2026 Best Child Care Provider/Assistant Schools in the Far Western Region
Child Care Provider/Assistant programs are offered at a focused set of schools across the country. A focused field like this rewards careful comparison of the schools that offer it.
For its 2026 ranking, College Factual looked at 117 schools in the United States to determine which ones were the best for child care provider/assistant students pursuing a degree.
What’s on this page:
Best Schools for Child Care Provider/Assistant in the Far Western Region
If you are not interested in a particular degree level and want to know which schools are the overall best at delivering an education for the child care provider/assistant degrees they offer, see the list below.
Top Schools in Child Care Provider/Assistant
Santa Rosa Junior College tops our 2026 ranking of the best child care provider/assistant schools. Santa Rosa Junior College is a very large public school located in the city of Santa Rosa. About 117 child care provider/assistant degrees were awarded at Santa Rosa Junior College in the most recent year. Child Care Provider/assistant graduates of Santa Rosa Junior College earn a median of $80,047 early in their careers. Santa Rosa Junior College graduates carry a median of $14,692 in student loans.
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Students looking for a strong child care provider/assistant program will find one at Diablo Valley College, which ranked #2. This very large public university is located in the suburb of Pleasant Hill. Diablo Valley College awarded about 182 child care provider/assistant degrees in the most recent data year. Students who receive their child care provider/assistant degree from Diablo Valley College earn around $27,813 in the first couple years of their career. Typical student debt for the program is $9,205.
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Cerritos College came in at #3 on our 2026 list of the best child care provider/assistant schools. Set in the suburb of Norwalk, Cerritos College is a very large public institution. About 1,057 child care provider/assistant degrees were awarded at Cerritos College in the most recent year. Graduates of the child care provider/assistant program make about $29,495 in their early career. Cerritos College graduates carry a median of $11,306 in student loans.
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Moorpark College is one of the finest schools in the country for a degree in child care provider/assistant, ranking #4. This very large public university is located in the suburb of Moorpark. About 141 child care provider/assistant degrees were awarded at Moorpark College in the most recent year. Child Care Provider/assistant graduates of Moorpark College earn a median of $105,599 early in their careers. Moorpark College graduates carry a median of $17,075 in student loans.
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Students looking for a strong child care provider/assistant program will find one at Cuesta College, which ranked #5. Located in the rural area of San Luis Obispo, Cuesta College is a large public university. About 168 child care provider/assistant degrees were awarded at Cuesta College in the most recent year. Students who receive their child care provider/assistant degree from Cuesta College earn around $64,492 in the first couple years of their career. Typical student debt for the program is $18,958.
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Santa Ana College earned the #6 position for child care provider/assistant this year. Set in the city of Santa Ana, Santa Ana College is a very large public institution. There were roughly 261 child care provider/assistant students who graduated with this degree at Santa Ana College in the most recent data year. Soon after graduation, child care provider/assistant degree recipients from Santa Ana College generally make around $23,863. Santa Ana College graduates carry a median of $6,630 in student loans.
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Foothill College placed #7 among the best child care provider/assistant schools. Foothill College is a very large public school located in the suburb of Los Altos Hills. There were roughly 78 child care provider/assistant students who graduated with this degree at Foothill College in the most recent data year. Soon after graduation, child care provider/assistant degree recipients from Foothill College generally make around $94,152. Students borrow a median of $11,595 to complete this degree.
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De Anza College ranked #8 on our 2026 list of the best child care provider/assistant schools. Set in the city of Cupertino, De Anza College is a very large public institution. De Anza College awarded about 63 child care provider/assistant degrees in the most recent data year. Students borrow a median of $7,271 to complete this degree.
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College Of Southern Nevada ranked #9 on our 2026 list of the best child care provider/assistant schools. Located in the city of Las Vegas, College Of Southern Nevada is a very large public university. College Of Southern Nevada awarded about 28 child care provider/assistant degrees in the most recent data year. Child Care Provider/assistant graduates of College Of Southern Nevada earn a median of $35,850 early in their careers. Students borrow a median of $9,980 to complete this degree.
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Orange Coast College earned the #10 position for child care provider/assistant this year. Set in the city of Costa Mesa, Orange Coast College is a very large public institution. About 153 child care provider/assistant degrees were awarded at Orange Coast College in the most recent year. Soon after graduation, child care provider/assistant degree recipients from Orange Coast College generally make around $46,306. Typical student debt for the program is $8,978.
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Fresno City College placed #11 among the best child care provider/assistant schools. Fresno City College is a very large public school located in the city of Fresno. There were roughly 245 child care provider/assistant students who graduated with this degree at Fresno City College in the most recent data year. Students who receive their child care provider/assistant degree from Fresno City College earn around $30,519 in the first couple years of their career. Fresno City College graduates carry a median of $8,000 in student loans.
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Chabot College ranked #12 on our 2026 list of the best child care provider/assistant schools. Chabot College is a large public school located in the suburb of Hayward. There were roughly 172 child care provider/assistant students who graduated with this degree at Chabot College in the most recent data year. Soon after graduation, child care provider/assistant degree recipients from Chabot College generally make around $85,175. Chabot College graduates carry a median of $14,122 in student loans.
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Rio Hondo College earned the #13 position for child care provider/assistant this year. Located in the rural area of Whittier, Rio Hondo College is a very large public university. There were roughly 240 child care provider/assistant students who graduated with this degree at Rio Hondo College in the most recent data year. Graduates of the child care provider/assistant program make about $95,666 in their early career. Rio Hondo College graduates carry a median of $15,510 in student loans.
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Santa Barbara City College ranked #14 on our 2026 list of the best child care provider/assistant schools. Set in the city of Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara City College is a large public institution. Santa Barbara City College awarded about 83 child care provider/assistant degrees in the most recent data year. Soon after graduation, child care provider/assistant degree recipients from Santa Barbara City College generally make around $68,184. Students borrow a median of $21,090 to complete this degree.
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Santiago Canyon College ranked #15 on our 2026 list of the best child care provider/assistant schools. Santiago Canyon College is a large public school located in the city of Orange. Santiago Canyon College awarded about 159 child care provider/assistant degrees in the most recent data year. Graduates of the child care provider/assistant program make about $34,100 in their early career. Typical student debt for the program is $5,500.
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Skyline College ranked #16 on our 2026 list of the best child care provider/assistant schools. This large public university is located in the suburb of San Bruno. About 26 child care provider/assistant degrees were awarded at Skyline College in the most recent year.
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Citrus College ranked #17 on our 2026 list of the best child care provider/assistant schools. Located in the suburb of Glendora, Citrus College is a large public university. There were roughly 80 child care provider/assistant students who graduated with this degree at Citrus College in the most recent data year.
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Miracosta College ranked #18 on our 2026 list of the best child care provider/assistant schools. Miracosta College is a large public school located in the suburb of Oceanside. Roughly 96% of students complete a degree within six years here. Miracosta College awarded about 222 child care provider/assistant degrees in the most recent data year.
See the full child care provider/assistant program report for Miracosta College
El Camino Community College District landed the #19 spot for child care provider/assistant this year. Located in the suburb of Torrance, El Camino Community College District is a very large public university. About 162 child care provider/assistant degrees were awarded at El Camino Community College District in the most recent year.
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Saddleback College ranked #20 on our 2026 list of the best child care provider/assistant schools. Located in the suburb of Mission Viejo, Saddleback College is a very large public university. There were roughly 136 child care provider/assistant students who graduated with this degree at Saddleback College in the most recent data year. Students who receive their child care provider/assistant degree from Saddleback College earn around $15,890 in the first couple years of their career. Students borrow a median of $5,707 to complete this degree.
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San Joaquin Delta College landed the #21 spot for child care provider/assistant this year. Located in the city of Stockton, San Joaquin Delta College is a very large public university. There were roughly 87 child care provider/assistant students who graduated with this degree at San Joaquin Delta College in the most recent data year. Students who receive their child care provider/assistant degree from San Joaquin Delta College earn around $65,168 in the first couple years of their career. San Joaquin Delta College graduates carry a median of $6,382 in student loans.
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College Of The Canyons placed #22 among the best child care provider/assistant schools. Located in the suburb of Santa Clarita, College Of The Canyons is a very large public university. About 62 child care provider/assistant degrees were awarded at College Of The Canyons in the most recent year. Graduates of the child care provider/assistant program make about $51,913 in their early career. Typical student debt for the program is $9,776.
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Los Angeles Pierce College earned the #23 position for child care provider/assistant this year. Set in the city of Woodland Hills, Los Angeles Pierce College is a very large public institution. Los Angeles Pierce College awarded about 204 child care provider/assistant degrees in the most recent data year. Typical student debt for the program is $12,477.
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Santa Monica College came in at #24 for child care provider/assistant this year. Located in the city of Santa Monica, Santa Monica College is a very large public university. Santa Monica College graduates 81% of students within six years. About 288 child care provider/assistant degrees were awarded at Santa Monica College in the most recent year.
See the full child care provider/assistant program report for Santa Monica College
Oxnard College landed the #25 spot for child care provider/assistant this year. Set in the city of Oxnard, Oxnard College is a large public institution. There were roughly 104 child care provider/assistant students who graduated with this degree at Oxnard College in the most recent data year.
See the full child care provider/assistant program report for Oxnard College
Rest of the Top 50 Child Care Provider/Assistant Schools
These schools rounded out the top of this year’s child care provider/assistant ranking:
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Notes and References
The ranking above is published by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. Schools are scored on a blend of student outcomes (graduation rate, post-graduation earnings), affordability, and program focus, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Top Ranked · 117 schools evaluated.
- The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a branch of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE), serves as the core of our data about colleges.
- Some other college data, including much of the graduate earnings data, comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s (College Scorecard).
More about our data sources and methodologies.
