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Center for the Study of Childcare Employment

UC Berkeley

Child Care Centers Compete With California’s $20 Fast Food Wage

Published Web Location

https://cscce.berkeley.edu/publications/data-snapshot/california-wages-2020-to-2025/
The data associated with this publication are within the manuscript.
Abstract

Poor compensation is built into the fabric of early care and education in the United States. The Center for the Study of Child Care Employment (CSCCE) tracks wages in California through our ongoing Workforce Study. In comparing our data from 2020 and 2025, we find wages have risen since 2020, but not evenly across job roles and program types. While inflation increased by 20 percent, the minimum wage increased much faster at 37.5 percent. Moreover, California now has a $20 minimum wage for fast food that exceeds pay for most assistant teachers.


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