State medians come from the same OEWS release as the national figures. The cost-of-living column divides each state median by that state's BEA Regional Price Parity, restating pay in national-average dollars so a high-cost state and a low-cost one can be compared directly.
Preschool Teacher, Except Special Education Salary (2026): Data, Outlook & How to Become One
Preschool Teachers, Except Special Education earn a median of $38,140 per year ($18.34/hr) (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Employment is projected to grow 4.1% through 2034, with about 65,500 openings a year (BLS EP, 2024–2034). Typical entry-level education: Associate's degree.
SOC 25-2011Educational Instruction and LibraryLast updated August 23, 2026
- Median pay
- $38,140
- Projected growth
- +4.1%
- Openings a year
- 65,500
- Typical education
- Associate's
BLS OEWS, May 2025
BLS EP, 2024–2034
BLS EP, 2024–2034
BLS EP, 2024–2034
Also advertised as: Child Development Teacher, Early Childhood Teacher, Group Teacher, Infant Teacher, Montessori Preschool Teacher, Nursery Teacher.
How much do Preschool Teachers, Except Special Education make?
10th percentile$28,990
Entry / lowest-paid tenth
25th percentile$34,530
Lower quartile
Median (50th)$38,140
Half earn more, half earn less
75th percentile$47,550
Upper quartile
90th percentile$61,390
Top-paid tenth
| Median annual wage | $38,140 |
|---|---|
| Median hourly wage | $18.34/hr |
| Mean annual wage | $43,030 |
| People employed | 478,780 |
Versus all US occupations
At $38,140, Preschool Teachers, Except Special Education earn 25% below the $50,980 median across all US occupations, a difference of $12,840 a year.
Versus educational instruction and library occupations
Inside the Educational Instruction and Library group, where the middle occupation pays $77,355, this is 51% below the group median.
Pay range
The top 10% earn $61,390 or more while the bottom 10% earn $28,990, a gap of 2.1×. That is a typical spread for a US occupation.
Rank in the bank
This median pays more than 8% of the 923 occupations in the NueCareer career bank.
Highest-paying state
District of Columbia pays the most at $62,150, and still leads at $56,551 once local prices are taken into account.
Which states pay Preschool Teachers, Except Special Education the most?
| State | Median | COL-adjusted | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $62,150 | $56,551 | 2,350 |
| Vermont | $49,730 | $50,767 | 940 |
| Hawaii | $48,780 | $44,365 | 1,410 |
| New Jersey | $48,220 | $44,318 | 16,190 |
| Kansas | $47,750 | $53,015 | 1,330 |
| California | $47,400 | $42,811 | 55,700 |
| Nebraska | $47,040 | $52,207 | 1,630 |
| New York | $46,520 | $43,106 | 23,870 |
| Alaska | $46,130 | $45,067 | 520 |
| Massachusetts | $45,890 | $43,392 | 18,710 |
Is Preschool Teacher, Except Special Education a growing career?
Preschool Teachers, Except Special Education4.1%
All US occupations3.1%
+4.1% projected growth vs 3.1% for all occupations.
Faster than average
BLS projects employment of Preschool Teachers, Except Special Education to change 4.1% over 2024–2034, against 3.1% projected for all occupations. That is 22,900 more jobs.
Annual openings
About 65,500 openings are projected each year, 11.8% of the 555,100 jobs that existed in 2024. Most come from workers leaving the occupation, not from growth alone.
Many of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to different occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire.
Early childhood education is important for a child’s intellectual and social development. More preschool teachers are projected to be needed to meet the demand for early childhood education.
How to become a Preschool Teacher, Except Special Education
Preschool teaching splits sharply in two, and which half you are aiming at decides everything. In public schools, preschool teachers must be licensed by the state to teach early childhood education, which typically covers preschool through third grade and generally requires a bachelor's degree and a competency exam. In private childcare and community settings, the credential people are actually searching for is the Child Development Associate, issued by the Council for Professional Recognition, and the applicable rules are the state's childcare regulations rather than its teaching licence.
The credential path, step by step
- Decide which setting you are aiming at
Public school preschool means a state teaching licence and generally a bachelor's degree in early childhood education or a related field. Head Start centre-based teachers are required to have at least an associate's degree, though at least 50 percent of Head Start preschool teachers nationwide must hold a bachelor's degree in early childhood education or a related field, with those holding a related degree such as psychology needing experience teaching preschool-age children. Private childcare typically needs less, and often points at the CDA.
- Earn the degree your setting requires2 to 4 years
Preschool teachers typically need at least an associate's degree. Bachelor's degree programs cover children's development, teaching young children, and observing and documenting children's progress.
- Earn a Child Development Associate credential if you are outside public school
The CDA requires high school completion, 120 clock hours of professional early childhood education with at least 10 hours in each of the eight CDA subject areas, and 480 hours of work experience with children in the age group matching your CDA type. You then compile a Professional Portfolio and Family Questionnaires, choose a Council-approved CDA Professional Development Specialist, and get your director's signature for the Verification Visit.
- Pass the CDA assessment: visit plus exam
The assessment has two parts and both must be scheduled within six months of the Ready to Schedule notice. The Professional Development Specialist visits your workplace to review your portfolio, observe you working with children and families, and conduct a reflective dialogue. Separately you sit a 65-question computer-based exam at a Pearson VUE test centre. The credential is awarded on your cumulative score across both.
- Or get the state teaching licence if you want the public-school job
Requirements vary by state but generally require a bachelor's degree and passing an exam to demonstrate competency. Some states also require preschool teachers to obtain a professional credential, which may require coursework, field experience, a written exam and observation of the candidate working with children. A few states require prior work experience in a childcare setting first, so teachers there often start as childcare workers or teacher assistants.
Exams you have to pass
A 65-question computer-based exam taken at a local Pearson VUE testing site. It is only half of the CDA assessment: the other half is the Verification Visit, in which a Council-approved CDA Professional Development Specialist observes you at your own place of work, reviews your Professional Portfolio and holds a reflective dialogue about your strengths and areas of growth. The credential is awarded on a cumulative score across both, so a strong exam does not rescue a weak observation.
Administered by Pearson VUE for the Council for Professional Recognition.
- How long the training takes
Around a year for a CDA route, or 2 to 4 years of college for a degree-based route
The CDA's own requirements set the floor: 120 clock hours of training plus 480 hours of work experience with the right age group. Public-school preschool generally requires a bachelor's degree, four years, plus state licensure.
- Continuing education
Set by each state
Most states require licensed public-school preschool teachers to complete continuing education credits to maintain the licence, with the amount set by each state. The CDA credential is separately valid for three years from the date awarded and may be renewed starting 90 days before it expires.
Licensing and state variation
Licensed state by state
Education and training requirements vary based on setting and state regulation, which is why two people can both be preschool teachers and face completely different requirements. In public schools a state licence to teach early childhood education, typically covering preschool through third grade, is required; private-school and childcare teachers generally are not licensed that way. Some states require preschool teachers to hold a professional credential, and a few require prior childcare work experience. States also design their own credentials on top: California has created an optional PK-3 Early Childhood Education Specialist Instruction credential for teachers who want to show particular expertise in early learning, care and development, but it is explicitly not intended to replace the Multiple Subject credential, which already authorises its holders to teach PK and transitional kindergarten.
Who governs the credential
- Council for Professional Recognition — Issues the Child Development Associate credential, which it describes as the most widely recognised credential in early childhood education. The CDA is offered by setting rather than as a single credential: Infant-Toddler, Preschool, Birth to Five, Family Child Care, Home Visitor and Military Programs, and the 480 hours of required work experience must be with the age group matching the type you apply for.
- California Commission on Teacher Credentialing (CTC) — An example of a state credentialing body that has built a dedicated early-childhood teaching credential. Its PK-3 Early Childhood Education Specialist Instruction credential authorises teaching in grades PK through 3, where PK is treated as 3- and 4-year-olds, and clinical practice must include children across that band. It is additive rather than mandatory.
Credential detail for preschool teacher, except special educations is researched by hand from the bodies that issue it, not derived from BLS or O*NET. Sources last checked August 23, 2026. Requirements change: confirm with your own state board before enrolling in anything.
- US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook — Preschool Teachers, How to Become One · checked August 23, 2026
- Council for Professional Recognition — Learn about the CDA · checked August 23, 2026
- Council for Professional Recognition — 5 Steps to Obtain a CDA Credential · checked August 23, 2026
- California Commission on Teacher Credentialing — PK-3 ECE Specialist Instruction Credential FAQ · checked August 23, 2026
What the federal data says
Education and training requirements vary based on settings and state regulations. Preschool teachers typically need at least an associate’s degree.
| Typical entry-level education | Associate's degree |
|---|---|
| Preparation needed (O*NET job zone) | Some preparation |
| Work experience in a related occupation | None |
| Typical on-the-job training | None |
What education people in the job have
O*NET incumbent survey: the highest level of education reported by people already working as preschool teachers, except special education.
- High School Diploma28.8%
- Bachelor's Degree17.2%
- Some College Courses12.2%
- Master's Degree12.0%
- Associate's Degree (or other 2-year degree)11.6%
What does a Preschool Teacher, Except Special Education do?
Instruct preschool-aged students, following curricula or lesson plans, in activities designed to promote social, physical, and intellectual growth.
Preschool teachers educate and care for children younger than age 5 who have not yet entered kindergarten. They teach language, motor, and social skills to young children.
Day-to-day tasks
- Read books to entire classes or to small groups.
- Demonstrate activities to children.
- Prepare materials and classrooms for class activities.
- Organize and label materials and display students' work in a manner appropriate for their ages and perceptual skills.
- Teach basic skills, such as color, shape, number and letter recognition, personal hygiene, and social skills.
- Assimilate arriving children to the school environment by greeting them, helping them remove outerwear, and selecting activities of interest to them.
- Organize and lead activities designed to promote physical, mental, and social development, such as games, arts and crafts, music, storytelling, and field trips.
- Identify children showing signs of emotional, developmental, or health-related problems and discuss them with supervisors, parents or guardians, and child development specialists.
O*NET core tasks, ordered by reported importance.
Working conditions and hours
Preschool teachers in public schools generally work during school hours. Many work the traditional 10-month school year and have a 2-month break during the summer. Some preschool teachers may teach in summer programs.
Teachers in districts with a year-round schedule typically work 9 weeks in a row and then have a break for 3 weeks before starting a new school session.
Working with people
- Constant contact with other people
Schedules: BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2024–2034 edition. Conditions: O*NET Work Context survey, showing only the signals people in the job report decisively one way or the other.
Where preschool teachers, except special education work
| Child daycare services | 63% |
|---|---|
| Educational services; state, local, and private | 16% |
| Religious, grantmaking, civic, professional, and similar organizations | 15% |
| Individual and family services | 2% |
BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2024–2034 edition.
Core skills
- Speaking4.0/5
- Active Listening3.9/5
- Learning Strategies3.9/5
- Reading Comprehension3.8/5
- Critical Thinking3.8/5
- Monitoring3.8/5
- Active Learning3.1/5
- Writing3.0/5
Transferable skills
- Instructing4.0/5
- Social Perceptiveness3.8/5
- Coordination3.8/5
- Service Orientation3.6/5
- Judgment and Decision Making3.1/5
- Persuasion3.0/5
- Complex Problem Solving3.0/5
- Time Management3.0/5
Tools and software
- Office suite software · in demand
- Spreadsheet software · in demand
- Word processing software · in demand
- Computer based training software
- Desktop communications software
- Electronic mail software
- Mobile messaging service software
- Multi-media educational software
- Project management software
- Video conferencing software
- Video creation and editing software
“In demand” marks an O*NET Employer-Based Hot Technology, software named in real job postings for this occupation.
What personality type suits a Preschool Teacher, Except Special Education?
Interest profile: O*NET Occupational Interests, scored 1–7
Realistic2.9
Investigative2.8
Artisticprimary4.0
Socialprimary7.0
Enterprising2.5
Conventionalprimary3.6
Day to day this is work built around teaching, helping and working directly with other people, combined with creating, designing and working without a fixed set of rules.
Closest MBTI types
NueCareer fit scores: cosine similarity between each MBTI type's interest vector and this occupation's O*NET interest profile. Not a BLS or O*NET figure; the method is documented on our methodology page.
Preschool Teacher, Except Special Education: frequently asked questions
How much do Preschool Teachers, Except Special Education make?
Preschool Teachers, Except Special Education earn a median of $38,140 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025), 25% below the $50,980 median for all US occupations. That works out at $18.34/hr. The middle half earn between $34,530 and $47,550. The top 10% earn $61,390 or more.
Do you need a degree to become a Preschool Teacher, Except Special Education?
Usually a two-year degree rather than a four-year one. BLS lists an associate's degree as the typical entry-level education for Preschool Teachers, Except Special Education. In O*NET's survey of people already doing the job, 28.8% hold high school diploma.
Is Preschool Teacher, Except Special Education a growing career?
Yes. Employment is projected to grow 4.1% over 2024–2034, faster than the 3.1% average for all occupations (BLS EP, 2024–2034). BLS still projects about 65,500 openings a year, mostly from workers retiring or moving to other work.
What does a Preschool Teacher, Except Special Education do?
Preschool teachers educate and care for children younger than age 5 who have not yet entered kindergarten. A core O*NET task: read books to entire classes or to small groups. Employers most often ask for Office suite software, Spreadsheet software, Word processing software.
Which states pay Preschool Teachers, Except Special Education the most?
The highest state medians for Preschool Teachers, Except Special Education are District of Columbia ($62,150), Vermont ($49,730), Hawaii ($48,780) (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
What personality type suits a Preschool Teacher, Except Special Education?
O*NET scores Preschool Teachers, Except Special Education highest on the Social, Artistic and Conventional interest areas, so the work mixes teaching, helping and working directly with other people with creating, designing and working without a fixed set of rules. On NueCareer's MBTI-to-interest mapping the closest types are ESFP, ENFJ, ESFJ. Personality is a fit signal, not a gate. The free NueCareer quiz scores your own profile against all 923 occupations in the bank.
How long does it take to become a Preschool Teacher, Except Special Education?
Around a year for a CDA route, or 2 to 4 years of college for a degree-based route. The CDA's own requirements set the floor: 120 clock hours of training plus 480 hours of work experience with the right age group. Public-school preschool generally requires a bachelor's degree, four years, plus state licensure.
Do you need a license to work as a Preschool Teacher, Except Special Education?
Yes, and it is issued by the state you work in, not nationally. Education and training requirements vary based on setting and state regulation, which is why two people can both be preschool teachers and face completely different requirements. In public schools a state licence to teach early childhood education, typically covering preschool through third grade, is required; private-school and childcare teachers generally are not licensed that way. Some states require preschool teachers to hold a professional credential, and a few require prior childcare work experience. States also design their own credentials on top: California has created an optional PK-3 Early Childhood Education Specialist Instruction credential for teachers who want to show particular expertise in early learning, care and development, but it is explicitly not intended to replace the Multiple Subject credential, which already authorises its holders to teach PK and transitional kindergarten.
What exams do you have to pass to become a Preschool Teacher, Except Special Education?
The CDA Exam. A 65-question computer-based exam taken at a local Pearson VUE testing site. It is only half of the CDA assessment: the other half is the Verification Visit, in which a Council-approved CDA Professional Development Specialist observes you at your own place of work, reviews your Professional Portfolio and holds a reflective dialogue about your strengths and areas of growth. The credential is awarded on a cumulative score across both, so a strong exam does not rescue a weak observation.