Early Childhood Program Specialist 3 pay range
State of Washington · class code 256C
- Class code
- 256C
- Salary range
- 48
- Pay unit
- Year
- State
- Washington
- The State of Washington published pay range for Early Childhood Program Specialist 3 is $52,872 to $71,136 per year.
- Washington State Office of Financial Management (OFM) keys this classification as class code 256C.
- This is the range the plan authorises, not the salary of any individual employee.
Step progression
Washington State Office of Financial Management (OFM) assigns this class to salary range 48 in the General Service Salary Schedule. The range pays 13 steps; a step is normally earned on a periodic increment date, not negotiated.
| Basis | A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Annual | $52,872 | $54,204 | $55,596 | $56,952 | $58,392 | $59,760 | $61,332 | $62,880 | $64,512 | $66,072 | $67,704 | $69,348 | $71,136 |
| Monthly | $4,406 | $4,517 | $4,633 | $4,746 | $4,866 | $4,980 | $5,111 | $5,240 | $5,376 | $5,506 | $5,642 | $5,779 | $5,928 |
| Hourly | $25.32 | $25.96 | $26.63 | $27.28 | $27.97 | $28.62 | $29.37 | $30.11 | $30.90 | $31.64 | $32.43 | $33.21 | $34.07 |
Steps as published. The monthly and hourly rows are the state's own, not conversions of the annual row.
Class specification
The OFM classified job specification for this class is published by Washington State Office of Financial Management (OFM). The passages below are quoted from it as published, not paraphrased, and cut to their opening sentences; the full specification is the authority on duties and qualifications.
What the state says the job is
This is the senior, specialist, or leadworker level of the series. Positions work under general direction and have responsibility for regularly assigning, instructing, and checking work of others, or have responsibility for the daily operations of an early childhood program. Responsibilities include regularly planning, presenting, and evaluating educational and recreational activities of children in the program and providing information to parents on child care techniques.
Examples of the work
Assesses the social, intellectual, emotional, nutritional, and physical needs of children enrolled in the early childhood program; develops child- and adult-directed educational activities based on assessed needs; Assesses children’s learning levels; monitors progress of each child; Discusses progress of the children with their parents and responds to parents’ concerns; designs individualized educational materials; Works with economically disadvantaged parents through programs such as Headstart and Parent Education; Works with and implements child care licensing requirements and regulations; Maintains a healthy and safe environment for children in program; May keep written observations of in ...
Minimum qualifications
Positions typically require forty-five college quarter hours in early childhood development/education/special education or equivalent or a Child Development Associate Credential (CDA) AND two years of experience working in a group setting with children of the ages enrolled in the program. OR Equivalent education/experience.
Quoted from the OFM classified job specification, read 2026-10-21.
Where this comes from
Washington State Office of Financial Management (OFM) publishes this figure in Classified Job Listing joined to the OFM salary schedules effective July 1, 2026. Every number on this page is read from that document; nothing is estimated, modelled or averaged.
The dollar figures come from the salary schedule the listing assigns this range to.