figures are US medians (BLS, in USD) — your local figures will differ. Your exposure score applies broadly.
How you compare to similar Personal Care roles
Your tasks, by AI exposure
No automatable tasks identified for this role — its real, individually-assessed tasks consistently read as durable (75%).
- Keep records on individual children, including daily observations and information about activities, meals served, and medications administered.
- Observe and monitor children's play activities.
- Perform general administrative tasks, such as taking attendance, editing internal paperwork, and making phone calls.
- Organize and store toys and materials to ensure order in activity areas.
- Support children's emotional and social development, encouraging understanding of others and positive self-concepts.
- Assist in preparing food and serving meals and refreshments to children.
- Organize and participate in recreational activities and outings, such as games and field trips.
- Identify signs of emotional or developmental problems in children and bring them to parents' or guardians' attention.
- Communicate with children's parents or guardians about daily activities, behaviors, and related issues.
- Regulate children's rest periods.
- Discipline children and recommend or initiate other measures to control behavior, such as caring for own clothing and picking up toys and books.
- Care for children in institutional setting, such as group homes, nursery schools, private businesses, or schools for people with disabilities.
- Sanitize toys and play equipment.
- Perform housekeeping duties, such as laundry, cleaning, dish washing, and changing of linens.
- Sterilize bottles and prepare formulas.
- Create developmentally appropriate lesson plans.
- Instruct children in health and personal habits, such as eating, resting, and toilet habits.
- Dress children and change diapers.
- Maintain a safe play environment.
- Read to children and teach them simple painting, drawing, handicrafts, and songs.
Safer adjacent roles
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Childcare Workers — median pay by US state (BLS OEWS, USD)
Median annual wage, in USD. US national: US$34,980. More states are being added.