Checked 15 Nov 2026 by the team. Sources are listed at the end of the page.
New York child care director requirements, under 18 NYCRR 418-1.13(g), start with a bachelor's degree that includes 12 credits in early childhood, child development or a related field, plus a year of teaching and a year of supervising staff. Associate degree and credential routes need a plan of study and two years of each. Preschool group teachers need an associate degree or nine credits with a plan.
Under 18 NYCRR 418-1.13(g)(1), a day care center director needs a bachelor's degree including or in addition to 12 credits in early childhood, child development or a related field, plus one year of full-time teaching and one year supervising staff, or an associate degree in early childhood or a related field with a plan of study and two years of each.
The rule asks for 12 credits (director, bachelor's route); 9 credits (preschool group teacher, plan-of-study route). The legal source is 18 NYCRR 418-1.13.
| Role and route | Education | Experience |
|---|---|---|
| Director: bachelor's route | Bachelor's including or in addition to 12 credits in early childhood, child development or related field | 1 year full-time teaching and 1 year supervising staff |
| Director: credential route | New York State children's program administrator credential | 1 year teaching and 1 year supervising |
| Director: associate route | Associate in early childhood or related field, with a plan of study toward a bachelor's or the credential | 2 years teaching and 2 years supervising |
| Preschool group teacher | Associate in early childhood, child development or related field | None extra |
| Preschool group teacher: plan route | 9 college credits in early childhood or related field, with a plan of study | 2 years caring for children |
| Plans of study | Continuous progress shown at least once a year (418-1.13(k)) | - |
New York State Office of Children and Family Services (OCFS), Division of Child Care Services decides how this rule applies to you. We read its published rule and the pages below; each was checked on 15 Nov 2026.
Each course below is ACE-recommended or NCCRS-recommended for college credit. Whether it counts here is the decision of the college and of New York State Office of Children and Family Services (OCFS), Division of Child Care Services.
Learning and development content; ask OCFS whether it counts as related.
Self-paced online Educational Psychology course (Psychology 120). NCCRS recommends 3 semester credits; each college decides how it applies them.
See the course →
Includes development; a common general-education course.
Self-paced online Introduction to Psychology course (Psychology 110). ACE and NCCRS recommend 3 semester credits; each college decides how it applies them.
See the course →
Working with children and families from many backgrounds.
Self-paced online Psychology of Diversity course (Psychology 112). NCCRS recommends 3 semester credits; each college decides how it applies them.
See the course →
Family and community content; general education in most degrees.
Self-paced online Introduction to Sociology course (Sociology 110). ACE and NCCRS recommend 3 semester credits; each college decides how it applies them.
See the course →
Background on behaviour and mental health; elective credit.
Self-paced online Abnormal Psychology course (Psychology 180). NCCRS recommends 3 semester credits; each college decides how it applies them.
See the course →
Writing course almost every associate degree requires.
Self-paced online English Composition 1 course (ENG 101). NCCRS recommends 3 semester credits; each college decides how it applies them.
See the course →TESU and UoPeople are partner colleges that consider ACE-recommended or NCCRS-recommended credit; Newlane is a third. CUNY and SUNY community colleges and SUNY Empire are New York options, and each decides its own transfer credit. Ask the college in writing before you enrol.
ACE and NCCRS have over 2,100 cooperating colleges that will consider accepting credits; the final decision is with the universities.
| Option | Price | For this rule | Price checked |
|---|---|---|---|
| UPI Study PRO | $99 a month, every course | $99 for each month you are subscribed; take as many courses as you finish in that time | 15 Nov 2026 |
| CUNY community college, part-time (NYC residents) | $210 a credit | $1,890 for 9 credits; $2,520 for 12, before fees | 15 Nov 2026 |
| Sophia Learning | $99 a month, or $799 a year | About $198-$297 for 3-4 general-education courses over 2-3 months | 15 Nov 2026 |
| StraighterLine | $99 a month plus $79 a course | About $435-$615 for 3-4 courses over 2-3 months | 15 Nov 2026 |
Early childhood core courses usually have to be taken at the college that grants the degree. Online options fit best in the general-education half, and the college's own fees to post transfer credit are extra.
UPI Study is not a college and is not accredited. ACE and NCCRS review our courses and recommend credit; a college decides whether to give that credit and records it on its own transcript.
Ask your OCFS regional office in writing which courses it will count toward the 12 or 9 credits, and ask your college in writing which courses it will post, before you enrol.
The state rule for day care centers outside New York City is 18 NYCRR 418-1.13, amended effective 3 June 2020. Subdivision (g)(1) gives four director routes. The bachelor's route is the shortest on experience: a bachelor's degree that includes, or comes with, 12 credits in early childhood, child development or a related field, plus one year of full-time teaching and one year supervising staff in a child care programme or related work.
The other routes swap the bachelor's for the New York State children's program administrator credential, an associate degree in early childhood or a related field, or a Child Development Associate (CDA) or other OCFS-recognised credential. The associate and CDA routes each need a plan of study toward a bachelor's or the administrator credential, and two years of both teaching and supervising.
Every group of children needs a group teacher who meets 418-1.13. For preschool groups the plainest route is an associate degree in early childhood, child development or a related field. A preschool CDA plus one year of experience also works. The third route is nine college credits in early childhood or a related field with a plan of study, plus two years of caring for children. Infant and toddler groups and school-age groups have their own lists, each with an associate degree route and experience routes.
An associate degree in early childhood is roughly half early childhood courses and half general education: writing, maths, science, social science and humanities. The early childhood half is usually taken at the college that grants the degree. The general-education half is where many working staff lose time, and it is where courses with ACE or NCCRS credit recommendations can help, once your college agrees in writing to post them.
The phrase 'related field' in the rule is the other opening. Some psychology or sociology courses may count toward the 12 or 9 credits, but that is OCFS's decision for each person, not the college's and not ours. Ask before you count on it.
Group child care in the five boroughs is licensed by the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene under the NYC Health Code, not by OCFS under Part 418-1, and its staff rules differ. If your center is in New York City, read the city's rules and ask the city's child care office instead of relying on this page.
Under 18 NYCRR 418-1.13(g)(1): a bachelor's degree including or in addition to 12 credits in early childhood, child development or a related field, or the state administrator credential, or an associate degree or CDA with a plan of study. Each route also needs teaching and supervision experience.
An associate degree in early childhood, child development or a related field meets the rule. Another route is nine college credits in early childhood or a related field with a plan of study, plus two years of caring for children.
A written plan toward a degree or credential that a staff member follows while working under an associate, CDA or nine-credit route. Under 418-1.13(k) the person must show continuous progress on the plan at least once a year.
The rule allows 'a related field', and some psychology or sociology courses may qualify. OCFS decides for each person. Send your course list and descriptions to your OCFS regional office and ask in writing before you take a course for that purpose.
OCFS looks at credits on a college transcript. Online courses with ACE or NCCRS credit recommendations count only after an accredited college posts them, and only if OCFS agrees the subject fits. Ask both in writing first.
No. Group child care in New York City is licensed by the city's health department under the NYC Health Code, with different staff rules. This page covers centers licensed by OCFS under Part 418-1.
Finish the general-education half of an early childhood degree with ACE- or NCCRS-recommended courses, moved via a college transcript.