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How Much Does a Preschool Teacher Make?
A preschool teacher in the US earns a median salary of $38,140 a year, or $18.34 an hour (BLS, May 2025). The average is $43,030, and the middle half earn between $34,530 and $47,550.
Preschool teacher pay range
What preschool teachers earn at each point of the pay scale. The 10th percentile is a rough guide to starting pay.
| Percentile | A year | An hour | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th (lowest 10%) | $28,990 | $13.94 | |
| 25th | $34,530 | $16.60 | |
| Median (50th) | $38,140 | $18.34 | |
| 75th | $47,550 | $22.86 | |
| 90th (top 10%) | $61,390 | $29.52 |
The median is 25% less than the $50,980 median for all US jobs. About 478,780 people work as preschool teachers in the US.
After tax and by period
- A week
- $733
- Every two weeks
- $1,467
- Twice a month
- $1,589
- A month
- $3,178
At the median salary, before tax.
Preschool teacher salary by state
Sorted by average pay. District of Columbia pays preschool teachers the most, at $68,100 a year on average.
| State | Average | Median | Jobs | After tax |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $68,100 | $62,150 | 2,350 | After tax |
| New Jersey | $56,770 | $48,220 | 16,190 | After tax |
| Colorado | $53,270 | $45,500 | 5,210 | After tax |
| Vermont | $52,520 | $49,730 | 940 | After tax |
| New York | $51,930 | $46,520 | 23,870 | After tax |
| California | $51,190 | $47,400 | 55,700 | After tax |
| Connecticut | $50,830 | $45,740 | 5,230 | After tax |
| Alaska | $50,670 | $46,130 | 520 | After tax |
| Hawaii | $50,670 | $48,780 | 1,410 | After tax |
| New Mexico | $50,510 | $44,070 | 2,490 | After tax |
| Nebraska | $50,150 | $47,040 | 1,630 | After tax |
| Massachusetts | $48,460 | $45,890 | 18,710 | After tax |
| Washington | $48,140 | $45,660 | 13,210 | After tax |
| Oregon | $48,130 | $45,140 | 6,300 | After tax |
| Georgia | $47,920 | $43,920 | 16,850 | After tax |
| Maryland | $47,470 | $44,600 | 8,020 | After tax |
| Kansas | $46,580 | $47,750 | 1,330 | After tax |
| Maine | $45,350 | $43,890 | 1,110 | After tax |
| Illinois | $45,150 | $40,910 | 22,420 | After tax |
| Minnesota | $45,130 | $43,430 | 10,320 | After tax |
| Nevada | $42,970 | $38,870 | 2,360 | After tax |
| Virginia | $42,490 | $37,140 | 13,570 | After tax |
| South Dakota | $42,440 | $44,500 | 1,470 | After tax |
| New Hampshire | $41,950 | $39,350 | 2,220 | After tax |
| North Dakota | $41,620 | $39,720 | 540 | After tax |
| Louisiana | $41,280 | $38,020 | 3,570 | After tax |
| Tennessee | $41,170 | $34,280 | 5,420 | After tax |
| Rhode Island | $39,850 | $36,830 | 1,890 | After tax |
| Michigan | $39,730 | $37,110 | 10,950 | After tax |
| Missouri | $39,030 | $36,090 | 5,580 | After tax |
| Arizona | $38,800 | $36,300 | 9,400 | After tax |
| Virgin Islands | $38,490 | $44,790 | 100 | |
| Montana | $38,440 | $36,540 | 960 | After tax |
| Indiana | $38,240 | $36,650 | 7,110 | After tax |
| Arkansas | $38,180 | $34,190 | 3,270 | After tax |
| West Virginia | $37,650 | $32,480 | 2,190 | After tax |
| North Carolina | $37,340 | $35,710 | 18,370 | After tax |
| Wyoming | $37,330 | $29,930 | 1,040 | After tax |
| Oklahoma | $37,310 | $31,790 | 7,010 | After tax |
| Pennsylvania | $37,250 | $36,050 | 22,760 | After tax |
| Delaware | $37,240 | $36,360 | 2,000 | After tax |
| Florida | $37,040 | $35,860 | 35,740 | After tax |
| Ohio | $36,500 | $35,180 | 19,840 | After tax |
| Wisconsin | $36,500 | $36,160 | 11,330 | After tax |
| Utah | $36,450 | $35,010 | 3,670 | After tax |
| South Carolina | $36,190 | $34,500 | 4,550 | After tax |
| Texas | $35,970 | $33,860 | 41,200 | After tax |
| Iowa | $35,760 | $33,830 | 5,910 | After tax |
| Idaho | $35,650 | $32,800 | 1,010 | After tax |
| Mississippi | $35,500 | $36,250 | 3,600 | After tax |
| Kentucky | $35,400 | $29,780 | 8,520 | After tax |
| Puerto Rico | $33,650 | $32,120 | 2,960 | |
| Alabama | $31,160 | $28,310 | 7,910 | After tax |
| Guam | $26,680 | $22,120 | 160 |
A dash means BLS did not publish that figure for the state.
Other education and library jobs
- Teaching assistant $36,780 median
- Elementary school teacher $63,970 median
- High school teacher $72,040 median
- Middle school teacher $64,370 median
- Substitute teacher, short-term $41,670 median
- Self-enrichment teacher $46,800 median
- Special education teacher, kindergarten and elementary school $65,120 median
- Instructional coordinator $77,440 median
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 (published 2026), for “Preschool Teachers, Except Special Education” (SOC 25-2011). Wages are before tax and leave out self-employed workers. All job salaries
About the Job Salaries
Job Salaries shows what more than 500 US jobs pay, from nurses and electricians to software developers and truck drivers. Each job has its median and average salary, hourly and monthly pay, the pay range from the lowest-paid 10% to the top 10%, and a table of pay in every state. The figures come from the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey, the largest survey of US pay, in its latest release.
How to use it
- 1 Search for a job or pick one from the list.
- 2 Read the median salary, hourly pay and the pay range.
- 3 Check the salary by state to see where the job pays most.
- 4 Open the take-home pay calculator to see the salary after tax.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a preschool teacher make an hour?
The median hourly wage for a preschool teacher is $18.34, and the average is $20.69. The lowest-paid 10% earn under $13.94 an hour and the top 10% over $29.52.
How much does a preschool teacher make a month?
At the median salary of $38,140, a preschool teacher earns about $3,178 a month before tax, or $1,467 every two weeks.
Which state pays preschool teachers the most?
District of Columbia has the highest average pay for a preschool teacher, at $68,100 a year. Next are New Jersey and Colorado. Pay is usually higher where living costs are higher, so compare take-home pay too.
What is the starting salary for a preschool teacher?
The lowest-paid 10% of preschool teachers earn less than $28,990 a year, and the lowest 25% less than $34,530. That is a fair guide to starting pay, which depends on the state, the employer and your experience.
How much do the highest-paid preschool teachers make?
The top 10% earn more than $61,390 a year, and the top 25% more than $47,550.
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