What are the main factors that influence a Preschool's salary?

The primary factors are: 1) Experience Level, 2) Geographic Location, 3) Education/Skills, 4) Company Size & Industry

How does experience change A Preschool's salary?

A Preschool's salary grows with experience: a Preschool (0-0 years)earns $43,651, a Child Caregiver I (0-1 years)earns $33,360, a Child Caregiver II (1-3 years)earns $37,644,

What are the highest paying states for a Preschool?

Preschool salary varies significantly by state. The top 3 highest paying states for Preschool roles are District of Columbia $47,044, California $46,866, Massachusetts $46,241. These tech hubs typically pay 10-15% above the national average.

How much do different types of Preschool roles make?

Salaries for Preschool level roles vary by specialization: Preschool Director: $150,060; Preschool Principal: $106,478; Preschool Manager: $64,545; Montessori PreSchool Preschool Director: $61,668; Preschool Administrator: $53,356.

How do different companies affect a Preschool's salary?

Company size, industry, and compensation structure create significant salary variations for Preschool roles. Large, established industry leaders like Kpmg Us LLP ($114,295) and Warner Bros Discovery ($114,096) offer base salaries 35-40% above the national average. In contrast, smaller firms or startups may offer closer to $88,138.

Preschool Salary in the United States

How much does a Preschool make in the United States?

As of May 01, 2026, the average salary for a Preschool in the United States is $42,489 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $20.

However, a Preschool's salary can vary significantly. Here’s a look at the typical salary range:

Top Earners (90th percentile): $50,796
Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $36,910 to $46,837
Entry-Level (10th percentile): $31,831

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Preschool Salaries by Percentile

	Annual Salary	Monthly Pay	Weekly Pay	Hourly Wage
75th Percentile	$46,837	$3,903	$901	$23
Average	$42,489	$3,541	$817	$20
25th Percentile	$36,910	$3,076	$710	$18

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Check out Preschool Job Openings in the United States

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Key Factors That Influence Preschool Salaries

A Preschool's salary isn't a fixed number. It's shaped by several important factors. Below, we'll explore how your years of experience, geographic location, education and company size can directly affect your earning potential.

How Do Preschool Salaries Vary from State to State?

Your salary can change significantly depending on where you work. States with a higher cost of living and strong industrial sectors often pay more to attract Preschools. For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:

District of Columbia: $47,044.
California: $46,866.
Massachusetts: $46,241.

District of Columbia $47,044 California $46,866 Massachusetts $46,241 Washington $46,071 New Jersey $46,054 Alaska $45,995 Connecticut $45,408 New York $45,170

Hawaii $44,410 Rhode Island $44,053 Maryland $43,811 Minnesota $43,479 Colorado $43,352 Illinois $43,309 Oregon $43,148 Delaware $43,029

New Hampshire $42,954 Virginia $42,787 Pennsylvania $42,298 Nevada $42,052 North Dakota $41,971 Michigan $41,843 Wisconsin $41,797 Vermont $41,703

Texas $41,444 Maine $41,427 Arizona $41,401 Ohio $41,372 Georgia $40,981 Indiana $40,785 Wyoming $40,747 Utah $40,688

Iowa $40,662 Kansas $40,458 Louisiana $40,399 North Carolina $40,377 Missouri $40,369 Florida $40,203 Montana $40,114 Nebraska $40,029

Kentucky $39,982 South Carolina $39,812 Tennessee $39,706 Idaho $39,664 New Mexico $39,353 Oklahoma $39,286 Alabama $39,035 South Dakota $38,614

Arkansas $38,385 West Virginia $38,262 Mississippi $37,892

Top Paying Cities for Preschools

Salaries can also vary between different cities. Major metropolitan areas or cities with a high demand for technicians often offer more competitive pay. Here are a few examples of average annual salaries in different U.S. cities:

San Jose: $53,592
San Francisco: $53,005
Oakland: $51,888

San Jose, CA $53,592

San Francisco, CA $53,005

Oakland, CA $51,888

New York, NY $48,922

Paramus, NJ $48,327

Queens Village, NY $48,325

Passaic, NJ $48,284

Bergenfield, NJ $48,280

Stamford, CT $48,187

Huntington, NY $48,170

Newark, NJ $47,856

Bridgeport, CT $47,766

Vallejo, CA $47,681

New Brunswick, NJ $47,664

Petaluma, CA $47,639

Middlesex, NJ $47,558

Somerset, NJ $47,528

Santa Cruz, CA $47,473

Boston, MA $47,214

Monterey, CA $47,065

Seattle, WA $46,968

Santa Rosa, CA $46,959

Los Angeles, CA $46,946

Juneau, AK $46,836

Washington, DC $46,789

Orange, CA $46,638

Santa Ana, CA $46,526

Long Beach, CA $46,483

Anaheim, CA $46,475

Anchorage, AK $46,453

Santa Maria, CA $46,326

Everett, WA $46,317

Danbury, CT $46,168

Bremerton, WA $46,109

Tacoma, WA $45,956

New Suffolk, NY $45,955

Sacramento, CA $45,944

Santa Barbara, CA $45,897

Trenton, NJ $45,850

San Diego, CA $45,850

Brockton, MA $45,803

Fairbanks, AK $45,699

Lompoc, CA $45,591

Lowell, MA $45,556

Ventura, CA $45,548

Nashua, NH $45,540

Stockton, CA $45,536

Modesto, CA $45,226

Poughkeepsie, NY $45,132

Olympia, WA $45,051

Kennewick, WA $45,051

New Haven, CT $45,034

Lawrence, MA $44,881

Hartford, CT $44,839

Riverside, CA $44,830

New Bedford, MA $44,788

Richland, WA $44,788

Bakersfield, CA $44,728

San Bernardino, CA $44,711

New Britain, CT $44,707

Atlantic City, NJ $44,707

New London, CT $44,690

Norwich, CT $44,677

Portsmouth, NH $44,669

Boulder, CO $44,579

Portland, OR $44,520

Worcester, MA $44,516

Minneapolis, MN $44,384

Philadelphia, PA $44,325

Honolulu, HI $44,185

Saint Paul, MN $44,164

Vineland, NJ $44,155

Providence, RI $44,032

Chicago, IL $43,908

Bellingham, WA $43,857

Springfield, MA $43,823

Baltimore, MD $43,811

Chico, CA $43,704

Pittsfield, MA $43,590

Manchester, NH $43,509

Spokane, WA $43,322

Denver, CO $43,318

Albany, NY $43,118

Troy, NY $43,101

Nassau, NY $43,056

Schenectady, NY $43,012

Wilmington, DE $42,978

Burlington, VT $42,918

Salem, OR $42,901

Portland, ME $42,770

Yakima, WA $42,727

Rochester, MN $42,595

Reno, NV $42,574

Fresno, CA $42,574

Milwaukee, WI $42,536

Detroit, MI $42,493

Ann Arbor, MI $42,486

Allentown, PA $42,481

Colorado Springs, CO $42,408

Syracuse, NY $42,387

Carson City, NV $42,387

Houston, TX $42,328

Eugene, OR $42,306

Gary, IN $42,256

Springfield, OR $42,222

Bismarck, ND $42,213

Galveston, TX $42,183

Medford, OR $42,120

Fort Collins, CO $42,103

Concord, NH $42,081

Austin, TX $42,069

Mesa, AZ $41,979

Reading, PA $41,975

Phoenix, AZ $41,971

Dallas, TX $41,958

Saint Cloud, MN $41,917

Madison, WI $41,860

Utica, NY $41,746

Rochester, NY $41,678

Des Moines, IA $41,673

Raleigh, NC $41,669

Atlanta, GA $41,605

Battle Creek, MI $41,593

Salt Lake City, UT $41,580

Lancaster, PA $41,516

Harrisburg, PA $41,457

Kansas City, MO $41,414

Champaign, IL $41,406

Kansas City, KS $41,406

Fort Worth, TX $41,401

Columbus, OH $41,394

Boca Raton, FL $41,384

Pittsburgh, PA $41,367

Richmond, VA $41,350

Indianapolis, IN $41,342

Cleveland, OH $41,338

Las Vegas, NV $41,287

Cincinnati, OH $41,287

Petersburg, VA $41,223

Huntsville, AL $41,159

Lansing, MI $41,131

Lebanon, PA $41,125

Pueblo, CO $41,121

Appleton, WI $41,108

Buffalo, NY $41,091

Dayton, OH $41,079

Racine, WI $41,070

Charlotte, NC $41,066

Saint Louis, MO $41,053

York, PA $41,028

Elkhart, IN $41,028

Gastonia, NC $41,019

Billings, MT $41,009

Beaumont, TX $40,998

Lorain, OH $40,989

Benton Harbor, MI $40,981

Toledo, OH $40,972

Binghamton, NY $40,951

Rock Hill, SC $40,947

Rockford, IL $40,926

Springfield, IL $40,909

Elyria, OH $40,904

Fargo, ND $40,904

Flagstaff, AZ $40,875

Fort Lauderdale, FL $40,849

Duluth, MN $40,824

Miami, FL $40,824

Cheyenne, WY $40,794

Grand Forks, ND $40,794

Bangor, ME $40,700

Cedar Rapids, IA $40,654

Durham, NC $40,636

Louisville, KY $40,632

Grand Rapids, MI $40,624

Hialeah, FL $40,620

Casper, WY $40,560

Scranton, PA $40,509

New Orleans, LA $40,496

Virginia Beach, VA $40,492

Akron, OH $40,471

Peoria, IL $40,416

Sarasota, FL $40,407

Nashville, TN $40,377

Omaha, NE $40,377

Green Bay, WI $40,377

Baton Rouge, LA $40,356

Charleston, SC $40,348

Jamestown, NY $40,326

Davenport, IA $40,326

Tucson, AZ $40,305

Saint Petersburg, FL $40,280

Tampa, FL $40,271

Evansville, IN $40,246

Port Arthur, TX $40,246

Bradenton, FL $40,229

Santa Fe, NM $40,152

Orlando, FL $40,076

Clearwater, FL $40,063

Canton, OH $39,974

La Crosse, WI $39,974

Albuquerque, NM $39,948

Newport News, VA $39,944

High Point, NC $39,931

Ogden, UT $39,914

Corpus Christi, TX $39,880

Norfolk, VA $39,855

Laramie, WY $39,855

Rock Island, IL $39,829

Saginaw, MI $39,821

Jacksonville, FL $39,817

Salisbury, NC $39,808

Boise, ID $39,800

Moline, IL $39,778

Fort Myers, FL $39,766

Memphis, TN $39,757

Tulsa, OK $39,736

Waterloo, IA $39,710

Spartanburg, SC $39,668

Lincoln, NE $39,647

Fort Wayne, IN $39,638

Provo, UT $39,634

Cedar Falls, IA $39,583

San Antonio, TX $39,566

Greensboro, NC $39,549

South Bend, IN $39,545

Savannah, GA $39,498

Muskegon, MI $39,481

Birmingham, AL $39,477

Winston Salem, NC $39,456

Lake Charles, LA $39,353

Anderson, IN $39,345

Lexington, KY $39,332

Augusta, GA $39,320

Greenville, SC $39,320

Lima, OH $39,286

Wichita, KS $39,281

Tuscaloosa, AL $39,281

Columbia, SC $39,243

Springfield, OH $39,235

Asheville, NC $39,167

Bloomington, IN $39,137

Knoxville, TN $38,984

Shreveport, LA $38,980

Wilmington, NC $38,924

Roanoke, VA $38,924

Topeka, KS $38,848

Frankfort, KY $38,843

Oklahoma City, OK $38,814

Chillicothe, OH $38,797

Longview, TX $38,793

Melbourne, FL $38,788

Sioux Falls, SD $38,720

Mobile, AL $38,716

Terre Haute, IN $38,699

Altoona, PA $38,674

Amarillo, TX $38,644

Killeen, TX $38,631

Fayetteville, AR $38,597

Chattanooga, TN $38,584

Sioux City, IA $38,546

Idaho Falls, ID $38,538

Lynchburg, VA $38,504

Gainesville, FL $38,448

Portsmouth, OH $38,427

Little Rock, AR $38,419

Lafayette, LA $38,402

Youngstown, OH $38,402

Daytona Beach, FL $38,376

Clarksville, TN $38,372

Pensacola, FL $38,368

Temple, TX $38,365

Hopkinsville, KY $38,240

Erie, PA $38,232

Florence, SC $38,215

Charleston, WV $38,147

Great Falls, MT $38,126

Macon, GA $38,066

Tallahassee, FL $38,062

Fayetteville, NC $38,053

Waco, TX $38,045

Helena, MT $38,015

Pine Bluff, AR $37,999

Vincennes, IN $37,947

Lubbock, TX $37,930

Alamogordo, NM $37,905

Twin Falls, ID $37,866

Rapid City, SD $37,854

Jackson, MS $37,777

Huntington, WV $37,774

Greenville, MS $37,773

Parkersburg, WV $37,730

Montgomery, AL $37,722

Wichita Falls, TX $37,679

Springfield, MO $37,679

Biloxi, MS $37,658

Monroe, LA $37,616

Johnstown, PA $37,586

Sumter, SC $37,569

Columbus, GA $37,565

Pascagoula, MS $37,484

Abilene, TX $37,484

Kingsport, TN $37,374

Albany, GA $37,374

Gulfport, MS $37,361

Alexandria, LA $37,221

Fort Smith, AR $37,114

El Paso, TX $37,000

Las Cruces, NM $36,808

Harlingen, TX $36,700

Pocatello, ID $36,694

Florence, AL $36,638

Brownsville, TX $36,630

Mcallen, TX $36,541

Dothan, AL $36,481

Columbus, MS $36,229

Altus, OK $36,031

Lawton, OK $35,950

Pierre, SD $35,797

What Skills Can Increase a Preschool's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

Planning (Mentioned in 3.87% Job Postings): An act or process of making or carrying out plans. Establishment of goals, policies, and procedures for a social or economic unit city planning business planning.
First Aid (Mentioned in 6.98% Job Postings): First aid refers to medical attention that is usually administered immediately after the injury occurs and at the location where it occurred.
Child Abuse (Mentioned in 1.3% Job Postings): Child abuse is not just physical violence directed at a child. It is any form of maltreatment by an adult, which is violent or threatening for the child.

See More Skills

Skills	Demand Percentage
Planning	3.87%
First Aid	6.98%
Child Abuse	1.3%

What skills can make your compensation higher?

Mastering certain specialized skills can lead to a significant increase in pay. Here are examples of skills and the potential impact they can have on a Preschool's salary.

Coaching: Can increase your salary by up to 12%.
IDEA: Can increase your salary by up to 9%.
Special Education: Can increase your salary by up to 8%.

Skill	Salary	Salary % Increase
Coaching	$47,588	12%
IDEA	$46,313	9%
Special Education	$45,888	8%
Confidentiality	$44,614	5%
Staff Development	$44,614	5%
Pediatric	$44,189	4%

Get Latest Data

How Education impacts a Preschool's Salary?

Your level of education can impact your salary potential. While many Preschools enter the field with a No Diploma degree, higher education can lead to more specialized and higher-paying roles.

According to our 100% employer-reported salary data, the median salary for a Preschool with a No Diploma is between $36,746 and $39,056).

Preschool Salaries by Degree Level

Typical Education for Preschool

No Diploma 1.0%

High School 27.5%

Associates 24.5%

Bachelors 39.7%

Masters 7.2%

Doctorate 0.2%

view as table

Degree Level	% of user with this level of education
No Diploma	1.0%
High School	27.5%
Associates	24.5%
Bachelors	39.7%
Masters	7.2%
Doctorate	0.2%

view as graph

Preschool Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how a Preschool's annual salary breaks down can help with budgeting. Below, you can see the average hourly rate, weekly pay, and monthly pay for this role. Use the buttons to switch between different pay periods.

Last Updated on May 01, 2026

$36,910

Average $42,489/year

$46,837

$3,076

Average $3,541/month

$3,903

$710

Average $817/week

$901

$18

Average $20/hour

$23

	Annual Salary	Monthly Pay	Weekly Pay	Hourly Wage
75th Percentile	$46,837	$3,903	$901	$23
Average	$42,489	$3,541	$817	$20
25th Percentile	$36,910	$3,076	$710	$18

Salaries of jobs related to Preschool

Salary Trends for Preschool

Salaries for a Preschool can change over time, reflecting shifts in market demand and the overall economy. The median salary decreased from $43,534 in 2023 to around $43,165 in 2025, reflecting changes in demand, location, experience, and the wider economy. For a detailed analysis of Preschool salary trends, .

Average Annual Salary of Preschool Over Time

2022

$???

2023

$43,534

2024

$43,655

2025

$43,165

2026

$???

2027

$???

Year	Average Annual Salary
2022	View More
2023	$43,534
2024	$43,655
2025	$43,165
2026	View More
2027	View More

Most common benefits for Preschool

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Where Does Our Salary Data Come From?

Salary.com provides salary estimates, histograms, trends, and comparisons using data from employer job postings and third-party sources.

We offer detailed salary information across multiple percentiles for your reference. (Click here to learn Why the Salary Midpoint Formula Is Crucial for Achieving Pay Equity.)

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