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What is a preschool assistant and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025
3 min read
Quoted expert
Art Dobbs
There is more than meets the eye when it comes to being a preschool assistant. For example, did you know that they make an average of $13.67 an hour? That's $28,442 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 preschool assistant?

Art Dobbs

Principal, Tupelo High School

With today's job market, to be competitive, students must possess a variety of hard and soft skills. At Tupelo High School, we offer our students every opportunity - from Advanced Placement and Dual Credit courses to the best Career-Tech facility in the state - to succeed. When our students graduate, we know they are ready for the next step toward their future.
ScorePreschool AssistantUS Average
Salary
2.2

Avg. Salary $28,442

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level
4.5

Growth rate 4%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity
9.1
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 1.47%

Asian 8.69%

Black or African American 8.27%

Hispanic or Latino 17.30%

Unknown 4.72%

White 59.55%

Gender

female 92.54%

male 7.46%

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

Preschool assistant career paths

Key steps to become a preschool assistant

  1. Explore preschool assistant education requirements

    Most common preschool assistant degrees

    Bachelor's

    50.1 %

    Associate

    23.9 %

    High School Diploma

    17.0 %
  2. Start to develop specific preschool assistant skills

    SkillsPercentages
    CPR42.46%
    Child Care20.71%
    Classroom Management9.55%
    Math7.44%
    Behavioral Issues3.63%
  3. Research preschool assistant duties and responsibilities

    • Receive training in CPR and first aid, and gain experienceworking with children with food allergies.
    • Assist child in accordance to his IEP.
    • Assist in preparation of and implementation of IEP plan.
    • Review daily lessons, activities and responsibilities with Pre-K teacher.
  4. Prepare your preschool assistant resume

    When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your preschool assistant 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 preschool assistant resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

    Choose from 10+ customizable preschool assistant resume templates

    Build a professional preschool assistant 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 preschool assistant resume.
    Preschool Assistant Resume
    Preschool Assistant Resume
    Preschool Assistant Resume
    Preschool Assistant Resume
    Preschool Assistant Resume
    Preschool Assistant Resume
    Preschool Assistant Resume
    Preschool Assistant Resume
    Preschool Assistant Resume
  5. Apply for preschool assistant jobs

    Now it's time to start searching for a preschool assistant 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 preschool assistant job

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Are you a preschool assistant?

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Average preschool assistant salary

The average preschool assistant salary in the United States is $28,442 per year or $14 per hour. Preschool assistant salaries range between $23,000 and $35,000 per year.

Average preschool assistant salary
$28,442 Yearly
$13.67 hourly

What am I worth?

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How do preschool assistants rate their job?

-/5

5 stars

4 stars

3 stars

2 stars

1 star

Preschool assistant reviews

profile
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 Feb 2022
Cons

nothing I like everything

Pros

I enjoy working as a teacher aide because of the children I love doing it


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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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