Director Prices

[jayewash]

What is a reasonable amount to start a director out with when opening a brand new center? Should it be by salary or by the hour? I need all of the opinions I can get from my seasoned members.

Details: it's a two building center. One for school age and one for 6weeks through 5. The daycare will be open 24/7. I am also requiring her to come up with handbooks, daily reports, applications, you name it. Basically I am just the owner but she will run the daycare.

[Controlled Chaos]

The amount will depend on your area. I would do salary. Otherwise you will have lots of problems with overtime.

[Leigh]

What is a reasonable amount to start a director out with when opening a brand new center? Should it be by salary or by the hour? I need all of the opinions I can get from my seasoned members.

Details: it's a two building center. One for school age and one for 6weeks through 5. The daycare will be open 24/7. I am also requiring her to come up with handbooks, daily reports, applications, you name it. Basically I am just the owner but she will run the daycare.

I think the job should be salaried, and honestly, you don't want my advice on price, I'm sure. I can tell you that I wouldn't touch a director job for less than $60,000.

[Blackcat31]

I think the job should be salaried, and honestly, you don't want my advice on price, I'm sure. I can tell you that I wouldn't touch a director job for less than $60,000.

Exactly! That was my first thought!

They are basically doing everything but owning the building and owning the building seems like a pretty small expense compared to "everything" running the child care entails.

[Cat Herder]

I just pulled up my published state data and it says $95,000. ::::

Is that the promise they use to get tuition $$ from college students.

[Controlled Chaos]

I just pulled up my published state data and it says $95,000. ::::

Is that the promise they use to get tuition $$ from college students.

:::::::: There is no way! I would take one for $60,000 take home...so after taxes BUT...yea, I'm sure that's not the going rate

[jayewash]

I'm in TN and the going price is $42,600. I think that price may be reasonable.

[LysesKids]

I'm in TN and the going price is $42,600. I think that price may be reasonable.

Just because that is the going price should it mean that is what should be offered... I know I wouldn't take the job for that amount. I make over half that working with just 4 kids in my house within 15 minutes of one of the larger cities of TN and I don't have all that responsibility. (that is Gross not net... I get the perks of deductions)

And yes, I have a degree and my childcare families say I'm underpaid .

[Unregistered]

I hear in Michigan here,the average is low 40s. If the center is 24/7, you are asking a lot of a director and they will expect to be compensated for that. I would think 70s would be a fair starting salary.

[DaveA]

I would do salaried. Because you're asking them to run the show completely and it's a 24/7 center find out what the higher end of the "average range" is in your area and add 25%. Unless you get real lucky the first time I would also count on going through a couple people before either bringing in the right fit or finding someone internally who will be the long term solution.

[satcook]

I'm a director and get paid well below what I'm worth, but I'm working on slowly changing that....

The job you are describing I wouldn't touch for less than $50,000. With a 24/7 center she will never be off duty and that will produce burnout very quickly.

Lori

[Unregistered]

Exactly! That was my first thought!

They are basically doing everything but owning the building and owning the building seems like a pretty small expense compared to "everything" running the child care entails.

It sounds to me like the OP probably isn't qualified to be the director. I.e. someone with the experience and education is going to be director while OP is just owns the building. I'd say 45K at lowest. I live in a high cost of living area. 60K seems like too much and no room for growth salary wise.

[Blackcat31]

It sounds to me like the OP probably isn't qualified to be the director. I.e. someone with the experience and education is going to be director while OP is just owns the building. I'd say 45K at lowest. I live in a high cost of living area. 60K seems like too much and no room for growth salary wise.

The salary should be area specific for sure!

I make more than your lowest suggestion with a small one owner/operator show so for me it would take a lot more to "work for" someone else.

In my state the qualifications are becoming tighter and higher to be a director so it only make sense that the salary compensate the education as well as experience. Its not at all like it used to be... owning a center but hiring someone else to run it no longer seems to be a profitable idea here.

[Unregistered]

The salary should be area specific for sure!

I make more than your lowest suggestion with a small one owner/operator show so for me it would take a lot more to "work for" someone else.

In my state the qualifications are becoming tighter and higher to be a director so it only make sense that the salary compensate the education as well as experience. Its not at all like it used to be... owning a center but hiring someone else to run it no longer seems to be a profitable idea here.

I make more than 45k, too. I live in NJ. I made less when I used to work in a center as a director. I was making 35k. I could make it. Once my husband and I got a house, I said screw this and made our basement my daycare. 60k is a bit much. Unless you work for yourself, or in the school system, you'll never make a lot working with kids.Honestly, that's mostly who gets the director jobs someone with a teaching licence and BA/MA who can't get a board of ed job. In NJ, houses are expensive. Most people rent. You can't rent and do daycare.

[jayewash]

It sounds to me like the OP probably isn't qualified to be the director. I.e. someone with the experience and education is going to be director while OP is just owns the building. I'd say 45K at lowest. I live in a high cost of living area. 60K seems like too much and no room for growth salary wise.

The role is actually reversed. I put the post as a owner to see if I would get better honest replies. But yes, I have been offered to be a director since I was unable to get my loan to open my center. The owner hasn't given me a set salary. I don't know what she is intending on paying me just yet but I wanted to know what I should expect. the owner is one that will just sit back and collect... Meanwhile... I'm doing all of the work including parent handbooks, employee handbooks, employee applications, websites, etc. I don't know what I got myself in but I hope I am compensated for this. This daycare is in the middle stages of opening. I am 6-8 weeks out.