Checked 15 Nov 2026 by the team. Sources are listed at the end of the page.
Pennsylvania child care staff qualifications for directors and group supervisors in centers, set in 55 Pa. Code 3270.34 and 3270.35, start from an associate or bachelor's degree from an accredited college, either in early childhood education or a related field, or including 30 credit hours in one, plus years of experience with children. A CDA counts as 9 credit hours.
Under 55 Pa. Code 3270.35, a group supervisor in a Pennsylvania child care center needs a bachelor's or associate degree from an accredited college in early childhood education, child development, special education, elementary education or the human services field, or a degree including 30 credit hours in those fields, plus 0 to 3 years of experience with children depending on the option; 55 Pa. Code 3270.31 treats a CDA or CCP credential as equivalent to 9 credit hours.
The rule asks for 30 credit hours in a listed field within a degree; CDA or CCP = 9 credit hours. The legal source is 55 Pa. Code 3270.35.
| Role and option | Degree, credits and experience | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Director, option 1 | Bachelor's in a listed field; experience: 1 year | [1] |
| Director, option 2 | Bachelor's including 30 credit hours in a listed field; experience: 2 years | [1] |
| Director, option 3 | Associate in a listed field; experience: 3 years | [1] |
| Director, option 4 | Associate including 30 credit hours in a listed field; experience: 4 years | [1] |
| Group supervisor, option 1 | Bachelor's in a listed field; experience: None stated | [2] |
| Group supervisor, option 2 | Bachelor's including 30 credit hours; experience: 1 year | [2] |
| Group supervisor, option 3 | Associate in a listed field; experience: 2 years | [2] |
| Group supervisor, option 4 | Associate including 30 credit hours; experience: 3 years | [2] |
| CDA or CCP | Equivalent to 9 credit hours in ECE or child development | [3] |
| All staff | 18 or older; 12 clock hours of training a year | [3] |
Pennsylvania Department of Human Services, Office of Child Development and Early Learning (OCDEL) 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 Pennsylvania Department of Human Services, Office of Child Development and Early Learning (OCDEL).
A general-education course in almost every early childhood associate degree.
Self-paced online English Composition 1 course (ENG 101). NCCRS recommends 3 semester credits; each college decides how it applies them.
See the course →
General education, and may be reviewed as human services credit; ask first.
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 →
Learning and development, close to the child development field; ask first.
Self-paced online Educational Psychology course (Psychology 120). NCCRS recommends 3 semester credits; each college decides how it applies them.
See the course →
Social science general education that ECE degrees commonly require.
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 →
Relevant to working with 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 →
A psychology elective some human services programmes use.
Self-paced online Abnormal Psychology course (Psychology 180). NCCRS recommends 3 semester credits; each college decides how it applies them.
See the course →Thomas Edison State University (TESU), University of the People and Newlane University are partner colleges that consider ACE-recommended or NCCRS-recommended credit. Whether their degree fits your option is decided by OCDEL, so ask in writing.
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 |
| Westmoreland County Community College, county resident | $149 per credit plus $75 per credit general fee | 30 credits: about $6,720 | 15 Nov 2026 |
| StraighterLine | $99 a month plus $79 per course | 10 courses in 4-5 months: about $1,186-$1,285 | 15 Nov 2026 |
| Sophia Learning | $99 a month | 10 courses in 4-5 months: about $396-$495 | 15 Nov 2026 |
Prices checked 15 Nov 2026. Online courses cover the general-education half only; the early childhood courses come from the degree college.
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.
Before you enrol, ask the degree college in writing which general-education courses it will review, and ask OCDEL's certification representative in writing whether a named course counts toward the 30 credit hours.
Pennsylvania licenses child care centers under 55 Pa. Code Chapter 3270, run by the Department of Human Services through OCDEL. Section 3270.34 sets director qualifications and section 3270.35 sets group supervisor qualifications. Every option starts with a degree from an accredited college or university, and the listed fields are early childhood education, child development, special education, elementary education or the human services field.
Each role has a trade-off between degree and experience. A degree in a listed field needs fewer years of experience. A degree in another subject that includes 30 credit hours in a listed field needs more. An associate degree needs more experience than a bachelor's. Section 3270.31 adds that a CDA or CCP credential counts as 9 credit hours in early childhood education or child development.
An early childhood associate degree is about half general education: English, maths, psychology, sociology and similar courses. The other half is early childhood coursework the college teaches. The general-education half is where many working staff can save time and money, because those courses are standard across colleges.
UPI Study courses are ACE-recommended or NCCRS-recommended. They can become credit only via a college transcript, when the college that grants your degree reviews them and posts them. Ask the college in writing which of its general-education courses it will review this way before you start, and keep the reply.
Two decisions matter. The college decides what credit it posts toward its degree. OCDEL, through its certification representatives, decides whether your degree and credits meet the option for your role. Neither decision is ours, so get both in writing.
Many center owners support staff through degrees. If you manage a center, a written degree plan for each staff member makes it easy to check progress against 3270.34 and 3270.35 at inspection time.
Under 55 Pa. Code 3270.35, the credit options are a degree in a listed field, or a degree including 30 credit hours in early childhood education, child development, special education, elementary education or the human services field, plus experience.
Section 3270.31 says a CDA or CCP credential is equivalent to 9 credit hours from an accredited college in early childhood education or child development. Ask your certification representative how it applies to your option.
Yes, under 3270.34: an associate degree in a listed field plus 3 years of experience with children, or an associate degree including 30 credit hours in a listed field plus 4 years of experience.
Only if the college granting the degree reviews them and posts the credit. ACE-recommended or NCCRS-recommended courses help via a college transcript. Ask the college in writing which courses it will review before you enrol.
The Department of Human Services, through OCDEL and its certification representatives, checks center staff qualifications against Chapter 3270. Keep transcripts and experience records in each staff file so inspections go smoothly.
Section 3270.31 asks each staff person to complete a minimum of 12 clock hours of child care training every year. Those hours are separate from the college credit options for directors and group supervisors.
Ask your degree college in writing which courses it will review first.