Retraining ReportJob training public funding can pay for

Find training

Early childhood education programs in Washington

175 early childhood programs with costs, results and funding that can make them free

30 schools offer these early childhood education programs, and Washington has approved every one for workforce funding. Each shows its price if you pay yourself and how past students did.

Childcare workers look after children's needs and help their early development. What they need varies by state and employer, from no formal education to a certificate in early childhood education; most often states ask for the Child Development Associate (CDA) credential, which takes coursework, experience and a period of being observed working with children.1 The CDA takes a high school diploma or GED, 120 hours of early childhood education, 480 hours of work with the age group you choose within three years, a portfolio and the CDA exam.2

In Washington, 14 of the 175 programs take students without a high school diploma, 37 ask for a diploma or equivalent, 119 ask for earlier courses first and 5 ask for a bachelor's degree.

By kind, the 175 programs here are child care or preschool certificate (145 programs), early childhood education (associate degree, 27 programs), CDA (Child Development Associate) course (2 programs) and early childhood education program (level not stated, 1 program).

See the 175 programs

How much do early childhood education programs cost in Washington?

Certificates and short courses (147 programs)
$1,835 to $2,978most of them, usually 12 to 25 weeks long
Two-year degrees (27 programs)
$8,270 to $10,848most of them, usually 60 weeks long

What you pay yourself for the whole program, as the schools report it. "Most" is the middle half of the programs with a price.

In the typical program

Finished the program
55%
Working 6 months later
74%
Earned a year, estimated
about $32,000
Length
12 to 30 weeks

Source: US Department of Labor, program year 2024 (July 2024 to June 2025). Only programs approved for workforce funding are listed; other schools in Washington may also offer early childhood education programs. How these figures are made

Are there free early childhood education programs in Washington?

Who qualifies, and other ways to pay: financial aid, grants and the GI Bill

All 175 early childhood programs in Washington approved for WIOA funding

Filters
What you need to enroll
Kind of program
School
How it's taught
How to show the list

175 programs

How to pay for early childhood education programs in Washington

WIOA funding can pay for early childhood education programs in Washington

Every program on this page is approved for it. Whether you qualify, how much your local area pays and how to apply are on our page Does WIOA pay for job training?

Financial aid and grants for early childhood education programs

Most students can get federal student aid for college, career school or trade school. A Federal Pell Grant, unlike a loan, usually doesn't have to be repaid. Ask the school whether its program qualifies.78

GI Bill for early childhood education programs

Veterans, service members and qualified dependents can use GI Bill benefits for non-college training programs.9

The program list does not show which programs accept these. Ask the school.

Quick facts: Early childhood education programs in Washington

programs with a price cost under $2,000
49 of 165
lowest typical price among the states with enough programs to compare
4th of 33
other states where the typical program's graduates earned less
18 of 20
early childhood programs of any state: no state has more than Washington
Most

State comparisons use the same figures as the early childhood education programs by state table: the middle program of each state, and only states with three or more schools for prices. Source: US Department of Labor, program year 2024 (July 2024 to June 2025).

Early childhood education programs in Seattle, Longview, Bremerton and other Washington cities

Areas with 10 or more programs have a page of their own. Choosing another area filters the program list above. 47 more programs are in 9 other areas and 4 online.

Other training in Washington

How early childhood education programs compare with the rest of education and social services: Child care and social services training in Washington

Where the Washington early childhood education program numbers come from

Which Washington early childhood education programs are on this list?

These are the early childhood education programs Washington approved for WIOA funding (public workforce funding under the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act), as reported to the US Department of Labor for program year 2024 (July 2024 to June 2025). Each state keeps its approved programs on an eligible training provider list (ETPL).10 The list here covers programs approved as of June 30, 2025. Schools that never applied for approval are missing, so this is a part of what Washington offers.

How the prices and results of Washington early childhood education programs are measured

Prices are tuition and required fees for someone paying without workforce funding, as the school reported them; check the current price with the school. Results describe students who left each program in recent years, so they are no guarantee, and the yearly earnings are the reported quarter times four, an estimate. A program without a "Trained with WIOA funding" line may still take WIOA students. Where a field was left empty or withheld, the page says "Not reported", and "Left out" where a figure was filed but failed one of our checks; nothing is estimated to fill a gap. Where the numbers come from explains each figure in full.

Sources for the facts about early childhood education programs in Washington

Show the 10 sourcesHide the sources
  1. US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook: Childcare Workers
  2. Council for Professional Recognition: CDA Credentialing Process Overview (February 2026)
  3. US Department of Labor, TrainingProviderResults.gov: About This Site
  4. US Department of Labor: WIOA Adult Program
  5. 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)
  6. US Department of Labor: American Job Centers
  7. US Department of Education, Federal Student Aid: Eligibility for Federal Student Aid
  8. US Department of Education, Federal Student Aid: Don't Miss Out on Federal Pell Grants
  9. US Department of Veterans Affairs: GI Bill benefits for non-college degree programs
  10. 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