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Pre-K Teacher salary
Average pre-k teacher salary
$40,301
How much does a pre-k teacher make?
The average pre-k teacher salary in the United States is $40,301. Pre-k teacher salaries typically range between $28,000 and $57,000 yearly. The average hourly rate for pre-k teachers is $19.38 per hour.
Pre-k teacher salary is impacted by location, education, and experience. Pre-k teachers earn the highest average salary in New York.
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Where can a Pre-K Teacher earn more?
Average pre-k teacher salary by state
Highest paying states for pre-k teachers
Rank  | State | Avg. Salary | Hourly Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Maryland | $59,598 | $28.65 |
| 2 | New York | $62,828 | $30.21 |
| 3 | Massachusetts | $60,538 | $29.10 |
| 4 | New Jersey | $51,897 | $24.95 |
| 5 | Connecticut | $50,969 | $24.50 |
| 6 | District of Columbia | $57,620 | $27.70 |
| 7 | Minnesota | $50,071 | $24.07 |
| 8 | Pennsylvania | $47,164 | $22.68 |
| 9 | California | $55,235 | $26.56 |
| 10 | Texas | $46,873 | $22.54 |
| 11 | New Mexico | $42,633 | $20.50 |
| 12 | New Hampshire | $42,225 | $20.30 |
| 13 | Michigan | $41,329 | $19.87 |
| 14 | Rhode Island | $50,541 | $24.30 |
| 15 | Nebraska | $42,579 | $20.47 |
| 16 | Washington | $47,682 | $22.92 |
| 17 | Illinois | $40,798 | $19.61 |
| 18 | Vermont | $44,106 | $21.20 |
| 19 | Alaska | $48,168 | $23.16 |
| 20 | Virginia | $42,420 | $20.39 |
| 21 | Delaware | $40,367 | $19.41 |
| 22 | Iowa | $39,974 | $19.22 |
| 23 | Ohio | $37,942 | $18.24 |
| 24 | Wyoming | $37,821 | $18.18 |
| 25 | Alabama | $39,326 | $18.91 |
| 26 | Oregon | $40,742 | $19.59 |
| 27 | Nevada | $34,629 | $16.65 |
| 28 | Montana | $35,854 | $17.24 |
| 29 | Kentucky | $38,484 | $18.50 |
| 30 | North Dakota | $37,701 | $18.13 |
| 31 | Utah | $37,420 | $17.99 |
| 32 | Georgia | $35,108 | $16.88 |
| 33 | Hawaii | $43,989 | $21.15 |
| 34 | Florida | $34,731 | $16.70 |
| 35 | Wisconsin | $36,091 | $17.35 |
| 36 | Maine | $36,830 | $17.71 |
| 37 | Oklahoma | $32,360 | $15.56 |
| 38 | West Virginia | $34,845 | $16.75 |
| 39 | Colorado | $32,477 | $15.61 |
| 40 | Indiana | $33,590 | $16.15 |
| 41 | Kansas | $33,124 | $15.93 |
| 42 | Arizona | $31,684 | $15.23 |
| 43 | Mississippi | $33,774 | $16.24 |
| 44 | Louisiana | $33,997 | $16.34 |
| 45 | Tennessee | $32,200 | $15.48 |
| 46 | North Carolina | $30,541 | $14.68 |
| 47 | South Carolina | $30,494 | $14.66 |
| 48 | Idaho | $31,837 | $15.31 |
| 49 | Missouri | $30,041 | $14.44 |
| 50 | Arkansas | $30,796 | $14.81 |
| 51 | South Dakota | $31,361 | $15.08 |
Highest paying cities for pre-k teachers
The highest-paying cities for pre-k teachers are New York, NY, Brookline, MA, and Washington, DC.
| Rank | City | Avg. Salary | Hourly Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New York, NY | $62,990 | $30.28 |
| 2 | Brookline, MA | $60,577 | $29.12 |
| 3 | Washington, DC | $57,649 | $27.72 |
| 4 | San Jose, CA | $56,864 | $27.34 |
| 5 | Philadelphia, PA | $47,720 | $22.94 |
| 6 | Austin, TX | $47,102 | $22.65 |
| 7 | Albuquerque, NM | $42,472 | $20.42 |
| 8 | Chicago, IL | $40,956 | $19.69 |
| 9 | Salt Lake City, UT | $37,288 | $17.93 |
| 10 | Macon, GA | $35,139 | $16.89 |
| 11 | Orlando, FL | $34,945 | $16.80 |
| 12 | Las Vegas, NV | $34,573 | $16.62 |
| 13 | New Orleans, LA | $33,902 | $16.30 |
| 14 | Coeur dAlene, ID | $32,138 | $15.45 |
| 15 | New Bern, NC | $31,039 | $14.92 |
Pre-K Teacher salary details
A pre-k teacher's salary ranges from $28,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $57,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a pre-k teacher's salary?
| Percentile | Annual Salary | Monthly Salary | Hourly Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $57,000 | $4,750 | $27 |
| 75th Percentile | $48,000 | $4,000 | $23 |
| Average | $40,301 | $3,358 | $19 |
| 25th Percentile | $33,000 | $2,750 | $16 |
| 10th Percentile | $28,000 | $2,333 | $13 |
Highest paying pre-k teacher jobs
The highest paying types of pre-k teachers are middle school teacher, summer school teacher, and esl teacher.
| Job Title | Annual Salary | Monthly Salary | Hourly Rate | Job Openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Infant And Toddler Teacher | $29,606 | $2,467 | $14.23 | 63,094 |
| Substitute School Teacher | $33,215 | $2,768 | $15.97 | 82,842 |
| Early Childhood Teacher | $33,205 | $2,767 | $15.96 | 56,821 |
| Summer School Teacher | $52,828 | $4,402 | $25.40 | 86,467 |
| Teacher Aide | $29,480 | $2,457 | $14.17 | 106,207 |
| Head Start Teacher | $33,865 | $2,822 | $16.28 | 67,747 |
Top companies hiring pre-k teachers now:
Which companies pay pre-k teachers the most?
Pre-k teacher salaries at Faulkner University and Energized for Excellence Academy, Inc. are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average pre-k teacher salary at companies like Liberty County School District and Teaneck High School are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average Salary | Hourly Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Faulkner University | $63,386 | $30.47 |
| 2 | Energized for Excellence Academy, Inc. | $57,487 | $27.64 |
| 3 | Liberty County School District | $56,719 | $27.27 |
| 4 | Teaneck High School | $56,586 | $27.20 |
| 5 | Baltimore City Public Schools | $56,408 | $27.12 |
| 6 | Chicago Public Schools | $54,919 | $26.40 |
| 7 | Houston ISD Foundation | $54,783 | $26.34 |
| 8 | Tyler Isd | $54,497 | $26.20 |
| 9 | The Bear Creek School | $53,512 | $25.73 |
| 10 | Fayette County Public Schools | $53,174 | $25.56 |
| 11 | Prince George's County Memorial Library System | $52,967 | $25.46 |
| 12 | Broward County Public Schools | $52,496 | $25.24 |
| 13 | Scholar Academies | $51,984 | $24.99 |
| 14 | Union County Public Schools | $51,880 | $24.94 |
| 15 | Concord Hospital | $50,953 | $24.50 |
| 16 | DC Bilingual Public Charter School | $50,619 | $24.34 |
| 17 | Durham Public Schools | $49,615 | $23.85 |
| 18 | Brookline Elementary School | $49,102 | $23.61 |
| 19 | The Children's Workshop | $48,617 | $23.37 |
| 20 | Anchorage School District | $48,272 | $23.21 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Pre-K Teacher salary trends
The average pre-k teacher salary has risen by $5,357 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average pre-k teacher earned $34,944 annually, but today, they earn $40,301 a year. That works out to a 9% change in pay for pre-k teachers over the last decade.
Compare pre-k teacher salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average pre-k teacher salary over time
Compare pre-k teacher salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
- National Average
- Columbus, OH
Pre-K Teacher salary by year
| Year | Avg. Salary | Hourly Rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $40,300 | $19.38 | +2.1% |
| 2024 | $39,500 | $18.97 | +2.4% |
| 2023 | $38,500 | $18.51 | +1.8% |
| 2022 | $37,800 | $18.17 | +2.4% |
| 2021 | $36,900 | $17.74 | +1.6% |
Recently added pre-k teacher salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date Added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring Education Group | Pre-K Teacher | Sacramento, CA | 12/17/2024 | $35,479 |
| Kipp Enc | Certified Pre-K Teacher | Houston, TX | 12/16/2024 | $104,350 |
| Popsugar Inc. | This Pre-K Teacher Always Prioritizes Music and Movement | Downe, NJ | 12/16/2024 | $52,175 |
| Spring 3 Harmony | Preschool or Pre-K Lead Teacher | Spring, TX | 12/16/2024 | $27,131 |
| Lockportymca | Child Care-Universal Pre-K Teacher | Hamburg, NY | 12/15/2024 | $41,740 |
| Spring Education Group | Pre-K Teacher | Bethlehem, PA | 12/15/2024 | $35,479 |
| Guilford County Schools | Tchr-Pre-K | Boone, NC | 12/14/2024 | $57,900 |
| Grandview C-4 School District | Teacher, ELD (English Language Development) K | Grandview, MO | 12/14/2024 | $42,054 |
| Magical Beginnings | Pre-K Teacher | Carver, MA | 12/14/2024 | $33,392 |
| Bartholomew Consolidated School Corporation | Pre-K Substitute Teacher | Hope, IN | 12/13/2024 | $33,455 |
Pre-K Teacher salary FAQs
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