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The differences between lead teachers and preschool 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 teacher and a preschool teacher. Additionally, a lead teacher has an average salary of $33,652, which is higher than the $33,582 average annual salary of a preschool teacher.
The top three skills for a lead teacher include CPR, customer service and child care. The most important skills for a preschool teacher are child care, CPR, and classroom management.
| Lead Teacher | Preschool Teacher | |
| Yearly salary | $33,652 | $33,582 |
| Hourly rate | $16.18 | $16.15 |
| Growth rate | 5% | 15% |
| Number of jobs | 56,131 | 55,298 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 3.5 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 51% | Bachelor's Degree, 52% |
| Average age | 43 | 40 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 2 |
The Lead Teacher works with parents to resolve student issues and train new teachers on effective teaching techniques. A Lead Teacher is a licensed teacher with extensive teaching experience and preferably has a master's in education or related studies. They are an integral part of a school's faculty and the principal's arm in drafting policies for implementation.
A project leader is in charge of managing and leading a team to reach project goals in adherence to schedules and budgets. Their responsibilities revolve around setting objectives and guidelines, assessing workforce performance, assisting staff in difficult areas, answering inquiries, and resolving issues to maintain an efficient workflow. A project leader must also produce progress reports and presentations, updating managers or supervisors as needed. Furthermore, as a project leader, it is essential to lead and encourage the team, all while implementing the company's policies and regulations.
Lead teachers and preschool teachers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Lead Teacher | Preschool Teacher | |
| Average salary | $33,652 | $33,582 |
| Salary range | Between $22,000 And $50,000 | Between $23,000 And $47,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Jose, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | Hawaii |
| Best paying company | Success Preparatory Academy | Kings Canyon Unified School District |
| Best paying industry | - | - |
There are a few differences between a lead teacher and a preschool teacher in terms of educational background:
| Lead Teacher | Preschool Teacher | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 51% | Bachelor's Degree, 52% |
| Most common major | Early Childhood Education | Early Childhood Education |
| Most common college | San Diego State University | San Diego State University |
Here are the differences between lead teachers' and preschool teachers' demographics:
| Lead Teacher | Preschool Teacher | |
| Average age | 43 | 40 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 10.2% Female, 89.8% | Male, 6.4% Female, 93.6% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 7.8% Unknown, 4.0% Hispanic or Latino, 11.4% Asian, 3.5% White, 72.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5% | Black or African American, 8.6% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 17.6% Asian, 5.5% White, 62.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9% |
| LGBT Percentage | 12% | 5% |