How much does a childcare worker make in Japan?
Answer: The average childcare worker in Japan makes $28,509 (¥4.28M) a year (monthly pay × 12 plus bonus, 2025, Japan's Basic Survey on Wage Structure).
Monthly pay $1,905 × 12 + bonus $5,653. Average age 40.3; about 292,000 people work in this job. About the same as the Japan-wide average ($33,720).
Childcare worker pay in Japan (2025, averages by company size and sex)
| Company size | Everyone | Men | Women | Age |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Any size | $28,509 | $30,031 | $28,437 | 40.3 |
| Big company | $29,497 | $30,093 | $29,462 | 39.7 |
| Mid-size | $28,056 | $30,040 | $27,931 | 38.6 |
| Small company | $28,569 | $29,995 | $28,525 | 41.5 |
Why does pay differ?
In Japan, experience, location, employer size, and full- or part-time hours can all affect a childcare worker’s pay. Public facilities follow public-service pay rules, and nursery, hospital, or children’s residential-care jobs may have different pay and shift arrangements.
What if you were…
In Japan, age and company size matter mostPick a company size, sex or age to see that group's average here.
How it changes with age
Tap an age to update the number above (Any company size, men and women combined)
How it changes with company size
What does a childcare worker do?
What's a typical day like?
At drop-off, a worker greets children and checks how they seem, then leads a park walk and helps at lunch. During naps, they watch breathing, face color, and posture; later come snacks, play, pickups, and daily notes.
How to get this job
In Japan, complete an approved two-to-four-year childcare course after high school, including placements; graduates qualify without an exam. Another route is to meet the entry rules, pass written and practical tests, then register.
Did you know?
In Japan, nursery teachers check sleeping children’s face color, breathing, and posture—and even the room’s temperature and humidity—to help keep them safe.
What about the US?
Nearly the same jobJapan's figure is the average and the US figure is the median. Prices and exchange rates matter too, so it's a rough comparison.
Similar jobs
Healthcare and welfare jobsEarn more in the same field
Healthcare and welfare jobs that pay a bit moreSources and data
Source: MHLW Basic Survey on Wage Structure 2025 (regular workers, by occupation) (e-Stat). Yearly pay = monthly contractual cash earnings × 12 + annual bonus. Averages for regular workers at firms with 10+ employees. Public employees (teachers, police, firefighters) and company executives are not in this survey. e-stat.go.jp
Pages used for the text
- shigoto.mhlw.go.jp/User/Occupation/Detail/131
- www.cfa.go.jp/policies/hoiku/hello_mirai/naruniha
- www.mhlw.go.jp/hoiku-hellomirai/work/
- www.e-stat.go.jp/stat-search/files?cycle_facet=tclass1%3Atclass2%3Acycle&data=1&
Data: MHLW Basic Survey on Wage Structure 2025 · 1 USD = 150 JPY