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Best states for a preschool assistant
Quoted expert
Dr. Andrea Burrows
- Rank 1 - 10
- 11 - 20
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Do you wonder which states in the U.S. are the best for preschool assistants? If so, we have the full list of best to worst states for preschool assistant jobs for you to check out and see if you think it's time to move and start anew. Not all states fare the same when it come to job opportunity and pay.In fact, our research shows that New York is the best state for preschool assistants in America. The best city in America for preschool assistants with the highest pay is San Luis Obispo, CA.
We figured that the best places for preschool assistant jobs has three things everyone would agree on. There would be high annual wages, good career prospects (no matter what phase of the career you are in), and a lot of job opportunities.We found that the South is best for preschool assistants, and the Northeast is the worst. San Luis Obispo, CA is the best city in the country for preschool assistant jobs, where as New York is the best state in the country.
10 best states for preschool assistants in 2025
1. New York
Total preschool assistant jobs: 680 Average annual salary: $31,530 Lowest 10 percent earn: $25,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $38,000 Location Quotient: 1.38
2. Indiana
Total preschool assistant jobs: 245 Average annual salary: $30,070 Lowest 10 percent earn: $24,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $36,000 Location Quotient: 0.97
3. Ohio
Total preschool assistant jobs: 504 Average annual salary: $26,460 Lowest 10 percent earn: $21,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $32,000 Location Quotient: 1.28
4. Connecticut
Total preschool assistant jobs: 161 Average annual salary: $29,017 Lowest 10 percent earn: $23,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $35,000 Location Quotient: 1.26
5. Nevada
Total preschool assistant jobs: 82 Average annual salary: $27,827 Lowest 10 percent earn: $22,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $34,000 Location Quotient: 1.02
6. New Jersey
Total preschool assistant jobs: 365 Average annual salary: $29,576 Lowest 10 percent earn: $24,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $36,000 Location Quotient: 1.2
7. Wisconsin
Total preschool assistant jobs: 267 Average annual salary: $26,550 Lowest 10 percent earn: $21,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $32,000 Location Quotient: 1.26
8. Washington
Total preschool assistant jobs: 241 Average annual salary: $30,226 Lowest 10 percent earn: $23,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $38,000 Location Quotient: 0.86
9. Texas
Total preschool assistant jobs: 817 Average annual salary: $27,334 Lowest 10 percent earn: $22,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $33,000 Location Quotient: 1.05
10. Massachusetts
Total preschool assistant jobs: 330 Average annual salary: $29,573 Lowest 10 percent earn: $24,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $35,000 Location Quotient: 0.93
Preschool assistant jobsNear Columbus, OH
How Zippia determines the best states to be a preschool assistant
You can read about how the best state rankings are calculated here.
Detailed list of the best states for a preschool assistant
| Rank | State | Average salary | Lowest 10% earn | Population | Job count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New York | $31,530 | $25,000 | 19,849,399 | 680 |
| 2 | Indiana | $30,070 | $24,000 | 6,666,818 | 245 |
| 3 | Ohio | $26,460 | $21,000 | 11,658,609 | 504 |
| 4 | Connecticut | $29,017 | $23,000 | 3,588,184 | 161 |
| 5 | Nevada | $27,827 | $22,000 | 2,998,039 | 82 |
| 6 | New Jersey | $29,576 | $24,000 | 9,005,644 | 365 |
| 7 | Wisconsin | $26,550 | $21,000 | 5,795,483 | 267 |
| 8 | Washington | $30,226 | $23,000 | 7,405,743 | 241 |
| 9 | Texas | $27,334 | $22,000 | 28,304,596 | 817 |
| 10 | Massachusetts | $29,573 | $24,000 | 6,859,819 | 330 |
| 11 | California | $32,297 | $26,000 | 39,536,653 | 966 |
| 12 | Michigan | $26,618 | $21,000 | 9,962,311 | 324 |
| 13 | Arizona | $26,436 | $21,000 | 7,016,270 | 377 |
| 14 | New Hampshire | $28,378 | $23,000 | 1,342,795 | 47 |
| 15 | Oregon | $28,268 | $22,000 | 4,142,776 | 156 |
| 16 | North Dakota | $27,181 | $22,000 | 755,393 | 16 |
| 17 | Alaska | $26,878 | $23,000 | 739,795 | 43 |
| 18 | Colorado | $26,095 | $21,000 | 5,607,154 | 354 |
| 19 | Kentucky | $26,184 | $21,000 | 4,454,189 | 110 |
| 20 | Oklahoma | $26,019 | $21,000 | 3,930,864 | 92 |
| 21 | Vermont | $27,462 | $22,000 | 623,657 | 14 |
| 22 | Rhode Island | $26,582 | $21,000 | 1,059,639 | 29 |
| 23 | Hawaii | $32,673 | $28,000 | 1,427,538 | 12 |
| 24 | Kansas | $25,635 | $20,000 | 2,913,123 | 105 |
| 25 | Mississippi | $25,796 | $21,000 | 2,984,100 | 48 |
| 26 | Nebraska | $25,072 | $20,000 | 1,920,076 | 99 |
| 27 | Missouri | $25,613 | $20,000 | 6,113,532 | 207 |
| 28 | Illinois | $24,957 | $20,000 | 12,802,023 | 602 |
| 29 | Pennsylvania | $24,620 | $20,000 | 12,805,537 | 500 |
| 30 | Georgia | $25,384 | $21,000 | 10,429,379 | 364 |
| 31 | Arkansas | $25,311 | $20,000 | 3,004,279 | 62 |
| 32 | Utah | $25,605 | $20,000 | 3,101,833 | 83 |
| 33 | Montana | $25,092 | $20,000 | 1,050,493 | 43 |
| 34 | District of Columbia | $27,920 | $22,000 | 693,972 | 28 |
| 35 | Idaho | $25,294 | $20,000 | 1,716,943 | 38 |
| 36 | New Mexico | $24,097 | $19,000 | 2,088,070 | 98 |
| 37 | Maryland | $24,337 | $20,000 | 6,052,177 | 293 |
| 38 | Maine | $25,171 | $21,000 | 1,335,907 | 25 |
| 39 | South Carolina | $24,581 | $20,000 | 5,024,369 | 153 |
| 40 | South Dakota | $24,459 | $20,000 | 869,666 | 16 |
| 41 | Delaware | $23,909 | $19,000 | 961,939 | 59 |
| 42 | Minnesota | $24,054 | $19,000 | 5,576,606 | 278 |
| 43 | Wyoming | $23,932 | $19,000 | 579,315 | 17 |
| 44 | North Carolina | $24,010 | $19,000 | 10,273,419 | 345 |
| 45 | Tennessee | $23,427 | $19,000 | 6,715,984 | 164 |
| 46 | Florida | $24,104 | $19,000 | 20,984,400 | 466 |
| 47 | Virginia | $23,736 | $19,000 | 8,470,020 | 364 |
| 48 | West Virginia | $23,565 | $19,000 | 1,815,857 | 27 |
| 49 | Alabama | $23,660 | $19,000 | 4,874,747 | 92 |
| 50 | Louisiana | $24,255 | $19,000 | 4,684,333 | 55 |
| 51 | Iowa | $22,160 | $18,000 | 3,145,711 | 118 |
Highest paying states for preschool assistants
| Rank | State | Avg. Preschool Assistant Salary |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | New York | $31,530 |
| 2 | Indiana | $30,070 |
| 3 | Ohio | $26,460 |
| 4 | Connecticut | $29,017 |
| 5 | Nevada | $27,827 |
| 6 | New Jersey | $29,576 |
| 7 | Wisconsin | $26,550 |
| 8 | Washington | $30,226 |
| 9 | Texas | $27,334 |
| 10 | Massachusetts | $29,573 |
| 11 | California | $32,297 |
| 12 | Michigan | $26,618 |
| 13 | Arizona | $26,436 |
| 14 | New Hampshire | $28,378 |
| 15 | Oregon | $28,268 |
| 16 | North Dakota | $27,181 |
| 17 | Alaska | $26,878 |
| 18 | Colorado | $26,095 |
| 19 | Kentucky | $26,184 |
| 20 | Oklahoma | $26,019 |
| 21 | Vermont | $27,462 |
| 22 | Rhode Island | $26,582 |
| 23 | Hawaii | $32,673 |
| 24 | Kansas | $25,635 |
| 25 | Mississippi | $25,796 |
| 26 | Nebraska | $25,072 |
| 27 | Missouri | $25,613 |
| 28 | Illinois | $24,957 |
| 29 | Pennsylvania | $24,620 |
| 30 | Georgia | $25,384 |
| 31 | Arkansas | $25,311 |
| 32 | Utah | $25,605 |
| 33 | Montana | $25,092 |
| 34 | District of Columbia | $27,920 |
| 35 | Idaho | $25,294 |
| 36 | New Mexico | $24,097 |
| 37 | Maryland | $24,337 |
| 38 | Maine | $25,171 |
| 39 | South Carolina | $24,581 |
| 40 | South Dakota | $24,459 |
| 41 | Delaware | $23,909 |
| 42 | Minnesota | $24,054 |
| 43 | Wyoming | $23,932 |
| 44 | North Carolina | $24,010 |
| 45 | Tennessee | $23,427 |
| 46 | Florida | $24,104 |
| 47 | Virginia | $23,736 |
| 48 | West Virginia | $23,565 |
| 49 | Alabama | $23,660 |
| 50 | Louisiana | $24,255 |
| 51 | Iowa | $22,160 |
Expert opinions on the best states for preschool assistants
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for preschool assistants to find work opportunities?
Dr. Andrea Burrows
Associate Dean for Undergraduate Programs, Professor, Science Education, School of Teacher Education, University of Wyoming
If you mean "teaching" by "this field," then yes, all over the U.S., there is a teacher shortage. When using the U.S. Department of Education site (tsa.ed.gov) and searching for shortage areas for all U.S. states in the academic year 2020-2021, every subject area is shown. If someone is interested in a specific state, they can search the site for shortages related to that state. The pandemic has certainly sparked more appreciation for teachers nationwide, which hopefully translates into teachers across our nation having a stronger voice in educational spaces and policies and possibly finding work in unexpected places.
Preschool assistant best states FAQs
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Updated January 8, 2025