How to hire a lead teacher

How to hire a lead teacher, step by step

Here's a step-by-step lead teacher hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write a lead teacher job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new lead teacher
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does a lead teacher do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   First, determine the employments status of the lead teacher you need to hire. Certain lead teacher roles might require a full-time employee, whereas others can be done by part-time workers or contractors.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   You should also consider the ideal background you'd like them a lead teacher to have before you start to hire. For example, what industry or field would you like them to have experience in, what level of seniority or education does the job require, and how much it'll cost to hire a lead teacher that fits the bill.

   This list shows salaries for various types of lead teachers.

   Type of Lead Teacher	Description	Hourly rate
   Lead Teacher	High school teachers help prepare students for life after graduation. They teach academic lessons and various skills that students will need to attend college and to enter the job market.	$10-24
   Infant And Toddler Teacher	An infant and toddler teacher is a professional who aids in the cognitive and social development of preschool children by teaching them the most basic skills that focus on play-centered learning and creativity. Infant and toddler teachers must help children develop positive self-images and encourage them to explore their interests and develop social skills... Show more	$11-17
   Summer School Teacher	A Summer School Teacher is a teacher who works during the summer period. They develop and implement schemes of work and lesson plans in line with curriculum objectives... Show more	$17-36

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • CPR
   • Customer Service
   • Child Care
   • Child Development
   • Classroom Management
   • Pre-K
   • Professional Development
   • Open Communication
   • Parent-Teacher Conferences
   • Mathematics
   • NAEYC
   • Classroom Environment
   • Art Projects
   • Teacher Assistants

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Plan and implement theme and project-base lessons that incorporate math, literacy, science, physical development, and social/emotional skills.
   • Cultivate and foster safe and effective learning environment conducive for Pre-K students.
   • Model positive behavior management techniques through daily contact with children and early childhood staff in the classroom.
   • Develop lesson plans on a bi-weekly basis that comply with early childhood standards and relate to the weekly theme.
   • Require CPR certification and ongoing continuing education.
   • Develop programs that introduce math and literacy concepts.

   More lead teacher duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your lead teacher job description helps attract top candidates to the position. A lead teacher salary can be affected by several factors, such as geography, experience, seniority, certifications, and the prestige of the hiring company.

   For example, the average salary for a lead teacher in Arkansas may be lower than in California, and an entry-level lead teacher usually earns less than a senior-level lead teacher. Additionally, a lead teacher with certifications may command a higher salary, and working for a well-known company or start-up may also impact an employee's pay.

   Average lead teacher salary

   $16.18hourly

   $33,652 yearly

   ---

   Entry-level lead teacher salary

   $22,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 30, 2025

   Average lead teacher salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	California	$51,695	$25
   2	Massachusetts	$46,130	$22
   3	New York	$44,113	$21
   4	Washington	$41,562	$20
   5	Nevada	$38,471	$19
   6	New Jersey	$38,027	$18
   7	Maryland	$37,929	$18
   8	Arizona	$35,745	$17
   9	Illinois	$34,887	$17
   10	Texas	$33,785	$16
   11	Utah	$33,292	$16
   12	Pennsylvania	$33,066	$16
   13	Colorado	$32,769	$16
   14	Nebraska	$32,297	$16
   15	Virginia	$31,982	$15
   16	Michigan	$31,896	$15
   17	Florida	$30,837	$15
   18	Ohio	$29,972	$14
   19	District of Columbia	$29,847	$14
   20	South Carolina	$29,771	$14

   Average lead teacher salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Success Preparatory Academy	$65,327	$31.41
   2	DC Prep	$65,039	$31.27	8
   3	Columbia University in the City of New York	$63,552	$30.55
   4	Johnson County Community College	$58,390	$28.07	1
   5	Newton Public Schools	$57,298	$27.55	6
   6	Pasadena Unified School District	$56,367	$27.10	3
   7	Democracy Prep Public Schools	$55,680	$26.77	11
   8	Distinctive Schools	$53,677	$25.81	1
   9	Children’s School	$53,292	$25.62	1
   10	KIPP Austin Public Schools	$53,271	$25.61	138
   11	University of California-Berkeley	$53,202	$25.58	11
   12	Aspire Public Schools	$52,949	$25.46	27
   13	Save the Children US	$52,743	$25.36	19
   14	Presidio Knolls School	$52,501	$25.24
   15	Paulding County High School	$52,049	$25.02	3
   16	Charter Schools USA	$51,683	$24.85
   17	Grandville Public Schools	$51,659	$24.84	3
   18	Exalt Card	$51,649	$24.83
   19	Boston College	$51,459	$24.74
   20	Baptist Health Home Care	$50,718	$24.38	3

4. Writing a lead teacher job description

   A good lead teacher job description should include a few things:

   • Summary of the role
   • List of responsibilities
   • Required skills and experience

   Including a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager is also appreciated by candidates. Here's an example of a lead teacher job description:

   Lead teacher job description example

   Baptist Health South Florida is the largest healthcare organization in the region, with 12 hospitals, more than 24,000 employees, 4,000 physicians and 100 outpatient centers, urgent care facilities and physician practices spanning across Miami-Dade, Monroe, Broward and Palm Beach counties. Baptist Health has internationally renowned centers of excellence in cancer, cardiovascular care, orthopedics and sports medicine, and neurosciences. A not-for-profit organization supported by philanthropy and committed to its faith-based charitable mission of medical excellence, Baptist Health has been recognized by Fortune as one of the 100 Best Companies to Work For in America and by Ethisphere as one of the World's Most Ethical Companies.
   
   Everything we do at Baptist Health, we do to the best of our ability. That includes supporting our team with extensive training programs, millions of dollars in tuition assistance, comprehensive benefits and more. Working within our award-winning culture means getting the respect and support you need to do your best work ever. Find out why we're all in for helping you be your best.
   Description:
   
   The Lead Teacher will be responsible for the education and care of each child enrolled in the program in compliance with local and state agencies such as the Florida Department of Children and Families, Department of Health and the United States Department of Agriculture Child Care Food Program.
   
   Estimated pay range for this position is $15 - $18 / hour depending on experience.
   
   Qualifications:
   
   Associates Degree in Early Childhood Education or related field with 12 College Credits in ECE or commit to complete within 3 years. 45 Hour training mandated by the Florida Department of Children and Families (Part I and Part II). Current Pediatric First Aid and CPR certification. Basic computer skills. High Scope Curriculum training certificate preferred or complete training within 6 months of hire date. Florida Pediatric First Aid and CPR certification is required at time of renewal. Maintain professional expertise and certification by obtaining 2.0 CEUs of in-service per year.
   
   EOE

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   There are a few common ways to find lead teachers for your business:

   • Promoting internally or recruiting from your existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals from friends, family members, and current employees.
   • Attend job fairs at local colleges to meet candidates with the right educational background.
   • Use social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to recruit passive job-seekers.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your lead teacher job on Zippia to find and recruit lead teacher candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   To successfully recruit lead teachers, your first interview needs to engage with candidates to learn about their interest in the role and experience in the field. You can go into more detail about the company, the role, and the responsibilities during follow-up interviews.

   It's also good to ask about candidates' unique skills and talents. You can move on to the technical interview if a candidate is good enough for the next step.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new lead teacher

   Once you've decided on a perfect lead teacher candidate, it's time to write an offer letter. In addition to salary, it should include benefits and perks available to the employee. Qualified candidates may be considered for other positions, so make sure your offer is competitive. Candidates may wish to negotiate. Once you've settled on the details, formalize your agreement with a contract.

   It's equally important to follow up with applicants who don't get the job with an email letting them know that the position has been filled.

   To prepare for the new lead teacher first day, you should share an onboarding schedule with them that covers their first period on the job. You should also quickly complete any necessary paperwork, such as employee action forms and onboarding documents like I-9, benefits enrollment, and federal and state tax forms. Finally, Human Resources must ensure a new employee file is created for internal record keeping.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

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How much does it cost to hire a lead teacher?