Examining Wage Growth in ECE Programs: Evidence from Massachusetts

Authors: Pia Caronongan, Katie Hyland

Project Summary

Early educators are among the lowest-paid workers in the United States, in part because most early care and education (ECE) programs operate within constrained business models. In Massachusetts, the Commonwealth Cares for Children (C3) program distributes grants that can be used for workforce investments. We examined how educator wages changed during the program’s implementation and what factors explain variation in wage growth. Average wages for teachers, assistant teachers, and directors increased between fiscal years 2022 and 2025, though gains are smaller after adjusting for inflation. Despite these gains, wages remain far below ideal levels, and many baseline disparities persist.