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The differences between kindergarten teachers and early childhood teachers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a kindergarten teacher has an average salary of $48,029, which is higher than the $33,205 average annual salary of an early childhood teacher.
The top three skills for a kindergarten teacher include classroom management, math and professional development. The most important skills for an early childhood teacher are CPR, child development, and professional development.
| Kindergarten Teacher | Early Childhood Teacher | |
| Yearly salary | $48,029 | $33,205 |
| Hourly rate | $23.09 | $15.96 |
| Growth rate | 4% | 15% |
| Number of jobs | 65,972 | 56,821 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 71% | Bachelor's Degree, 58% |
| Average age | 40 | 40 |
| Years of experience | - | 2 |
Kindergarten teachers teach young children social and emotional skills, reading skills, music, and personal hygiene. They prepare these children for elementary school and certain life aspects. It is also their responsibility to teach children good classroom behavior, plan the curriculum daily and the whole school year, and conduct parent-teach meetings. Kindergarten teachers should encourage children to be observant of activities and give them the chance to ask questions and find the answers. They should also work with parents in putting an action plan to help children with emotional or developmental problems.
An early childhood teacher specializes in handling and teaching young learners as they prepare for their formal schooling stage. Their responsibilities revolve around addressing and meeting the needs of students, organizing recreational activities for learning processes, and devising strategies to help the learners with their interpersonal and emotional growth. Furthermore, as an early childhood teacher, it is essential to monitor the children's progress and provide updates to their parents, all while maintaining a safe and healthy learning environment for everyone.
Kindergarten teachers and early childhood teachers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Kindergarten Teacher | Early Childhood Teacher | |
| Average salary | $48,029 | $33,205 |
| Salary range | Between $37,000 And $62,000 | Between $22,000 And $48,000 |
| Highest paying City | Palo Alto, CA | Washington, DC |
| Highest paying state | Hawaii | New York |
| Best paying company | Brooklyn Waldorf School | Governors State University |
| Best paying industry | Finance | - |
There are a few differences between a kindergarten teacher and an early childhood teacher in terms of educational background:
| Kindergarten Teacher | Early Childhood Teacher | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 71% | Bachelor's Degree, 58% |
| Most common major | Elementary Education | Early Childhood Education |
| Most common college | University of Pennsylvania | Northwestern University |
Here are the differences between kindergarten teachers' and early childhood teachers' demographics:
| Kindergarten Teacher | Early Childhood Teacher | |
| Average age | 40 | 40 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 8.2% Female, 91.8% | Male, 7.6% Female, 92.4% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 9.0% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 17.0% Asian, 6.1% White, 62.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9% | Black or African American, 8.7% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 18.3% Asian, 5.4% White, 62.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9% |
| LGBT Percentage | 5% | 5% |