Sort by any column. Employment is the number of preschool teachers, except special education OEWS estimates in that state; blank cells are estimates BLS suppressed because the sample was too small.
Preschool Teacher, Except Special Education Salary by State (2026)
Preschool Teachers, Except Special Education earn the most in District of Columbia at $62,150 a year and the least in Guam at $22,120 (BLS OEWS, May 2025). The national median is $38,140. All 54 states and territories with reported data are ranked below, with a cost-of-living adjusted column.
- Highest median
- $62,150
- National median
- $38,140
- Lowest median
- $22,120
- States reporting
- 54
District of Columbia
BLS OEWS, May 2025
Guam
of 54 OEWS areas
Top 5 states for Preschool Teachers, Except Special Education
- 1. District of Columbia$62,150 median · $56,551 adjusted · 2,350 employed
- 2. Vermont$49,730 median · $50,767 adjusted · 940 employed
- 3. Hawaii$48,780 median · $44,365 adjusted · 1,410 employed
- 4. New Jersey$48,220 median · $44,318 adjusted · 16,190 employed
- 5. Kansas$47,750 median · $53,015 adjusted · 1,330 employed
Lowest-paying states for Preschool Teachers, Except Special Education
- 54. Guam$22,120 median · no price parity · 160 employed
- 53. Alabama$28,310 median · $31,872 adjusted · 7,910 employed
- 52. Kentucky$29,780 median · $33,031 adjusted · 8,520 employed
- 51. Wyoming$29,930 median · $32,290 adjusted · 1,040 employed
- 50. Oklahoma$31,790 median · $36,190 adjusted · 7,010 employed
Preschool Teacher, Except Special Education salary in every state
| # | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | $62,150 | $45,490 | $77,450 | 2,350 | $56,551 |
| 2 | Vermont | $49,730 | $44,400 | $59,440 | 940 | $50,767 |
| 3 | Hawaii | $48,780 | $41,280 | $58,270 | 1,410 | $44,365 |
| 4 | New Jersey | $48,220 | $39,030 | $64,370 | 16,190 | $44,318 |
| 5 | Kansas | $47,750 | $37,450 | $55,640 | 1,330 | $53,015 |
| 6 | California | $47,400 | $43,910 | $59,150 | 55,700 | $42,811 |
| 7 | Nebraska | $47,040 | $38,080 | $59,990 | 1,630 | $52,207 |
| 8 | New York | $46,520 | $38,610 | $59,680 | 23,870 | $43,106 |
| 9 | Alaska | $46,130 | $35,210 | $60,880 | 520 | $45,067 |
| 10 | Massachusetts | $45,890 | $37,820 | $48,580 | 18,710 | $43,392 |
| 11 | Connecticut | $45,740 | $37,510 | $58,880 | 5,230 | $44,146 |
| 12 | Washington | $45,660 | $42,800 | $48,490 | 13,210 | $42,668 |
| 13 | Colorado | $45,500 | $38,200 | $63,160 | 5,210 | $44,152 |
| 14 | Oregon | $45,140 | $38,670 | $56,840 | 6,300 | $43,672 |
| 15 | U.S. Virgin Islands | $44,790 | $24,730 | $50,160 | 100 | N/A |
| 16 | Maryland | $44,600 | $36,750 | $47,710 | 8,020 | $42,493 |
| 17 | South Dakota | $44,500 | $34,830 | $48,260 | 1,470 | $50,234 |
| 18 | New Mexico | $44,070 | $37,230 | $60,740 | 2,490 | $47,792 |
| 19 | Georgia | $43,920 | $35,340 | $59,100 | 16,850 | $45,611 |
| 20 | Maine | $43,890 | $37,560 | $48,430 | 1,110 | $45,224 |
| 21 | Minnesota | $43,430 | $37,570 | $47,240 | 10,320 | $44,037 |
| 22 | Illinois | $40,910 | $37,750 | $46,790 | 22,420 | $40,927 |
| 23 | North Dakota | $39,720 | $30,660 | $48,420 | 540 | $44,650 |
| 24 | New Hampshire | $39,350 | $36,350 | $46,700 | 2,220 | $37,777 |
| 25 | Nevada | $38,870 | $32,790 | $46,650 | 2,360 | $38,878 |
| 26 | Louisiana | $38,020 | $29,680 | $50,250 | 3,570 | $43,103 |
| 27 | Virginia | $37,140 | $34,660 | $45,150 | 13,570 | $36,734 |
| 28 | Michigan | $37,110 | $34,650 | $45,310 | 10,950 | $38,569 |
| 29 | Rhode Island | $36,830 | $35,900 | $43,280 | 1,890 | $36,009 |
| 30 | Indiana | $36,650 | $30,520 | $44,130 | 7,110 | $39,270 |
| 31 | Montana | $36,540 | $31,480 | $44,950 | 960 | $38,607 |
| 32 | Delaware | $36,360 | $34,770 | $37,560 | 2,000 | $36,430 |
| 33 | Arizona | $36,300 | $35,180 | $38,150 | 9,400 | $36,056 |
| 34 | Mississippi | $36,250 | $23,310 | $45,020 | 3,600 | $41,689 |
| 35 | Wisconsin | $36,160 | $30,190 | $38,670 | 11,330 | $38,429 |
| 36 | Missouri | $36,090 | $30,440 | $44,030 | 5,580 | $39,739 |
| 37 | Pennsylvania | $36,050 | $31,200 | $38,270 | 22,760 | $36,947 |
| 38 | Florida | $35,860 | $30,520 | $37,610 | 35,740 | $34,676 |
| 39 | North Carolina | $35,710 | $30,700 | $40,330 | 18,370 | $37,858 |
| 40 | Ohio | $35,180 | $29,530 | $37,280 | 19,840 | $37,920 |
| 41 | Utah | $35,010 | $29,780 | $37,550 | 3,670 | $35,412 |
| 42 | South Carolina | $34,500 | $29,280 | $37,170 | 4,550 | $36,800 |
| 43 | Tennessee | $34,280 | $29,290 | $53,450 | 5,420 | $37,314 |
| 44 | Arkansas | $34,190 | $28,480 | $45,940 | 3,270 | $39,327 |
| 45 | Texas | $33,860 | $28,420 | $37,690 | 41,200 | $34,887 |
| 46 | Iowa | $33,830 | $29,240 | $37,550 | 5,910 | $38,547 |
| 47 | Idaho | $32,800 | $29,980 | $39,220 | 1,010 | $34,348 |
| 48 | West Virginia | $32,480 | $27,040 | $47,940 | 2,190 | $36,292 |
| 49 | Puerto Rico | $32,120 | $28,080 | $37,960 | 2,960 | N/A |
| 50 | Oklahoma | $31,790 | $28,520 | $46,930 | 7,010 | $36,190 |
| 51 | Wyoming | $29,930 | $27,850 | $50,940 | 1,040 | $32,290 |
| 52 | Kentucky | $29,780 | $27,840 | $39,300 | 8,520 | $33,031 |
| 53 | Alabama | $28,310 | $23,190 | $33,240 | 7,910 | $31,872 |
| 54 | Guam | $22,120 | $21,550 | $28,510 | 160 | N/A |
How the cost-of-living adjustment works
The adjusted column divides each state median by that state's BEA Regional Price Parity (RPP) and multiplies by 100. RPPs measure how much a fixed basket of goods, services and rents costs in one state relative to the national average, so the result restates local pay in national-average dollars.
For Preschool Teachers, Except Special Education, that changes the ranking: District of Columbia leads on raw pay at $62,150, while District of Columbia leads once prices are taken into account at $56,551.
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities by State, 2024 (public domain). The adjustment is NueCareer's calculation, not a BLS or BEA published statistic.
Preschool Teacher, Except Special Education pay by state: FAQ
Which state pays Preschool Teachers, Except Special Education the most?
District of Columbia reports the highest median wage for Preschool Teachers, Except Special Education at $62,150 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025), followed by Vermont ($49,730) and Hawaii ($48,780).
Which state pays Preschool Teachers, Except Special Education the least?
Guam reports the lowest median for Preschool Teachers, Except Special Education at $22,120 a year, $40,030 below the highest-paying state (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
Where do Preschool Teachers, Except Special Education earn the most after cost of living?
Dividing each state median by that state's BEA Regional Price Parity puts District of Columbia first at $56,551 in national-average dollars, from a raw median of $62,150. BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.
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