Child care and social services training in California
132 child care and social services programs in 6 fields of education and social services, with costs, results and funding that can make them free
57 schools offer these programs, and California has approved every one for workforce funding. Compare the 6 fields below, then open one to see each program with its price and how past students did.
These programs lead to work caring for and supporting people: early childhood education for preschool and child care, addiction counseling, mental health and human services work, behavior technician (RBT) training, teacher assistant (paraprofessional) training, and community health work. Most are certificates or courses that prepare for a state credential; some are two-year degrees.
All job training programs in California, every line of work
Accredited child care and social services programs in California, each school with its accreditor
Child care and social services training by state, to compare California with other states
Compare child care and social services programs in California: cost, pay and results
65 programs at 32 schools
- Most cost
- $723 to $2,123
- Earned a year, estimated
- Not enough data
- Working 6 months later
- Not enough data
- Finished
- 61%
26 programs at 18 schools
- Most cost
- $1,800 to $6,000
- Earned a year, estimated
- about $44,300
- Working 6 months later
- 75%
- Finished
- 62%
15 programs at 11 schools
- Most cost
- $1,081 to $2,352
- Earned a year, estimated
- Not enough data
- Working 6 months later
- Not enough data
- Finished
- 100%
13 programs at 11 schools
- Most cost
- $666 to $2,745
- Earned a year, estimated
- Not enough data
- Working 6 months later
- Not enough data
- Finished
- Not enough data
11 programs at 10 schools
- Most cost
- $2,160 to $3,394
- Earned a year, estimated
- about $48,400
- Working 6 months later
- 89%
- Finished
- 83%
2 programs at 2 schools
- Most cost
- Not enough data
- Earned a year, estimated
- Not enough data
- Working 6 months later
- Not enough data
- Finished
- Not enough data
Each figure is the middle program of that field. Yearly earnings are the reported quarter times four, an estimate. Source: US Department of Labor, program year 2024 (July 2024 to June 2025). Only programs approved for workforce funding are counted; other schools in California may offer more. How these figures are made
Other job training in California, by line of work
- Trade school programs644
- Medical certification programs517
- Business and office training498
- IT certification programs417
- Nursing and patient care programs231
- Allied health programs186
- First responder training175
- Transportation and logistics training173
- Beauty school120
- Culinary and hospitality programs90
- All job training in California3,183
Programs approved in California in each line of work.
Where the California child care and social services numbers come from
Which California programs are counted?
Programs California approved for WIOA funding (public workforce funding under the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act) in the fields listed above. Each state keeps its approved programs on an eligible training provider list (ETPL).5 They come from the US Department of Labor's file for program year 2024 (July 2024 to June 2025), covering programs approved as of June 30, 2025. Schools that never applied for approval are missing, so this is a part of what California offers.
What the figures for each field mean
Each figure is the middle program among those that report it: half did better, half did worse. Prices are what most programs cost if you pay yourself (the middle half). Earnings are for the second quarter after students left, times four. Where a figure is missing, the table says why: "Not reported", "Left out" or "Not enough data" (what each means).
Sources for the funding facts about child care and social services programs in California
Show the 5 sourcesHide the sources
- US Department of Labor, TrainingProviderResults.gov: About This Site
- US Department of Labor: WIOA Adult Program
- Code of Federal Regulations, title 20, part 680, sections 680.220, 680.230 and 680.310: career services before training, other grants such as Pell Grants first, and limits on Individual Training Accounts (GovInfo, 2024 edition)
- US Department of Labor: American Job Centers
- US Department of Labor, Training and Employment Guidance Letter 8-19, Attachment I: Requirements for Training Providers, Program Eligibility, and the State Eligible Training Provider (ETP) List