What is a Child Development Specialist?
The overall goal of a Child Development Specialist is to ensure that children with developmental delays or psychological disorders have the proper care and are on the path to success.
As a Child Development Specialist, it’s important to be patient and have a positive attitude, since most of the time you will be working with children.
In fact, most of your time spent working will involve playing, observing, and talking with children.
This is the best way for Child Development Specialists to learn all about the clients that they’ll be working with.
Besides talking to children, you’ll develop reports and plans for parents, educators, and other medical specialists.
Duties
Most of your day as a Child Development Specialist will involve talking with children of all ages.
However, there are some other things that should be on the daily to-do list of a Child Development Specialist, including:
- Developing treatment plans
- Evaluating patients
- Educating families
- Creating folders and documents for each patient
- Maintaining and organizing records
- Speaking with others on the medical team
Salary
Child Development Specialists are trained in their career, which means that they will make a bit more money than someone that doesn’t require further education.
On average, a Child Development Specialist will make about $44,000 a year.
However, those who are just beginning their career as a Child Development Specialist, or who work in smaller offices, will make closer to $26,000 at the start.
Gaining experience and having education in the healthcare field can lead to a salary around $68,000 a year for many Child Development Specialists.
Working in larger facilities and gaining certifications and specializations can also lead to higher salaries in this career.
Annually National Average Salary: $52,610
Average Annual Salary by State
| State | Avg. Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| Alabama | $43,800 |
| Alaska | $59,230 |
| Arizona | $51,050 |
| Arkansas | $41,750 |
| California | $57,860 |
| Colorado | $52,910 |
| Connecticut | $60,990 |
| Delaware | $51,290 |
| District of Columbia | $65,510 |
| Florida | $47,700 |
| Georgia | $52,140 |
| Hawaii | $45,190 |
| Idaho | $56,190 |
| Illinois | $46,810 |
| Indiana | $46,090 |
| Iowa | $49,020 |
| Kansas | $46,670 |
| Kentucky | $49,550 |
| Louisiana | $53,190 |
| Maine | $48,810 |
| Maryland | $53,060 |
| Massachusetts | $55,090 |
| Michigan | $48,370 |
| Minnesota | $51,440 |
| Mississippi | $38,630 |
| Missouri | $46,260 |
| Montana | $52,720 |
| Nebraska | $53,150 |
| Nevada | $63,320 |
| New Hampshire | $50,250 |
| New Jersey | $56,060 |
| New Mexico | $63,900 |
| New York | $58,020 |
| North Carolina | $50,930 |
| North Dakota | $55,650 |
| Ohio | $46,530 |
| Oklahoma | $45,450 |
| Oregon | $58,410 |
| Pennsylvania | $50,180 |
| Rhode Island | $63,660 |
| South Carolina | $46,230 |
| South Dakota | $40,480 |
| Tennessee | $45,790 |
| Texas | $44,990 |
| Utah | $52,830 |
| Vermont | $47,420 |
| Virginia | $50,630 |
| Washington | $55,020 |
| West Virginia | $38,700 |
| Wisconsin | $54,150 |
| Wyoming | $50,730 |
| Puerto Rico | $34,950 |
Annual Average Salary: Top 5 States
The top earning state in the field is District of Columbia, where the average salary is $65,510.
These are the top 5 earning states in the field:
Conducted by: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Department of Labor.
* Employment conditions in your area may vary.
How to Become a Child Development Specialist
Step 1Earn a Degree
The main goal in becoming a Child Development Specialist is to learn as much as you can about child development, naturally.
The way to go about doing that is to earn a Bachelors degree in Psychology, Early Childhood Development, or other various programs.
A Bachelors degree takes about four years to complete for full-time students.
This type of program will typically include classes like English, math, and government, but will also have more specific topics.
Some of the best courses to take to become a Child Development Specialist are:
- Language Development in Young Children
- Family Violence and Neglect
- Adolescent Development
- Human Services Administration
- Children’s Literature
- Trauma Responses
- Neuropsychology
Once you gain a Bachelors degree, you will be able to gain a career as a Child Development Specialist, as well as some other great career choices:
- Counselor
- Case Manager
- Child Advocacy
Step 2Gain Credentials
While you will be able to work as a Child Development Specialist with just a Bachelors degree, many employers, and even states, recommend earning some type of credential.
This shows employers and clients that you have the knowledge to do your job well.
The most popular type of certification for a Child Development Specialist is the Child Development Associate credential.
The Council for Professional Recognition hands out these certifications for Child Development Specialists who demonstrate knowledge and competency in the field.
There are many different types of CDA’s, including:
- Preschool
- Toddler
- Family Care
- Home Visitor Programs
The CDA requires that Child Development Specialists show competency in 6 areas:
- Safe and healthy learning environment
- Physical and intellectual
- Social and emotional
- Establishing positive and productive relationships with families
- Responsive programs
- Professionalism
This type of credential should cost around $75-$100, and will typically require some type of visit from the Council of Professional Recognition and an exam.
Step 3Find a Job
Now that you have a degree and certification, it’s time to find the job of your dreams.
Some people look to schools or local facilities in order to find careers, and there are also opportunities to work in places such as:
- Pediatric departments of hospitals
- Daycare centers
- Head Start
- Government organizations like WIC
Having proper education and experience is a great way to ensure a long-lasting career as a Child Development Specialist.
Some education programs will require that students work as an assistant in order to graduate, which could also lead to some career opportunities once you graduate.
Those with both a Bachelors degree and a CDA credential have an easier time finding job openings.
Step 4Further Your Career
There are great opportunities to work as a Child Development Specialist with a Bachelors degree, however there are many people who decide to earn a Masters degree.
This type of degree can further your career, especially with gaining promotions and raises.
Some of the careers that you can expect to be eligible for include:
- School Counselor
- Developmental Therapist
- Preschool Director
- Child Life Specialist
It’s important to gain experience as a Child Development Specialist so that you can acquire tools and tricks from working instead of through a textbook.
A Masters degree takes about two years to finish for full-time students.
Often, a Masters degree will require some type of internship or other on-the-job assignment.
Education
The minimum education requirement for a Child Development Specialist to work in the United States is a Bachelors degree.
The reason for this is that there are many things that a Child Development Specialist must learn and understand before letting them loose into the field.
It’s important to understand children, health and nutrition, as well as specific development statistics for every age group.
There are many types of Child Development degrees that can be obtained both online and in person around the country.
Most Bachelors degrees require that you have a high school diploma or a GED in order to apply.
The average Bachelors degree in the United States costs around $35,000.
Within a Child Development program, it’s important that students learn how to create lesson plans, stick to assessments, and gain the tools to teach young children.
Along with courses such as English, math, and other general education, it is likely that a Bachelors degree program in Child Development or Early Childhood Development will require courses such as:
- Teaching and Psychology
- Policies and Practices in Education Assessment
- Inclusive Learning
- Child Development Birth-3
- Child Development 3-Kindergarten
It’s typical for a Bachelors degree, especially ones that involve teaching or working with children, to require an internship or other assistant teaching experience.
Most of these internships or assessments last anywhere from one semester to an entire school year.
There are multiple ways to earn this experience, but it’s important to learn as much as possible.
If you are the type of person who wants to gain even more education as a Child Development Specialist, especially if you want to become a therapist, then earning a Masters degree may be a smart idea.
A Masters degree in Child Development can be obtained throughout the United States as well.
You can expect this type of degree to take about two years to complete.
Other ways to gain some experience as a Child Development Specialist include:
- Working at summer camps
- Volunteering at early care and education centers
- Helping out at teen pregnancy programs
Video About The Career
Certification and Licensing
You won’t legally need to become licensed or certified to work as a Child Development Specialist, however it does look good to employers and clients.
There are several types of certifications and other credentials that a Child Development Specialist can decide to pursue after earning a Bachelors degree.
One of the most popular credentials is the Child Development Associate certification from the Council for Professional Recognition.
This certification allows you to showcase your talents as a Child Development Specialist.
Applying for this certification is quite simple, all you need to do is submit your information to the Council for Professional Recognition website and pay the fee, which is around $100 to $150, depending on where you live.
Along with providing your information and work experience, you will need to take an exam in order to gain this credential.
The exam is computer based, and is given both online and in person around the country at different testing facilities.
Once you pass the exam, you will be considered a Child Development Associate.
If you plan to work with children over the age of five, most employers will require the Certified Child Life Specialist credential from the Association of Child Life Professionals.
This credential is an advanced specialization and shows employers as well as clients that you are competent, professional, and at the top of your career.
In order to gain the Certified Child Life Specialist name, you will need to undergo a rigorous exam.
Some of the topics that you will find on the exam are:
- Child life
- Child development
- Family systems
- Play
- Loss/bereavement
- Research
The exam is only given on certain dates throughout the year, so check the website often to find out more information.
Every four years, you will need to recertify for this credential, which can cost about $100 each time.
Average Training Program Duration: 4+ Years
As long as you have a Bachelors degree in a relevant program, you can earn a certification as a Child Development Specialist.
The best programs require taking an exam, rather than spending time training.
Training is done through working in the field, in the classroom, and one-on-one with students in this career.
You should have at least 6 months of working experience before attempting to gain certification.
Popular Programs
Job Outlook
With the growing concern of mental health and the development of children in the United States, there will be a huge growth in this career field.
Not only will there be a rise in career opportunities for Child Development Specialists, but that number is going to grow around 13 percent.
That is quite a lot more than many other careers within the education and healthcare fields.
This is due to the importance of health, both physical and mental, for children.
Governments, both local and federal, are trying to make it easier and more cost-efficient to provide healthcare and developmental coverage more and more as the years go on.
Child Development Specialists with advanced education and experience in the field will likely find more career openings than someone with no knowledge of the field.
Employment Growth Projection: 21%
2020
2030
That's a higher than average projected growth of 13,500 jobs.
Child Development Specialist: Interest Over Time
Should You Become a Child Development Specialist
Overall Satisfaction: High
Helping children and providing families with care is one of the biggest perks of having a career as a Child Development Specialist.
Those who work in this field believe that they are creating a better world, which makes the work fun and rewarding.
Some of the downfalls of this career are the hours and the amount of work.
Many CHild Development Specialists have a lot of cases that they have to handle, which can be stressful.
Overall, though, this career is very important and can provide a lucrative and rewarding life.
Average Salary: High
A Child Development Specialist has an important role in the medical field.
That is why the pay for this career is very good, especially when you have experience and credentials.
Child Development Specialists at the top of their career can make close to $70,000 in some places.
However, the average annual salary for a Child Development Specialist is closer to $44,000 a year.
Don’t expect that high of a salary if you are just beginning your career as a Child Development Specialist.
Those who are new on the scene typically average about $26,000 a year to begin.
Job Growth Outlook: High
Child development is becoming an increasingly popular area to focus on in the medical field.
This is because there are many new things we are learning about child development, both physically and mentally.
If you have an interest in becoming a Child Development Specialist, then you may want to know that this career will grow about 13 percent over the next decade.
This is an incredible increase compared to other careers in the same field.
Having a relevant degree and even speaking a foreign language can help you to find more job opportunities as a Child Development Specialist.
Education Duration: 4+ Years
The minimum requirement to work as a Child Development Specialist in the United States is a Bachelors degree.
This type of degree can take about four years to finish, though there are some online schools that have accelerated programs.
It is important to find a school that is accredited and has licensing opportunities in your state.
For those who want a higher education, a Masters degree will be sufficient.
A Masters degree can take about two years to finish for full-time students.
All in all, it takes anywhere from four to six years to become a Child Development Specialist.
Personal Skills Needed
In this career, it’s important to have a solid knowledge of psychology and child development.
There are some other personal skills that are required in order to be a success in this role as well.
Some of the top Child Development Specialist skills are:
- Leadership skills
- Sensitivity
- Empathy
- Flexibility
- Physical and mental stamina
- Communication skills
- Organizational skills
- Good imagination
- Listening skills
- Knowledge of group dynamics
- Patience
- Problem solving skills
- Positive attitude
Working with children can be difficult at times because they like to do what they want, so having emotional control and the ability to redirect are also some great qualities.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q. How much does a Child Development Specialist make?
There are some great opportunities to earn a decent salary as a Child Development Specialist.
In fact, the average Child Development Specialist makes over $44,000 annually.
Starting out in this career, it is likely that you’ll see a salary closer to $30,000 or even less.
However, with experience and knowledge in the field, you can grow to earn more than $70,000 in some areas.
Q. What does a Child Development Specialist do?
A Child Development Specialist is trained to understand and help children with psychological, social, or other disabilities.
In order to keep children on track developmentally, a Child Development Specialist will work with groups or individual children, either in a school system or private office, to ensure that they are learning and growing like they should be.
There are a variety of things that a Child Development Specialist does throughout the day, including filling out paperwork, speaking with families, and attending meetings.
Q. What is the demand for Child Development Specialists?
Within the next several years, we should see a rise in the need for Child Development Specialists.
This is because many more schools are introducing programs so that all children can learn at the same pace.
Also, with retirements and seasoned Child Development Specialists leaving the workforce, there will be more job openings in the near future.
Q. How long does it take to become a Child Development Specialist?
Most Child Development Specialists have at least a Bachelors degree.
This takes about four years to finish for full-time students, or up to 6 years for part-time students.
Some Child Development Specialists even earn a Masters degree in the field.
This can take another two years to complete.
All in all, it can take anywhere from 4-6 years to become a Child Development Specialist.
Q. How much does it cost to become a Child Development Specialist?
Depending on where you go to school, a degree to become a Child Development Specialist can be pricey.
Some colleges offer Bachelors degrees for $15,000 to $30,000, and some require at least $45,000 for an education.
Earning a Masters degree can cost another $25,000 to $50,000, depending on the type of degree and where you take classes.
It can cost anywhere from $15,000 to over $50,000 to become a Child Development Specialist.
