Child life specialist salary
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In areas where the cost of living is higher, you can generally expect to earn more to offset this increased expense of day-to-day life. However, a medical professional will often call upon a child life specialist to ease emotional stress related to the procedure either before, during, or after the patient receives medical care.
What are the Requirements to Become a Child Life Specialist?
Educational Requirements
A bachelor’s degree is required to become a child life specialist.
Consulting$156,620
Connecticut Children's Medical Center$67,009
Child life specialist salaries by experience level
Child life specialist salary estimates from across the web
Based on the latest salary information compiled by Zippia, Salary.com, Indeed, Glassdoor, Ziprecruiter, SalaryExpert and Payscale, the average salary for a child life specialist typically falls between $40,368 and $66,964.
glassdoor[1]
$66,964yearlySalary.com[3]
$59,526yearlyZipRecruiter[4]
$56,140yearlySalaryExpert[6]
$61,161yearlyAverage child life specialist salary by state
The average child life specialist salary in California, New Mexico, and Nevada are the highest in the U.S.
The lowest average child life specialist salary states are Iowa, Vermont, and Maine.
Highest paying states for child life specialists
Top child life specialist jobs near you
Highest paying cities for child life specialists
The highest-paying cities for child life specialists are San Francisco, CA, New York, NY, and Chicago, IL.
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Child life specialist salary details
A child life specialist's salary ranges from $31,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $96,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a child life specialist's salary?
Highest paying child life specialist jobs
The highest paying types of child life specialists are specialist, human service specialist, and social services specialist.
Which companies pay child life specialists the most?
Child life specialist salaries at L.E.K.
This involves passing a comprehensive certification exam administered by the Association of Child Life Professionals. Obtaining certifications, particularly the Certified Child Life Specialist (CCLS) credential, can further distinguish you in the field and potentially buoy your earnings.
Lastly, the type of employer—be it a public hospital, private healthcare institution, or non-profit organization—can influence your salary.
Even those who work repeatedly with the same children need to insert a variety of games and communication styles to keep children distracted and entertained.
Your educational background also comes into play.
Child life specialists working in New York, Texas, Florida and Arizona on average earn $60,636, $63,541, $61,473 and $63,975 per year respectively.
As of March 2023, child life specialists working in Illinois, Michigan and Missouri on average earn $59,285, $57,773 and $55,013 per year respectively.
Furthermore, as of March 2023, child life specialists working in North Carolina, Ohio and New Jersey on average earn $55,071, $56,364 and $57,055 per year respectively.
Hourly wages are often reported as child life specialists may work on contract so do not earn an annual salary.
In 2014, the average child life specialist earned $44,118 annually, but today, they earn $55,201 a year. With time, you could transition into leadership or administrative positions, or specialize in areas like bereavement or program development, which naturally come with enhanced earning potential.
Your experience level not only influences how much you might make but also opens the door to roles that demand and reward advanced competencies.
As a child life specialist, you might start in a hands-on role directly supporting children and families. Benefits such as healthcare insurance, retirement contributions, and paid time off can markedly increase your overall package’s value. That works out to a 13% change in pay for child life specialists over the last decade.
Compare child life specialist salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average child life specialist salary over time
Compare child life specialist salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Child life specialist salary by year
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A Child Life Specialist’s salary can range significantly based on various factors such as experience, geographical location, and type of employer.
They work with children under 18 years of age (although patients are often younger children) and their families to ease discomfort during hospital visits as well as educate children on health issues and topics.
The role of a child life specialist is important within the pediatrics department at a hospital.
Conversely, in regions with a lower cost of living, salaries may not reach the national average but can offer a comfortable living when adjusted for local expenses.
Urban centers or regions with a high concentration of medical facilities often offer higher salaries to attract professionals who can meet the demand for child life specialists.
Within the hospital, there are also a variety of settings to work in.
These projections suggest sustained or even increasing demand for child life specialists, reflecting the ongoing recognition of the critical emotional and developmental support these professionals provide in healthcare settings.
Child life specialist salary
Understanding Child Life Specialist Salaries
As of October 2025, the average salary for a Child Life Specialist is approximately $55,201 annually, translating to about $27 per hour.
A few internships are offered at the undergraduate level but are more common in graduate programs.
Where Does a Child Life Specialist Work?
Child life specialists work primarily in the pediatric department of hospitals. As of April 2025, average Child Life Specialist salary in the United States is $56,229, with experienced professionals earning over $70,000.
Child life specialists in California on average earn $60,339 pear year.
They work tirelessly to create an environment that supports optimal development, even in the face of illness and hospitalization.