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Early childhood teacher salary
Average early childhood teacher salary
$15.96
Understanding Early Childhood Teacher Salaries
As an Early Childhood Teacher, your influence extends beyond the classroom, impacting the foundational years of children’s education. In the United States, the average salary for an early childhood teacher is $33,205 annually or about $16 per hour. However, factors such as geographic location, years of experience, and specialized qualifications can significantly affect earnings.
Salary Variations by State
For instance, states like California and New York often offer higher pay due to the cost of living and demand for skilled educators. Analyzing salary data across different states can help job seekers make informed decisions about where to apply.
Career Progression
With experience, early childhood teachers can advance into roles such as lead teacher or director, often resulting in increased salaries. Continuous professional development and obtaining certifications can also enhance earning potential.
Exploring Job Opportunities
Many organizations and educational institutions are seeking qualified early childhood teachers. Utilizing resources like job boards can assist in finding positions that meet your career aspirations. Understanding the salary landscape is essential for negotiating compensation effectively.
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Where can an Early Childhood Teacher earn more?
Early childhood teacher salary estimates from across the web
Average early childhood teacher salary by state
The highest-paying states for early childhood teachers are New York, Massachusetts, and Maryland. The lowest average early childhood teacher salary states are Florida, Indiana, and Mississippi.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for early childhood teachers
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | $50,952 | $24.50 |
| 2 | Maryland | $45,228 | $21.74 |
| 3 | New York | $47,213 | $22.70 |
| 4 | Massachusetts | $45,487 | $21.87 |
| 5 | Michigan | $37,492 | $18.02 |
| 6 | New Jersey | $39,524 | $19.00 |
| 7 | Vermont | $44,245 | $21.27 |
| 8 | Minnesota | $37,110 | $17.84 |
| 9 | New Hampshire | $35,552 | $17.09 |
| 10 | Wyoming | $36,997 | $17.79 |
| 11 | Connecticut | $37,293 | $17.93 |
| 12 | California | $42,734 | $20.55 |
| 13 | Arizona | $35,039 | $16.85 |
| 14 | Texas | $35,906 | $17.26 |
| 15 | Pennsylvania | $35,388 | $17.01 |
| 16 | Illinois | $34,824 | $16.74 |
| 17 | West Virginia | $38,007 | $18.27 |
| 18 | Maine | $37,330 | $17.95 |
| 19 | New Mexico | $33,023 | $15.88 |
| 20 | Washington | $36,248 | $17.43 |
| 21 | North Dakota | $34,824 | $16.74 |
| 22 | Colorado | $32,893 | $15.81 |
| 23 | Wisconsin | $33,257 | $15.99 |
| 24 | Nebraska | $32,944 | $15.84 |
| 25 | Iowa | $32,825 | $15.78 |
| 26 | Kansas | $32,022 | $15.40 |
| 27 | Nevada | $30,579 | $14.70 |
| 28 | Oregon | $34,748 | $16.71 |
| 29 | Montana | $32,200 | $15.48 |
| 30 | Virginia | $34,321 | $16.50 |
| 31 | Arkansas | $32,392 | $15.57 |
| 32 | Hawaii | $39,224 | $18.86 |
| 33 | Kentucky | $32,371 | $15.56 |
| 34 | Alaska | $35,358 | $17.00 |
| 35 | Delaware | $29,953 | $14.40 |
| 36 | Tennessee | $30,647 | $14.73 |
| 37 | South Carolina | $30,464 | $14.65 |
| 38 | Rhode Island | $31,746 | $15.26 |
| 39 | North Carolina | $30,450 | $14.64 |
| 40 | South Dakota | $31,581 | $15.18 |
| 41 | Missouri | $31,068 | $14.94 |
| 42 | Georgia | $30,412 | $14.62 |
| 43 | Oklahoma | $27,615 | $13.28 |
| 44 | Louisiana | $30,381 | $14.61 |
| 45 | Indiana | $26,915 | $12.94 |
| 46 | Florida | $27,228 | $13.09 |
| 47 | Ohio | $28,254 | $13.58 |
| 48 | Idaho | $24,889 | $11.97 |
| 49 | Mississippi | $26,239 | $12.61 |
| 50 | Utah | $25,771 | $12.39 |
| 51 | Alabama | $22,442 | $10.79 |
Highest paying cities for early childhood teachers
The highest-paying cities for early childhood teachers are Washington, DC, New York, NY, and Brookline, MA.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Washington, DC | $50,989 | $24.51 |
| 2 | New York, NY | $47,211 | $22.70 |
| 3 | Brookline, MA | $45,507 | $21.88 |
| 4 | Santa Cruz, CA | $44,907 | $21.59 |
| 5 | Rockville, MD | $44,828 | $21.55 |
| 6 | Minneapolis, MN | $37,118 | $17.85 |
| 7 | Vancouver, WA | $36,886 | $17.73 |
| 8 | Schertz, TX | $36,371 | $17.49 |
| 9 | Philadelphia, PA | $35,659 | $17.14 |
| 10 | Mundelein, IL | $35,304 | $16.97 |
| 11 | Eugene, OR | $35,102 | $16.88 |
| 12 | Richmond, VA | $34,108 | $16.40 |
| 13 | Green Bay, WI | $33,996 | $16.34 |
| 14 | Fort Collins, CO | $33,030 | $15.88 |
| 15 | Omaha, NE | $32,973 | $15.85 |
| 16 | Kansas City, KS | $32,115 | $15.44 |
| 17 | Kansas City, MO | $31,175 | $14.99 |
| 18 | Atlanta, GA | $30,476 | $14.65 |
| 19 | Las Vegas, NV | $30,458 | $14.64 |
| 20 | Asheville, NC | $29,972 | $14.41 |
Early childhood teacher salary details
An early childhood teacher's salary ranges from $22,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $48,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is an early childhood teacher's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $48,000 | $4,000 | $23 |
| 75th Percentile | $40,000 | $3,333 | $19 |
| Average | $33,205 | $2,767 | $16 |
| 25th Percentile | $27,000 | $2,250 | $13 |
| 10th Percentile | $22,000 | $1,833 | $11 |
Highest paying early childhood teacher jobs
The highest paying types of early childhood teachers are science teacher, student teacher, and reading teacher.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Teacher Aide | $29,480 | $2,457 | $14.17 | 106,207 |
| Teacher | $47,989 | $3,999 | $23.07 | 71,918 |
| Student Teacher | $59,035 | $4,920 | $28.38 | 79,071 |
| Science Teacher | $59,788 | $4,982 | $28.74 | 71,133 |
| Infant Teacher | $29,076 | $2,423 | $13.98 | 63,079 |
| Head Start Teacher | $33,865 | $2,822 | $16.28 | 67,747 |
Top companies hiring early childhood teachers now:
Which companies pay early childhood teachers the most?
Early childhood teacher salaries at Governors State University and DC Prep are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average early childhood teacher salary at companies like Boston Public Schools and Health Alliance are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Governors State University | $76,838 | $36.94 |
| 2 | DC Prep | $59,982 | $28.84 |
| 3 | Boston Public Schools | $58,509 | $28.13 |
| 4 | Health Alliance | $58,185 | $27.97 |
| 5 | UMass Lowell | $57,162 | $27.48 |
| 6 | Naperville School District 203 | $56,426 | $27.13 |
| 7 | Del Mar Union School District | $55,909 | $26.88 |
| 8 | Angela Hospice | $55,632 | $26.75 |
| 9 | St. Paul's Episcopal School | $55,201 | $26.54 |
| 10 | The Center for Early Education | $54,796 | $26.34 |
| 11 | Baltimore City Public Schools | $54,720 | $26.31 |
| 12 | Topeka Public Schools | $54,552 | $26.23 |
| 13 | Prince George's County Memorial Library System | $51,974 | $24.99 |
| 14 | East Aurora School District 131 | $51,918 | $24.96 |
| 15 | Trinity School | $51,874 | $24.94 |
| 16 | Cerner | $51,776 | $24.89 |
| 17 | New York City School Construction Authority | $51,672 | $24.84 |
| 18 | Skidmore College | $51,617 | $24.82 |
| 19 | Andover Public Schools | $50,866 | $24.45 |
| 20 | University of California-Berkeley | $50,762 | $24.40 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Early childhood teacher salary trends
The average early childhood teacher salary has risen by $5,522 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average early childhood teacher earned $27,683 annually, but today, they earn $33,205 a year. That works out to a 11% change in pay for early childhood teachers over the last decade.
Compare early childhood teacher salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average early childhood teacher salary over time
Compare early childhood teacher salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Early childhood teacher salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $33,200 | $15.96 | +4.4% |
| 2024 | $31,700 | $15.26 | +2.4% |
| 2023 | $31,000 | $14.89 | +2.7% |
| 2022 | $30,100 | $14.49 | +0.7% |
| 2021 | $29,900 | $14.39 | +0.8% |
Recently added early childhood teacher salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jordan Valley Medical Center | Early Childhood Classroom Teacher | Lebanon South, PA | 06/30/2025 | $31,305 |
| University of Arkansas | Early Childhood Educator-Classroom Teacher (Current and Anticipated Future Openings) | Fayetteville, NC | 06/30/2025 | $35,000 |
| The University of Chicago | Laboratory Schools: Early Childhood Assistant Teacher | Chicago, IL | 06/30/2025 | $39,114 |
| Children's Friend | Early Childhood Teacher | Pawtucket, RI | 06/29/2025 | $46,206 |
| JFF | Early Childhood Assistant Teachers | Los Angeles, CA | 06/29/2025 | $35,000 |
| Methodist Home for Children | Early Childhood Teacher-JC | Raleigh, NC | 06/29/2025 | $37,566 |
| Get It Recruit-Educational Services | Early Childhood Associate Teacher-Remote | WFH | Columbia, SC | 06/29/2025 | $31,305 |
| Primrose School | Early Childhood Teacher | Gambrills, MD | 06/29/2025 | $35,479 |
| Ohio Department of Education | Early Childhood Teacher-Preschool (3S) or Prekindergarten | Pepper Pike, OH | 06/28/2025 | $52,175 |
| University of Wisconsin River Falls | Early Childhood Education Teacher | River Falls, WI | 06/28/2025 | $41,000 |
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