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What is a nursery teacher and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025
2 min read
Quoted Expert
Dr. Diana Jones
There is more than meets the eye when it comes to being a nursery teacher. For example, did you know that they make an average of $15.45 an hour? That's $32,146 a year! Between 2018 and 2028, the career is expected to grow 4% and produce 55,400 job opportunities across the U.S.

What general advice would you give to a Nursery Teacher?

Dr. Diana JonesDr. Diana Jones LinkedIn Profile

Chair, Department of Kinesiology, Anderson University

General advice: I would encourage graduates to find a mentor who can guide them in their careers, stay on top of the latest technology, not be too hard on themselves, be flexible, be team players, be present, and care about their students.
ScoreNursery TeacherUS Average
Salary
2.5

Avg. Salary $32,146

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability Level
4.5

Growth Rate 4%

Growth Rate 0.3%

Diversity
9.9
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 1.35%

Asian 8.12%

Black or African American 11.30%

Hispanic or Latino 17.51%

Unknown 4.62%

White 57.09%

Gender

female 93.57%

male 6.43%

Age - 45
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 - 45
Stress Level
4.5

Stress level is manageable

7.1 - high

Complexity Level
4.8

Complexity Level is intermediate

7 - challenging

Work Life Balance
10.0

Work Life balance is excellent

6.4 - fair

Nursery Teacher career paths

Key steps to become a nursery teacher

  1. Explore nursery teacher education requirements

    Most common nursery teacher degrees

    Bachelor's

    44.7 %

    High School Diploma

    21.2 %

    Associate

    17.4 %
  2. Start to develop specific nursery teacher skills

    SkillsPercentages
    Child Care71.54%
    Infant Room10.88%
    CPR3.25%
    Social Development1.73%
    Mathematics1.68%
  3. Research nursery teacher duties and responsibilities

    • Have training hours available upon request...CPR and first aide certify
    • Complete LAUSD referrals for students needing additional support, particularly in language development and participate in IEP meetings when applicable.
    • Prepare, plan, organize, and instruct interactive classes to engage children in bible and life lessons.
  4. Prepare your nursery teacher resume

    When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your nursery 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 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 Teacher Resume templates

    Build a professional Nursery 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 Teacher resume.
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    Nursery Teacher Resume
    Nursery Teacher Resume
  5. Apply for nursery teacher jobs

    Now it's time to start searching for a nursery 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 Teacher Job

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Are you a Nursery Teacher?

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Average nursery teacher salary

The average Nursery Teacher salary in the United States is $32,146 per year or $15 per hour. Nursery teacher salaries range between $24,000 and $41,000 per year.

Average Nursery Teacher Salary
$32,146 Yearly
$15.45 hourly

What Am I Worth?

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How do nursery teachers rate their job?

-/5

5 Stars

4 Stars

3 Stars

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1 Star

Nursery 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 Mar 2022
Pros

Kids, teaching lessons, co-teachers, hours, weekends off, salary, holidays off, summers off, paid sick and personal days

Cons

Administration, observations, being told what to teach and HOW to teach it, expecting us to participate in things we might not want to or have the time for, staff meetings with no substance


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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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