Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special Education Salaries by State
Mean and median pay, wage percentiles, employment, and top-paying metro areas for kindergarten teachers, except special educations across the U.S. Source: BLS OEWS May 2025 (data.bls.gov OEWS tool /OESServices/combo/table, all-occupation crawl by area).
National mean salary $69,370 ≈ $33/hr
National median salary $62,680
Total employment 108,870 nationwide
Job Outlook, 2024–2034
Source: BLS Employment Projections 2024-2034.
Projected growth -1.6%
Decline
Annual openings 12,800 per year (avg)
Employment 2024→2034 117,200 → 115,200 (-1,900)
Typical entry education Bachelor's degree
Salary Map
Brighter tiles = higher average pay; dashed tiles have no data. Click a state for details.
💰 Top 5 Highest-Paying States
- Washington$95,380
- California$88,160
- Connecticut$88,070
- New York$86,620
- District of Columbia$86,500
📉 5 Lowest-Paying States
- Mississippi$49,960
- South Dakota$51,640
- Oklahoma$52,620
- North Carolina$53,120
- Alabama$53,360
State Rankings
| # | State | Mean | Median | Hourly | vs. U.S. | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Washington | $95,380 | $99,960 | $46 | +37.5% | 5,270 |
| 2 | California | $88,160 | $82,550 | $42 | +27.1% | 7,430 |
| 3 | Connecticut | $88,070 | $90,030 | $42 | +27% | 1,420 |
| 4 | New York | $86,620 | $77,630 | $42 | +24.9% | 6,950 |
| 5 | District of Columbia | $86,500 | $81,500 | $42 | +24.7% | 180 |
| 6 | Massachusetts | $84,950 | $84,100 | $41 | +22.5% | 1,980 |
| 7 | Maryland | $78,160 | $75,910 | $38 | +12.7% | 1,560 |
| 8 | New Jersey | $78,110 | $74,210 | $38 | +12.6% | 5,370 |
| 9 | Rhode Island | $77,600 | $85,470 | $37 | +11.9% | 360 |
| 10 | Minnesota | $72,880 | $75,500 | $35 | +5.1% | 2,840 |
| 11 | Oregon | $72,090 | $68,580 | $35 | +3.9% | 1,330 |
| 12 | Illinois | $71,160 | $64,020 | $34 | +2.6% | 4,660 |
| 13 | New Mexico | $71,000 | $74,380 | $34 | +2.3% | 950 |
| 14 | Ohio | $70,590 | $72,570 | $34 | +1.8% | 3,290 |
| 15 | Virginia | $69,880 | $63,920 | $34 | +0.7% | 3,740 |
| 16 | Georgia | $69,870 | $65,680 | $34 | +0.7% | 4,530 |
| 17 | Utah | $69,280 | $63,190 | $33 | -0.1% | 530 |
| 18 | Pennsylvania | $68,760 | $64,430 | $33 | -0.9% | 2,510 |
| 19 | Delaware | $68,420 | $74,030 | $33 | -1.4% | 70 |
| 20 | Vermont | $68,220 | $63,280 | $33 | -1.7% | 250 |
| 21 | Colorado | $68,150 | $62,870 | $33 | -1.8% | 3,260 |
| 22 | Michigan | $66,710 | $63,300 | $32 | -3.8% | 1,890 |
| 23 | Nevada | $66,570 | $64,930 | $32 | -4% | 1,400 |
| 24 | Idaho | $64,620 | $62,240 | $31 | -6.8% | 460 |
| 25 | New Hampshire | $64,240 | $60,240 | $31 | -7.4% | 520 |
| 26 | Nebraska | $63,530 | $62,200 | $31 | -8.4% | 1,120 |
| 27 | Wyoming | $61,500 | $60,990 | $30 | -11.3% | 360 |
| 28 | Texas | $60,880 | $63,780 | $29 | -12.2% | 3,820 |
| 29 | South Carolina | $60,850 | $60,890 | $29 | -12.3% | 1,540 |
| 30 | Wisconsin | $60,320 | $59,350 | $29 | -13% | 1,510 |
| 31 | Florida | $59,970 | $58,100 | $29 | -13.6% | 8,810 |
| 32 | Kentucky | $59,670 | $60,280 | $29 | -14% | 2,450 |
| 33 | North Dakota | $58,850 | $59,420 | $28 | -15.2% | 600 |
| 34 | Missouri | $58,740 | $56,590 | $28 | -15.3% | 2,300 |
| 35 | West Virginia | $58,600 | $58,790 | $28 | -15.5% | 730 |
| 36 | Hawaii | $58,230 | $53,160 | $28 | -16.1% | 90 |
| 37 | Iowa | $58,170 | $58,420 | $28 | -16.1% | 1,160 |
| 38 | Indiana | $57,920 | $58,250 | $28 | -16.5% | 2,120 |
| 39 | Maine | $57,810 | $52,660 | $28 | -16.7% | 570 |
| 40 | Tennessee | $57,680 | $58,070 | $28 | -16.9% | 2,740 |
| 41 | Arizona | $57,550 | $52,830 | $28 | -17% | 3,020 |
| 42 | Kansas | $57,130 | $56,670 | $27 | -17.6% | 1,300 |
| 43 | Montana | $56,060 | $47,590 | $27 | -19.2% | 400 |
| 44 | Arkansas | $55,220 | $52,060 | $27 | -20.4% | 1,490 |
| 45 | Louisiana | $54,040 | $53,130 | $26 | -22.1% | 3,730 |
| 46 | Alabama | $53,360 | $50,900 | $26 | -23.1% | 310 |
| 47 | North Carolina | $53,120 | $53,180 | $26 | -23.4% | 2,250 |
| 48 | Oklahoma | $52,620 | $47,860 | $25 | -24.1% | 1,690 |
| 49 | South Dakota | $51,640 | $49,410 | $25 | -25.6% | 610 |
| 50 | Mississippi | $49,960 | $48,880 | $24 | -28% | 1,350 |
Top-Paying Metro Areas
Highest median pay among 410 metro areas.
| # | Metro area | Median | Mean | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | El Centro, CA | $111,880 | $101,090 | 50 |
| 2 | Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $106,000 | $97,930 | 740 |
| 3 | Modesto, CA | $103,790 | $107,550 | 160 |
| 4 | Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA | $103,610 | $92,070 | 240 |
| 5 | Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA | $102,450 | $98,850 | 290 |
| 6 | Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA | $101,780 | $92,620 | 130 |
| 7 | Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $101,580 | $101,370 | 2,530 |
| 8 | Walla Walla, WA | $99,770 | $87,690 | 40 |
| 9 | Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT | $99,660 | $95,540 | 440 |
| 10 | Bellingham, WA | $98,460 | $94,260 | 170 |
Pay by Industry
Highest-paying industries employing kindergarten teachers, except special educations (BLS OEWS, by median).
| # | Industry | Median | Mean | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Federal, State, and Local Government, excluding State and Local Schools and Hospitals and USPS | $64,890 | $71,100 | — |
| 2 | Local Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) | $64,890 | $71,100 | — |
| 3 | Sector 99 - Federal, State, and Local Government, excl. State & Local Schools & Hospitals & USPS | $64,890 | $71,100 | — |
| 4 | Elementary and Secondary Schools, State Government Owned | $63,990 | $67,890 | 130 |
| 5 | Educational Services, Local Government Owned | $63,890 | $71,900 | 92,690 |
| 6 | Elementary and Secondary Schools, Local Government Owned | $63,890 | $71,900 | 92,680 |
| 7 | Federal, State, and Local Government, including State and Local Schools and Hospitals and USPS | $63,890 | $71,870 | 93,030 |
| 8 | Local Government, including Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) | $63,890 | $71,900 | 92,840 |
| 9 | Elementary and Secondary Schools | $62,800 | $69,670 | 106,960 |
| 10 | Educational Services | $62,780 | $69,640 | 107,070 |
| 11 | Sector 61 - Educational Services | $62,780 | $69,640 | 107,070 |
| 12 | Cross-Industry, Private, Federal, State, and Local | $62,680 | $69,370 | 108,870 |
Frequently Asked Questions
How much do kindergarten teachers, except special education make in the U.S.?
The median kindergarten teachers, except special education salary in the United States is $62,680 per year (mean $69,370), and about 80% earn between $46,990 and $101,830.
How much do kindergarten teachers, except special education make per hour?
Roughly $33 per hour, based on a mean annual wage of $69,370 and 2,080 work hours per year.
Which state pays kindergarten teachers, except special education the most?
Washington has the highest average pay for kindergarten teachers, except special education at $95,380 per year (median $99,960).
What is the job outlook for kindergarten teachers, except special education?
Employment is projected to change -1.6% from 2024 to 2034 (Decline), with about 12,800 openings per year.
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Common U.S. search queries related to this occupation.
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