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Preschool assistant education requirements

Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read

There are several educational requirements to become a preschool assistant. Preschool assistants usually study early childhood education, psychology, or human development. 50% of preschool assistants hold a bachelor's degree, and 24% hold an associate degree. We analyzed 1,224 real preschool assistant resumes to see exactly what preschool assistant education sections show.

The most common colleges for preschool assistants are the Liberty University and the Liberty University.

There are also many online preschool assistant courses to help get the education required to be a preschool assistant.

There are certain preschool assistant certifications that you should consider. These preschool assistant certifications include Medical Assistant and Certified Dental Assistant (CDA).

What education do you need to become a preschool assistant?

What degree do you need to be a preschool assistant?

The most common degree for preschool assistants is bachelor's degree, with 50% of preschool assistants earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are associate degree degree at 24% and associate degree degree at 17%.
  • Bachelor's, 50%
  • Associate, 24%
  • High School Diploma, 17%
  • Diploma, 3%
  • Other Degrees, 6%

What should I major in to become a preschool assistant?

You should major in early childhood education to become a preschool assistant. 16% of preschool assistants major in early childhood education. Other common majors for a preschool assistant include psychology and human development.

Most common colleges for preschool assistants

Preschool assistants often get their degrees at Liberty University, University of Phoenix, and University of Houston. Here are the most common colleges for preschool assistants in the US based on their resumes.
Preschool assistant common collegePercentages
Liberty University7.94%
University of Phoenix7.94%
University of Houston6.35%
University of Memphis4.76%
Southern Connecticut State University4.76%

Best majors for preschool assistants

Best colleges for preschool assistants

The best colleges for preschool assistants are Stanford University, Northwestern University, and University of Rochester.

A preschool assistant with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for preschool assistants. We based this list on several metrics: admissions rate, retention rate, mean earnings of graduates, the ratio of working vs. non-working students ten years after admission, the average cost of attendance, and median debt for graduates who become preschool assistants.

1. Stanford University

Stanford, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$51,354

Enrollment

7,083

2. Harvard University

Cambridge, MA • Private

In-state tuition

$50,420

Enrollment

7,582

3. Duke University

Durham, NC • Private

In-state tuition

$55,695

Enrollment

6,596

4. University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, PA • Private

In-state tuition

$55,584

Enrollment

10,764

5. Northwestern University

Evanston, IL • Private

In-state tuition

$54,568

Enrollment

8,451

6. University of Michigan - Ann Arbor

Ann Arbor, MI • Private

In-state tuition

$15,262

Enrollment

30,079

7. University of Notre Dame

Notre Dame, IN • Private

In-state tuition

$53,391

Enrollment

8,568

8. Rice University

Houston, TX • Private

In-state tuition

$47,350

Enrollment

3,962

9. University of Chicago

Chicago, IL • Private

In-state tuition

$58,230

Enrollment

6,600

10. Brown University

Providence, RI • Private

In-state tuition

$55,466

Enrollment

6,752

20 best online courses for preschool assistants

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Top 10 most affordable universities for preschool assistants

The most affordable schools for preschool assistants are Baruch College of the City University of New York, brooklyn college of the city university of new york, and hunter college of the city university of new york.

If the best universities for preschool assistants are out of your price range, check out these affordable schools. After factoring in in-state tuition and fees, the average cost of attendance, admissions rate, average net price, and mean earnings after six years, we found that these are the most affordable schools for preschool assistants.

1. Baruch College of the City University of New York

New York, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$7,262

Cost of attendance

14,046

2. Brooklyn College of the City University of New York

Brooklyn, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$7,240

Cost of attendance

13,991

3. Hunter College of the City University of New York

New York, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$7,182

Cost of attendance

13,998

4. Brigham Young University

Provo, UT • Private

In-state tuition

$5,620

Cost of attendance

18,136

5. USF Sarasota-Manatee

Sarasota, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$5,587

Cost of attendance

13,043

6. Queens College of the City University of New York

Queens, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$7,338

Cost of attendance

14,281

7. Clayton State University

Morrow, GA • Private

In-state tuition

$5,419

Cost of attendance

17,697

8. Minot State University

Minot, ND • Private

In-state tuition

$7,064

Cost of attendance

15,576

9. Southern University at New Orleans

New Orleans, LA • Private

In-state tuition

$7,033

Cost of attendance

12,702

10. Purdue University

West Lafayette, IN • Private

In-state tuition

$9,992

Cost of attendance

22,430

Top 10 hardest universities to get into for preschool assistants

The hardest universities for preschool assistants to get into are Stanford University, Northwestern University, and University of Rochester.

Some great schools for preschool assistants are hard to get into, but they also set your career up for greater success. The list below shows the most challenging universities to get into for preschool assistants based on an institution's admissions rates, average SAT scores accepted, median ACT scores accepted, and mean earnings of students six years after admission.

1. Stanford University

Stanford, CA • Private

Admissions rate

4%

SAT average

1,497

2. Northwestern University

Evanston, IL • Private

Admissions rate

8%

SAT average

1,508

3. University of Rochester

Rochester, NY • Private

Admissions rate

29%

SAT average

1,422

4. Vanderbilt University

Nashville, TN • Private

Admissions rate

10%

SAT average

1,514

5. University of Tulsa

Tulsa, OK • Private

Admissions rate

41%

SAT average

1,321

6. Loyola Marymount University

Los Angeles, CA • Private

Admissions rate

47%

SAT average

1,321

7. Tufts University

Medford, MA • Private

Admissions rate

15%

SAT average

1,461

8. Johns Hopkins University

Baltimore, MD • Private

Admissions rate

11%

SAT average

1,513

9. SUNY at Binghamton

Vestal, NY • Private

Admissions rate

40%

SAT average

1,376

10. Clemson University

Clemson, SC • Private

Admissions rate

47%

SAT average

1,337

Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for preschool assistants

The easiest schools for preschool assistants to get into are Nyack College, d'youville college, and gwynedd mercy university.

Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a preschool assistant without much hassle, check out the list of schools where you will be accepted in no time. We compiled admissions rates, average SAT scores, average ACT scores, and average salary of students six years after graduation to uncover which were the easiest schools to get into for preschool assistants.

1. Nyack College

New York, NY • Private

Admissions rate

98%

SAT average

999

2. D'Youville College

Buffalo, NY • Private

Admissions rate

100%

SAT average

1,072

3. Gwynedd Mercy University

Gwynedd Valley, PA • Private

Admissions rate

92%

SAT average

1,031

4. Saint Joseph's College of Maine

Standish, ME • Private

Admissions rate

84%

SAT average

1,069

5. La Roche College

Pittsburgh, PA • Private

Admissions rate

99%

SAT average

1,008

6. Oklahoma Wesleyan University

Bartlesville, OK • Private

Admissions rate

68%

SAT average

964

7. Saint Martin's University

Lacey, WA • Private

Admissions rate

96%

SAT average

1,111

8. Curry College

Milton, MA • Private

Admissions rate

93%

SAT average

1,026

9. Wayland Baptist University

Plainview, TX • Private

Admissions rate

98%

SAT average

1,003

10. Felician University

Lodi, NJ • Private

Admissions rate

81%

SAT average

999

Average preschool assistant salary by education level

Preschool assistants with a Doctorate degree earn more than those without, at $32,469 annually. With a Master's degree, preschool assistants earn a median annual income of $32,000 compared to $30,329 for preschool assistants with an Bachelor's degree.
Preschool assistant education levelPreschool assistant salary
Master's Degree$32,000
High School Diploma or Less$29,527
Bachelor's Degree$30,329
Doctorate Degree$32,469
Some College/ Associate Degree$29,776

Preschool assistant education FAQs

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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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