United States · Pay by job · Education and Library
Preschool Teacher salary and take-home pay
The typical US preschool teacher earns $38,140 a year, or $18.34 an hour (BLS, May 2025). In Texas, where the median for this job is $33,860, a single filer keeps about $29,387 a year after federal income tax, Social Security and Medicare.
BLS title: Preschool Teachers, Except Special Education (SOC 25-2011). Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025.
How much does a preschool teacher earn?
| Percentile | Bar | A year | An hour |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | $28,990 | $13.94 | |
| 25th | $34,530 | $16.60 | |
| Median | $38,140 | $18.34 | |
| 75th | $47,550 | $22.86 | |
| 90th | $61,390 | $29.52 |
The middle half of people in this job earn $34,530 to $47,550 a year, and about 478,780 people do it across the US (BLS, May 2025).
Take-home pay tool
Preschool Teacher · Texas · single · median
$29,386.51 a year after tax
$2,448.88 a month · $1,130.25 a paycheck (every two weeks)
| Pay before tax | $33,860.00 |
|---|---|
| Federal income tax | −$1,883.20 |
| Social Security and Medicare | −$2,590.29 |
| Texas tax and payroll contributions | none |
| Take-home pay | $29,386.51 |
Pay: the median for this job in Texas, $33,860 a year (BLS). One job, standard deduction, nothing taken before tax, the year’s tax spread over 26 paychecks.
What does a preschool teacher take home at each pay point?
A single filer on the national figures, paid every two weeks, with nothing taken before tax:
| Pay a year | Texas | California | New York | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | $28,990 | $25,473 | $24,907 | $24,349 |
| 25th | $34,530 | $29,925 | $29,146 | $28,477 |
| Median | $38,140 | $32,825 | $31,856 | $31,167 |
| 75th | $47,550 | $40,386 | $38,918 | $38,179 |
| 90th | $61,390 | $51,507 | $49,052 | $48,492 |
Take-home after federal income tax, Social Security, Medicare and state tax for 2026. New York is outside New York City.
Where does a preschool teacher keep the most after tax?
Our 19 states, ranked by take-home pay on each state’s own median for this job (single filer). Only these 19 states have take-home figures so far.
| Rank | State | Median pay | Take-home |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New Jersey | $48,220 | $39,415 |
| 2 | Alaska | $46,130 | $39,015 |
| 3 | California | $47,400 | $38,805 |
| 4 | Washington | $45,660 | $38,234 |
| 5 | South Dakota | $44,500 | $37,936 |
| 6 | New York | $46,520 | $37,412 |
| 7 | Georgia | $43,920 | $36,027 |
| 8 | New Hampshire | $39,350 | $33,798 |
| 9 | Nevada | $38,870 | $33,412 |
| 10 | Illinois | $40,910 | $33,171 |
| 11 | Florida | $35,860 | $30,994 |
| 12 | Virginia | $37,140 | $30,701 |
| 13 | Michigan | $37,110 | $30,671 |
| 14 | Pennsylvania | $36,050 | $30,014 |
| 15 | North Carolina | $35,710 | $29,957 |
| 16 | Ohio | $35,180 | $29,930 |
| 17 | Tennessee | $34,280 | $29,724 |
| 18 | Texas | $33,860 | $29,387 |
| 19 | Wyoming | $29,930 | $26,229 |
How much does a preschool teacher earn in each state?
| State | Median pay | People in the job | Take-home (single) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $28,310 | 7,910 | not yet |
| Alaska | $46,130 | 520 | $39,015 (#2) |
| Arizona | $36,300 | 9,400 | not yet |
| Arkansas | $34,190 | 3,270 | not yet |
| California | $47,400 | 55,700 | $38,805 (#3) |
| Colorado | $45,500 | 5,210 | not yet |
| Connecticut | $45,740 | 5,230 | not yet |
| Delaware | $36,360 | 2,000 | not yet |
| District of Columbia | $62,150 | 2,350 | not yet |
| Florida | $35,860 | 35,740 | $30,994 (#11) |
| Georgia | $43,920 | 16,850 | $36,027 (#7) |
| Hawaii | $48,780 | 1,410 | not yet |
| Idaho | $32,800 | 1,010 | not yet |
| Illinois | $40,910 | 22,420 | $33,171 (#10) |
| Indiana | $36,650 | 7,110 | not yet |
| Iowa | $33,830 | 5,910 | not yet |
| Kansas | $47,750 | 1,330 | not yet |
| Kentucky | $29,780 | 8,520 | not yet |
| Louisiana | $38,020 | 3,570 | not yet |
| Maine | $43,890 | 1,110 | not yet |
| Maryland | $44,600 | 8,020 | not yet |
| Massachusetts | $45,890 | 18,710 | not yet |
| Michigan | $37,110 | 10,950 | $30,671 (#13) |
| Minnesota | $43,430 | 10,320 | not yet |
| Mississippi | $36,250 | 3,600 | not yet |
| Missouri | $36,090 | 5,580 | not yet |
| Montana | $36,540 | 960 | not yet |
| Nebraska | $47,040 | 1,630 | not yet |
| Nevada | $38,870 | 2,360 | $33,412 (#9) |
| New Hampshire | $39,350 | 2,220 | $33,798 (#8) |
| New Jersey | $48,220 | 16,190 | $39,415 (#1) |
| New Mexico | $44,070 | 2,490 | not yet |
| New York | $46,520 | 23,870 | $37,412 (#6) |
| North Carolina | $35,710 | 18,370 | $29,957 (#15) |
| North Dakota | $39,720 | 540 | not yet |
| Ohio | $35,180 | 19,840 | $29,930 (#16) |
| Oklahoma | $31,790 | 7,010 | not yet |
| Oregon | $45,140 | 6,300 | not yet |
| Pennsylvania | $36,050 | 22,760 | $30,014 (#14) |
| Rhode Island | $36,830 | 1,890 | not yet |
| South Carolina | $34,500 | 4,550 | not yet |
| South Dakota | $44,500 | 1,470 | $37,936 (#5) |
| Tennessee | $34,280 | 5,420 | $29,724 (#17) |
| Texas | $33,860 | 41,200 | $29,387 (#18) |
| Utah | $35,010 | 3,670 | not yet |
| Vermont | $49,730 | 940 | not yet |
| Virginia | $37,140 | 13,570 | $30,701 (#12) |
| Washington | $45,660 | 13,210 | $38,234 (#4) |
| West Virginia | $32,480 | 2,190 | not yet |
| Wisconsin | $36,160 | 11,330 | not yet |
| Wyoming | $29,930 | 1,040 | $26,229 (#19) |
Median yearly pay for this job in each state, from BLS. Take-home and its rank are for the 19 states with a take-home engine so far. Each linked state shows its highest-paying jobs after tax.
What is the job outlook for a preschool teacher?
BLS expects jobs as a preschool teacher to grow 4.5% from 2025 to 2035, with about 66,700 openings a year (BLS Employment Projections 2025–35).
- Job growth, 2025 to 2035
- +4.5%
- Openings a year
- about 66,700
- Usual education
- Associate's degree
- Work experience
- None
- On-the-job training
- None
What do similar jobs pay?
The 10 education and library jobs closest in pay to a preschool teacher:
- Adult Education and ESL Instructor median $61,540
- Farm and Home Management Educator median $60,220
- Museum Technician and Conservator median $51,440
- Other Education Worker median $50,890
- Self-Enrichment Teacher median $46,800
- Library Technician median $44,580
- Tutor median $43,350
- Graduate Teaching Assistant median $42,910
- Substitute Teacher median $41,670
- Teaching Assistant median $36,780
Every job in the group: Education and Library jobs. Not sure which job suits you? Try the free career test.
What else can I work out?
- Your paycheck on $38,140, with any pay schedule, 401(k) or HSA.
- Hourly to salary: $18.34 an hour as a yearly salary.
- Your 2026 tax refund on $38,140, with the new deductions for tips and overtime.
Where do these figures come from?
Pay is the BLS estimate for all employers in May 2025 (the latest), and the outlook is from BLS Employment Projections 2025–35. Your own pay depends on your employer, area and experience. Take-home is our estimate for 2026: one job, the standard deduction, nothing taken before tax, from the same engine as our paycheck calculator.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025: Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics tables (BLS); Employment Projections tables (BLS). This site is independent and not part of the BLS.
Questions about preschool teacher pay
How much does a preschool teacher make an hour?
The median is $18.34 an hour (BLS, May 2025). The middle half earn $16.60 to $22.86, and the top 10% earn $29.52 or more.
Which state pays a preschool teacher the most?
Among the 50 states and DC, District of Columbia has the highest median for this job: $62,150 a year (BLS). After tax, of the 19 states we cover, New Jersey leaves the most: $39,415 a year for a single filer on its median of $48,220.
What is a preschool teacher’s take-home pay?
On the national median of $38,140, a single filer keeps about $32,825 a year in Texas (no state income tax), $31,856 in California and $31,167 in New York outside New York City, after federal income tax, Social Security, Medicare and state tax. Pick your state in the tool above.
What education do you need to be a preschool teacher?
BLS lists an associate's degree as the usual way in, with no work experience in a related job and no on-the-job training once hired.
Is the number of preschool teacher jobs growing?
BLS expects jobs as a preschool teacher to grow 4.5% from 2025 to 2035, with about 66,700 openings a year (BLS Employment Projections 2025–35).