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The differences between kindergarten teachers and first grade teachers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a first grade teacher has an average salary of $49,757, which is higher than the $48,029 average annual salary of a kindergarten teacher.
The top three skills for a kindergarten teacher include classroom management, math and professional development. The most important skills for a first grade teacher are classroom management, math, and social studies.
| Kindergarten Teacher | First Grade Teacher | |
| Yearly salary | $48,029 | $49,757 |
| Hourly rate | $23.09 | $23.92 |
| Growth rate | 4% | 4% |
| Number of jobs | 65,972 | 70,517 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 71% | Bachelor's Degree, 74% |
| Average age | 40 | 42 |
| Years of experience | - | - |
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.
First-grade teachers are the first instructors of children after they finished the kindergarten level. They play an essential role as children aged six to seven move to more structured learning. Generally, they set an exciting tone of learning for the fundamental skills in writing, reading, and math. These teachers create and give effective learning activities to the children to enhance their physical, emotional, intellectual, and social development. They have to effectively manage the classroom and ensure that all students are safe. Also, they give regular assessments to children to evaluate if their teaching method is effective and to determine the learning style of each child. Additionally, they need to communicate with parents, guardians, and principals on the progress of the children.
Kindergarten teachers and first grade teachers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Kindergarten Teacher | First Grade Teacher | |
| Average salary | $48,029 | $49,757 |
| Salary range | Between $37,000 And $62,000 | Between $37,000 And $65,000 |
| Highest paying City | Palo Alto, CA | New York, NY |
| Highest paying state | Hawaii | New York |
| Best paying company | Brooklyn Waldorf School | Shady Side Academy |
| Best paying industry | Finance | Education |
There are a few differences between a kindergarten teacher and a first grade teacher in terms of educational background:
| Kindergarten Teacher | First Grade Teacher | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 71% | Bachelor's Degree, 74% |
| Most common major | Elementary Education | Elementary Education |
| Most common college | University of Pennsylvania | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between kindergarten teachers' and first grade teachers' demographics:
| Kindergarten Teacher | First Grade Teacher | |
| Average age | 40 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 8.2% Female, 91.8% | Male, 7.5% Female, 92.5% |
| 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, 10.0% Unknown, 3.9% Hispanic or Latino, 12.8% Asian, 3.7% White, 69.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5% |
| LGBT Percentage | 5% | 9% |