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Having a Child Development Associate (CDA) credential on your resume can make a big difference when you’re looking for daycare jobs or when you want to get promoted at your current school. It can also often be a requirement for many child care employers. Here’s what you need to know about the CDA, how to get it, and the impact it can have on your career.
A CDA is a common credential in the early childhood education field and is an important steppingstone to advancing your career or earning more money. This credential shows that you have the knowledge and hands-on skills to properly care for and teach young children, focused on working with kids from infants to about 5 years old.
Yes, it’s worth getting your CDA if you see working in early childhood education as a long-term career. While a CDA is not a requirement to work with children, it can make a big difference in your career – from helping you stand out when you’re applying for jobs to increasing the likelihood you’ll get a promotion and earn more money. If you work in private childcare, such as a nanny, having a CDA on your resume can also give parents confidence in your skills and abilities.
Read more: What Makes A Good Childcare Provider
There are many benefits to earning your CDA. These include:
Many employers don’t require a CDA to gain an entry-level job in a daycare, but having a CDA can help you stand out from other applicants and give you more opportunities beyond just entry-level work.
If you’re already working in a daycare or childcare facility but don’t have your CDA, earning it can help you qualify for promotions and even raises.
Having a CDA can qualify you for raises or even help you earn more money when you first start your daycare job. For example, someone without a CDA can expect to earn around $30,370 per year, while someone who has earned the credential can potentially make at least $7,000 more per year. The amount of money you can earn working in childcare can vary by state and employer, but overall, if you do have a CDA it’s more than likely that you’ll earn at least a little bit more than your coworkers who don’t have one.
Yes! While salaries can vary based on a variety of factors, in general, those with a CDA are likely to earn more than those that don’t have the credential.
Gaining a CDA isn’t like earning an associate’s degree. The CDA isn’t a course or form of training. Rather, it’s a way to show that you have the skills and knowledge needed to be an excellent childcare worker. On the other hand, an associate’s degree can teach you a lot of skills that can help you best prepare for a job in the early childhood field. Often, those who do get an early childhood education associate degree will also take the steps to get their CDA. However, you don’t necessarily need to complete a full degree or training program to qualify for a CDA.
Read more: What are the Differences Between a Certificate, Diploma, and Degree?
Getting your CDA requires a few steps.
You’ll need to have completed high school or earned an equivalent credential like the GED.
While you don’t have to complete a full degree or training program, you DO need to have 120 hours of formal, relevant education to qualify for a CDA. These 120 hours could be completed through an associate degree in early childhood education, a child care training course, or specific classes that are geared toward helping you prepare for the CDA.
Read more: Going Back to School as an Adult
You’ll need to complete 480 hours of documented work experience to qualify for the CDA. These hours can be completed unpaid, sort of like an externship, however this requirement is why many people who pursue their CDA are already working in a daycare setting.
If you don’t already work at a daycare or with children in some capacity, it’s also important to consider where you DO want to work. As part of the CDA process, you’ll need to select an environment you want to focus on. That’s where you’ll gain your work experience hours and what you’ll include in your portfolio. These environments include:
Once you’ve gotten the other requirements taken care of, your next step is to begin putting your portfolio together. Your portfolio will include a lot of information and documents, so as soon as you start working toward earning a CDA, it’s important to start collecting this information. In general, your portfolio will include things like:
When you’re ready, you can apply online for the CDA to kickstart the process.
Earning your CDA is not a short process; it can take around 6 months once you apply to get everything done and approved. After you apply, you’ll need to do things like have a verification visit with a CDA professional development specialist. They’ll come visit you at your place of work to verify and assess your abilities.
You’ll need to register and sit for the CDA exam, which will test your knowledge and competency. After you’ve passed, your exam scores, as well as all of the other materials you submitted, will be assessed to determine whether or not they’ll award you your CDA credential.
To maintain your CDA, you’ll need to renew every 3 years. While not as in-depth as gaining your original CDA, the renewal process will also involve some further steps and submitting documentation to the CDA council.
Jobs you can pursue may take place in a classroom setting, daycare, or home. Those with a CDA Credential can work as:
There’s a lot involved in earning your CDA and navigating the requirements – including gaining the 120 hours of formal education – can feel overwhelming. But it doesn’t have to be! Through Ashworth College’s CDA Credential Preparation Program, you’ll cover some teaching essentials and foundational skills that can fulfill your 120 education requirement while also getting guidance on completing your CDA portfolio and application. If you’re ready to take the first steps toward a new career or want to advance at your current role, get started by calling an Admissions Advisor at 1-800-957-5412 or enroll online today.
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