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The differences between lead pre-kindergarten teachers and head start teachers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 1-2 years to become both a lead pre-kindergarten teacher and a head start teacher. Additionally, a head start teacher has an average salary of $33,865, which is higher than the $32,779 average annual salary of a lead pre-kindergarten teacher.
The top three skills for a lead pre-kindergarten teacher include classroom management, language arts and CPR. The most important skills for a head start teacher are kids, math, and CPR.
| Lead Pre-Kindergarten Teacher | Head Start Teacher | |
| Yearly salary | $32,779 | $33,865 |
| Hourly rate | $15.76 | $16.28 |
| Growth rate | 15% | 15% |
| Number of jobs | 55,663 | 67,747 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 63% | Bachelor's Degree, 55% |
| Average age | 40 | 40 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 2 |
A Lead Pre-Kindergarten Teacher is responsible for running a public or private school. Their main duty is to prepare education programs for children, as well as prepare the children for kindergarten.
A head start teacher is responsible for organizing lectures and monitoring classroom operations for students with financial difficulties. Head start teachers have the same roles as regular teachers, such as preparing lesson plans, conducting assessments to test the students' knowledge, documenting their progress, and planning group activities to observe their personal and social behaviors. They also coordinate with the students' parents to share the child's difficulties and strategize methods to enhance capabilities. A head start teacher must have excellent communication skills, especially in attending to students for their needs and encouraging them to reach their maximum potentials.
Lead pre-kindergarten teachers and head start teachers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Lead Pre-Kindergarten Teacher | Head Start Teacher | |
| Average salary | $32,779 | $33,865 |
| Salary range | Between $20,000 And $51,000 | Between $23,000 And $49,000 |
| Highest paying City | - | New York, NY |
| Highest paying state | - | Massachusetts |
| Best paying company | - | Topeka Public Schools |
| Best paying industry | - | Education |
There are a few differences between a lead pre-kindergarten teacher and a head start teacher in terms of educational background:
| Lead Pre-Kindergarten Teacher | Head Start Teacher | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 63% | Bachelor's Degree, 55% |
| Most common major | Early Childhood Education | Early Childhood Education |
| Most common college | Northwestern University | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between lead pre-kindergarten teachers' and head start teachers' demographics:
| Lead Pre-Kindergarten Teacher | Head Start Teacher | |
| Average age | 40 | 40 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 7.1% Female, 92.9% | Male, 7.9% Female, 92.1% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 10.3% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 16.2% Asian, 6.4% White, 61.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9% | Black or African American, 8.8% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 19.0% Asian, 5.9% White, 60.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9% |
| LGBT Percentage | 5% | 5% |