Preschool teacher demographics and statistics in the US
Preschool teacher demographics research summary. Zippia estimates preschool teacher demographics and statistics in the United States by using a database of 30 million profiles. Our preschool teacher estimates are verified against BLS, Census, and current job openings data for accuracy. Zippia's data science team found the following key facts about preschool teachers after extensive research and analysis:
- There are over 2,176,693 preschool teachers currently employed in the United States.
- 93.6% of all preschool teachers are women, while 6.4% are men.
- The average preschool teacher age is 39 years old.
- The most common ethnicity of preschool teachers is White (62.8%), followed by Hispanic or Latino (17.6%), Black or African American (8.6%) and Asian (5.5%).
- In 2022, women earned 95% of what men earned.
- 5% of all preschool teachers are LGBT.
- Preschool teachers are 65% more likely to work at education companies in comparison to private companies.
On this page
Preschool teacher demographics by:
Preschool teacher gender statistics
93.6% of preschool teachers are women and 6.4% of preschool teachers are men.
- Female, 93.6%
- Male, 6.4%
Preschool teacher gender ratio
| Gender | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Female | 93.6% |
| Male | 6.4% |
Preschool teacher gender pay gap
Women earn 95¢ for every $1 earned by men
Male income
$35,930
Female income
$34,010
Preschool teacher gender ratio over time
This data breaks down the percentage of men and women in preschool teacher positions over time. Currently, 93.6% of preschool teachers are female.
Preschool teacher gender ratio by year
| Year | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 4.34% | 95.66% |
| 2011 | 4.63% | 95.37% |
| 2012 | 4.99% | 95.01% |
| 2013 | 5.52% | 94.48% |
| 2014 | 4.69% | 95.31% |
| 2015 | 5.31% | 94.69% |
| 2016 | 4.64% | 95.36% |
| 2017 | 4.95% | 95.05% |
| 2018 | 5.45% | 94.55% |
| 2019 | 5.14% | 94.86% |
| 2020 | 6.49% | 93.51% |
| 2021 | 6.40% | 93.60% |
Preschool teacher related jobs gender ratio
We compared preschool teachers with similar job titles to see how gender ratios vary. As you can see, auto collision repair instructor and automotive technology instructor have the biggest gender ratio gaps.
| Job title | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| Child Development Associate Teacher | 3% | 97% |
| Prekindergarten Teacher | 5% | 95% |
| Infant And Toddler Teacher | 5% | 95% |
| Preschool Teacher | 6% | 94% |
| Automotive Instructor | 96% | 4% |
| Automotive Technology Instructor | 96% | 4% |
| Auto Collision Repair Instructor | 98% | 2% |
Male
Female
100%
75%
50%
25%
0%
0%
25%
50%
75%
100%
Preschool teacher demographics by race
The most common ethnicity among preschool teachers is White, which makes up 62.8% of all preschool teachers. Comparatively, 17.6% of preschool teachers are Hispanic or Latino and 8.6% of preschool teachers are Black or African American.
- White, 62.8%
- Hispanic or Latino, 17.6%
- Black or African American, 8.6%
- Asian, 5.5%
- Unknown, 4.5%
- American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.0%
Preschool teacher race
| Preschool teacher race | Percentages |
|---|---|
| White | 62.8% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 17.6% |
| Black or African American | 8.6% |
| Asian | 5.5% |
| Unknown | 4.5% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 1.0% |
Preschool teacher race and ethnicity over time
See how preschool teacher racial and ethnic diversity trended since 2010 according to the United States Census Bureau data.
Preschool teacher race and ethnicity by year
| Year | White | Black or African American | Asian | Hispanic or Latino |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 66.03% | 11.89% | 4.74% | 14.81% |
| 2011 | 64.49% | 12.75% | 4.44% | 15.03% |
| 2012 | 63.78% | 13.18% | 4.97% | 15.38% |
| 2013 | 64.92% | 12.26% | 5.06% | 15.09% |
| 2014 | 65.31% | 11.98% | 4.68% | 15.18% |
| 2015 | 64.96% | 11.53% | 4.75% | 15.66% |
| 2016 | 64.44% | 12.49% | 4.97% | 15.30% |
| 2017 | 63.64% | 11.07% | 5.20% | 16.89% |
| 2018 | 63.64% | 10.78% | 4.98% | 17.60% |
| 2019 | 66.07% | 8.94% | 5.41% | 16.63% |
| 2020 | 63.75% | 8.89% | 5.85% | 16.40% |
| 2021 | 62.83% | 8.62% | 5.53% | 17.62% |
Preschool teacher wage gap by race
According to our data, hispanic or latino preschool teachers have the highest average salary compared to other ethnicities. Black or african american preschool teachers have the lowest average salary at $35,261.
| Ethnicity | Salary |
|---|---|
| Unknown | $36,494 |
| White | $35,502 |
| Black or African American | $35,261 |
| Asian | $35,580 |
| Hispanic or Latino | $36,839 |
Average preschool teacher age
See how the average age of preschool teachers varies based on ethnicity and gender.
Male
Female
Preschool teacher age by race and gender
| Race | Male age | Female age |
|---|---|---|
| Black or African American | 32 | 42 |
| Unknown | 38 | |
| Asian | 33 | 43 |
| Hispanic or Latino | 30 | 38 |
| White | 36 | 39 |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 39 |
Preschool teacher age breakdown
The average age of preschool teachers is 40+ years years old, representing 48% of the preschool teacher population.
Preschool teacher age breakdown
| Preschool Teacher Years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| 40+ years | 48% |
| 30-40 years | 27% |
| 20-30 years | 23% |
Preschool teacher educational attainment
The most common degree for preschool teachers is bachelor's degree, with 52% of preschool teachers earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are associate degree degree at 23% and associate degree degree at 13%.
- Bachelor's, 52%
- Associate, 23%
- High School Diploma, 13%
- Master's, 7%
- Other Degrees, 5%
Preschool teachers by degree level
| Preschool teacher degree | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Bachelor's | 52% |
| Associate | 23% |
| High School Diploma | 13% |
| Master's | 7% |
| Other Degrees | 5% |
Preschool teacher jobs you might like
Preschool teacher wage gap by degree level
According to the data, preschool teachers with a Master's degree earn more than those without, at $45,369 annually. With a Doctorate degree, preschool teachers earn a median annual income of $44,151 compared to $38,224 for preschool teachers with an Bachelor's degree.
| Education | Salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $45,369 |
| High School Diploma or Less | $29,915 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $38,224 |
| Doctorate Degree | $44,151 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $30,980 |
Preschool teacher employment statistics
Most preschool teachers work for a education in the education industry.
Company size where preschool teachers work
Below, you can see the size of companies where preschool teachers work.
Preschool teacher jobs by employer size
| Company size | Percentages |
|---|---|
| < 50 employees | 16% |
| 50 - 100 employees | 34% |
| 100 - 500 employees | 28% |
| 500 - 1,000 employees | 5% |
| 1,000 - 10,000 employees | 12% |
| > 10,000 employees | 3% |
Preschool teacher jobs by company type
Employees with the preschool teacher job title have their preferences when it comes to working for a company. For instance, most preschool teachers prefer to work at education companies over private companies.
Preschool teacher jobs by sector
| Company type | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Education | 65% |
| Public | 3% |
| Private | 29% |
| Government | 3% |
Preschool teacher jobs by industry
The most common industries for preschool teachers are education, non profits and health care.
Preschool teacher industry statistics
| Industry | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Education | 51% |
| Non Profits | 19% |
| Health Care | 8% |
| Professional | 6% |
| Retail | 2% |
| Government | 2% |
| Manufacturing | 2% |
| Hospitality | 2% |
| Finance | 1% |
| Internet | 1% |
| Media | 1% |
| Start-up | 1% |
| Technology | 1% |
Preschool teacher turnover and employment statistics
Preschool teacher unemployment rate over time
The unemployment rate for preschool teachers between 2008 and the most recent data has varied, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Preschool teacher unemployment rate by year
| Year | Preschool teacher unemployment rate |
|---|---|
| 2010 | 6.15% |
| 2011 | 6.72% |
| 2012 | 6.69% |
| 2013 | 6.20% |
| 2014 | 4.71% |
| 2015 | 4.39% |
| 2016 | 3.73% |
| 2017 | 2.88% |
| 2018 | 2.72% |
| 2019 | 2.90% |
| 2020 | 4.48% |
| 2021 | 4.49% |
Average preschool teacher tenure
The average preschool teacher stays at their job for 1-2 years, based on the 47,404 preschool teachers resumes in Zippia's database.
Preschool teacher tenure statistics
| Number of years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Less than 1 year | 27% |
| 1-2 years | 34% |
| 3-4 years | 13% |
| 5-7 years | 15% |
| 8-10 years | 5% |
| 11+ years | 6% |
Preschool teacher LGBT ratio compared to similar jobs
Review the percent of preschool teachers that are members of the LGBT community. You can see how this compares to similar jobs in the chart below.
| Job title | LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Preschool Teacher | 5.04% | - |
| Emotional Disabilities Teacher | 7.55% | 54,582 |
| Middle School Art Teacher | 8.89% | 85,562 |
| Life Sciences Instructor | 11.94% | 40,601 |
Similar preschool teacher jobs LGBT demographics
| Profession | Percentages of LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Emotional Disabilities Teacher | 7.55% | 54,582 |
| Middle School Art Teacher | 8.89% | 85,562 |
| Life Sciences Instructor | 11.94% | 40,601 |
Foreign languages spoken by preschool teachers
The most common foreign language among preschool teachers is Spanish at 64.7%. The second-most popular foreign language spoken is French at 8.1% and German is the third-most popular at 2.9%.
- Spanish, 64.7%
- French, 8.1%
- German, 2.9%
- Italian, 2.6%
- Japanese, 2.5%
- Other, 19.2%
Preschool teacher languages spoken
| Foreign language | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Spanish | 64.7% |
| French | 8.1% |
| German | 2.9% |
| Italian | 2.6% |
| Japanese | 2.5% |
| Other | 19.2% |
