Early childhood education teachers need to have most of the skills to be primary school or secondary school teachers but get paid a fraction of what teachers make in public and private school districts. For day cares to pay teachers more, directors would have to pass along costs to parents and guardians who are already paying a significant amount of their income toward the care.
According to an August study from the Pennsylvania Partnerships for Children, on average, 17.5% of median family income is dedicated to child care. For single parents, a ReadyNation report found that the cost spikes to 40% of median income.