Preschool CDA credential: what it is, what it takes, and what it pays

Last updated 2026-07-09

What is the preschool CDA credential?

The Child Development Associate (CDA) credential is a nationally portable, competency-based certification that proves you can apply child development knowledge in a real classroom. The Council for Professional Recognition has run it since 1975 and has issued more than 800,000 credentials to date ^[1]. The preschool setting type is built for educators working with children ages 3 through 5 in center-based programs.

There are four CDA setting types: center-based preschool, center-based infant/toddler, family child care, and home visitor. This article covers the preschool setting. If you work with infants and toddlers, or you run a licensed home daycare, those are separate credential paths with slightly different competency requirements. The structure is the same.

The credential is not a degree. It sits below an associate's degree in early childhood education on the workforce ladder, but it carries real weight. Head Start programs are federally required to keep at least 50% of their teachers holding a baccalaureate or higher, and the CDA remains a recognized qualification for the other positions. Many state licensing systems list it as a minimum standard or a step on their career lattice ^[2].

Think of it as the baseline professional benchmark. It signals you understand the six CDA Competency Standards: safe and healthy learning environments, physical and intellectual competence, social and emotional development, relationships with families, program management, and professionalism.

Who should get the preschool CDA specifically?

Get the preschool CDA if you work in, or are about to work in, a center-based classroom with 3- to 5-year-olds. That covers lead teachers, assistant teachers, and aides in licensed childcare centers, preschool programs, and Head Start or Early Head Start sites.

Home daycare providers who serve a mixed age range often ask whether to pursue the preschool setting or the family child care CDA. Here's the honest answer. If you care for preschool-age children in a group setting (center-based, not your own home), the preschool track is right. If you run a licensed family child care home, the family child care CDA maps better to your environment and is what most state licensing systems recognize for that setting ^[3].

The credential matters for pay too. Child Care Aware of America's 2023 data puts median wages for child care workers around $13.71 per hour nationally, but centers that require the CDA as a condition of hire tend to pay more than those with no qualifications bar ^[4].

Some states have tiered quality rating and improvement systems (QRIS) that attach bonus pay, subsidy rate differentials, or scholarship dollars specifically to staff who hold the CDA. If your state does this, the credential has a direct financial return. You can read how subsidy systems interact with staff qualifications on our childcare subsidy page.

What are the eligibility requirements for the preschool CDA?

In 2023 the Council simplified the eligibility requirements after years of feedback about barriers to entry. To apply for the preschool CDA you need ^[1]:

1. A high school diploma or GED. 2. 120 clock hours of early childhood education (ECE) training covering all eight subject areas the Council specifies (planning a safe environment, advancing physical and intellectual development, supporting social and emotional development, building family and community relationships, managing an effective program, maintaining a commitment to professionalism, observing and recording children's behavior, and understanding principles of child development). 3. 480 hours of professional experience working with children ages 3 to 5 in a center-based setting within the past 5 years. These hours must be documented. 4. A current Infant/Child CPR and First Aid certification.

That's the whole list. You do not need college credit hours, though many community colleges package their CDA coursework as for-credit courses, which can stack toward a degree later.

One thing trips people up. The 480 experience hours and the 120 training hours are separate requirements. Classroom seat time does not count toward experience hours, and volunteer hours generally do not count either. The experience must be substantive, direct work with children in an eligible setting, paid or unpaid.

How do you actually complete the 120 training hours?

The 120 hours must cover all eight subject areas and come from a qualified provider. Qualified providers include accredited community colleges, four-year universities, CCR&R (Child Care Resource and Referral) agencies, Head Start programs, professional associations, and some online platforms the Council has reviewed ^[1].

Most candidates use one of three routes.

Community college coursework. An introductory ECE certificate program at a community college usually runs 12 to 18 credit hours and covers well over 120 clock hours of instruction. Cost runs anywhere from $1,500 to $5,000 depending on your state and whether you qualify for financial aid. The upside: those credits stack toward an associate's degree later. Many state ECE agencies keep lists of approved programs.

CDA-specific training programs. The Council runs its own competency-based CDA Credential Online Training, priced at $475 as of 2024, covering exactly the eight required subject areas ^[1]. Several organizations, including Child Care Education Institute (CCEI) and Zero to Three, offer CDA training packages ^[10].

Blended or in-person workshops. Many CCR&R agencies offer free or subsidized CDA training to local providers, especially in states with active QRIS programs. If you're not sure what your state offers, your local CCR&R is the first call to make. Find yours through Child Care Aware of America's agency locator ^[4].

Keep every certificate, transcript, and attendance record. You'll document all 120 hours in your Professional Portfolio.

What goes into the CDA professional portfolio?

The portfolio is the evidence file that shows your competence across the six CDA Competency Standards. It is not a scrapbook. It's a structured document with required components ^[1].

Required portfolio contents:

• Family questionnaires. You distribute these to at least six families in your program. They ask about their observations of you as an educator. Completed questionnaires go to your Professional Development Specialist (PDS) in a sealed envelope. You never see the responses.
• Resource collection. Eighteen items organized by competency standard: a community resource list, a sample family newsletter, a child observation record, a health and safety checklist, and more. The Council specifies exactly what belongs in each category.
• Reflective competency statements. Six written statements, one per competency standard, explaining how your work with children demonstrates that competency. These run 200 to 500 words each and should cite specific examples from your practice.
• Training verification. Documentation of all 120 clock hours.
• Professional philosophy statement. A short written statement describing your beliefs about early childhood education.

The portfolio takes most candidates 2 to 4 months to assemble while working their regular jobs. Build it as you go. Reconstructing observations and reflections from memory at the end is harder than jotting things down in the moment.

For curriculum ideas to reference in your competency statements, programs like the creative curriculum for preschool or Frog Street Press preschool curriculum give you concrete frameworks to discuss. Same goes for Montessori preschool curriculum if your center uses it.

What happens during the CDA verification visit?

Once your portfolio is complete and your application is submitted, the Council assigns a credentialed Professional Development Specialist (PDS) to conduct your verification visit. This is a formal observation of you working with preschool-age children in your program setting ^[1].

The PDS usually spends 1.5 to 3 hours observing your classroom, reviewing your portfolio materials, and holding a short reflective dialogue with you. The reflective dialogue is a professional conversation, not a pop quiz. Expect questions like: how do you handle a child having a hard transition? How do you talk to families about developmental concerns? You're describing your actual practice, so honest and specific answers beat textbook recitations.

After the visit, the PDS sends a recommendation to the Council. If the recommendation is positive and your application is complete, the Council issues your credential. The full timeline from application submission to credential award runs about 6 to 8 weeks after the verification visit, though the Council advises allowing up to 90 days ^[1].

If the PDS does not recommend the credential, you get written feedback and can apply for a second visit after addressing the gaps. It happens. It's not the end of the world.

How much does the preschool CDA credential cost?

The Council's application fee is $425 for a first-time applicant as of 2024 ^[1]. That fee covers the application review, the PDS verification visit, and the credential itself if awarded.

But the application fee is not your total cost. Add in:

• Training costs: $0 (if your CCR&R subsidizes it) to $5,000 (community college route).
• Portfolio materials: printing, binders, postage for family questionnaires. Usually under $50.
• CPR/First Aid certification: $30 to $100 depending on your area.
• PDS fees: The Council matches you with a PDS and folds that cost into the application fee. Candidates who arrange their own PDS may see separate fees. Check the Council's current guidance.

Realistic total range: $500 on the very low end if you get free training and employer support, up to $6,000 if you pay full community college tuition out of pocket. Many states offer CDA scholarships through their QRIS or CCDF funds. The Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF), which states use to fund quality initiatives, explicitly allows states to spend CCDF quality set-aside dollars on professional development, including CDA training costs ^[5].

If you're employer-sponsored, ask before paying anything out of pocket. Head Start grantees, in particular, often fund the entire process for their staff.

CDA credential vs. preschool teacher permit: what's the actual difference?

This question comes up constantly, and the confusion makes sense. The two credentials do similar jobs but come from completely different systems.

The CDA credential is a national, competency-based credential issued by a private nonprofit, the Council for Professional Recognition. It's recognized in all 50 states and it's portable: earn it in Ohio, move to Texas, and it follows you ^[1].

A preschool teacher permit is a state-issued document. California's system is the best-known example. The California Commission on Teacher Credentialing (CTC) issues a Child Development Permit, with the "Associate Teacher" level as an entry point and the "Teacher" level roughly matching the CDA in program hours required ^[6]. Other states use different titles: "early childhood educator license," "preschool teaching certificate," and so on. These are state-controlled, so they don't travel with you.

Here's a direct comparison:

Feature	Preschool CDA	State Preschool Teacher Permit (e.g., CA)
Issuing body	Council for Professional Recognition (national nonprofit)	State licensing board or Department of Education
Portability	All 50 states	Only the issuing state
Education requirement	High school diploma + 120 training hours	Varies; CA Associate Teacher requires 6 ECE units
Experience requirement	480 hours	Varies by state and permit level
Cost (fees only)	$425 application fee	$100 to $200 typical state fee
Renewal	Every 3 years	Varies; some permanent, some every 5 years
Federal recognition	Yes (Head Start, CCDF quality measures)	Varies

If you plan to stay in one state long-term and that state has a strong permit system with career ladder incentives, getting both the CDA and the state permit can make sense. If you move around or work in Head Start, the CDA is the more universally recognized document.

For a broader look at center-level licensing, the daycare center article walks through how center licensing intersects with staff qualification requirements.

How long does it take to earn the preschool CDA?

The floor is roughly 6 months if you start with zero training and zero experience hours. In practice, most candidates take 9 to 18 months because they're working full-time in a classroom while completing training and building the portfolio at the same time.

Here's a realistic timeline:

• Months 1 to 4: Complete the 120 clock hours of training. An online CDA program lets you self-pace. Community college courses follow a semester schedule, which stretches the timeline.
• Months 2 to 6: Log and document your 480 experience hours. Working 30 hours a week in an eligible setting, you hit 480 in about 16 weeks. But you need this running in parallel with training, not after it.
• Months 4 to 8: Build the portfolio. Distribute and collect family questionnaires. Write competency statements. Organize the resource collection.
• Months 8 to 10: Submit the application. The Council matches you with a PDS for the verification visit.
• Months 10 to 12: Verification visit, then credential award if recommended.

People who rush tend to submit incomplete portfolios. The verification visit can't happen until the portfolio is in, and the portfolio can't go in until the training and experience requirements are met. There's no shortcut around the sequence.

How do you renew the preschool CDA?

The CDA credential is valid for 3 years from the date of issuance ^[1]. To renew, you apply during the 6 months before your expiration date through the Council's online system.

Renewal requirements:

• 45 hours of professional development completed during the 3-year credential period.
• Continued work with children (at least 80 hours in the past year).
• A current CPR/First Aid certification.
• The renewal application fee, which the Council lists at $150 as of 2024 ^[1].

There's no renewal verification visit. You self-report your professional development hours and provide documentation. The Council does run audits, so keep your certificates.

If your credential expires before you renew, it's lapsed. You can still renew a lapsed credential within one year of expiration using the same process, though some states treat a lapsed CDA differently than an active one for licensing purposes. After one year, you generally have to reapply as a new applicant and go through the full process again.

Track your professional development hours as you earn them, not at renewal time. Workshops and webinars from two years ago are easy to forget when you're scrambling to meet a deadline.

Does the preschool CDA satisfy state licensing requirements?

It depends on the state and the specific licensing rule. This is an area where you check your state's actual licensing regulations rather than assume the CDA covers you.

Many states recognize the CDA as a qualifying credential for lead teacher or assistant teacher positions in licensed childcare centers. According to the National Center on Early Childhood Quality Assurance, the CDA shows up in staff qualification requirements in the majority of states, but the specifics vary widely. Some states accept it only for certain positions, some require additional college credit on top of it, and some run tiered systems where a CDA qualifies you for a lower tier but not the highest tier ^[7].

Head Start is more straightforward. The Head Start Program Performance Standards require center-based programs to keep at least 50% of teachers holding a baccalaureate or advanced degree in ECE or a related field. The CDA is recognized for other classroom staff, and grantees use it to document staff qualifications in their annual reports ^[2].

For states with active CCDF plans, the Child Care and Development Fund requires each state to describe how it supports the professional development of child care providers as a condition of its CCDF plan. Many states tie CDA attainment to higher subsidy reimbursement rates for programs, another financial incentive beyond individual wages ^[5].

If you're in Michigan, check the Michigan LARA licensing standards, which set staff qualification requirements by program type. Our michigan daycare licensing article covers how the CDA fits into that state's framework.

The ChildCareComp compliance toolkit can cross-reference your state's staff qualification requirements against the CDA's documented competencies, so you know exactly whether the credential satisfies your licensing rules before you invest the time and money.

Is the preschool CDA worth it financially?

Honestly, the return depends heavily on your state's quality system and your employer.

Nationally, Bureau of Labor Statistics data puts the median annual wage for preschool teachers (except special education) at about $32,380, with child care workers lower at roughly $28,520 ^[8]. The CDA alone does not dramatically move those national median numbers.

Where the CDA pays off more clearly:

• QRIS wage supplements. States including Colorado, New Mexico, and New York run QRIS-linked wage supplement programs where credentialed staff receive annual supplements of $500 to $3,000. The CDA qualifies in most of these programs.
• Higher subsidy rates. Some states pay programs higher CCDF reimbursement rates when a minimum percentage of staff hold the CDA. That's more revenue for the program, which some directors pass to staff.
• Head Start salary scales. Many Head Start grantees have formal salary scales that pay credentialed staff more than non-credentialed staff in the same role.
• Stackable credentials. If you earn your 120 hours through community college coursework, those credits count toward an associate's degree in ECE, which at the national median pays roughly $3,000 to $5,000 more annually than a CDA-only credential.

The credential also costs less than almost any other ECE qualification. At $425 in application fees plus training, it's a far more accessible investment than even a single semester of college for some providers.

Is it worth it? If your state has active QRIS incentives, or you work for Head Start: yes, clearly. If your state has no credential incentives and your employer doesn't reward it in pay, the credential still matters for your professional standing and portability, but the direct wage return will be modest and may take time to show up.

What curriculum and classroom resources should you know for the CDA portfolio?

The CDA portfolio asks you to demonstrate competence in planning and running developmentally appropriate learning experiences. That means discussing actual curriculum approaches and activities in your competency statements.

You're not required to use any specific curriculum. The Council evaluates whether your practice is developmentally appropriate, play-based, culturally responsive, and grounded in child development principles. Being familiar with recognized frameworks strengthens your reflective writing quite a bit.

Some programs to know:

• The creative curriculum for preschool is one of the most widely used in Head Start and licensed centers. It organizes learning around interest areas and has strong research backing.
• Frog Street Press preschool curriculum is another widely adopted structured program, particularly in Texas Head Start programs.
• The Montessori preschool curriculum approach, with its emphasis on child-led exploration and prepared environments, maps well to several CDA competency areas around intellectual development.
• If you work in a home-based preschool, or do both center and home care, free preschool curriculum resources can supplement your planning without cost.
• For planning around three-year-olds, the youngest end of the preschool CDA age range, preschool curriculum for 3 year olds covers appropriate expectations and activity structures.

Whatever curriculum your program uses, document specific examples in your reflective statements. Vague statements like "I support children's intellectual development" are weak. Statements like "During our daily small-group science exploration, I observe each child's hypothesis-forming behavior and extend their thinking with open-ended questions, which matches Competency Standard II" are what evaluators want to see.

For a broader overview of the full CDA credential system across all setting types, including the general structure and policy context, see our cda credential guide.

Frequently asked questions

Can I get the preschool CDA online?

Yes. The Council for Professional Recognition offers its own online CDA training program, and many approved third-party providers offer online coursework that satisfies the 120-hour training requirement. The verification visit itself must happen in person in your actual classroom, so the process is never entirely remote. Your work with children, portfolio assembly, and application submission can all happen online or asynchronously.

Is the preschool CDA the same as an early childhood education degree?

No. The CDA is a competency-based credential requiring a high school diploma plus 120 training hours and 480 experience hours. An associate's degree in ECE typically requires 60 college credit hours, roughly two full years of coursework. A bachelor's in ECE is four years. The CDA is the entry point on the professional ladder, below both degrees, though the training hours from a community college CDA pathway can often stack toward a degree.

How many CDA credentials are there, and which one do I need for preschool?

The Council for Professional Recognition issues CDAs in four setting types: center-based preschool (ages 3 to 5), center-based infant/toddler (birth to 36 months), family child care (mixed ages in a home setting), and home visitor. If you work in a center-based classroom with three- to five-year-olds, the preschool CDA is the correct setting type. Choosing the wrong setting type means your credential doesn't accurately reflect your work environment, which matters for licensing and employer recognition.

Does the CDA credential qualify me to teach in a public school preschool?

Usually not on its own. Public school preschool programs typically fall under state department of education requirements, which often require a state teaching license or certificate in early childhood education. Some states accept the CDA as a supplemental qualification or allow CDA holders to serve as paraprofessionals. Check your state's DOE requirements directly, because this varies a lot. Head Start and private licensed childcare programs are more likely to accept the CDA as a standalone teaching qualification.

What happens if my CDA credential lapses?

You can renew a lapsed CDA within one year of the expiration date using the standard renewal process, though some states treat a lapsed credential differently in licensing audits. After one year, the Council requires you to reapply as a new applicant, which means completing the full portfolio, verification visit, and application fee again. Stay ahead of this: the Council sends renewal reminders by email, and the 45-hour professional development requirement is easy to meet if you track hours as you go.

Can the CDA training hours count toward a college degree?

Yes, if you complete your 120 training hours through an accredited community college or university, those are college credit hours and stack toward a certificate or associate's degree in early childhood education. Online CDA training programs not affiliated with a college generally do not produce transferable credit, though some institutions have articulation agreements that grant credit for demonstrated competency. Ask your local community college ECE program about prior learning assessment if you have non-credit training.

Do employers pay more if you have a CDA credential?

Sometimes, but it depends heavily on the employer and state. Head Start grantees and NAEYC-accredited programs are more likely to have formal salary scales that reward credentialed staff. States with QRIS wage supplement programs (Colorado, New Mexico, New York, and others) provide direct annual supplements of $500 to $3,000 to credentialed teachers. At the national median, the wage premium for a CDA alone over no credential is modest; the larger returns come when credentials stack toward a degree.

How do I find a Professional Development Specialist (PDS) for my verification visit?

The Council for Professional Recognition matches applicants with a local PDS automatically as part of the application process. You don't need to find one on your own. After you submit your complete application and portfolio, the Council's regional office locates a credentialed PDS in your area and arranges the visit. In rural areas this can take longer; in some cases the Council uses a PDS who travels, or, for some programs, a Council-approved remote verification process.

What are the family questionnaires in the CDA portfolio?

Family questionnaires are standardized Council forms you distribute to at least six families of children currently enrolled in your program. Families complete them anonymously and return them in sealed envelopes to your PDS, not to you. The questionnaires ask families to share observations about how you communicate, engage children, and support their family's relationship with the program. You never see the completed questionnaires; the PDS reviews them as part of the verification process.

Is there financial help available to pay for the CDA credential?

Yes, several sources of funding exist. Many states use CCDF quality set-aside dollars to fund CDA scholarships for child care workers; check with your local CCR&R agency. T.E.A.C.H. Early Childhood scholarships, available in more than 20 states, specifically cover CDA training and fees. Head Start grantees often fund the entire process for their staff. The Council also offers a fee waiver application for candidates who demonstrate financial hardship.

How is the preschool CDA different from the infant/toddler CDA?

The two credentials have the same structure, fees, and application process, but they differ in age group, setting requirements, and some competency content. The preschool CDA covers children ages 3 to 5 in a center-based setting. The infant/toddler CDA covers children from birth to 36 months in a center-based setting. The resource collection items and competency statement content reflect the developmental differences between those age groups. You cannot substitute one for the other in licensing or Head Start qualification contexts.

Can I work on my CDA credential while I'm still in high school?

Technically yes, since the only education prerequisite is a high school diploma or GED. Some high school career and technical education (CTE) programs include CDA-aligned coursework, and students can begin accumulating training hours before graduation. But you cannot submit the final application until you have your diploma and have documented the required 480 experience hours in an eligible setting, which is generally a paid or structured supervised position rather than informal babysitting.

What's the difference between a CDA and a Child Development Permit in California?

California's Child Development Permit (CDP), issued by the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing, is a state-specific license with multiple levels: Assistant, Associate Teacher, Teacher, Master Teacher, Site Supervisor, and Program Director. The CDA is a national credential not tied to any state. California's Associate Teacher permit requires 6 ECE units; the Teacher permit requires 24 units plus experience. The CDA can sometimes satisfy portions of California permit requirements, but they are separate documents. California providers often need both.

Sources

1. Council for Professional Recognition, CDA Credential Overview and Application Requirements: CDA application fee is $425; renewal fee is $150; the Council has issued more than 800,000 credentials since 1975; training must cover eight subject areas; 480 experience hours and 120 training hours required; credential valid 3 years; 45 hours PD required for renewal
2. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Head Start, Head Start Program Performance Standards 45 CFR Part 1302: Head Start requires at least 50% of center-based teachers to hold a baccalaureate or advanced degree; CDA is recognized for other classroom staff qualifications
3. National Center on Early Childhood Quality Assurance, Child Care and Development Fund Professional Development: Family child care CDA maps to home-based settings; state licensing systems distinguish between center-based and family child care CDA for staff qualification purposes
4. Child Care Aware of America, 2023 State Child Care Facts: Median wages for child care workers are approximately $13.71 per hour nationally; agency locator connects providers to local CCR&R offices
5. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF) Policy, 45 CFR Part 98: CCDF quality set-aside funds may be used for professional development including CDA training costs; states must describe professional development support in CCDF plans
6. California Commission on Teacher Credentialing, Child Development Permit Matrix: California Child Development Associate Teacher permit requires 6 ECE units; Teacher permit requires 24 units plus experience; permits are state-specific and not nationally portable
7. National Center on Early Childhood Quality Assurance, Overview of State Child Care Licensing Requirements: CDA appears in staff qualification requirements in the majority of states, but specifics vary by position and tier
8. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook: Preschool Teachers: Median annual wage for preschool teachers (except special education) is approximately $32,380; child care workers median approximately $28,520
9. T.E.A.C.H. Early Childhood National Center, Scholarship Program Overview: T.E.A.C.H. scholarships available in more than 20 states specifically cover CDA training and application fees for child care workers
10. Zero to Three, Professional Development and CDA Resources: Zero to Three offers CDA-aligned training resources covering competency standard areas for infant/toddler and preschool educators