Preschool Teacher Salary in Arizona
Preschool teachers in Arizona earned a median of $36,300 a year ($17.45 an hour) and a mean of $38,800 in May 2025. The median is 4.8% below the U.S. median of $38,140, ranking 33rd of 54 states and territories, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
- Median annual
- $36,300
- Median hourly
- $17.45
- Mean annual
- $38,800
- Jobs on record
- 9,400
Grey needle: U.S. median, $38,140 a year.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, state file, May 2025. Wage and salary jobs only; the self-employed are not counted. OEWS pay excludes overtime, shift differentials and non-production bonuses. Confirm any figure on bls.gov/oes. Latest BLS release: May 2025, published May 15, 2026; checked November 10, 2026.
How does Arizona compare on pay for preschool teachers?
Arizona ranks 33rd of 54 states and territories. District of Columbia is highest at $62,150, $25,850 more than the Arizona median.
| State | Rank | Median | Against U.S. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Montana | 31 | $36,540 | -4% | 960 |
| Delaware | 32 | $36,360 | -5% | 2,000 |
| Arizona | 33 | $36,300 | -5% | 9,400 |
| Mississippi | 34 | $36,250 | -5% | 3,600 |
| Wisconsin | 35 | $36,160 | -5% | 11,330 |
Source: BLS OEWS state file, May 2025. Rank 1 is the highest median among 54 states and territories with a published figure. See every state.
Does Arizona pay go further after prices?
Prices in Arizona run 0.7% above the U.S. average, so the $36,300 median buys about what $36,056 buys at average U.S. prices, below the $38,140 U.S. median. On this measure Arizona ranks 43rd of 51, down from 32nd before the adjustment.
Source: BLS OEWS state file, May 2025; BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024. The adjustment divides pay by the state's price level.
Which areas in Arizona pay preschool teachers the most?
Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ is highest at $36,500, 0.6% above the Arizona median.
| Area | Median | Jobs |
|---|---|---|
| Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ | $36,500 | 6,880 |
| Flagstaff, AZ | $36,330 | 200 |
| Tucson, AZ | $35,470 | 1,410 |
| Prescott Valley-Prescott, AZ | $35,320 | 200 |
| Arizona nonmetropolitan area | $35,220 | 210 |
| Yuma, AZ | $34,950 | 260 |
| Lake Havasu City-Kingman, AZ | $33,930 | 150 |
| Sierra Vista-Douglas, AZ | $33,340 | 90 |
Source: BLS OEWS metropolitan and nonmetropolitan area file, May 2025. Every area BLS lists for this job in Arizona is shown; an area that crosses state lines is listed under the first state in its BLS title.
How many preschool teachers work in Arizona?
BLS counts 9,400 jobs in Arizona, 2.0% of the 478,780 in the U.S. That is the 17th largest count among the 54 states and territories with a published figure. That is 2.9 of every 1,000 jobs in Arizona, a location quotient of 0.94: the occupation's share of local jobs is 0.94 times its national share, so it is less concentrated here than in the U.S. as a whole.
Source: BLS OEWS state file, May 2025 and national file.
How does the Arizona minimum wage compare with pay for preschool teachers?
The 10th-percentile hourly pay for preschool teachers in Arizona was $15.27 in May 2025, $0.12 above the $15.15 minimum wage that applies there now. The pay figure dates from May 2025 and the minimum wage is the current rate, so the two are not from the same date.
Source: U.S. Department of Labor, State Minimum Wage Laws, updated 2026-11-05; BLS OEWS state file, May 2025, 10th-percentile hourly wage.
Related jobs in Arizona
Related occupations from O*NET; pay from BLS OEWS state file, May 2025.