The average salary for a preschool teacher in the United States is around $24,070 per year.
Avg Salary
Preschool teachers earn an average yearly salary of $24,070.
Wages typically start from $16,672 and go up to $34,750.
62% below national average Updated in 2019
Preschool teacher earnings by seniority
90th percentile
Top-level preschool teacher earnings begin at:
$16.71 per hour
$34,750 per year
75th percentile
Senior-level preschool teacher earnings begin at:
$14.04 per hour
$29,202 per year
50th percentile
Mid-level preschool teacher earnings begin at:
$11.57 per hour
$24,070 per year
25th percentile
Junior-level preschool teacher earnings begin at:
$9.54 per hour
$19,840 per year
10th percentile
Starting level preschool teacher earnings begin at:
$8.02 per hour
$16,672 per year
Approximate values based on highest and lowest earning segments.
Preschool teacher salary by state
| State Name | Average Salary |
|---|---|
| New York | $38,890 |
| Maryland | $38,440 |
| District of Columbia | $38,210 |
| Connecticut | $37,030 |
| Massachusetts | $35,000 |
| California | $34,600 |
| Minnesota | $34,200 |
| Maine | $34,060 |
| Kentucky | $33,650 |
| Hawaii | $33,463 |
| New Jersey | $33,430 |
| Tennessee | $32,630 |
| Nevada | $32,540 |
| Vermont | $32,530 |
| Nebraska | $32,140 |
| Washington | $31,530 |
| Michigan | $31,390 |
| Illinois | $31,167 |
| Alaska | $30,966 |
| Virginia | $30,680 |
| Colorado | $30,440 |
| Missouri | $30,440 |
| Oregon | $30,400 |
| Rhode Island | $30,350 |
| New Mexico | $29,820 |
| Montana | $29,660 |
| South Dakota | $29,580 |
| West Virginia | $29,540 |
| Kansas | $29,443 |
| New Hampshire | $29,230 |
| Louisiana | $28,960 |
| Georgia | $28,750 |
| North Carolina | $28,260 |
| Texas | $28,230 |
| Utah | $28,200 |
| Oklahoma | $27,440 |
| Virgin Islands, U.S. | $27,100 |
| Wyoming | $26,760 |
| Ohio | $26,280 |
| Delaware | $26,070 |
| Mississippi | $25,700 |
| Idaho | $25,382 |
| Pennsylvania | $24,832 |
| Arkansas | $24,762 |
| Florida | $24,740 |
| Guam | $24,610 |
| Iowa | $24,530 |
| North Dakota | $24,310 |
| Wisconsin | $24,250 |
| South Carolina | $23,130 |
| Arizona | $22,857 |
| Indiana | $22,699 |
| Puerto Rico | $22,060 |
| Alabama | $21,460 |
How do preschool teacher salaries compare to similar careers?
Preschool teachers earn 32% less than similar careers in the United States. On average, they make less than clergies but more than childcare workers.
| Career | Median Salary |
|---|---|
| Clergy salary | $51K |
| Childcare program administrator salary | $47K |
| Teacher salary | $42K |
| Nanny salary | $29K |
| Library assistant salary | $27K |
| Preschool teacher salary | $24K |
| Childcare worker salary | $22K |
Source: CareerExplorer (Aggregated)