How much does a preschool teachers, except special education make?

The median pay is $18.34 per hour — roughly $38,000 a year, with the real range running from about $13.94/hr (10th percentile) to $29.52/hr (90th percentile). Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Do you need a degree to be a preschool teachers, except special education?

The typical entry-level education is: Associate degree. Overall preparation level: medium preparation (Job Zone 3 of 5).

What does a preschool teachers, except special education actually do all day?

Teach basic skills, such as color, shape, number and letter recognition, personal hygiene, and social skills. Establish and enforce rules for behavior and procedures for maintaining order. Adapt teaching methods and instructional materials to meet students' varying needs and interests.

Education

Preschool Teachers, Except Special Education

Instruct preschool-aged students, following curricula or lesson plans, in activities designed to promote social, physical, and intellectual growth.

What it pays
Preschool Teachers, Except Special Education earn a median of $18.34/hr — about $38,000 a year. The lowest-paid 10% earn $13.94/hr; the top 10% earn $29.52/hr. (Annual figures are approximate: hourly × 2,080.)

What you'd actually do

Teach basic skills, such as color, shape, number and letter recognition, personal hygiene, and social skills.
Establish and enforce rules for behavior and procedures for maintaining order.
Adapt teaching methods and instructional materials to meet students' varying needs and interests.
Provide a variety of materials and resources for children to explore, manipulate, and use, both in learning activities and in imaginative play.
Serve meals and snacks in accordance with nutritional guidelines.
Attend to children's basic needs by feeding them, dressing them, and changing their diapers.

How you get there

Typical entry-level education: Associate degree. Overall preparation: medium preparation (Job Zone 3 of 5).

The feel of the work

You're around people constantly. (Compared against the other 818 careers in the guide.)

Working for yourself

About 0.6% of preschool teachers, except special education are self-employed.

Who it tends to fit

This work tends to fit people who are people-focused, creative and organized and detail-focused.

Work a simulated shift in this job — freeMake the real decisions this job involves, then see what your choices say about you.

Related careers

Quick questions

How much does a preschool teachers, except special education make?: The median pay is $18.34 per hour — roughly $38,000 a year, with the real range running from about $13.94/hr (10th percentile) to $29.52/hr (90th percentile). Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Do you need a degree to be a preschool teachers, except special education?: The typical entry-level education is: Associate degree. Overall preparation level: medium preparation (Job Zone 3 of 5).
What does a preschool teachers, except special education actually do all day?: Teach basic skills, such as color, shape, number and letter recognition, personal hygiene, and social skills. Establish and enforce rules for behavior and procedures for maintaining order. Adapt teaching methods and instructional materials to meet students' varying needs and interests.

Wages: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS. Tasks & interests: O*NET. Career pathways shown in the app are draft archetypes — verify before relying on them. Trailhead is a free career guide for students — honest numbers, no hype.

Trailhead is operated by FLEXVermont LLC. It is intended for high-school students age 13 and older, and the educators and families who support them, and is not directed to children under 13. Trailhead is provided for general informational and educational purposes only. It does not offer professional, financial, or career advice, and its wage figures and pathways are estimates that may not fit your situation — they should not be relied on as the sole basis for any decision.