Preschool Teachers, Except Special Education Salary in the United States
The median annual wage for preschool teachers, except special education in the U.S. is $38,140 ($18.34 per hour), according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program, May 2025 estimates.
- Median annual wage
- $38,140
- Mean annual wage
- $43,030
- Median hourly wage
- $18.34
- Employment
- 478,780
478,780 employed
Wage percentiles
| Percentile | Annual wage | Hourly wage |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $28,990 | $13.94 |
| 25th percentile | $34,530 | $16.60 |
| Median (50th) | $38,140 | $18.34 |
| 75th percentile | $47,550 | $22.86 |
| 90th percentile | $61,390 | $29.52 |
Highest-paying states for preschool teachers, except special education
| State | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $62,150 | 2,350 |
| Vermont | $49,730 | 940 |
| Hawaii | $48,780 | 1,410 |
| New Jersey | $48,220 | 16,190 |
| Kansas | $47,750 | 1,330 |
| California | $47,400 | 55,700 |
| Nebraska | $47,040 | 1,630 |
| New York | $46,520 | 23,870 |
| Alaska | $46,130 | 520 |
| Massachusetts | $45,890 | 18,710 |
Lowest-paying states
- Alabama: $28,310 median annual wage
- Kentucky: $29,780 median annual wage
- Wyoming: $29,930 median annual wage
- Oklahoma: $31,790 median annual wage
- West Virginia: $32,480 median annual wage
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
- Self-Enrichment Teachers$46,800
- Special Education Teachers, Kindergarten and Elementary School$65,120
- Instructional Coordinators$77,440
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.
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.