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The average infant teacher salary in the United States stands at $29,076 annually, or about $14 per hour. This figure can fluctuate based on various factors, including geographic location and years of experience. For instance, in states like California and New York, salaries can be significantly higher due to the cost of living and demand for childcare professionals.
When analyzing salaries by state, it’s evident that regions with a higher cost of living generally offer better compensation. For example, infant teachers in Massachusetts report some of the highest salaries, averaging around $35,000 per year. In contrast, states like Arkansas and Mississippi tend to offer lower salaries, with averages closer to $25,000.
In addition to salary, the demand for infant teachers is growing, particularly in urban areas where families seek quality childcare. Industries such as private daycare centers and early childhood education programs typically offer competitive salaries, often with benefits such as health insurance and retirement plans. Understanding these dynamics can assist aspiring educators in making informed decisions about their career paths.
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The average infant teacher salary in Alaska, California, and Massachusetts are the highest in the U.S. The lowest average infant teacher salary states are New Mexico, Florida, and Kansas.
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Minnesota | $32,711 | $15.73 |
| 2 | Delaware | $31,620 | $15.20 |
| 3 | Rhode Island | $33,752 | $16.23 |
| 4 | Massachusetts | $33,848 | $16.27 |
| 5 | Colorado | $31,259 | $15.03 |
| 6 | Alaska | $35,361 | $17.00 |
| 7 | Vermont | $30,292 | $14.56 |
| 8 | Illinois | $29,998 | $14.42 |
| 9 | Missouri | $30,962 | $14.89 |
| 10 | Connecticut | $29,828 | $14.34 |
| 11 | Oregon | $31,834 | $15.30 |
| 12 | Montana | $28,454 | $13.68 |
| 13 | Tennessee | $29,551 | $14.21 |
| 14 | Washington | $31,873 | $15.32 |
| 15 | North Dakota | $30,775 | $14.80 |
| 16 | California | $34,541 | $16.61 |
| 17 | Pennsylvania | $29,201 | $14.04 |
| 18 | New Hampshire | $28,395 | $13.65 |
| 19 | District of Columbia | $31,312 | $15.05 |
| 20 | Nevada | $27,352 | $13.15 |
| 21 | Maine | $29,120 | $14.00 |
| 22 | New York | $29,418 | $14.14 |
| 23 | Iowa | $28,053 | $13.49 |
| 24 | Wisconsin | $28,510 | $13.71 |
| 25 | Indiana | $27,182 | $13.07 |
| 26 | Arizona | $26,239 | $12.61 |
| 27 | Nebraska | $26,889 | $12.93 |
| 28 | West Virginia | $28,112 | $13.52 |
| 29 | Idaho | $26,644 | $12.81 |
| 30 | Mississippi | $27,332 | $13.14 |
| 31 | Virginia | $27,918 | $13.42 |
| 32 | South Dakota | $27,380 | $13.16 |
| 33 | Michigan | $25,349 | $12.19 |
| 34 | Wyoming | $25,096 | $12.07 |
| 35 | Hawaii | $29,756 | $14.31 |
| 36 | Utah | $27,173 | $13.06 |
| 37 | Ohio | $26,234 | $12.61 |
| 38 | New Jersey | $25,275 | $12.15 |
| 39 | Maryland | $23,929 | $11.50 |
| 40 | New Mexico | $23,418 | $11.26 |
| 41 | Texas | $24,117 | $11.59 |
| 42 | North Carolina | $24,396 | $11.73 |
| 43 | South Carolina | $23,581 | $11.34 |
| 44 | Oklahoma | $22,790 | $10.96 |
| 45 | Kansas | $22,955 | $11.04 |
| 46 | Florida | $23,351 | $11.23 |
| 47 | Kentucky | $24,286 | $11.68 |
| 48 | Georgia | $23,581 | $11.34 |
| 49 | Alabama | $23,619 | $11.36 |
| 50 | Louisiana | $22,437 | $10.79 |
| 51 | Arkansas | $22,359 | $10.75 |
The highest-paying cities for infant teachers are San Jose, CA, Lexington, MA, and Minneapolis, MN.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Jose, CA | $35,903 | $17.26 |
| 2 | Lexington, MA | $33,933 | $16.31 |
| 3 | Minneapolis, MN | $32,732 | $15.74 |
| 4 | Fort Collins, CO | $31,626 | $15.20 |
| 5 | Kansas City, MO | $31,177 | $14.99 |
| 6 | Franklin, TN | $29,586 | $14.22 |
| 7 | New York, NY | $29,413 | $14.14 |
| 8 | Philadelphia, PA | $29,205 | $14.04 |
| 9 | Alexandria, VA | $28,767 | $13.83 |
| 10 | Ankeny, IA | $28,027 | $13.47 |
| 11 | Sioux Falls, SD | $27,271 | $13.11 |
| 12 | Indianapolis, IN | $26,993 | $12.98 |
| 13 | Omaha, NE | $26,952 | $12.96 |
| 14 | Columbus, OH | $25,860 | $12.43 |
| 15 | Randolph, NJ | $25,367 | $12.20 |
| 16 | Raleigh, NC | $24,469 | $11.76 |
| 17 | Frisco, TX | $24,454 | $11.76 |
| 18 | Greenville, SC | $23,957 | $11.52 |
| 19 | Bowie, MD | $23,767 | $11.43 |
| 20 | Kennesaw, GA | $23,753 | $11.42 |
An infant teacher's salary ranges from $22,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $37,000 at the 90th percentile.

| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $37,000 | $3,083 | $18 |
| 75th Percentile | $33,000 | $2,750 | $16 |
| Average | $29,076 | $2,423 | $14 |
| 25th Percentile | $25,000 | $2,083 | $12 |
| 10th Percentile | $22,000 | $1,833 | $11 |
The highest paying types of infant teachers are head teacher, teacher, and pre-k teacher.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Early Childhood Teacher | $33,205 | $2,767 | $15.96 | 56,821 |
| Preschool Lead Teacher | $33,176 | $2,765 | $15.95 | 54,870 |
| Preschool Teacher | $33,582 | $2,798 | $16.14 | 55,298 |
| Teacher Aide | $29,480 | $2,457 | $14.17 | 106,207 |
| Toddler Teacher | $30,703 | $2,559 | $14.76 | 67,810 |
| Child Care Teacher | $26,036 | $2,170 | $12.52 | 139,010 |
Top companies hiring infant teachers now:
Infant teacher salaries at Oak Grove School and Kingdom Kids are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average infant teacher salary at companies like Community Action Partnership of San Luis Obispo County and Nobel Learning are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Oak Grove School | $38,481 | $18.50 |
| 2 | Kingdom Kids | $31,623 | $15.20 |
| 3 | Community Action Partnership of San Luis Obispo County | $31,526 | $15.16 |
| 4 | Nobel Learning | $31,516 | $15.15 |
| 5 | Lionheart Children's Academy | $31,487 | $15.14 |
| 6 | Little Sunshine's Playhouse | $31,463 | $15.13 |
| 7 | Archdiocese Of San Antonio | $31,129 | $14.97 |
| 8 | Astor Services | $30,887 | $14.85 |
| 9 | Community Action Partnership of Ramsey & Washington Counties | $30,674 | $14.75 |
| 10 | Learning Care Group | $30,225 | $14.53 |
| 11 | Kiddie Academy | $29,840 | $14.35 |
| 12 | Mammoth Mountain | $29,807 | $14.33 |
| 13 | Sheltering Arms | $29,737 | $14.30 |
| 14 | The Teaching Company | $29,729 | $14.29 |
| 15 | Cclc | $29,701 | $14.28 |
| 16 | Action Day Primary Plus | $29,633 | $14.25 |
| 17 | First Plymouth Congregational Church | $29,566 | $14.21 |
| 18 | Cadence Education | $29,458 | $14.16 |
| 19 | Tampa Jewish Community Centers & Federation | $29,454 | $14.16 |
| 20 | Catholic Charities Of The Archdiocese Of St Paul And Minneapolis | $29,445 | $14.16 |
The average infant teacher salary varies across industries:
| Rank | Industry | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Finance | $43,375 | $20.85 |
| 2 | Government | $30,290 | $14.56 |
| 3 | Media | $29,736 | $14.30 |
| 4 | Education | $27,980 | $13.45 |
The average infant teacher salary has risen by $5,337 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average infant teacher earned $23,739 annually, but today, they earn $29,076 a year. That works out to a 14% change in pay for infant teachers over the last decade.
Compare infant teacher salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Compare infant teacher salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $29,100 | $13.98 | +3.4% |
| 2024 | $28,100 | $13.50 | +3.3% |
| 2023 | $27,200 | $13.05 | +2.6% |
| 2022 | $26,400 | $12.71 | +3.2% |
| 2021 | $25,600 | $12.30 | +2.0% |
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lionheart Children's Academy | Infant Teacher-Five Lakes Church | Sylvania, OH | 06/29/2025 | $30,783 |
| Spring Education Group | Montessori Infant Assistant Teacher | Boise, ID | 06/29/2025 | $33,392 |
| Sanford Health | The Children's ARK-Teacher, Infants Classroom-Days | Hastings, NE | 06/28/2025 | $28,175 |
| Dr. Day Care | Teacher-Infant | Providence, RI | 06/28/2025 | $35,479 |
| The Learning Experience | Infant Teacher | Bordentown, NJ | 06/28/2025 | $33,914 |
| The Goddard School | Infant Teacher Brand New School | Darien, CT | 06/28/2025 | $41,740 |
| Cadence Education | Teacher-Infant | Nolensville, TN | 06/26/2025 | $29,218 |
| The Learning Experience | Infant Teacher | Lees Summit, MO | 06/26/2025 | $31,305 |
| Chambliss Center for Children | Nursery/Infant Teacher | Chattanooga, TN | 06/26/2025 | $22,957 |
| Primrose School | Infant Teacher | Phoenix, AZ | 06/26/2025 | $37,566 |
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