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Best states for a Preschool Teacher
Quoted Expert
Dr. Mark Williams Ph.D.
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Are you thinking of becoming a preschool teacher and really want to work at KinderCare Learning Centers? Turns out, your chances to become a preschool teacher are better in some states than others.Our research found that New Mexico is the best state for preschool teachers, while Hawaii and California are ranked highest in terms of median salary. New Mexico has a median salary of $38,878 and Hawaii has the highest median salary among all 50 states for preschool teachers.
We figured that the best places for preschool teacher 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 teachers, and the West is the worst. San Jose, CA is the best city in the country for preschool teacher jobs, where as New Mexico is the best state in the country.
10 best states for preschool teachers in 2025
1. New Mexico
Total Preschool Teacher Jobs: 289 Average Annual Salary: $38,878 Lowest 10 Percent Earn: $26,000 Highest 10 Percent Earn: $57,000 Location Quotient: 1.42. Wyoming
Total Preschool Teacher Jobs: 84 Average Annual Salary: $38,125 Lowest 10 Percent Earn: $28,000 Highest 10 Percent Earn: $51,000 Location Quotient: 1.343. New York
Total Preschool Teacher Jobs: 1,427 Average Annual Salary: $40,587 Lowest 10 Percent Earn: $28,000 Highest 10 Percent Earn: $57,000 Location Quotient: 1.064. Vermont
Total Preschool Teacher Jobs: 108 Average Annual Salary: $38,135 Lowest 10 Percent Earn: $29,000 Highest 10 Percent Earn: $49,000 Location Quotient: 1.345. Minnesota
Total Preschool Teacher Jobs: 889 Average Annual Salary: $37,724 Lowest 10 Percent Earn: $28,000 Highest 10 Percent Earn: $49,000 Location Quotient: 1.286. Connecticut
Total Preschool Teacher Jobs: 581 Average Annual Salary: $36,776 Lowest 10 Percent Earn: $26,000 Highest 10 Percent Earn: $51,000 Location Quotient: 1.677. New Jersey
Total Preschool Teacher Jobs: 1,235 Average Annual Salary: $37,409 Lowest 10 Percent Earn: $26,000 Highest 10 Percent Earn: $53,000 Location Quotient: 1.488. Nevada
Total Preschool Teacher Jobs: 360 Average Annual Salary: $33,665 Lowest 10 Percent Earn: $23,000 Highest 10 Percent Earn: $48,000 Location Quotient: 1.649. Arizona
Total Preschool Teacher Jobs: 1,081 Average Annual Salary: $34,075 Lowest 10 Percent Earn: $22,000 Highest 10 Percent Earn: $50,000 Location Quotient: 1.7610. California
Total Preschool Teacher Jobs: 2,540 Average Annual Salary: $40,866 Lowest 10 Percent Earn: $27,000 Highest 10 Percent Earn: $60,000 Location Quotient: 0.83
Preschool Teacher JobsNear Ashburn, VA
How Zippia determines the best states to be a preschool teacher
You can read about how the best state rankings are calculated here.
Detailed list of the best states for a preschool teacher
| Rank | State | Average Salary | Lowest 10% Earn | Population | Job Count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New Mexico | $38,878 | $26,000 | 2,088,070 | 289 |
| 2 | Wyoming | $38,125 | $28,000 | 579,315 | 84 |
| 3 | New York | $40,587 | $28,000 | 19,849,399 | 1,427 |
| 4 | Vermont | $38,135 | $29,000 | 623,657 | 108 |
| 5 | Minnesota | $37,724 | $28,000 | 5,576,606 | 889 |
| 6 | Connecticut | $36,776 | $26,000 | 3,588,184 | 581 |
| 7 | New Jersey | $37,409 | $26,000 | 9,005,644 | 1,235 |
| 8 | Nevada | $33,665 | $23,000 | 2,998,039 | 360 |
| 9 | Arizona | $34,075 | $22,000 | 7,016,270 | 1,081 |
| 10 | California | $40,866 | $27,000 | 39,536,653 | 2,540 |
| 11 | Kansas | $34,371 | $24,000 | 2,913,123 | 357 |
| 12 | Colorado | $34,889 | $25,000 | 5,607,154 | 930 |
| 13 | District of Columbia | $38,849 | $26,000 | 693,972 | 167 |
| 14 | Texas | $34,524 | $22,000 | 28,304,596 | 1,997 |
| 15 | Hawaii | $43,575 | $34,000 | 1,427,538 | 26 |
| 16 | Nebraska | $33,664 | $24,000 | 1,920,076 | 234 |
| 17 | Massachusetts | $36,010 | $26,000 | 6,859,819 | 846 |
| 18 | West Virginia | $35,882 | $24,000 | 1,815,857 | 76 |
| 19 | North Dakota | $34,016 | $26,000 | 755,393 | 65 |
| 20 | Washington | $35,504 | $27,000 | 7,405,743 | 625 |
| 21 | Illinois | $31,892 | $23,000 | 12,802,023 | 1,856 |
| 22 | Maryland | $33,939 | $23,000 | 6,052,177 | 958 |
| 23 | Virginia | $34,087 | $23,000 | 8,470,020 | 865 |
| 24 | Oregon | $35,145 | $26,000 | 4,142,776 | 333 |
| 25 | Iowa | $31,342 | $23,000 | 3,145,711 | 342 |
| 26 | Michigan | $30,371 | $22,000 | 9,962,311 | 1,012 |
| 27 | South Dakota | $32,046 | $24,000 | 869,666 | 36 |
| 28 | New Hampshire | $30,485 | $22,000 | 1,342,795 | 279 |
| 29 | Montana | $29,973 | $23,000 | 1,050,493 | 172 |
| 30 | Kentucky | $31,190 | $21,000 | 4,454,189 | 248 |
| 31 | Maine | $32,169 | $25,000 | 1,335,907 | 72 |
| 32 | Wisconsin | $30,507 | $22,000 | 5,795,483 | 457 |
| 33 | Missouri | $30,315 | $21,000 | 6,113,532 | 514 |
| 34 | Utah | $30,603 | $22,000 | 3,101,833 | 202 |
| 35 | Tennessee | $28,574 | $19,000 | 6,715,984 | 493 |
| 36 | Alaska | $31,922 | $27,000 | 739,795 | 63 |
| 37 | Arkansas | $28,472 | $19,000 | 3,004,279 | 220 |
| 38 | Pennsylvania | $28,435 | $19,000 | 12,805,537 | 1,105 |
| 39 | Indiana | $27,252 | $19,000 | 6,666,818 | 701 |
| 40 | Louisiana | $28,003 | $18,000 | 4,684,333 | 277 |
| 41 | Oklahoma | $26,298 | $18,000 | 3,930,864 | 335 |
| 42 | North Carolina | $27,789 | $18,000 | 10,273,419 | 863 |
| 43 | Idaho | $28,574 | $21,000 | 1,716,943 | 146 |
| 44 | Delaware | $27,187 | $18,000 | 961,939 | 136 |
| 45 | Ohio | $27,919 | $19,000 | 11,658,609 | 758 |
| 46 | Georgia | $26,336 | $17,000 | 10,429,379 | 936 |
| 47 | Florida | $24,137 | $16,000 | 20,984,400 | 1,695 |
| 48 | South Carolina | $24,775 | $16,000 | 5,024,369 | 441 |
| 49 | Rhode Island | $27,446 | $19,000 | 1,059,639 | 70 |
| 50 | Mississippi | $24,667 | $16,000 | 2,984,100 | 173 |
| 51 | Alabama | $21,021 | $14,000 | 4,874,747 | 279 |
Highest paying states for preschool teachers
| Rank | State | Avg. Preschool Teacher Salary |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | New Mexico | $38,878 |
| 2 | Wyoming | $38,125 |
| 3 | New York | $40,587 |
| 4 | Vermont | $38,135 |
| 5 | Minnesota | $37,724 |
| 6 | Connecticut | $36,776 |
| 7 | New Jersey | $37,409 |
| 8 | Nevada | $33,665 |
| 9 | Arizona | $34,075 |
| 10 | California | $40,866 |
| 11 | Kansas | $34,371 |
| 12 | Colorado | $34,889 |
| 13 | District of Columbia | $38,849 |
| 14 | Texas | $34,524 |
| 15 | Hawaii | $43,575 |
| 16 | Nebraska | $33,664 |
| 17 | Massachusetts | $36,010 |
| 18 | West Virginia | $35,882 |
| 19 | North Dakota | $34,016 |
| 20 | Washington | $35,504 |
| 21 | Illinois | $31,892 |
| 22 | Maryland | $33,939 |
| 23 | Virginia | $34,087 |
| 24 | Oregon | $35,145 |
| 25 | Iowa | $31,342 |
| 26 | Michigan | $30,371 |
| 27 | South Dakota | $32,046 |
| 28 | New Hampshire | $30,485 |
| 29 | Montana | $29,973 |
| 30 | Kentucky | $31,190 |
| 31 | Maine | $32,169 |
| 32 | Wisconsin | $30,507 |
| 33 | Missouri | $30,315 |
| 34 | Utah | $30,603 |
| 35 | Tennessee | $28,574 |
| 36 | Alaska | $31,922 |
| 37 | Arkansas | $28,472 |
| 38 | Pennsylvania | $28,435 |
| 39 | Indiana | $27,252 |
| 40 | Louisiana | $28,003 |
| 41 | Oklahoma | $26,298 |
| 42 | North Carolina | $27,789 |
| 43 | Idaho | $28,574 |
| 44 | Delaware | $27,187 |
| 45 | Ohio | $27,919 |
| 46 | Georgia | $26,336 |
| 47 | Florida | $24,137 |
| 48 | South Carolina | $24,775 |
| 49 | Rhode Island | $27,446 |
| 50 | Mississippi | $24,667 |
| 51 | Alabama | $21,021 |
Expert opinions on the best states for preschool teachers
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for Preschool Teachers to find work opportunities?
Dr. Mark Williams Ph.D.
Professor, Calvin University
If you mean in the field(s) of classics, some private schools and academies are hiring (still) Latin and Greek teachers, especially in the South and Southwest. In the upper Midwest and Northeast, not so much.
Preschool Teacher best states FAQs
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Updated January 8, 2025