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What is an early childhood education instructor and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
Quoted expert
Maritere Cardona Matos Ed.D.

Are you one of those people who has always had a knack for kids? Everything from babysitting in your teens to doing silly faces, you only live for moments in which a kid smiles or learns new skills. You may have begun to consider taking a career path that lets you work with children.

A career in education can make a positive difference in other people's lives. Most individuals spend many years of their lives in school. Teachers truly shape future generations. This is especially true for early childhood education instructor. They teach more than just the traditional topics, and they should be qualified to be able to combine all fields including, but not limited to, mathematics, physics, and social sciences.

Aside from teaching curricular and non-curricular subjects, early childhood education instructors also create and enforce children's schedules and routines. They may have to use their leadership skills to inspire and empower students in the right way. They should also have the wisdom and the ability to address issues in the class like disagreements between children or challenging questions asked by students.

What general advice would you give to an early childhood education instructor?

Maritere Cardona Matos Ed.D.

Assistant Professor, University of Puerto Rico - Humacao

Teaching is a rewarding career, but it presents challenges everyday. My advice is to cherish the teachable moments but disconnect during the weekends for family and friends. This will ground you.
ScoreEarly Childhood Education InstructorUS Average
Salary
3.2

Avg. Salary $41,294

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level
6.8

Growth rate -6%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity
8.4
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.53%

Asian 6.01%

Black or African American 12.02%

Hispanic or Latino 14.84%

Unknown 5.68%

White 60.93%

Gender

female 94.23%

male 5.77%

Age - 43
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 43
Stress level
6.8

Stress level is high

7.1 - high

Complexity level
7.0

Complexity level is challenging

7 - challenging

Work life balance
8.9

Work life balance is excellent

6.4 - fair

Early childhood education instructor career paths

Key steps to become an early childhood education instructor

  1. Explore early childhood education instructor education requirements

    Most common early childhood education instructor degrees

    Bachelor's

    64.1 %

    Master's

    21.5 %

    Associate

    8.5 %
  2. Start to develop specific early childhood education instructor skills

    SkillsPercentages
    Autism25.46%
    Childhood Education10.95%
    Child Development7.54%
    Syllabus6.55%
    Child Care6.37%
  3. Complete relevant early childhood education instructor training and internships

    Accountants spend an average of 1-3 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New early childhood education instructors learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as an early childhood education instructor based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real early childhood education instructor resumes.
  4. Research early childhood education instructor duties and responsibilities

    • Manage groups of kids on a daily basis in the field to ensure safety while participating in activities.
    • Create daily lesson plans for multi-level adult ESL classes.
    • Educate students in the area of biology and chemistry.
    • Create an ABE department-wide curriculum as part of a development team.
  5. Prepare your early childhood education instructor resume

    When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your early childhood education instructor resume.

    You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on an early childhood education instructor resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

    Choose from 10+ customizable early childhood education instructor resume templates

    Build a professional early childhood education instructor resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your early childhood education instructor resume.
    Early Childhood Education Instructor Resume
    Early Childhood Education Instructor Resume
    Early Childhood Education Instructor Resume
    Early Childhood Education Instructor Resume
    Early Childhood Education Instructor Resume
    Early Childhood Education Instructor Resume
    Early Childhood Education Instructor Resume
    Early Childhood Education Instructor Resume
    Early Childhood Education Instructor Resume
  6. Apply for early childhood education instructor jobs

    Now it's time to start searching for an early childhood education instructor job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

    1. Browse job boards for relevant postings
    2. Consult your professional network
    3. Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
    4. Watch out for job scams

How did you land your first early childhood education instructor job

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Average early childhood education instructor salary

The average early childhood education instructor salary in the United States is $41,294 per year or $20 per hour. Early childhood education instructor salaries range between $29,000 and $57,000 per year.

Average early childhood education instructor salary
$41,294 Yearly
$19.85 hourly

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How do early childhood education instructors rate their job?

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Based on 1 ratings

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Early childhood education instructor reviews

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A zippia user wrote a review on Jun 2022
Cons

That in a year the children you fall in love with move on to the next grade.


profile
A zippia user wrote a review on Feb 2022
Pros

I enjoy working as a teacher aide because of the children I love doing it


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A zippia user wrote a review on Jul 2020
Cons

Some students' non-challant attitude towards learning.


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Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

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