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
+2%
2024→2025
$101,830
Top 10% earn
-1.6%
Growth '24–'34
108,870
Estimated US jobs

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 estimated jobs in covered establishments. The highest published state median in this ranking is Washington ($99,960).

25 Series · Source: BLS OEWS Compare with another job →
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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 2034.

$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.

Observed pay change

What changed, BLS OEWS 2019–2025

May 2019 → May 2025
  • The published national median for Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special Education moved from $56,850 in May 2019 to $62,680 in May 2025 (+10.3%).
  • Across the 749 occupations priced in both releases under SOC-2018, the median occupation changed +24.5%.
  • Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special Education sits -14.2 pp behind that median, nominal dollars, no price deflator applied.

Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special Education (SOC 25-2012) has a national median of $62,680 per year in the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics May 2025 release. The published 10th-to-90th-percentile boundaries run from $46,990 to $101,830, and the published mean is $69,370. Those summary statistics describe the estimated distribution; their difference alone does not identify its cause. OEWS estimates 108,870 jobs in covered establishments nationally. WageDex has published rows for 51 state or territory areas and 417 metropolitan or nonmetropolitan wage areas. The published national median moved from $61,430 in the May 2024 OEWS release to $62,680 in May 2025, a rise of $1,250 (+2%). This is a change between two BLS survey estimates, not an inflation-adjusted same-worker pay raise.

BLS Employment Projections forecast a -1.6% change in employment from 2024 to 2034, which we classify as declining relative to the all-occupations baseline of 3.1%. About 12,800 openings are projected per year from growth, occupational transfers, and labor-force exits. BLS assigns Bachelor's degree as typical education needed for entry. BLS does not publish a separate occupation-specific fatality and injury rate for this role in the current release. The safety panel below shows its broad Educational Instruction and Library Occupations SOC-group context and is not an occupation-level measurement or ranking.

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 highest published metropolitan-area median in this ranking is El Centro, CA at $111,880. The observed difference does not identify its cause. Pair the national median with the state and metropolitan-area rows below while keeping the geography and statistic consistent. OEWS includes tips, commissions, incentive pay, and production bonuses, but not employer benefits, overtime premiums, stock compensation, or nonproduction bonuses. See our methodology for the sourcing and calculation details.

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

$0–$20,000: 0 US occupations (0%). Below this entry. $20,000–$40,000: 98 US occupations (12%). Below this entry. $40,000–$60,000: 298 US occupations (36%). Below this entry. $60,000–$80,000: 209 US occupations (25%). This entry sits in this band. $80,000–$100,000: 82 US occupations (10%). Above this entry. $100,000–$120,000: 58 US occupations (7%). Above this entry. $120,000–$140,000: 32 US occupations (4%). Above this entry. $140,000–$160,000: 14 US occupations (2%). Above this entry. $160,000–$180,000: 9 US occupations (1%). Above this entry. $180,000 and above: 25 US occupations (3%). Above this entry. This job $0 $180,000+ every BLS occupation, bucketed by value

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.

Read the chart as text · as of May 2025
Band Count Share
$0–$20,000 0 US occupations 0%
$20,000–$40,000 98 US occupations 12%
$40,000–$60,000 298 US occupations 36%
$60,000–$80,000 (this entry) 209 US occupations 25%
$80,000–$100,000 82 US occupations 10%
$100,000–$120,000 58 US occupations 7%
$120,000–$140,000 32 US occupations 4%
$140,000–$160,000 14 US occupations 2%
$160,000–$180,000 9 US occupations 1%
$180,000 and above 25 US occupations 3%

$62,680 · 53rd percentile of 825 US occupations

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. Scatter plot of 24 data points. $20000$40000$60000$80000$100000$120000 -5%0%5%10%15%20% Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) Median annual wage Teaching Assistants,… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): -1.5% · Median annual wage: $36780Elementary School Te… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): -2% · Median annual wage: $63970Secondary School Tea… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): -1.6% · Median annual wage: $72040Middle School Teache… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): -2% · Median annual wage: $64370Substitute Teachers,… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 1.6% · Median annual wage: $41670Preschool Teachers, … - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 4.1% · Median annual wage: $38140Self-Enrichment Teac… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 3.7% · Median annual wage: $46800Special Education Te… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): -1.8% · Median annual wage: $65120Instructional Coordi… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 1.3% · Median annual wage: $77440Health Specialties T… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 17.3% · Median annual wage: $107310Tutors - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 0.6% · Median annual wage: $43350Teaching Assistants,… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 3.1% · Median annual wage: $42910Special Education Te… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): -1.6% · Median annual wage: $74260Postsecondary Teache… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 1.8% · Median annual wage: $77640Librarians and Media… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 1.7% · Median annual wage: $68270Educational Instruct… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 1.5% · Median annual wage: $50890Career/Technical Edu… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 0.7% · Median annual wage: $63820Teachers and Instruc… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): -0.1% · Median annual wage: $66140Career/Technical Edu… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): -1.8% · Median annual wage: $66270Kindergarten Teacher… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): -1.6% · Median annual wage: $62680Special Education Te… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): -1.9% · Median annual wage: $66810Art, Drama, and Musi… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 1.7% · Median annual wage: $78620Business Teachers, P… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 5.7% · Median annual wage: $99080Nursing Instructors … - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 16.8% · Median annual wage: $80250
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.
Read the chart as text
  • Teaching Assistants,…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -1.5%, Median annual wage $36780
  • Elementary School Te…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -2%, Median annual wage $63970
  • Secondary School Tea…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -1.6%, Median annual wage $72040
  • Middle School Teache…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -2%, Median annual wage $64370
  • Substitute Teachers,…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 1.6%, Median annual wage $41670
  • Preschool Teachers, …: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 4.1%, Median annual wage $38140
  • Self-Enrichment Teac…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 3.7%, Median annual wage $46800
  • Special Education Te…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -1.8%, Median annual wage $65120
  • Instructional Coordi…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 1.3%, Median annual wage $77440
  • Health Specialties T…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 17.3%, Median annual wage $107310
  • Tutors: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 0.6%, Median annual wage $43350
  • Teaching Assistants,…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 3.1%, Median annual wage $42910
  • Special Education Te…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -1.6%, Median annual wage $74260
  • Postsecondary Teache…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 1.8%, Median annual wage $77640
  • Librarians and Media…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 1.7%, Median annual wage $68270
  • Educational Instruct…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 1.5%, Median annual wage $50890
  • Career/Technical Edu…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 0.7%, Median annual wage $63820
  • Teachers and Instruc…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -0.1%, Median annual wage $66140
  • Career/Technical Edu…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -1.8%, Median annual wage $66270
  • Kindergarten Teacher…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -1.6%, Median annual wage $62680
  • Special Education Te…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -1.9%, Median annual wage $66810
  • Art, Drama, and Musi…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 1.7%, Median annual wage $78620
  • Business Teachers, P…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 5.7%, Median annual wage $99080
  • Nursing Instructors …: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 16.8%, Median annual wage $80250

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)

Employment Change

-1,900

117,200 (2024) → 115,200 (2034)

Typical Education

Bachelor's degree

Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2024–2034

Workplace Safety

All safety ratings →
Group

Educational Instruction and Library Occupations context

Broad SOC context, not an occupation grade

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

10th$46,990
25th$52,180
Median$62,680
75th$79,910
90th$101,830

Hourly Rate Distribution

Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special Education pay history, 2015–2025

Published national median across 11 BLS OEWS releases. Nominal dollars, not inflation-adjusted.

$50,000$55,000$60,000$65,000 20152016201720182019202020212022202320242025 National median - 2015: $51,640National median - 2016: $52,620National median - 2017: $54,230National median - 2018: $55,470National median - 2019: $56,850National median - 2020: $57,860National median - 2021: $60,900National median - 2022: $60,490National median - 2023: $62,690National median - 2024: $61,430National median - 2025: $62,680$62,680
National median annual wage for Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special Education, May 2015 to May 2025 OEWS releases
Read the chart as text
Period National median
2015 $51,640
2016 $52,620
2017 $54,230
2018 $55,470
2019 $56,850
2020 $57,860
2021 $60,900
2022 $60,490
2023 $62,690
2024 $61,430
2025 $62,680

2015 median

$51,640

2025 median

$62,680

2019–2025 change (same SOC)

+$5,830 (+10.3%)

Avg/year (same SOC)

+1.6%

Published national median annual wage and estimated employment for Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special Education by OEWS release year
Release Median Change Estimated jobs
May 2015 $51,640 First banked release 158,150
May 2016 $52,620 +1.9% 151,290
May 2017 $54,230 +3.1% 140,660
May 2018 $55,470 +2.3% 131,160
May 2019 $56,850 Classification break 124,290
May 2020 $57,860 +1.8% 120,080
May 2021 $60,900 +5.3% 120,730
May 2022 $60,490 -0.7% 119,250
May 2023 $62,690 +3.6% 118,580
May 2024 $61,430 -2.0% 114,410
May 2025 $62,680 +2.0% 108,870

Across the 11 releases WageDex holds for this occupation, the published national median went from $51,640 in May 2015 to $62,680 in May 2025. Within the SOC-2018 classification (2019–2025), the like-for-like change averages +1.6% per year in nominal terms. Within the same SOC classification, estimated employment went from 124,290 in May 2019 to 108,870 in May 2025.

Each figure is a separate BLS survey estimate, so a change between releases reflects the estimated occupation-wide median in each year. It is not the raise any individual worker received, and it is not adjusted for inflation. Years where BLS did not publish an annual median for this occupation are omitted rather than filled in. This span also crosses a classification change: releases before May 2019 use the 2010 Standard Occupational Classification and later releases use the 2018 SOC, so figures either side of that boundary are not strictly like-for-like. Headline change rates on this page use only the same-classification subset.

Salary by State

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

View all 294 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 Kingston, NY $97,110 +55% above national
13 Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA $97,070 +55% above national
14 Hanford-Corcoran, CA $96,980 +55% above national
15 Yuba City, CA $96,570 +54% above national
16 Merced, CA $96,430 +54% above national
17 Visalia, CA $96,380 +54% above national
18 Barnstable Town, MA $95,540 +52% above national
19 Napa, CA $94,500 +51% above national
20 Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT $93,040 +48% above national
21 Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA $92,910 +48% above national
22 Norwich-New London-Willimantic, CT $91,670 +46% above national
23 Vallejo, CA $91,640 +46% above national
24 Worcester, MA $89,770 +43% above national
25 Wenatchee-East Wenatchee, WA $89,740 +43% above national
26 Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA $89,710 +43% above national
27 Kiryas Joel-Poughkeepsie-Newburgh, NY $89,330 +43% above national
28 Kennewick-Richland, WA $86,420 +38% above national
29 Providence-Warwick, RI-MA $85,470 +36% above national
30 Yakima, WA $84,700 +35% above national
31 San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA $84,620 +35% above national
32 Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA $82,550 +32% above national
33 Chico, CA $82,170 +31% above national
34 Cleveland, OH $82,080 +31% above national
35 Waterbury-Shelton, CT $81,770 +30% above national
36 Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH $81,700 +30% above national
37 Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA $81,090 +29% above national
38 Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI $80,780 +29% above national
39 York-Hanover, PA $80,710 +29% above national
40 Longview-Kelso, WA $80,660 +29% above national
41 Redding, CA $80,550 +29% above national
42 Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA $80,400 +28% above national
43 Traverse City, MI $80,090 +28% above national
44 Columbus, OH $79,470 +27% above national
45 New Haven, CT $79,420 +27% above national
46 Reading, PA $79,420 +27% above national
47 Boulder, CO $79,150 +26% above national
48 Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA $78,910 +26% above national
49 Trenton-Princeton, NJ $78,620 +25% above national
50 Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC $78,580 +25% above national
51 Lancaster, PA $78,480 +25% above national
52 Lebanon, PA $78,460 +25% above national
53 Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA $78,400 +25% above national
54 Bakersfield-Delano, CA $78,330 +25% above national
55 Springfield, MA $77,880 +24% above national
56 New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ $77,400 +23% above national
57 Stockton-Lodi, CA $77,370 +23% above national
58 San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA $77,290 +23% above national
59 Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV $77,200 +23% above national
60 Naples-Marco Island, FL $77,170 +23% above national
61 Utica-Rome, NY $76,790 +23% above national
62 Amherst Town-Northampton, MA $76,740 +22% above national
63 Jacksonville, FL $76,440 +22% above national
64 Burlington-South Burlington, VT $76,120 +21% above national
65 Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek, OH $75,920 +21% above national
66 Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA $75,690 +21% above national
67 Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY $75,460 +20% above national
68 Pittsfield, MA $75,160 +20% above national
69 Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ $74,990 +20% above national
70 Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO $74,960 +20% above national
71 Syracuse, NY $74,800 +19% above national
72 Chambersburg, PA $74,780 +19% above national
73 San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA $74,600 +19% above national
74 Salem, OR $74,480 +19% above national
75 Las Cruces, NM $74,400 +19% above national
76 Lexington Park, MD $74,160 +18% above national
77 Provo-Orem-Lehi, UT $74,070 +18% above national
78 Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD $73,940 +18% above national
79 Duluth, MN-WI $73,900 +18% above national
80 Warner Robins, GA $72,930 +16% above national
81 Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY $72,920 +16% above national
82 La Crosse-Onalaska, WI-MN $72,580 +16% above national
83 Johnstown, PA $71,850 +15% above national
84 San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA $71,690 +14% above national
85 Vineland, NJ $70,940 +13% above national
86 Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI $70,800 +13% above national
87 Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN $70,250 +12% above national
88 Hinesville, GA $69,720 +11% above national
89 Gainesville, FL $69,610 +11% above national
90 North Port-Bradenton-Sarasota, FL $68,950 +10% above national
91 Albany, OR $68,710 +10% above national
92 Macon-Bibb County, GA $68,610 +9% above national
93 Albuquerque, NM $66,440 +6% above national
94 Akron, OH $66,240 +6% above national
95 Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX $65,970 +5% above national
96 Binghamton, NY $65,680 +5% above national
97 Minot, ND $65,450 +4% above national
98 Owensboro, KY $65,430 +4% above national
99 Rockford, IL $65,310 +4% above national
100 Kalamazoo-Portage, MI $65,200 +4% above national
101 Bloomington, IL $65,180 +4% above national
102 Grand Island, NE $64,940 +4% above national
103 Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV $64,930 +4% above national
104 El Paso, TX $64,900 +4% above national
105 Glens Falls, NY $64,890 +4% above national
106 Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Port Royal, SC $64,810 +3% above national
107 Salisbury, MD $64,730 +3% above national
108 Springfield, IL $64,270 +3% above national
109 Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ $64,250 +3% above national
110 Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD $64,190 +2% above national
111 Valdosta, GA $64,020 +2% above national
112 Lexington-Fayette, KY $63,950 +2% above national
113 Mankato, MN $63,890 +2% above national
114 Youngstown-Warren, OH $63,730 +2% above national
115 Decatur, IL $63,530 +1% above national
116 Rochester, MN $63,510 +1% above national
117 Cedar Rapids, IA $63,360 +1% above national
118 Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX $63,330 +1% above national
119 Lansing-East Lansing, MI $63,300 +1% above national
120 McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX $63,280 +1% above national
121 Boise City, ID $63,230 +1% above national
122 Guayama, PR $63,230 +1% above national
123 Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI $63,200 +1% above national
124 Savannah, GA $63,190 +1% above national
125 Gainesville, GA $63,020 +1% above national
126 Wausau, WI $62,950 same as national
127 Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI $62,940 same as national
128 Manchester-Nashua, NH $62,860 same as national
129 Ponce, PR $62,860 same as national
130 Eau Claire, WI $62,840 same as national
131 Salt Lake City-Murray, UT $62,780 same as national
132 Reno, NV $62,750 same as national
133 Hagerstown-Martinsburg, MD-WV $62,740 same as national
134 San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX $62,600 same as national
135 Erie, PA $62,530 same as national
136 Killeen-Temple, TX $62,480 same as national
137 Bend, OR $62,400 same as national
138 Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC $62,350 1% below national
139 Battle Creek, MI $62,340 1% below national
140 Cheyenne, WY $62,260 1% below national
141 Arecibo, PR $62,240 1% below national
142 Cleveland, TN $62,210 1% below national
143 Ogden, UT $62,210 1% below national
144 Lincoln, NE $62,200 1% below national
145 Columbus, GA-AL $62,180 1% below national
146 Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN $62,150 1% below national
147 Elmira, NY $62,150 1% below national
148 St. Louis, MO-IL $62,150 1% below national
149 Dalton, GA $62,100 1% below national
150 Medford, OR $62,100 1% below national
151 Pueblo, CO $61,990 1% below national
152 Aguadilla, PR $61,940 1% below national
153 Omaha, NE-IA $61,870 1% below national
154 Idaho Falls, ID $61,820 1% below national
155 San Juan-Bayamon-Caguas, PR $61,760 1% below national
156 Bowling Green, KY $61,720 2% below national
157 Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN $61,630 2% below national
158 Fort Collins-Loveland, CO $61,600 2% below national
159 Bismarck, ND $61,590 2% below national
160 Paducah, KY-IL $61,530 2% below national
161 Toledo, OH $61,520 2% below national
162 Johnson City, TN $61,500 2% below national
163 Richmond, VA $61,300 2% below national
164 Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL $61,260 2% below national
165 Grand Forks, ND-MN $61,210 2% below national
166 Rochester, NY $61,150 2% below national
167 Rome, GA $61,110 3% below national
168 Spartanburg, SC $61,040 3% below national
169 Knoxville, TN $61,030 3% below national
170 Champaign-Urbana, IL $60,970 3% below national
171 Coeur d'Alene, ID $60,970 3% below national
172 Racine-Mount Pleasant, WI $60,930 3% below national
173 Columbia, SC $60,880 3% below national
174 St. Cloud, MN $60,880 3% below national
175 Wheeling, WV-OH $60,880 3% below national
176 Mayaguez, PR $60,860 3% below national
177 Green Bay, WI $60,840 3% below national
178 Appleton, WI $60,800 3% below national
179 Springfield, OH $60,750 3% below national
180 Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN $60,680 3% below national
181 Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA $60,530 3% below national
182 Portland-South Portland, ME $60,440 4% below national
183 Kansas City, MO-KS $60,410 4% below national
184 Flint, MI $60,320 4% below national
185 Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL $60,290 4% below national
186 Watertown-Fort Drum, NY $60,180 4% below national
187 Harrisonburg, VA $60,150 4% below national
188 Peoria, IL $60,140 4% below national
189 Asheville, NC $59,980 4% below national
190 Sebring, FL $59,980 4% below national
191 Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL $59,860 4% below national
192 Corpus Christi, TX $59,840 5% below national
193 Greenville-Anderson-Greer, SC $59,840 5% below national
194 Colorado Springs, CO $59,830 5% below national
195 Crestview-Fort Walton Beach-Destin, FL $59,820 5% below national
196 Wichita, KS $59,790 5% below national
197 Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL $59,780 5% below national
198 Pittsburgh, PA $59,770 5% below national
199 Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX $59,740 5% below national
200 Canton-Massillon, OH $59,680 5% below national
201 Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA $59,680 5% below national
202 Charleston-North Charleston, SC $59,580 5% below national
203 Greeley, CO $59,580 5% below national
204 Clarksville, TN-KY $59,400 5% below national
205 Madison, WI $59,390 5% below national
206 Roanoke, VA $59,390 5% below national
207 Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA $59,370 5% below national
208 Slidell-Mandeville-Covington, LA $59,360 5% below national
209 Fort Wayne, IN $59,310 5% below national
210 Weirton-Steubenville, WV-OH $59,160 6% below national
211 Fort Smith, AR-OK $59,050 6% below national
212 Michigan City-La Porte, IN $58,990 6% below national
213 Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR $58,980 6% below national
214 New Orleans-Metairie, LA $58,970 6% below national
215 Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC $58,950 6% below national
216 Sioux City, IA-NE-SD $58,920 6% below national
217 Eugene-Springfield, OR $58,690 6% below national
218 Rapid City, SD $58,670 6% below national
219 Janesville-Beloit, WI $58,620 6% below national
220 Evansville, IN $58,600 7% below national
221 Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH $58,200 7% below national
222 Deltona-Daytona Beach-Ormond Beach, FL $58,000 7% below national
223 Shreveport-Bossier City, LA $57,910 8% below national
224 Baton Rouge, LA $57,760 8% below national
225 Flagstaff, AZ $57,670 8% below national
226 Sheboygan, WI $57,520 8% below national
227 Muskegon-Norton Shores, MI $57,480 8% below national
228 Raleigh-Cary, NC $57,410 8% below national
229 Ann Arbor, MI $57,310 9% below national
230 Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL $57,300 9% below national
231 Urban Honolulu, HI $56,970 9% below national
232 Kankakee, IL $56,960 9% below national
233 Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ $56,920 9% below national
234 Brownsville-Harlingen, TX $56,880 9% below national
235 Memphis, TN-MS-AR $56,780 9% below national
236 Tallahassee, FL $56,680 10% below national
237 Topeka, KS $56,600 10% below national
238 Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN $56,360 10% below national
239 Greenville, NC $56,160 10% below national
240 Athens-Clarke County, GA $55,770 11% below national
241 Hot Springs, AR $55,670 11% below national
242 Lafayette-West Lafayette, IN $55,630 11% below national
243 Terre Haute, IN $55,440 12% below national
244 Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC $54,520 13% below national
245 Lawrence, KS $54,400 13% below national
246 Beaumont-Port Arthur, TX $53,660 14% below national
247 Port St. Lucie, FL $53,340 15% below national
248 Greensboro-High Point, NC $53,310 15% below national
249 Winston-Salem, NC $53,050 15% below national
250 Jonesboro, AR $52,950 16% below national
251 Grand Junction, CO $52,850 16% below national
252 Dubuque, IA $52,490 16% below national
253 Burlington, NC $52,460 16% below national
254 Lake Charles, LA $52,180 17% below national
255 Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL $52,160 17% below national
256 Jackson, TN $52,110 17% below national
257 Tyler, TX $52,040 17% below national
258 Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR $51,990 17% below national
259 Panama City-Panama City Beach, FL $51,630 18% below national
260 Chattanooga, TN-GA $51,510 18% below national
261 Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VA $51,390 18% below national
262 Pensacola-Ferry Pass-Brent, FL $50,380 20% below national
263 Manhattan, KS $50,330 20% below national
264 Durham-Chapel Hill, NC $50,320 20% below national
265 Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL $49,960 20% below national
266 Lynchburg, VA $49,900 20% below national
267 Monroe, LA $49,890 20% below national
268 Iowa City, IA $49,880 20% below national
269 Fargo, ND-MN $49,720 21% below national
270 Jackson, MS $49,680 21% below national
271 Gulfport-Biloxi, MS $49,580 21% below national
272 Lewiston-Auburn, ME $49,500 21% below national
273 South Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MI $49,500 21% below national
274 Elkhart-Goshen, IN $49,240 21% below national
275 Waco, TX $49,140 22% below national
276 Pinehurst-Southern Pines, NC $48,980 22% below national
277 Yuma, AZ $48,820 22% below national
278 Sioux Falls, SD-MN $48,490 23% below national
279 Joplin, MO-KS $48,340 23% below national
280 Tucson, AZ $48,100 23% below national
281 Oklahoma City, OK $47,860 24% below national
282 Fayetteville, NC $47,680 24% below national
283 Bangor, ME $47,650 24% below national
284 Hammond, LA $47,540 24% below national
285 Tulsa, OK $47,500 24% below national
286 Missoula, MT $47,410 24% below national
287 Lake Havasu City-Kingman, AZ $47,110 25% below national
288 Hattiesburg, MS $47,020 25% below national
289 Springfield, MO $46,970 25% below national
290 Lawton, OK $46,910 25% below national
291 Enid, OK $46,810 25% below national
292 Jefferson City, MO $46,600 26% below national
293 Great Falls, MT $46,230 26% below national
294 Columbia, MO $46,180 26% below national

Same SOC major group

Other detailed occupations in SOC major group 25 (Educational Instruction and Library Occupations) - category peers, not a pay match.

Showing 5 of 63 detailed occupations BLS assigns to this SOC major group.

Nationwide occupations with similar pay or employment scale

Two OEWS peer sets outside this SOC major group (Educational Instruction and Library Occupations). Same-category cards above stay inside the group; these neighborhoods are cross-group nearest neighbors on national median pay ($62,680 here) and reported employment (108,870 jobs here).

Peers are nearest-neighbor matches on BLS OEWS national median annual wage and reported employment. Employment peers exclude occupations already listed in the pay column so the two link sets stay distinct.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much do 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.
Where does Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special Education pay rank nationally?
At a published national median of $62,680, Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special Education pay is higher than 53% of the 825 detailed occupations with a published BLS annual median in the May 2025 OEWS release. This compares occupation-level medians, not individual workers, job offers, or this occupation's own worker pay-percentile range.
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 Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special Education need?
BLS assigns Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special Education to Bachelor's degree for typical education needed for entry.
Does BLS publish a safety rate for Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special Education?
BLS does not publish a separate occupation-specific fatality and injury rate for Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special Education in this release. WageDex shows the Educational Instruction and Library Occupations SOC-group rate only as broad context and does not rank it as this occupation's measured rate.
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 Montana pays the least at $47,590/year. BLS data covers 51 states and territories.
Which metro areas pay the most for Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special Education?
The highest published metropolitan-area median in this ranking is El Centro, CA at $111,880/year. BLS reports a median for 294 metropolitan areas for this occupation. The ranking does not establish why values differ.

What to do with this data

How to use Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special Education pay figures in a real decision

  • The 75th-percentile wage is about $79,910/year. Treat it as the upper-quartile market boundary, not an automatic target for experience alone; role scope, location, industry, credentials, performance, and employer context still need separate evidence. 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.

Data as of May 2025. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).

Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 annual release. Employment projections from BLS Employment Projections program, 2024–2034. Data reflects cross-industry estimates for all ownership types.

These are survey estimates for the occupation, not a salary offer or a prediction for any individual. See how to use them.

Source data and WageDex calculations are identified in context on this page. Occupation wages use BLS OEWS May 2025; outlook uses BLS Employment Projections for 2024–2034; safety, skills, knowledge, and task panels identify their BLS or O*NET sources in context. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.

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.