Post job

What is a headstart teacher and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025
3 min read
Quoted expert
Dr. Diana Jones
The average headstart teacher salary is $32,273. The most common degree is a bachelor's degree degree with an early childhood education major. It usually takes 1-2 years of experience to become a headstart teacher. Headstart teachers with a Certified Childcare Professional (CCP) certification earn more money. Between 2018 and 2028, the career is expected to grow 15% and produce 72,900 job opportunities across the U.S.

What general advice would you give to a headstart teacher?

Dr. Diana JonesDr. Diana Jones LinkedIn profile

Chair, Department of Kinesiology, Anderson University

General advice: I would encourage graduates to find a mentor who can guide them in their careers, stay on top of the latest technology, not be too hard on themselves, be flexible, be team players, be present, and care about their students.
ScoreHeadstart TeacherUS Average
Salary
2.5

Avg. Salary $32,273

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level
7.7

Growth rate 15%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity
8.9
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.82%

Asian 5.74%

Black or African American 11.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.42%

Unknown 4.25%

White 58.77%

Gender

female 94.44%

male 5.56%

Age - 39
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 - 39
Stress level
7.7

Stress level is high

7.1 - high

Complexity level
6.0

Complexity level is intermediate

7 - challenging

Work life balance
10.0

Work life balance is excellent

6.4 - fair

Headstart teacher career paths

Key steps to become a headstart teacher

  1. Explore headstart teacher education requirements

    Most common headstart teacher degrees

    Bachelor's

    45.9 %

    Associate

    34.3 %

    Master's

    9.9 %
  2. Start to develop specific headstart teacher skills

    SkillsPercentages
    Child Development51.89%
    Classroom Environment20.42%
    Performance Standards5.62%
    Creative Curriculum3.56%
    CPR2.56%
  3. Complete relevant headstart teacher training and internships

    Accountants spend an average of Less than 1 month on post-employment, on-the-job training. New headstart teachers 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 a headstart teacher based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real headstart teacher resumes.
  4. Research headstart teacher duties and responsibilities

    • Implement and manage data for daily in-home ABA program for students with autism.
    • Develop and implement age-appropriate curriculum for toddler program, ensuring that appropriate opportunities are provided in order to maximize learning potential.
    • Prepare children for kindergarten by introducing concepts they will explore further in kindergarten and elementary schools.
  5. Prepare your headstart teacher resume

    When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your headstart teacher 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 a headstart teacher resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

    Choose from 10+ customizable headstart teacher resume templates

    Build a professional headstart teacher 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 headstart teacher resume.
    Headstart Teacher Resume
    Headstart Teacher Resume
    Headstart Teacher Resume
    Headstart Teacher Resume
    Headstart Teacher Resume
    Headstart Teacher Resume
    Headstart Teacher Resume
    Headstart Teacher Resume
    Headstart Teacher Resume
  6. Apply for headstart teacher jobs

    Now it's time to start searching for a headstart teacher 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 headstart teacher job

Zippi

Are you a headstart teacher?

Share your story for a free salary report.

Average headstart teacher salary

The average headstart teacher salary in the United States is $32,273 per year or $16 per hour. Headstart teacher salaries range between $21,000 and $48,000 per year.

Average headstart teacher salary
$32,273 Yearly
$15.52 hourly

What am I worth?

salary-calculator

How do headstart teachers rate their job?

-/5

5 stars

4 stars

3 stars

2 stars

1 star

Headstart teacher reviews

profile
A zippia user wrote a review on Nov 2022
Pros

Seeing the kids learn, grow, over come challenges.

Cons

It can be emotionally and physically draining, especially if not appreciated.


profile
A zippia user wrote a review on Jun 2022
Pros

Gaining the childs trust and watching them geow and learn.

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 Mar 2022
Pros

Kids, teaching lessons, co-teachers, hours, weekends off, salary, holidays off, summers off, paid sick and personal days

Cons

Administration, observations, being told what to teach and HOW to teach it, expecting us to participate in things we might not want to or have the time for, staff meetings with no substance


Working as a headstart teacher? Share your experience anonymously.
Overall rating*
Career growth
Work/Life balance
Pay/Salary

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.

Browse education, training, and library jobs