Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special Education Salary in the United States
The median annual wage for kindergarten teachers, except special education in the U.S. is $62,680, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program, May 2025 estimates.
- Median annual wage
- $62,680
- Mean annual wage
- $69,370
- Median hourly wage
- —
- Employment
- 108,870
108,870 employed
Wage percentiles
| Percentile | Annual wage | Hourly wage |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $46,990 | — |
| 25th percentile | $52,180 | — |
| Median (50th) | $62,680 | — |
| 75th percentile | $79,910 | — |
| 90th percentile | $101,830 | — |
Highest-paying states for kindergarten teachers, except special education
| State | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|
| Washington | $99,960 | 5,270 |
| Connecticut | $90,030 | 1,420 |
| Rhode Island | $85,470 | 360 |
| Massachusetts | $84,100 | 1,980 |
| California | $82,550 | 7,430 |
| District of Columbia | $81,500 | 180 |
| New York | $77,630 | 6,950 |
| Maryland | $75,910 | 1,560 |
| Minnesota | $75,500 | 2,840 |
| New Mexico | $74,380 | 950 |
Lowest-paying states
- Montana: $47,590 median annual wage
- Oklahoma: $47,860 median annual wage
- Mississippi: $48,880 median annual wage
- South Dakota: $49,410 median annual wage
- Alabama: $50,900 median annual wage
About this occupation
Teach academic and social skills to kindergarten students.
Typical tasks
- Prepare, administer, and grade tests and assignments to evaluate children's progress.
- Establish and enforce rules for behavior and policies and procedures to maintain order among students.
- Read books to entire classes or to small groups.
- Demonstrate activities to children.
- Organize and lead activities designed to promote physical, mental, and social development, such as games, arts and crafts, music, and storytelling.
- Establish clear objectives for all lessons, units, and projects and communicate those objectives to children.
Education of the current workforce — typical entry: Bachelor's degree
| Education level | Share of workers |
|---|---|
| Less than high school diploma | 2.1% |
| High school diploma or equivalent | 13.5% |
| Some college, no degree | 17.6% |
| Associate's degree | 12.2% |
| Bachelor's degree | 34.6% |
| Master's degree | 18.2% |
| Doctoral or professional degree | 1.8% |
Occupation profile data from CareerOneStop, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor.
Related occupations
- Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondary$36,780
- Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education$63,970
- Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education$72,040
- Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education$64,370
- Substitute Teachers, Short-Term$41,670
- Preschool Teachers, Except Special Education$38,140
- Self-Enrichment Teachers$46,800
- Special Education Teachers, Kindergarten and Elementary School$65,120
About this data
- Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics — data period May 2025, retrieved August 13, 2026.
- Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics — data period May 2025, retrieved August 13, 2026.
- CareerOneStop Occupation Profiles — data period 2026-08, retrieved August 14, 2026.
Figures are shown exactly as published by the source or derived by the documented formulas on our methodology page. Where a source suppresses an estimate, we show “—” rather than a substitute value.