Preschool Teachers, Except Special Education

More data on this career

Where the jobs are, and what they pay by industry. Nationwide, the industries that employ the most preschool teachers, except special education are Child Care Services (73% of the jobs counted, median pay $36,850), Elementary and Secondary Schools (16% of the jobs counted, median pay $56,750), Individual and Family Services (3% of the jobs counted, median pay $45,550), Religious Organizations (2% of the jobs counted, median pay $45,960) (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025). Among large industries, the highest median pay is in Elementary and Secondary Schools ($56,750), Individual and Family Services ($45,550), Child Care Services ($36,850). Pay differs by industry for many reasons, including the mix of jobs and where employers are located.

Injury and illness rates. For the broader group "Preschool, elementary, middle, secondary, and special education teachers", which includes this career (BLS did not publish enough cases for this exact occupation), employers reported 52.6 nonfatal injury and illness cases with days away from work per 10,000 full-time workers, compared with 94.6 for all U.S. workers; the median case kept the worker away 5 days (all workers: 8) (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2023-2024). Rates reflect the work setting as well as the occupation.

Union membership. In the broad group "Education, training, and library", which includes this career, 32.5% of wage and salary workers belong to a union (all U.S. workers: 10.0%); median weekly pay is $1,483 for union members and $1,130 for workers not in a union (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Population Survey, 2025). This is a group figure, not specific to preschool teachers, except special education.

Wages employers offered H-1B workers. For preschool teachers, except special education, employers filed 97 certified Labor Condition Applications for H-1B workers covering 132 worker positions in FY2025, with a median lower-bound wage offered of $50,400 (the middle half ran from $43,400 to $58,500) (U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Foreign Labor Certification). These are wages named in employers' applications to hire temporary foreign workers, usually in jobs that need at least a bachelor's degree. They are not what every worker in the occupation earns. The Department of Labor has not endorsed this presentation.

Employer benefits. In the broad group "Professional and related", which includes this career, 86% of civilian workers had access to an employer retirement plan, 85% had access to employer medical care benefits, and 92% had paid sick leave, 73% paid vacation and 78% paid holidays (all civilian workers: 75%, 74%, 83%, 77% and 79%) (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, National Compensation Survey, March 2026). This is a group figure, not specific to preschool teachers, except special education, and having access to a benefit does not mean every worker uses it. The Bureau of Labor Statistics has not endorsed this presentation. Employers spent about $74.42 per hour worked on total compensation for the occupational group "Professional and related" in June 2026 ($50.37 in wages and salaries and $24.06 in benefits, 32.3% of the total; all civilian workers: $49.46, with 31.6% in benefits) (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employer Costs for Employee Compensation).

Work environment. In O*NET's survey of workers in this occupation, the conditions most often placed at the two highest levels for preschool teachers, except special education are: contact with others (93%), work with or contribute to a work group or team (85%), indoors, environmentally controlled (83%), physical proximity (78%), face-to-face discussions with individuals and within teams (73%), impact of decisions on co-workers or company results (65%). Each percentage is the share of respondents choosing the top two levels for that condition (for example 'most of the time' or 'continually'), so it describes how common the condition is in the job, not how a particular workplace is (O*NET 31.0 Database, U.S. Dept. of Labor, ETA, CC BY 4.0).

Typical preparation. In O*NET's survey of workers in this occupation, for related work experience, the most common answer (33% of 30 respondents) was "over 1 year, up to and including 2 years"; for on-site or in-plant training, the most common answer (39% of 32 respondents) was "none"; for on-the-job training, the most common answer (35% of 32 respondents) was "anything beyond short demonstration, up to and including 1 month". These are what workers report is needed to do the job; employers' requirements and individual paths vary (O*NET 31.0 Database, U.S. Dept. of Labor, ETA, CC BY 4.0).

Related careers. O*NET lists these occupations as similar to preschool teachers, except special education in the work done and the skills used: Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special Education, Special Education Teachers, Kindergarten, Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education, Special Education Teachers, Preschool, Special Education Teachers, Secondary School, Special Education Teachers, Elementary School, Childcare Workers, Teaching Assistants, Preschool, Elementary, Middle, and Secondary School, Except Special Education (O*NET 31.0 Database, U.S. Dept. of Labor, ETA, CC BY 4.0).

Pay by state. See what preschool teachers, except special education earn in each state, with the pay range and number of jobs: Preschool Teachers, Except Special Education salary by state (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2025).

Compare preschool teachers, except special education with other careers (pay, growth, openings and education side by side).

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2024 PUMS (MajorPays' own estimates from the survey; Census is credited as the source of the original data and has not endorsed them); BLS Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses; BLS Current Population Survey; BLS National Compensation Survey (employee benefits); HRSA National Center for Health Workforce Analysis; U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Foreign Labor Certification (LCA disclosure data, FY2025). MajorPays has selected and reorganized these figures; these agencies have not approved or endorsed them. See it interactively →