Pay by state · 54 areas
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 Alabama at $28,310 (BLS OEWS, May 2025). The national median is $38,140. The table below covers all 50 states, DC, U.S. Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico and Guam, with a cost-of-living adjusted column.
- Highest median
- $62,150District of Columbia
- National median
- $38,140BLS OEWS, May 2025
- Lowest median
- $28,310Alabama
- Areas reporting
- 54of 54 OEWS areas
Top and bottom
Highest- and lowest-paying states for preschool teachers, except special education
Ranked on the state median among the 50 states and DC. Territories are in the full table but not ranked here.
Highest median pay
- 1District of Columbia$62,150
- 2Vermont$49,730
- 3Hawaii$48,780
- 4New Jersey$48,220
- 5Kansas$47,750
Lowest median pay
- 1Alabama$28,310
- 2Kentucky$29,780
- 3Wyoming$29,930
- 4Oklahoma$31,790
- 5West Virginia$32,480
All states
Preschool Teacher, Except Special Education salary in every state
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.
| # | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | DCDistrict of Columbia | $62,150 | $45,490 | $77,450 | 2,350 | $56,551 |
| 2 | VTVermont | $49,730 | $44,400 | $59,440 | 940 | $50,767 |
| 3 | HIHawaii | $48,780 | $41,280 | $58,270 | 1,410 | $44,365 |
| 4 | NJNew Jersey | $48,220 | $39,030 | $64,370 | 16,190 | $44,318 |
| 5 | KSKansas | $47,750 | $37,450 | $55,640 | 1,330 | $53,015 |
| 6 | CACalifornia | $47,400 | $43,910 | $59,150 | 55,700 | $42,811 |
| 7 | NENebraska | $47,040 | $38,080 | $59,990 | 1,630 | $52,207 |
| 8 | NYNew York | $46,520 | $38,610 | $59,680 | 23,870 | $43,106 |
| 9 | AKAlaska | $46,130 | $35,210 | $60,880 | 520 | $45,067 |
| 10 | MAMassachusetts | $45,890 | $37,820 | $48,580 | 18,710 | $43,392 |
| 11 | CTConnecticut | $45,740 | $37,510 | $58,880 | 5,230 | $44,146 |
| 12 | WAWashington | $45,660 | $42,800 | $48,490 | 13,210 | $42,668 |
| 13 | COColorado | $45,500 | $38,200 | $63,160 | 5,210 | $44,152 |
| 14 | OROregon | $45,140 | $38,670 | $56,840 | 6,300 | $43,672 |
| 15 | VIU.S. Virgin Islands | $44,790 | $24,730 | $50,160 | 100 | N/A |
| 16 | MDMaryland | $44,600 | $36,750 | $47,710 | 8,020 | $42,493 |
| 17 | SDSouth Dakota | $44,500 | $34,830 | $48,260 | 1,470 | $50,234 |
| 18 | NMNew Mexico | $44,070 | $37,230 | $60,740 | 2,490 | $47,792 |
| 19 | GAGeorgia | $43,920 | $35,340 | $59,100 | 16,850 | $45,611 |
| 20 | MEMaine | $43,890 | $37,560 | $48,430 | 1,110 | $45,224 |
| 21 | MNMinnesota | $43,430 | $37,570 | $47,240 | 10,320 | $44,037 |
| 22 | ILIllinois | $40,910 | $37,750 | $46,790 | 22,420 | $40,927 |
| 23 | NDNorth Dakota | $39,720 | $30,660 | $48,420 | 540 | $44,650 |
| 24 | NHNew Hampshire | $39,350 | $36,350 | $46,700 | 2,220 | $37,777 |
| 25 | NVNevada | $38,870 | $32,790 | $46,650 | 2,360 | $38,878 |
| 26 | LALouisiana | $38,020 | $29,680 | $50,250 | 3,570 | $43,103 |
| 27 | VAVirginia | $37,140 | $34,660 | $45,150 | 13,570 | $36,734 |
| 28 | MIMichigan | $37,110 | $34,650 | $45,310 | 10,950 | $38,569 |
| 29 | RIRhode Island | $36,830 | $35,900 | $43,280 | 1,890 | $36,009 |
| 30 | INIndiana | $36,650 | $30,520 | $44,130 | 7,110 | $39,270 |
| 31 | MTMontana | $36,540 | $31,480 | $44,950 | 960 | $38,607 |
| 32 | DEDelaware | $36,360 | $34,770 | $37,560 | 2,000 | $36,430 |
| 33 | AZArizona | $36,300 | $35,180 | $38,150 | 9,400 | $36,056 |
| 34 | MSMississippi | $36,250 | $23,310 | $45,020 | 3,600 | $41,689 |
| 35 | WIWisconsin | $36,160 | $30,190 | $38,670 | 11,330 | $38,429 |
| 36 | MOMissouri | $36,090 | $30,440 | $44,030 | 5,580 | $39,739 |
| 37 | PAPennsylvania | $36,050 | $31,200 | $38,270 | 22,760 | $36,947 |
| 38 | FLFlorida | $35,860 | $30,520 | $37,610 | 35,740 | $34,676 |
| 39 | NCNorth Carolina | $35,710 | $30,700 | $40,330 | 18,370 | $37,858 |
| 40 | OHOhio | $35,180 | $29,530 | $37,280 | 19,840 | $37,920 |
| 41 | UTUtah | $35,010 | $29,780 | $37,550 | 3,670 | $35,412 |
| 42 | SCSouth Carolina | $34,500 | $29,280 | $37,170 | 4,550 | $36,800 |
| 43 | TNTennessee | $34,280 | $29,290 | $53,450 | 5,420 | $37,314 |
| 44 | ARArkansas | $34,190 | $28,480 | $45,940 | 3,270 | $39,327 |
| 45 | TXTexas | $33,860 | $28,420 | $37,690 | 41,200 | $34,887 |
| 46 | IAIowa | $33,830 | $29,240 | $37,550 | 5,910 | $38,547 |
| 47 | IDIdaho | $32,800 | $29,980 | $39,220 | 1,010 | $34,348 |
| 48 | WVWest Virginia | $32,480 | $27,040 | $47,940 | 2,190 | $36,292 |
| 49 | PRPuerto Rico | $32,120 | $28,080 | $37,960 | 2,960 | N/A |
| 50 | OKOklahoma | $31,790 | $28,520 | $46,930 | 7,010 | $36,190 |
| 51 | WYWyoming | $29,930 | $27,850 | $50,940 | 1,040 | $32,290 |
| 52 | KYKentucky | $29,780 | $27,840 | $39,300 | 8,520 | $33,031 |
| 53 | ALAlabama | $28,310 | $23,190 | $33,240 | 7,910 | $31,872 |
| 54 | GUGuam | $22,120 | $21,550 | $28,510 | 160 | N/A |
Method
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, the adjustment does not change the leader: District of Columbia is first on raw pay and still first 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.
Questions
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?
Among the 50 states and DC, Alabama reports the lowest median for preschool teachers, except special education at $28,310 a year, $33,840 below the highest-paying state (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Among the territories, U.S. Virgin Islands reports $44,790, Puerto Rico reports $32,120 and Guam reports $22,120.
Is the highest-paying state the best for preschool teachers, except special education after cost of living?
Yes. District of Columbia stays first after dividing each state median by its BEA Regional Price Parity, at $56,551 in national-average dollars from a raw $62,150. BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024; the adjustment is NueCareer's calculation.