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The differences between middle school teachers and early childhood 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 middle school teacher and an early childhood teacher. Additionally, a middle school teacher has an average salary of $53,363, which is higher than the $33,205 average annual salary of an early childhood teacher.
The top three skills for a middle school teacher include classroom management, professional development and math. The most important skills for an early childhood teacher are CPR, child development, and professional development.
| Middle School Teacher | Early Childhood Teacher | |
| Yearly salary | $53,363 | $33,205 |
| Hourly rate | $25.66 | $15.96 |
| Growth rate | 4% | 15% |
| Number of jobs | 82,230 | 56,821 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 69% | Bachelor's Degree, 58% |
| Average age | 42 | 40 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 2 |
A middle school teacher is responsible for teaching students in grades six to eight, following a curriculum that fits on their grade levels to prepare them for the next advancement. Middle school teachers strategize effective lesson plans, engaging activities, and assessments to test the students' knowledge and understanding of the learning materials. They also observe the personal and developmental behaviors of the students by conducting group activities and performance. A middle school teacher identifies the students' strengths and weaknesses, adjusting the learning approach as needed to cater to each student's needs and difficulties.
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.
Middle school teachers and early childhood teachers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Middle School Teacher | Early Childhood Teacher | |
| Average salary | $53,363 | $33,205 |
| Salary range | Between $39,000 And $72,000 | Between $22,000 And $48,000 |
| Highest paying City | Boston, MA | Washington, DC |
| Highest paying state | Washington | New York |
| Best paying company | Baltimore City Public Schools | Governors State University |
| Best paying industry | Education | - |
There are a few differences between a middle school teacher and an early childhood teacher in terms of educational background:
| Middle School Teacher | Early Childhood Teacher | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 69% | 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 middle school teachers' and early childhood teachers' demographics:
| Middle School Teacher | Early Childhood Teacher | |
| Average age | 42 | 40 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 35.4% Female, 64.6% | Male, 7.6% Female, 92.4% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 9.8% Unknown, 3.9% Hispanic or Latino, 12.6% Asian, 3.7% White, 69.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5% | 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 | 9% | 5% |