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What is a nursery school teacher and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025
2 min read
Quoted Expert
Dr. Christina O'Connor Ph.D.
There is more than meets the eye when it comes to being a nursery school teacher. For example, did you know that they make an average of $23.42 an hour? That's $48,708 a year! Between 2018 and 2028, the career is expected to grow 4% and produce 60,200 job opportunities across the U.S.

What general advice would you give to a Nursery School Teacher?

Dr. Christina O'Connor Ph.D.Dr. Christina O'Connor Ph.D. LinkedIn Profile

Assistant Dean of Educator Preparation

In teaching, salaries are generally fixed based on years of experience and credentials. So, the best way to maximize earning potential is to get additional credentials through pursuing advanced degrees or National Board certification, depending on your state's salary schedule.
ScoreNursery School TeacherUS Average
Salary
3.8

Avg. Salary $48,708

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability Level
7.6

Growth Rate 4%

Growth Rate 0.3%

Diversity
5.7
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.52%

Asian 3.65%

Black or African American 9.68%

Hispanic or Latino 12.49%

Unknown 3.91%

White 69.76%

Gender

female 91.62%

male 8.38%

Age - 42
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 42
Stress Level
7.6

Stress level is high

7.1 - high

Complexity Level
8.5

Complexity Level is advanced

7 - challenging

Work Life Balance
4.3

Work Life balance is poor

6.4 - fair

Nursery School Teacher career paths

Key steps to become a nursery school teacher

  1. Explore nursery school teacher education requirements

    Most common nursery school teacher degrees

    Bachelor's

    63.1 %

    Master's

    13.6 %

    Associate

    12.7 %
  2. Start to develop specific nursery school teacher skills

    SkillsPercentages
    Classroom Management32.06%
    Classroom Curriculum20.07%
    Child Development9.55%
    Art Projects8.73%
    Language Arts5.87%
  3. Research nursery school teacher duties and responsibilities

    • Design and apply activities to help children in achieving their goals and objectives in accordance with IFSP 's
    • Participate and earn certification in CPR.
    • Develop and implement age-appropriate curriculum for toddler program, ensuring that appropriate opportunities are provided in order to maximize learning potential.
    • Create a child centered, developmentally appropriate kindergarten and nursery curriculum using NAEYC guidelines.
  4. Prepare your nursery school teacher resume

    When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your nursery school teacher resume.

    You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a nursery school teacher resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

    Choose From 10+ Customizable Nursery School Teacher Resume templates

    Build a professional Nursery School Teacher resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your Nursery School Teacher resume.
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    Nursery School Teacher Resume
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  5. Apply for nursery school teacher jobs

    Now it's time to start searching for a nursery school teacher job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

    1. Browse job boards for relevant postings
    2. Consult your professional network
    3. Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
    4. Watch out for job scams

How Did You Land Your First Nursery School Teacher Job

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Are you a Nursery School Teacher?

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Average nursery school teacher salary

The average Nursery School Teacher salary in the United States is $48,708 per year or $23 per hour. Nursery school teacher salaries range between $34,000 and $69,000 per year.

Average Nursery School Teacher Salary
$48,708 Yearly
$23.42 hourly

What Am I Worth?

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How do nursery school teachers rate their job?

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Nursery School Teacher reviews

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A zippia user wrote a review on Nov 2022
Pros

Seeing the kids learn, grow, over come challenges.

Cons

It can be emotionally and physically draining, especially if not appreciated.


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A zippia user wrote a review on Jun 2022
Pros

Gaining the childs trust and watching them geow and learn.

Cons

That in a year the children you fall in love with move on to the next grade.


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A zippia user wrote a review on Apr 2021
Pros

I like working with my students, their parents and the various specialists my students need in order to increase their physical, emotional, daily living and cognitive skills.


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Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

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