How to Become a Preschool Teacher
Guide the youngest learners through the social, physical, and early academic growth that sets up everything after. It typically requires an associate degree, with a median salary of $38,140 per year and about average projected job growth.
Median pay
$38,140/yr
Middle half
$34,530 to $47,550
Job growth
About average
Openings / yr
65,500
Majors that lead here
Key skills
- Early Childhood Instruction
- Learning Strategies
- Classroom Management
- Patience
- Communication
Helpful certifications
- CDA (Child Development Associate)
- State early childhood licensure
Is this career a fit?
Remote-friendly
52/100
Work-life balance
76/100
Stress level
54/100
Related careers
- School Principal (K-12 Administrator)$105,870 median
- College Administrator (Postsecondary)$104,590 median
- School Psychologist$95,990 median
- Instructional Coordinator$77,440 median
- Teacher (Secondary Education)$72,040 median
- Librarian$68,270 median
Frequently asked questions
How much does a Preschool Teacher make?
The median pay for a Preschool Teacher is $38,140 a year, and the middle half of workers earn between $34,530 and $47,550 (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2025). That covers everyone in the job, not only people starting out, so newer workers sit toward the lower end.
What degree do you need to become a Preschool Teacher?
The usual entry point is an associate degree. Common majors are Early Childhood Education, Education, Child Development, Special Education, and Human Development and Family Studies.
Is Preschool Teacher a growing field?
Projected job growth for this role from 2024 to 2034 is about average (BLS projections via O*NET), with roughly 65,500 U.S. openings a year.
What skills does a Preschool Teacher use most?
Common skills for this role are Early Childhood Instruction, Learning Strategies, Classroom Management, Patience, and Communication.
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Take the major quizWhere these pay figures come from
Career pay is the annual wage of everyone working in that occupation, not only recent graduates, so it includes people who have done the job for decades. The middle half is the 25th to the 75th percentile. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and O*NET OnLine (median and percentile annual wages May 2025; employment projections 2024-2034).
All figures are national. What you earn depends on where you work, who you work for, and how far you take the degree.
Job-growth figures: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and O*NET OnLine (median and percentile annual wages May 2025; employment projections 2024-2034).