Early Educator Salary Data and the MA Career Ladder

A Joint Initiative of BTWIC and EEC

Fiscal CommitteeBoard of Early Education and Care

February 4, 2013

Introduction

BTWIC partnered with the EEC in 2010 to create the career ladder and complete some preliminary analysis of salary data from the PQ Registry, as the original intent was to connect wage increases to the career ladder

The team presented to the Fiscal Committee in December 2011. Feedback was incorporated into this updated presentation and includes: Comparison of salaries in private versus non-profit centers Comparison to salaries of comparable sectors, not to the

general Massachusetts workforce

The goal of today’s presentation is to summarize BTWIC’s subsequent analysis of PQ Registry data, not to suggest solutions on how to improve early educator compensation

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Setting the Stage: QRIS Standards - CB

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QRIS Level 3, Center-Based Programs

QRIS Level 4, Center-Based Programs

QRIS Tool - CB

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Program Administration Scale (PAS) – Personnel Cost and Allocation

Inadequate Minimal Good ExcellentStaff did not receive a salary increase within the last two years

Salary increase within the last two years

Salary increase in each of the last three years

The center has a compensation plan that provides for merit increases in addition to annual salary increases

A salary scale is based on role without regard to education and specialized training

Salary scale is differentiated by role, education, and specialized training

Salary scale is differentiated by role, education, specialized training, and years of relevant experience

Staff with comparable education, specialized training, and experience are paid comparable wages for comparable work

QRIS Standards - FCC

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QRIS Level 3, Family Child Care

QRIS Level 4, Family Child Care

QRIS Tool - FCC

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Business Administration Scale (BAS) – Income and Benefits

Inadequate Minimal Good ExcellentThe provider has not increased a fee charged to parents within the last three years

The provider has increased a fee charged to parents within the last three years

The provider has increased a fee charged to parents within the last two years

The provider has increased a fee charged to parents in each of the last three years

Data Analysis Completed by BTWIC

EEC’s Professional Qualifications (PQ) Registry (Aug. 2012)• Median Salary• Median Salary by Education Level• Median Salary of educators in large private chains

Comparison to wages in similar sectors (Bureau of Labor Statistics)

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Considerations Many PQ Registry records are still incomplete. BTWIC started with:

60,886 records as of August 24, 2012-18,395 individuals working less than 30 hours a week

42,491 individuals working 30 hours a week or more-23,592 individuals with blank salary data

18,899 individuals with salary data working more than 30 hrs/week-5,332 salaries less than $10,000 and greater than $100,000-2,016 in “other,” residential and placement,” “school-age care”-1,751 Administrators, Directors, Consultants, etc.

= 9,800 records for analysis (16% of all records)

Focus was on teaching staff in center-based settings and family child care providers (not out-of-school time)

Salary is only one component of overall compensation and it is a direct reflection of what centers and programs are able to pay

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PQ Registry Salary Data: MA Early Educators

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Center-Based Median Annual Salary

Center-Based number of records analyzed

Private Chains (Center-Based) Median Annual Salary

Private Chains (Center-Based) number of records analyzed

$22,501 - $25,000 7,041 $22,501 - $25,000 1,020

Family Child Care Median Annual Salary

Family Child Care number of records analyzed

$25,001 - $27,500 2,091

Source: PQ Registry as of August 2012. Records analyzed reflect teaching staff only; excludes Directors and Administrators.

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Center-Based Median Annual Salary + 3% Family Child Care Median Annual Salary + 3%

$23,176 - $25,750 $25,751 - $28,325

MA Economic Independence Level for a single individual/ single parent of one preschool-age child

Average salary of comparable fields in MA (Nursing Aides, Human Service Assistants; see slide 13)

$27,084

$49,037

$27,978

With a 3% increase:

PQ Registry Salary Data: MA Early Educators

Sources: BTWIC calculations; Crittenton Women’s Union Economic Independence Calculator 2010; Bureau of Labor Statistics (See slide 13 for comparison industries)

Highest Level of Education of Center-Based Early Educators with Salary Data in the PQ Registry

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Not a high school graduate, 1%

High school graduate/ GED,

16%Child Devel-opment Asso-ciate (CDA),

2%

Some college (no degree),

28%Associate's

degree, 18%

Bachelor's degree, 28%

Graduate or pro-fessional degree,

7%

Source: Professional Qualifications Registry as of August 2012. n = 6,955.

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By Education Level

Center-Based Median Annual Salary

Center-Based number of records

Family Child Care Median Annual Salary

Family Child Care number of records

Not high school graduate $20,001 - $22,500 73 $22,501 - $25,000 142

High school graduate/GED $17,501 - $20,000 1,091 $25,001 - $27,500 661

Child Development Associate (CDA) $22,501 - $25,000 173 $27,501 - $30,000 144

Some college (no degree) $20,001 - $22,500 1,967 $22,501 - $25,000 419

Associate's degree $22,501 - $25,000 1,266 $27,501 - $30,000 258

Bachelor's degree $22,501 - $25,000 1,924 $25,001 - $27,500 336

Graduate or professional degree $27,501 - $30,000 461 $27,501 - $30,000 112Totals 6,955 2,072

Salary Data by Level of Education

Source: Professional Qualifications Registry as of August 2012.

Comparison with other Sectors

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Occupational Category Annual Median SalaryApproximate Employment

Kindergarten Teachers $57,630* 3,780Child, Family, and School Social Workers $43,534 9,730Office and Administrative Support Workers, All Other $34,216 1,970

Educators in Public Preschools $30,001 - $32,500 3,083

Nursing Aides, Orderlies, and Attendants $28,475 40,280

Social and Human Service Assistants $28,392 16,510

Teacher Assistants $28,360* 34,100

Home Health Aides $26,686 19,010

Family Child Care Providers $25,001 - $27,500 7,376

Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners $25,646 14,640

Taxi Drivers and Chauffeurs $25,334 7,310

Early Educators in Center-Based Programs $22,501 - $25,000 33,383

Retail Salespersons $22,214 108,670

Sources: Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2011 Massachusetts Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates.Department of Early Education and Care Professional Qualifications Registry, as of August 2012, for the three categories shaded in green. Note: salary data reflects teaching staff in the three categories and excludes Administrators, Directors, Education Coordinators, etc. *mean salaries, not median.

Average salary$27,978

Comparison with MA Child Care Cost Model

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Title Estimated Salary

Percentage of BLS Comparison Salary

BLS Comparison Salary

Lead Teacher $31,559 95% Preschool Teacher

Teacher $24,890 95% Child Care Worker

Teacher Assistant $18,304 110% (Minimum Wage)

Average of all teaching staff: $24,918

Level 3, Center-Based Programs

Level 4, Center-Based Programs

Title Estimated Salary

Percentage of BLS Comparison Salary

BLS Comparison Salary

Lead Teacher $36,542 110% Preschool Teacher

Teacher $28,820 110% Child Care Worker

Teacher Assistant $18,304 110% (Minimum Wage)

Average of all teaching staff: $27,889

Recommendations

The EEC should Continue to keep early educator

compensation as a top priority Explore strategies for improving the

completeness and accuracy of PQ Registry data

Summarize salary data from the Professional Qualifications Registry every year and release reports to the field

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Thank you