Your CDA. Your Wyoming Classroom. Your Career.
In Wyoming, the Child Development Associate® credential is a direct route to leadership — on its own, it qualifies you to run a licensed child care center, and the state will help pay for it.
If you love working with young children but a college degree feels out of reach right now, the CDA is built for you. It’s nationally recognized, accepted by the Wyoming Department of Family Services, tracked on the Wyoming STARS registry, and backed by real scholarship dollars through WY Quality Counts.
Here’s exactly what your CDA can do for you in Wyoming.
Become a Center Director — With Your CDA
This is the headline. In Wyoming, your CDA qualifies you to be the director of a licensed child care center — on its own. The Department of Family Services recognizes the CDA as a qualifying professional credential, and it stands as a full alternative to the two-year education-and-experience pathway other directors take. (049-7 Wyo. Code R. § 7-3)
All you need alongside it: to be at least 21 and hold a high school diploma. No extra years of experience required next to the credential — the CDA is what puts you in the director’s chair.
Building toward it? With your CDA plus one year of equivalent experience, you also qualify as an Assistant Director — a natural stepping stone.
Good to know: If your program cares for four or more infants, Wyoming requires a separate Infant/Toddler Director Credential (with specific infant-development coursework) in addition to your CDA. Plan for it if little ones are part of your program.
Stand Out Where a Credential Isn’t Required
Here’s something many Wyoming educators don’t realize: general center staff and teachers aren’t required to hold a credential — just training hours. That’s exactly why a CDA matters. It marks you as a credentialed, committed professional in a field where many aren’t — and it’s the very credential that opens the director’s door when you’re ready to lead.
Get Recognized on Wyoming STARS
Your CDA and your training don’t just sit in a drawer — they’re documented on the Wyoming Statewide Training and Resource System (STARS), the state’s professional registry. STARS tracks your credential and aligns your learning to Wyoming’s Core Knowledge Competencies, building a clear, verified record of your qualifications that follows you from program to program.
Earn It with Help — WY Quality Counts
You don’t have to pay for your CDA alone. WY Quality Counts, funded by the Wyoming Legislature and run through the Department of Workforce Services, offers scholarships of up to about $2,300 toward a CDA credential program — with funds (including books) paid directly to your STARS-approved CDA provider.
In other words: the credential that can make you a director in Wyoming may cost you very little out of pocket. (You’ll commit to continuing to work in a Wyoming-licensed program after you finish — exactly where you want to be anyway.)
Why Educators Choose the CDA
- Nationally recognized and accepted by the Wyoming Department of Family Services
- Qualifies you to be a center director — on its own, with no extra experience required
- Steps you up to Assistant Director with just one year of experience
- Sets you apart in a state where general staff need no credential at all
- Scholarship-funded — up to about $2,300 through WY Quality Counts, paid to your provider
- No college degree required to earn it — faster and more affordable than a two- or four-year degree
Your experience with children is already valuable. The CDA is what turns that experience into a credential Wyoming recognizes — and a career you can build on.
Ready to open these doors? Start your CDA today.
What Is a CDA Certification and Why Is It Important?
As a childcare professional in Wyoming, you’ve likely heard about the CDA certification — and if you haven’t, you’ve come to the right page. A CDA, or Child Development Associate certification, is a national document recognized by the Council for Professional Recognition. It’s awarded to successful applicants who meet the competency standards for Early Childhood Education (ECE).
Having this certification gives ECE professionals real advantages as they advance their careers. It guides childcare educators as they grow more confident in their field, and it shows they have the qualities, abilities, knowledge, and skills to nurture the minds of young children.
What Are the Benefits of a CDA Certification?
There are many benefits to earning a CDA certification. Beyond moving your career forward, it helps you meet the requirements for open jobs in Wyoming. The certification is proof that you have the skills and teaching capabilities, provides you with up-to-date materials on the latest teaching techniques, and gives you the validation that you’re an expert who can be trusted with children.
What Do You Need to Earn a CDA Certification?
Educators applying for the certification are required to complete 120 hours of training in Early Childhood Education. This includes 10 hours in each of the 8 CDA subject areas specified by the Council. Another 480 hours of work experience are required with children in the age group you’re applying for.
When these requirements are met, applications are submitted online. The next step is to schedule a verification visit and then take the CDA exam. When an applicant successfully passes both, they are awarded the certification.
Preparing for the CDA Exam
Passing the CDA exam is a major factor in earning your certification, so preparation should be taken seriously. That’s where National CDA Training comes in. We have innovative online courses to help with your exam prep — and at NCDAT, you won’t only gain the knowledge you need to pass, you’ll build the confidence to thrive in your Wyoming classroom.
Roles and requirements reflect Wyoming Department of Family Services child care licensing rules (049-7 Wyo. Code R. § 7-3); the CDA is recognized as a qualifying professional credential at the Department’s discretion. Programs serving four or more infants require a separate Infant/Toddler Director Credential. A CDA must remain valid (non-expired) to qualify for any role. WY Quality Counts scholarship amounts, eligibility, and post-completion employment terms are set by the Department of Workforce Services and can change. Always confirm current requirements and award amounts with Wyoming DFS and WY Quality Counts.