25 Series · SOC 25-2012
Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special Education Salary
National pay, percentile range, growth outlook, and state-by-state detail from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey (May 2025).
- $62,680
- Median / year
- $101,830
- Top 10% earn
- -1.6%
- Growth '23–'33
- 108,870
- US workers
Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special Education earn a median of $62,680 per year.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey, the median annual wage is $62,680, based on the most recent survey of employers. Reported pay ranges from $46,990 (10th percentile) to $101,830 (90th percentile) nationally, across roughly 108,870 US workers. Washington pays the most ($99,960), since pay varies by state and metro area.
The pay verdict
Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special Education earn a median of $62,680, putting them above the typical US occupation and higher than 53% of the 825 occupations with a published BLS median. Within Educational Instruction and Library, it ranks #53 of 64 by median pay. Employment is projected to fall 1.6% by 2033.
- $62,680
- Median annual wage
- Top 47%
- of 825 US occupations with published wages
- #53 of 64
- in Educational Instruction and Library
- 2.2×
- 90th-to-10th pay spread
Highest-paying state: Washington at $99,960. Typical entry-level education: Bachelor's degree.
Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special Education (SOC 25-2012) pays a national median of $62,680 per year according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey released in May 2025. Full-range compensation stretches from $46,990 at the 10th percentile to $101,830 at the 90th, with a mean of $69,370 indicating a right-skew where top earners pull the average above the midpoint. An estimated 108,870 Americans work in this occupation across 51 reporting states and 417 metro areas.
BLS Employment Projections forecast a -1.6% change in employment from 2024 to 2034, which the agency classifies as declining relative to the 5% all-occupations baseline. About 12,800 openings are projected per year, combining new positions with replacement needs from retirements and occupation-switchers. Typical entry-level preparation is Bachelor's degree. The BLS Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) and Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses (SOII) produce a workplace-safety grade of A for this role, with a fatality rate of 0.3 per 100,000 and injury rate of 0.8 per 100.
Geographic variation matters as much as the headline median. Washington pays the highest state median at $99,960, which is +59% above the national figure. The top metro is El Centro, CA at $111,880 - metro premiums typically reflect higher cost of living, industry concentration, or specialized employer demand. When using this page for negotiation or career planning, pair the national median with the state and metro rows below, remember that BLS wages exclude benefits, bonuses, and overtime, and revisit after each May OEWS release since percentiles shift with cost-of-living cycles and industry demand. See our methodology for exactly how these figures are sourced, computed, and verified.
BLS OEWS May 2025 108,870 jobs Median $62,680/yr
Median Salary
$62,680
per year
Median Hourly
N/A
per hour
Mean Salary
$69,370
average
Employment
108,870
jobs nationwide
How does this pay compare nationally?
Where Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special Education pay sits nationally
Median annual wage vs. 825 detailed BLS occupations with a published median
$62,680 Top 47% higher than 53% of 825 US occupations
Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more US occupations. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Source U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS · May 2025
Does this job pay well and grow?
Each dot is a 25-series occupation, placed by projected 2024–2034 growth and median pay. The highlighted dot is Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special Education; the upper-right quadrant is the sweet spot (high pay + fast growth).
Among 24 25-series occupations with growth data, Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special Education sits on the slower-growing side at -1.6% growth and $62,680 median pay.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS (wages, May 2025) and Employment Projections (2024–2034).
Job Outlook (2024–2034)
Projected Growth
-1.6%
Declining
Annual Openings
12,800
per year (projected)
Typical Education
Bachelor's degree
Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2024–2034
Workplace Safety
All safety ratings → A
Very Safe
Safety Grade (BLS 2023)
Fatality Rate
0.3/100K
Injury Rate
0.8/100
Danger Index
3.4/100
Source: BLS Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) & Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses (SOII), 2023
Career Intelligence
Skills, knowledge, and tasks most important for Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special Education roles, ranked by importance. Source: O*NET.
Top Skills
Social Perceptiveness 4.1
Instructing 4.1
Active Listening 4.0
Speaking 4.0
Learning Strategies 4.0
Monitoring 4.0
Reading Comprehension 3.9
Coordination 3.9
Time Management 3.8
Service Orientation 3.6
Knowledge Areas
Education and Training 4.7
English Language 4.6
Psychology 4.0
Mathematics 3.9
Customer and Personal Service 3.5
Sociology and Anthropology 3.3
Public Safety and Security 3.3
Administrative 3.3
Therapy and Counseling 3.2
Computers and Electronics 3.2
Key Tasks
- ▸ Establish and enforce rules for behavior and policies and procedures to maintain order among students.
- ▸ Prepare children for later grades by encouraging them to explore learning opportunities and to persevere with challenging tasks.
- ▸ Instruct students individually and in groups, adapting teaching methods to meet students' varying needs and interests.
- ▸ Teach basic skills, such as color, shape, number and letter recognition, personal hygiene, and social skills.
- ▸ Demonstrate activities to children.
- ▸ Read books to entire classes or to small groups.
- ▸ Guide and counsel students with adjustment or academic problems or special academic interests.
- ▸ Observe and evaluate children's performance, behavior, social development, and physical health.
- ▸ Provide a variety of materials and resources for children to explore, manipulate, and use, both in learning activities and in imaginative play.
- ▸ Prepare and implement remedial programs for students requiring extra help.
Source: O*NET Online, National Center for O*NET Development. Data represents typical importance ratings for this occupation.
Salary Range
Annual Salary Distribution
Hourly Rate Distribution
10th Percentile
$46,990
25th Percentile
$52,180
Median
$62,680
75th Percentile
$79,910
90th Percentile
$101,830
Salary by State
Highest Paying States
View all 51 states →
| # | State | Median Salary | vs National |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Washington | $99,960 | +59% above national |
| 2 | Connecticut | $90,030 | +44% above national |
| 3 | Rhode Island | $85,470 | +36% above national |
| 4 | Massachusetts | $84,100 | +34% above national |
| 5 | California | $82,550 | +32% above national |
| 6 | District of Columbia | $81,500 | +30% above national |
| 7 | New York | $77,630 | +24% above national |
| 8 | Maryland | $75,910 | +21% above national |
| 9 | Minnesota | $75,500 | +20% above national |
| 10 | New Mexico | $74,380 | +19% above national |
| 11 | New Jersey | $74,210 | +18% above national |
| 12 | Delaware | $74,030 | +18% above national |
| 13 | Ohio | $72,570 | +16% above national |
| 14 | Oregon | $68,580 | +9% above national |
| 15 | Georgia | $65,680 | +5% above national |
| 16 | Nevada | $64,930 | +4% above national |
| 17 | Pennsylvania | $64,430 | +3% above national |
| 18 | Illinois | $64,020 | +2% above national |
| 19 | Virginia | $63,920 | +2% above national |
| 20 | Texas | $63,780 | +2% above national |
| 21 | Michigan | $63,300 | +1% above national |
| 22 | Vermont | $63,280 | +1% above national |
| 23 | Utah | $63,190 | +1% above national |
| 24 | Colorado | $62,870 | same as national |
| 25 | Idaho | $62,240 | 1% below national |
| 26 | Nebraska | $62,200 | 1% below national |
| 27 | Puerto Rico | $61,760 | 1% below national |
| 28 | Wyoming | $60,990 | 3% below national |
| 29 | South Carolina | $60,890 | 3% below national |
| 30 | Kentucky | $60,280 | 4% below national |
| 31 | New Hampshire | $60,240 | 4% below national |
| 32 | North Dakota | $59,420 | 5% below national |
| 33 | Wisconsin | $59,350 | 5% below national |
| 34 | West Virginia | $58,790 | 6% below national |
| 35 | Iowa | $58,420 | 7% below national |
| 36 | Indiana | $58,250 | 7% below national |
| 37 | Florida | $58,100 | 7% below national |
| 38 | Tennessee | $58,070 | 7% below national |
| 39 | Kansas | $56,670 | 10% below national |
| 40 | Missouri | $56,590 | 10% below national |
| 41 | North Carolina | $53,180 | 15% below national |
| 42 | Hawaii | $53,160 | 15% below national |
| 43 | Louisiana | $53,130 | 15% below national |
| 44 | Arizona | $52,830 | 16% below national |
| 45 | Maine | $52,660 | 16% below national |
| 46 | Arkansas | $52,060 | 17% below national |
| 47 | Alabama | $50,900 | 19% below national |
| 48 | South Dakota | $49,410 | 21% below national |
| 49 | Mississippi | $48,880 | 22% below national |
| 50 | Oklahoma | $47,860 | 24% below national |
| 51 | Montana | $47,590 | 24% below national |
Salary by Metro Area
Highest Paying Metros
View all 417 metro areas →
| # | Metro Area | Median Salary | vs National |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | El Centro, CA | $111,880 | +78% above national |
| 2 | Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $106,000 | +69% above national |
| 3 | Modesto, CA | $103,790 | +66% above national |
| 4 | Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA | $103,610 | +65% above national |
| 5 | Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA | $102,450 | +63% above national |
| 6 | Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA | $101,780 | +62% above national |
| 7 | Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $101,580 | +62% above national |
| 8 | Walla Walla, WA | $99,770 | +59% above national |
| 9 | Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT | $99,660 | +59% above national |
| 10 | Bellingham, WA | $98,460 | +57% above national |
| 11 | Mount Vernon-Anacortes, WA | $97,830 | +56% above national |
| 12 | North Coast Region of California nonmetropolitan area | $97,670 | +56% above national |
| 13 | Kingston, NY | $97,110 | +55% above national |
| 14 | Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA | $97,070 | +55% above national |
| 15 | Hanford-Corcoran, CA | $96,980 | +55% above national |
| 16 | Yuba City, CA | $96,570 | +54% above national |
| 17 | Merced, CA | $96,430 | +54% above national |
| 18 | Visalia, CA | $96,380 | +54% above national |
| 19 | Barnstable Town, MA | $95,540 | +52% above national |
| 20 | Napa, CA | $94,500 | +51% above national |
| 21 | Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT | $93,040 | +48% above national |
| 22 | Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | $92,910 | +48% above national |
| 23 | Norwich-New London-Willimantic, CT | $91,670 | +46% above national |
| 24 | Vallejo, CA | $91,640 | +46% above national |
| 25 | Worcester, MA | $89,770 | +43% above national |
| 26 | Wenatchee-East Wenatchee, WA | $89,740 | +43% above national |
| 27 | Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA | $89,710 | +43% above national |
| 28 | Kiryas Joel-Poughkeepsie-Newburgh, NY | $89,330 | +43% above national |
| 29 | Massachusetts nonmetropolitan area | $88,890 | +42% above national |
| 30 | Kennewick-Richland, WA | $86,420 | +38% above national |
| 31 | Providence-Warwick, RI-MA | $85,470 | +36% above national |
| 32 | Western Washington nonmetropolitan area | $85,130 | +36% above national |
| 33 | Yakima, WA | $84,700 | +35% above national |
| 34 | San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $84,620 | +35% above national |
| 35 | Connecticut nonmetropolitan area | $84,610 | +35% above national |
| 36 | Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | $82,550 | +32% above national |
| 37 | Eastern Washington nonmetropolitan area | $82,180 | +31% above national |
| 38 | Chico, CA | $82,170 | +31% above national |
| 39 | Cleveland, OH | $82,080 | +31% above national |
| 40 | Waterbury-Shelton, CT | $81,770 | +30% above national |
| 41 | Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $81,700 | +30% above national |
| 42 | Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | $81,090 | +29% above national |
| 43 | Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | $80,780 | +29% above national |
| 44 | York-Hanover, PA | $80,710 | +29% above national |
| 45 | Longview-Kelso, WA | $80,660 | +29% above national |
| 46 | Redding, CA | $80,550 | +29% above national |
| 47 | Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA | $80,400 | +28% above national |
| 48 | Traverse City, MI | $80,090 | +28% above national |
| 49 | Columbus, OH | $79,470 | +27% above national |
| 50 | New Haven, CT | $79,420 | +27% above national |
| 51 | Reading, PA | $79,420 | +27% above national |
| 52 | Boulder, CO | $79,150 | +26% above national |
| 53 | Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA | $78,910 | +26% above national |
| 54 | Trenton-Princeton, NJ | $78,620 | +25% above national |
| 55 | Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC | $78,580 | +25% above national |
| 56 | Lancaster, PA | $78,480 | +25% above national |
| 57 | Lebanon, PA | $78,460 | +25% above national |
| 58 | Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $78,400 | +25% above national |
| 59 | Bakersfield-Delano, CA | $78,330 | +25% above national |
| 60 | Springfield, MA | $77,880 | +24% above national |
| 61 | Central East New York nonmetropolitan area | $77,810 | +24% above national |
| 62 | New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $77,400 | +23% above national |
| 63 | Stockton-Lodi, CA | $77,370 | +23% above national |
| 64 | San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA | $77,290 | +23% above national |
| 65 | Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $77,200 | +23% above national |
| 66 | Naples-Marco Island, FL | $77,170 | +23% above national |
| 67 | Utica-Rome, NY | $76,790 | +23% above national |
| 68 | Amherst Town-Northampton, MA | $76,740 | +22% above national |
| 69 | Jacksonville, FL | $76,440 | +22% above national |
| 70 | Capital/Northern New York nonmetropolitan area | $76,390 | +22% above national |
| 71 | Burlington-South Burlington, VT | $76,120 | +21% above national |
| 72 | Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek, OH | $75,920 | +21% above national |
| 73 | Eastern New Mexico nonmetropolitan area | $75,890 | +21% above national |
| 74 | Coast Oregon nonmetropolitan area | $75,870 | +21% above national |
| 75 | Southwestern Pennsylvania nonmetropolitan area | $75,750 | +21% above national |
| 76 | Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | $75,690 | +21% above national |
| 77 | Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY | $75,460 | +20% above national |
| 78 | Northern New Mexico nonmetropolitan area | $75,260 | +20% above national |
| 79 | Pittsfield, MA | $75,160 | +20% above national |
| 80 | Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ | $74,990 | +20% above national |
| 81 | Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | $74,960 | +20% above national |
| 82 | West Northwestern Ohio nonmetropolitan area | $74,960 | +20% above national |
| 83 | Syracuse, NY | $74,800 | +19% above national |
| 84 | Chambersburg, PA | $74,780 | +19% above national |
| 85 | San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $74,600 | +19% above national |
| 86 | Salem, OR | $74,480 | +19% above national |
| 87 | Las Cruces, NM | $74,400 | +19% above national |
| 88 | Southern Ohio nonmetropolitan area | $74,170 | +18% above national |
| 89 | Lexington Park, MD | $74,160 | +18% above national |
| 90 | Provo-Orem-Lehi, UT | $74,070 | +18% above national |
| 91 | Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD | $73,940 | +18% above national |
| 92 | Duluth, MN-WI | $73,900 | +18% above national |
| 93 | Northeastern Pennsylvania nonmetropolitan area | $73,640 | +17% above national |
| 94 | Warner Robins, GA | $72,930 | +16% above national |
| 95 | Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY | $72,920 | +16% above national |
| 96 | La Crosse-Onalaska, WI-MN | $72,580 | +16% above national |
| 97 | Johnstown, PA | $71,850 | +15% above national |
| 98 | San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | $71,690 | +14% above national |
| 99 | North Valley-Northern Mountains Region of California nonmetropolitan area | $71,110 | +13% above national |
| 100 | Vineland, NJ | $70,940 | +13% above national |
| 101 | Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI | $70,800 | +13% above national |
| 102 | Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | $70,250 | +12% above national |
| 103 | Hinesville, GA | $69,720 | +11% above national |
| 104 | Northwestern Pennsylvania nonmetropolitan area | $69,640 | +11% above national |
| 105 | Gainesville, FL | $69,610 | +11% above national |
| 106 | North Port-Bradenton-Sarasota, FL | $68,950 | +10% above national |
| 107 | Albany, OR | $68,710 | +10% above national |
| 108 | Macon-Bibb County, GA | $68,610 | +9% above national |
| 109 | Central Oregon nonmetropolitan area | $67,110 | +7% above national |
| 110 | Maryland nonmetropolitan area | $66,650 | +6% above national |
| 111 | Albuquerque, NM | $66,440 | +6% above national |
| 112 | Akron, OH | $66,240 | +6% above national |
| 113 | Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | $65,970 | +5% above national |
| 114 | Binghamton, NY | $65,680 | +5% above national |
| 115 | Minot, ND | $65,450 | +4% above national |
| 116 | Owensboro, KY | $65,430 | +4% above national |
| 117 | Rockford, IL | $65,310 | +4% above national |
| 118 | Kalamazoo-Portage, MI | $65,200 | +4% above national |
| 119 | Bloomington, IL | $65,180 | +4% above national |
| 120 | Balance of Nevada nonmetropolitan area | $65,090 | +4% above national |
| 121 | Grand Island, NE | $64,940 | +4% above national |
| 122 | Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV | $64,930 | +4% above national |
| 123 | El Paso, TX | $64,900 | +4% above national |
| 124 | Glens Falls, NY | $64,890 | +4% above national |
| 125 | Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Port Royal, SC | $64,810 | +3% above national |
| 126 | Salisbury, MD | $64,730 | +3% above national |
| 127 | Springfield, IL | $64,270 | +3% above national |
| 128 | Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ | $64,250 | +3% above national |
| 129 | Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | $64,190 | +2% above national |
| 130 | Central Pennsylvania nonmetropolitan area | $64,070 | +2% above national |
| 131 | Valdosta, GA | $64,020 | +2% above national |
| 132 | Lexington-Fayette, KY | $63,950 | +2% above national |
| 133 | Mankato, MN | $63,890 | +2% above national |
| 134 | Youngstown-Warren, OH | $63,730 | +2% above national |
| 135 | Eastern Ohio nonmetropolitan area | $63,710 | +2% above national |
| 136 | Decatur, IL | $63,530 | +1% above national |
| 137 | Rochester, MN | $63,510 | +1% above national |
| 138 | Cedar Rapids, IA | $63,360 | +1% above national |
| 139 | Northwestern Idaho nonmetropolitan area | $63,360 | +1% above national |
| 140 | Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | $63,330 | +1% above national |
| 141 | Lansing-East Lansing, MI | $63,300 | +1% above national |
| 142 | North Northeastern Ohio nonmetropolitan area (noncontiguous) | $63,290 | +1% above national |
| 143 | McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX | $63,280 | +1% above national |
| 144 | Boise City, ID | $63,230 | +1% above national |
| 145 | Guayama, PR | $63,230 | +1% above national |
| 146 | Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI | $63,200 | +1% above national |
| 147 | Savannah, GA | $63,190 | +1% above national |
| 148 | Gainesville, GA | $63,020 | +1% above national |
| 149 | Wausau, WI | $62,950 | same as national |
| 150 | Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI | $62,940 | same as national |
| 151 | Manchester-Nashua, NH | $62,860 | same as national |
| 152 | Ponce, PR | $62,860 | same as national |
| 153 | Eau Claire, WI | $62,840 | same as national |
| 154 | Salt Lake City-Murray, UT | $62,780 | same as national |
| 155 | Reno, NV | $62,750 | same as national |
| 156 | Hagerstown-Martinsburg, MD-WV | $62,740 | same as national |
| 157 | Middle Georgia nonmetropolitan area | $62,660 | same as national |
| 158 | San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX | $62,600 | same as national |
| 159 | North Georgia nonmetropolitan area | $62,570 | same as national |
| 160 | Erie, PA | $62,530 | same as national |
| 161 | Killeen-Temple, TX | $62,480 | same as national |
| 162 | Bend, OR | $62,400 | same as national |
| 163 | Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC | $62,350 | 1% below national |
| 164 | Battle Creek, MI | $62,340 | 1% below national |
| 165 | Puerto Rico nonmetropolitan area | $62,320 | 1% below national |
| 166 | Cheyenne, WY | $62,260 | 1% below national |
| 167 | Arecibo, PR | $62,240 | 1% below national |
| 168 | Cleveland, TN | $62,210 | 1% below national |
| 169 | Ogden, UT | $62,210 | 1% below national |
| 170 | Lincoln, NE | $62,200 | 1% below national |
| 171 | Columbus, GA-AL | $62,180 | 1% below national |
| 172 | Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN | $62,150 | 1% below national |
| 173 | Elmira, NY | $62,150 | 1% below national |
| 174 | St. Louis, MO-IL | $62,150 | 1% below national |
| 175 | Northern Vermont nonmetropolitan area | $62,120 | 1% below national |
| 176 | Dalton, GA | $62,100 | 1% below national |
| 177 | Medford, OR | $62,100 | 1% below national |
| 178 | Pueblo, CO | $61,990 | 1% below national |
| 179 | Aguadilla, PR | $61,940 | 1% below national |
| 180 | Southeast Minnesota nonmetropolitan area | $61,920 | 1% below national |
| 181 | Omaha, NE-IA | $61,870 | 1% below national |
| 182 | Northeast Iowa nonmetropolitan area | $61,870 | 1% below national |
| 183 | Idaho Falls, ID | $61,820 | 1% below national |
| 184 | San Juan-Bayamon-Caguas, PR | $61,760 | 1% below national |
| 185 | Bowling Green, KY | $61,720 | 2% below national |
| 186 | Northeast Alabama nonmetropolitan area | $61,700 | 2% below national |
| 187 | Southwest Iowa nonmetropolitan area | $61,690 | 2% below national |
| 188 | Northeast Minnesota nonmetropolitan area | $61,690 | 2% below national |
| 189 | Southwest Minnesota nonmetropolitan area | $61,690 | 2% below national |
| 190 | Northeast Nebraska nonmetropolitan area | $61,680 | 2% below national |
| 191 | Southern Vermont nonmetropolitan area | $61,660 | 2% below national |
| 192 | Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN | $61,630 | 2% below national |
| 193 | Fort Collins-Loveland, CO | $61,600 | 2% below national |
| 194 | Bismarck, ND | $61,590 | 2% below national |
| 195 | South Georgia nonmetropolitan area | $61,580 | 2% below national |
| 196 | Paducah, KY-IL | $61,530 | 2% below national |
| 197 | Toledo, OH | $61,520 | 2% below national |
| 198 | Johnson City, TN | $61,500 | 2% below national |
| 199 | Northwest Minnesota nonmetropolitan area | $61,470 | 2% below national |
| 200 | Richmond, VA | $61,300 | 2% below national |
| 201 | Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL | $61,260 | 2% below national |
| 202 | Grand Forks, ND-MN | $61,210 | 2% below national |
| 203 | Rochester, NY | $61,150 | 2% below national |
| 204 | Rome, GA | $61,110 | 3% below national |
| 205 | Northwest Colorado nonmetropolitan area | $61,090 | 3% below national |
| 206 | Northeastern Wisconsin nonmetropolitan area | $61,080 | 3% below national |
| 207 | Spartanburg, SC | $61,040 | 3% below national |
| 208 | Knoxville, TN | $61,030 | 3% below national |
| 209 | Champaign-Urbana, IL | $60,970 | 3% below national |
| 210 | Coeur d'Alene, ID | $60,970 | 3% below national |
| 211 | Racine-Mount Pleasant, WI | $60,930 | 3% below national |
| 212 | Columbia, SC | $60,880 | 3% below national |
| 213 | St. Cloud, MN | $60,880 | 3% below national |
| 214 | Wheeling, WV-OH | $60,880 | 3% below national |
| 215 | Mayaguez, PR | $60,860 | 3% below national |
| 216 | Green Bay, WI | $60,840 | 3% below national |
| 217 | Appleton, WI | $60,800 | 3% below national |
| 218 | Springfield, OH | $60,750 | 3% below national |
| 219 | Northwest Nebraska nonmetropolitan area | $60,740 | 3% below national |
| 220 | Southern South Carolina nonmetropolitan area | $60,700 | 3% below national |
| 221 | Northeastern South Carolina nonmetropolitan area | $60,700 | 3% below national |
| 222 | Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN | $60,680 | 3% below national |
| 223 | Southwest Montana nonmetropolitan area | $60,650 | 3% below national |
| 224 | South Nebraska nonmetropolitan area | $60,590 | 3% below national |
| 225 | Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA | $60,530 | 3% below national |
| 226 | Western Wyoming nonmetropolitan area | $60,510 | 3% below national |
| 227 | Portland-South Portland, ME | $60,440 | 4% below national |
| 228 | Kansas City, MO-KS | $60,410 | 4% below national |
| 229 | Flint, MI | $60,320 | 4% below national |
| 230 | Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL | $60,290 | 4% below national |
| 231 | Watertown-Fort Drum, NY | $60,180 | 4% below national |
| 232 | Harrisonburg, VA | $60,150 | 4% below national |
| 233 | Peoria, IL | $60,140 | 4% below national |
| 234 | North Region of Texas nonmetropolitan area | $60,130 | 4% below national |
| 235 | Asheville, NC | $59,980 | 4% below national |
| 236 | Sebring, FL | $59,980 | 4% below national |
| 237 | Northwest Illinois nonmetropolitan area | $59,970 | 4% below national |
| 238 | Northwestern South Carolina nonmetropolitan area | $59,880 | 4% below national |
| 239 | Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL | $59,860 | 4% below national |
| 240 | Corpus Christi, TX | $59,840 | 5% below national |
| 241 | Greenville-Anderson-Greer, SC | $59,840 | 5% below national |
| 242 | Colorado Springs, CO | $59,830 | 5% below national |
| 243 | Crestview-Fort Walton Beach-Destin, FL | $59,820 | 5% below national |
| 244 | West Kentucky nonmetropolitan area | $59,800 | 5% below national |
| 245 | Wichita, KS | $59,790 | 5% below national |
| 246 | Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL | $59,780 | 5% below national |
| 247 | Pittsburgh, PA | $59,770 | 5% below national |
| 248 | Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX | $59,740 | 5% below national |
| 249 | Northern Michigan nonmetropolitan area | $59,710 | 5% below national |
| 250 | Canton-Massillon, OH | $59,680 | 5% below national |
| 251 | Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA | $59,680 | 5% below national |
| 252 | Southern West Virginia nonmetropolitan area | $59,660 | 5% below national |
| 253 | Southern Michigan nonmetropolitan area | $59,590 | 5% below national |
| 254 | Charleston-North Charleston, SC | $59,580 | 5% below national |
| 255 | Greeley, CO | $59,580 | 5% below national |
| 256 | South Illinois nonmetropolitan area | $59,540 | 5% below national |
| 257 | Clarksville, TN-KY | $59,400 | 5% below national |
| 258 | Madison, WI | $59,390 | 5% below national |
| 259 | Roanoke, VA | $59,390 | 5% below national |
| 260 | Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA | $59,370 | 5% below national |
| 261 | Slidell-Mandeville-Covington, LA | $59,360 | 5% below national |
| 262 | Fort Wayne, IN | $59,310 | 5% below national |
| 263 | Western Wisconsin nonmetropolitan area | $59,250 | 5% below national |
| 264 | Weirton-Steubenville, WV-OH | $59,160 | 6% below national |
| 265 | Fort Smith, AR-OK | $59,050 | 6% below national |
| 266 | Michigan City-La Porte, IN | $58,990 | 6% below national |
| 267 | Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR | $58,980 | 6% below national |
| 268 | New Orleans-Metairie, LA | $58,970 | 6% below national |
| 269 | Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC | $58,950 | 6% below national |
| 270 | Sioux City, IA-NE-SD | $58,920 | 6% below national |
| 271 | Eastern Wyoming nonmetropolitan area | $58,850 | 6% below national |
| 272 | Southwest New York nonmetropolitan area | $58,780 | 6% below national |
| 273 | East Georgia nonmetropolitan area | $58,730 | 6% below national |
| 274 | Eugene-Springfield, OR | $58,690 | 6% below national |
| 275 | Rapid City, SD | $58,670 | 6% below national |
| 276 | Janesville-Beloit, WI | $58,620 | 6% below national |
| 277 | Evansville, IN | $58,600 | 7% below national |
| 278 | South Central Tennessee nonmetropolitan area | $58,550 | 7% below national |
| 279 | Northern Indiana nonmetropolitan area | $58,370 | 7% below national |
| 280 | Northeast Louisiana nonmetropolitan area | $58,310 | 7% below national |
| 281 | Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH | $58,200 | 7% below national |
| 282 | Deltona-Daytona Beach-Ormond Beach, FL | $58,000 | 7% below national |
| 283 | West North Dakota nonmetropolitan area | $57,930 | 8% below national |
| 284 | Northeast Virginia nonmetropolitan area | $57,930 | 8% below national |
| 285 | Shreveport-Bossier City, LA | $57,910 | 8% below national |
| 286 | Baton Rouge, LA | $57,760 | 8% below national |
| 287 | Flagstaff, AZ | $57,670 | 8% below national |
| 288 | Southeast-Central Idaho nonmetropolitan area | $57,640 | 8% below national |
| 289 | Upper Peninsula of Michigan nonmetropolitan area | $57,630 | 8% below national |
| 290 | Eastern Oregon nonmetropolitan area | $57,560 | 8% below national |
| 291 | South Florida nonmetropolitan area | $57,540 | 8% below national |
| 292 | Sheboygan, WI | $57,520 | 8% below national |
| 293 | Muskegon-Norton Shores, MI | $57,480 | 8% below national |
| 294 | Raleigh-Cary, NC | $57,410 | 8% below national |
| 295 | Northwest Virginia nonmetropolitan area | $57,370 | 8% below national |
| 296 | Northwestern Wisconsin nonmetropolitan area | $57,340 | 9% below national |
| 297 | Ann Arbor, MI | $57,310 | 9% below national |
| 298 | Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | $57,300 | 9% below national |
| 299 | Central New Hampshire nonmetropolitan area | $57,150 | 9% below national |
| 300 | Northern New Hampshire nonmetropolitan area | $56,990 | 9% below national |
| 301 | Urban Honolulu, HI | $56,970 | 9% below national |
| 302 | Kankakee, IL | $56,960 | 9% below national |
| 303 | Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ | $56,920 | 9% below national |
| 304 | Mid Michigan nonmetropolitan area | $56,900 | 9% below national |
| 305 | Brownsville-Harlingen, TX | $56,880 | 9% below national |
| 306 | Memphis, TN-MS-AR | $56,780 | 9% below national |
| 307 | Tallahassee, FL | $56,680 | 10% below national |
| 308 | Topeka, KS | $56,600 | 10% below national |
| 309 | Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN | $56,360 | 10% below national |
| 310 | Central Indiana nonmetropolitan area | $56,360 | 10% below national |
| 311 | Central Kentucky nonmetropolitan area | $56,320 | 10% below national |
| 312 | South Central Kentucky nonmetropolitan area | $56,310 | 10% below national |
| 313 | Greenville, NC | $56,160 | 10% below national |
| 314 | Coastal Plains Region of Texas nonmetropolitan area | $55,960 | 11% below national |
| 315 | Athens-Clarke County, GA | $55,770 | 11% below national |
| 316 | Hot Springs, AR | $55,670 | 11% below national |
| 317 | Lafayette-West Lafayette, IN | $55,630 | 11% below national |
| 318 | Terre Haute, IN | $55,440 | 12% below national |
| 319 | Western North Carolina nonmetropolitan area | $55,420 | 12% below national |
| 320 | Southwest Colorado nonmetropolitan area | $54,730 | 13% below national |
| 321 | Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC | $54,520 | 13% below national |
| 322 | Lawrence, KS | $54,400 | 13% below national |
| 323 | Northwest Iowa nonmetropolitan area | $53,740 | 14% below national |
| 324 | Beaumont-Port Arthur, TX | $53,660 | 14% below national |
| 325 | Port St. Lucie, FL | $53,340 | 15% below national |
| 326 | Greensboro-High Point, NC | $53,310 | 15% below national |
| 327 | Winston-Salem, NC | $53,050 | 15% below national |
| 328 | West Central Illinois nonmetropolitan area | $52,960 | 16% below national |
| 329 | Jonesboro, AR | $52,950 | 16% below national |
| 330 | Grand Junction, CO | $52,850 | 16% below national |
| 331 | Dubuque, IA | $52,490 | 16% below national |
| 332 | Burlington, NC | $52,460 | 16% below national |
| 333 | Northern West Virginia nonmetropolitan area | $52,370 | 16% below national |
| 334 | Lake Charles, LA | $52,180 | 17% below national |
| 335 | Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL | $52,160 | 17% below national |
| 336 | West Tennessee nonmetropolitan area | $52,160 | 17% below national |
| 337 | Jackson, TN | $52,110 | 17% below national |
| 338 | Tyler, TX | $52,040 | 17% below national |
| 339 | Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR | $51,990 | 17% below national |
| 340 | Arizona nonmetropolitan area | $51,980 | 17% below national |
| 341 | North Arkansas nonmetropolitan area | $51,680 | 18% below national |
| 342 | Panama City-Panama City Beach, FL | $51,630 | 18% below national |
| 343 | North Central Tennessee nonmetropolitan area | $51,550 | 18% below national |
| 344 | Chattanooga, TN-GA | $51,510 | 18% below national |
| 345 | Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VA | $51,390 | 18% below national |
| 346 | Southwestern New Hampshire nonmetropolitan area | $51,340 | 18% below national |
| 347 | East Arkansas nonmetropolitan area | $51,130 | 18% below national |
| 348 | South Arkansas nonmetropolitan area | $51,130 | 18% below national |
| 349 | Southern Indiana nonmetropolitan area | $50,880 | 19% below national |
| 350 | Hill Country Region of Texas nonmetropolitan area | $50,840 | 19% below national |
| 351 | Southside Virginia nonmetropolitan area | $50,650 | 19% below national |
| 352 | East Kentucky nonmetropolitan area | $50,640 | 19% below national |
| 353 | West Arkansas nonmetropolitan area | $50,580 | 19% below national |
| 354 | Southeast Iowa nonmetropolitan area | $50,420 | 20% below national |
| 355 | Pensacola-Ferry Pass-Brent, FL | $50,380 | 20% below national |
| 356 | Manhattan, KS | $50,330 | 20% below national |
| 357 | Durham-Chapel Hill, NC | $50,320 | 20% below national |
| 358 | East North Dakota nonmetropolitan area | $50,310 | 20% below national |
| 359 | North Florida nonmetropolitan area | $50,160 | 20% below national |
| 360 | Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL | $49,960 | 20% below national |
| 361 | Lynchburg, VA | $49,900 | 20% below national |
| 362 | Monroe, LA | $49,890 | 20% below national |
| 363 | Eastern and Southern Colorado nonmetropolitan area | $49,890 | 20% below national |
| 364 | Iowa City, IA | $49,880 | 20% below national |
| 365 | West South Dakota nonmetropolitan area | $49,870 | 20% below national |
| 366 | Fargo, ND-MN | $49,720 | 21% below national |
| 367 | Jackson, MS | $49,680 | 21% below national |
| 368 | Southwest Virginia nonmetropolitan area | $49,620 | 21% below national |
| 369 | Gulfport-Biloxi, MS | $49,580 | 21% below national |
| 370 | Lewiston-Auburn, ME | $49,500 | 21% below national |
| 371 | South Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MI | $49,500 | 21% below national |
| 372 | East South Dakota nonmetropolitan area | $49,410 | 21% below national |
| 373 | Elkhart-Goshen, IN | $49,240 | 21% below national |
| 374 | South Central Wisconsin nonmetropolitan area | $49,240 | 21% below national |
| 375 | Northwest Oklahoma nonmetropolitan area | $49,160 | 22% below national |
| 376 | Waco, TX | $49,140 | 22% below national |
| 377 | Kansas nonmetropolitan area | $49,000 | 22% below national |
| 378 | Pinehurst-Southern Pines, NC | $48,980 | 22% below national |
| 379 | East Central Illinois nonmetropolitan area | $48,840 | 22% below national |
| 380 | Central North Carolina nonmetropolitan area | $48,830 | 22% below national |
| 381 | Yuma, AZ | $48,820 | 22% below national |
| 382 | Southwest Maine nonmetropolitan area | $48,560 | 23% below national |
| 383 | East Tennessee nonmetropolitan area | $48,540 | 23% below national |
| 384 | Sioux Falls, SD-MN | $48,490 | 23% below national |
| 385 | Joplin, MO-KS | $48,340 | 23% below national |
| 386 | Southwest Louisiana nonmetropolitan area | $48,260 | 23% below national |
| 387 | Tucson, AZ | $48,100 | 23% below national |
| 388 | Central Missouri nonmetropolitan area | $47,910 | 24% below national |
| 389 | Upper East Mississippi nonmetropolitan area | $47,900 | 24% below national |
| 390 | Oklahoma City, OK | $47,860 | 24% below national |
| 391 | Fayetteville, NC | $47,680 | 24% below national |
| 392 | Bangor, ME | $47,650 | 24% below national |
| 393 | Hammond, LA | $47,540 | 24% below national |
| 394 | Tulsa, OK | $47,500 | 24% below national |
| 395 | Missoula, MT | $47,410 | 24% below national |
| 396 | Lower East Mississippi nonmetropolitan area | $47,410 | 24% below national |
| 397 | West Montana nonmetropolitan area | $47,360 | 24% below national |
| 398 | Northeast Maine nonmetropolitan area | $47,310 | 25% below national |
| 399 | West Delta Mississippi nonmetropolitan area | $47,310 | 25% below national |
| 400 | Lower West Mississippi nonmetropolitan area | $47,170 | 25% below national |
| 401 | Southwest Missouri nonmetropolitan area | $47,130 | 25% below national |
| 402 | Lake Havasu City-Kingman, AZ | $47,110 | 25% below national |
| 403 | Southwest Oklahoma nonmetropolitan area | $47,060 | 25% below national |
| 404 | Central Louisiana nonmetropolitan area | $47,040 | 25% below national |
| 405 | Hattiesburg, MS | $47,020 | 25% below national |
| 406 | Springfield, MO | $46,970 | 25% below national |
| 407 | Northeast Oklahoma nonmetropolitan area | $46,940 | 25% below national |
| 408 | Eastern North Carolina nonmetropolitan area | $46,930 | 25% below national |
| 409 | Lawton, OK | $46,910 | 25% below national |
| 410 | Enid, OK | $46,810 | 25% below national |
| 411 | East-Central Montana nonmetropolitan area | $46,770 | 25% below national |
| 412 | North Missouri nonmetropolitan area | $46,710 | 25% below national |
| 413 | Jefferson City, MO | $46,600 | 26% below national |
| 414 | Great Falls, MT | $46,230 | 26% below national |
| 415 | Columbia, MO | $46,180 | 26% below national |
| 416 | Southeast Oklahoma nonmetropolitan area | $46,140 | 26% below national |
| 417 | Southeast Missouri nonmetropolitan area | $45,590 | 27% below national |
Similar Occupations in the Same Category
Other roles in SOC major group 25 (education) with comparable pay and career paths.
Adult Basic Education, Adult Secondary Education, and English as a Second Language Instructors
SOC 25-3011
Agricultural Sciences Teachers, Postsecondary
SOC 25-1041
Anthropology and Archeology Teachers, Postsecondary
SOC 25-1061
Architecture Teachers, Postsecondary
SOC 25-1031
Archivists
SOC 25-4011
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does a Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special Education make? ▼
The median annual salary for Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special Education is $62,680 ($N/A/hour). The salary range spans from $46,990 at the 10th percentile to $101,830 at the 90th percentile.
What state pays Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special Education the most? ▼
Washington pays the highest median salary for Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special Education at $99,960/year, which is +59% above the national median.
What education do you need to become a Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special Education? ▼
The typical entry-level education for Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special Education is Bachelor's degree.
How dangerous is being a Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special Education? ▼
Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special Education has a safety grade of A (Very Safe) based on BLS data. The fatality rate is 0.3 per 100,000 workers and the injury rate is 0.8 per 100 workers.
Is Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special Education a good career? ▼
Employment for Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special Education is projected to decline 1.6% from 2024 to 2034, which is declining. About 12,800 openings are projected each year.
How does Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special Education pay vary by state? ▼
Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special Education salaries vary significantly by state. The highest-paying state is Washington at $99,960/year, while Alabama pays the least at $50,900/year. BLS data covers 51 states and territories.
Which metro areas pay the most for Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special Education? ▼
The highest-paying metro area for Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special Education is El Centro, CA at $111,880/year. BLS reports wage data for 417 metro areas for this occupation, with pay varying based on local demand and cost of living.
What to do with this data
How to use Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special Education pay figures in a real decision
- For an experienced offer, anchor on the 75th percentile (about $79,910/year), not the median. The median marks the middle worker; the upper quartile is the realistic target with strong experience. Salary calculator
- Location moves pay significantly: Washington leads at $99,960/year for this role. Weigh state pay against local cost of living before relocating or negotiating remote. Pay by state
- Compare this occupation against similar roles before you decide, so you are reading the pay band in context rather than in isolation. Compare jobs
These are BLS survey estimates for the occupation, not a salary offer or a prediction for any individual. Your pay depends on experience, employer, exact role, and location.
Every figure on WageDex is rendered directly from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics wage data, no number is typed in by an editor. This occupation's figures are computed directly from the BLS OEWS and Employment Projections datasets, nothing is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of May 2025.
This page is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial or career advice. Actual pay for a specific role, employer, or offer may differ from these national/state figures, consult a qualified career counselor, recruiter, or financial advisor before making decisions based on this data.