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

What industry pays the highest salary for Preschool?

The Healthcare industry offers the highest average compensation for Preschool roles, with salaries approximately 50% above the market median.

How does experience change A Preschool's salary?

A Preschool's salary grows with experience: a Preschool (0-0 years)earns $43,646, a Child Caregiver I (0-1 years)earns $33,353, a Child Caregiver II (1-3 years)earns $37,642,

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 $47,038, California $46,860, Massachusetts $46,235. 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: $150,141; Preschool Principal: $106,487; Preschool Manager: $64,539; Montessori PreSchool Preschool Director: $61,690; Preschool Administrator: $53,353.

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 July 01, 2026, the average salary for a Preschool in the United States is $42,484 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): $50,798
Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $36,905 to $46,836
Entry-Level (10th percentile): $31,826

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Preschool Salaries by Percentile

	Annual Salary	Monthly Pay	Weekly Pay	Hourly Wage
75th Percentile	$46,836	$3,903	$901	$23
Average	$42,484	$3,540	$817	$20
25th Percentile	$36,905	$3,075	$710	$18

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Check out Preschool Job Openings in the United States

Preschool Principal

Enchanted Care - Marysville, OH

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Community Action Wayne Medina - Wooster, OH

Preschool Educational Assistant

Educational Service Center of Eastern Ohio - Youngstown, OH

Instructional Aide

Solon City School District - Solon, OH

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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: $47,038.
California: $46,860.
Massachusetts: $46,235.

District of Columbia $47,038 California $46,860 Massachusetts $46,235 Washington $46,066 New Jersey $46,049 Alaska $45,989 Connecticut $45,403 New York $45,165

Hawaii $44,404 Rhode Island $44,048 Maryland $43,805 Minnesota $43,474 Colorado $43,347 Illinois $43,304 Oregon $43,143 Delaware $43,024

New Hampshire $42,949 Virginia $42,781 Pennsylvania $42,293 Nevada $42,047 North Dakota $41,966 Michigan $41,838 Wisconsin $41,792 Vermont $41,698

Texas $41,439 Maine $41,422 Arizona $41,397 Ohio $41,367 Georgia $40,976 Indiana $40,780 Wyoming $40,742 Utah $40,683

Iowa $40,657 Kansas $40,453 Louisiana $40,394 North Carolina $40,373 Missouri $40,364 Florida $40,198 Montana $40,109 Nebraska $40,024

Kentucky $39,978 South Carolina $39,808 Tennessee $39,701 Idaho $39,659 New Mexico $39,349 Oklahoma $39,281 Alabama $39,030 South Dakota $38,610

Arkansas $38,380 West Virginia $38,257 Mississippi $37,887

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: $53,585
San Francisco: $52,998
Oakland: $51,882

San Jose, CA $53,585

San Francisco, CA $52,998

Oakland, CA $51,882

New York, NY $48,916

Paramus, NJ $48,321

Queens Village, NY $48,319

Passaic, NJ $48,279

Bergenfield, NJ $48,275

Stamford, CT $48,181

Huntington, NY $48,164

Newark, NJ $47,850

Bridgeport, CT $47,760

Vallejo, CA $47,676

New Brunswick, NJ $47,659

Petaluma, CA $47,633

Middlesex, NJ $47,552

Somerset, NJ $47,523

Santa Cruz, CA $47,467

Boston, MA $47,208

Monterey, CA $47,059

Seattle, WA $46,962

Santa Rosa, CA $46,953

Los Angeles, CA $46,941

Juneau, AK $46,830

Washington, DC $46,783

Orange, CA $46,632

Santa Ana, CA $46,520

Long Beach, CA $46,478

Anaheim, CA $46,469

Anchorage, AK $46,448

Santa Maria, CA $46,320

Everett, WA $46,312

Danbury, CT $46,162

Bremerton, WA $46,104

Tacoma, WA $45,951

New Suffolk, NY $45,950

Sacramento, CA $45,938

Santa Barbara, CA $45,891

Trenton, NJ $45,845

San Diego, CA $45,845

Brockton, MA $45,798

Fairbanks, AK $45,694

Lompoc, CA $45,585

Lowell, MA $45,551

Ventura, CA $45,543

Nashua, NH $45,534

Stockton, CA $45,530

Modesto, CA $45,220

Poughkeepsie, NY $45,127

Olympia, WA $45,046

Kennewick, WA $45,046

New Haven, CT $45,029

Lawrence, MA $44,876

Hartford, CT $44,833

Riverside, CA $44,825

New Bedford, MA $44,782

Richland, WA $44,782

Bakersfield, CA $44,723

San Bernardino, CA $44,706

New Britain, CT $44,702

Atlantic City, NJ $44,702

New London, CT $44,685

Norwich, CT $44,672

Portsmouth, NH $44,664

Boulder, CO $44,573

Portland, OR $44,515

Worcester, MA $44,511

Minneapolis, MN $44,379

Philadelphia, PA $44,319

Honolulu, HI $44,179

Saint Paul, MN $44,159

Vineland, NJ $44,149

Providence, RI $44,026

Chicago, IL $43,903

Bellingham, WA $43,852

Springfield, MA $43,818

Baltimore, MD $43,805

Chico, CA $43,699

Pittsfield, MA $43,584

Manchester, NH $43,504

Spokane, WA $43,317

Denver, CO $43,313

Albany, NY $43,113

Troy, NY $43,096

Nassau, NY $43,050

Schenectady, NY $43,007

Wilmington, DE $42,973

Burlington, VT $42,913

Salem, OR $42,896

Portland, ME $42,764

Yakima, WA $42,722

Rochester, MN $42,590

Reno, NV $42,569

Fresno, CA $42,569

Milwaukee, WI $42,531

Detroit, MI $42,488

Ann Arbor, MI $42,481

Allentown, PA $42,476

Colorado Springs, CO $42,403

Syracuse, NY $42,382

Carson City, NV $42,382

Houston, TX $42,323

Eugene, OR $42,301

Gary, IN $42,250

Springfield, OR $42,216

Bismarck, ND $42,208

Galveston, TX $42,178

Medford, OR $42,114

Fort Collins, CO $42,097

Concord, NH $42,076

Austin, TX $42,064

Mesa, AZ $41,974

Reading, PA $41,970

Phoenix, AZ $41,966

Dallas, TX $41,953

Saint Cloud, MN $41,912

Madison, WI $41,855

Utica, NY $41,741

Rochester, NY $41,673

Des Moines, IA $41,668

Raleigh, NC $41,664

Atlanta, GA $41,600

Battle Creek, MI $41,588

Salt Lake City, UT $41,575

Lancaster, PA $41,511

Harrisburg, PA $41,452

Kansas City, MO $41,409

Champaign, IL $41,401

Kansas City, KS $41,401

Fort Worth, TX $41,397

Columbus, OH $41,389

Boca Raton, FL $41,380

Pittsburgh, PA $41,363

Richmond, VA $41,346

Indianapolis, IN $41,337

Cleveland, OH $41,333

Las Vegas, NV $41,282

Cincinnati, OH $41,282

Petersburg, VA $41,218

Huntsville, AL $41,154

Lansing, MI $41,126

Lebanon, PA $41,120

Pueblo, CO $41,116

Appleton, WI $41,103

Buffalo, NY $41,086

Dayton, OH $41,074

Racine, WI $41,065

Charlotte, NC $41,061

Saint Louis, MO $41,048

York, PA $41,023

Elkhart, IN $41,023

Gastonia, NC $41,015

Billings, MT $41,004

Beaumont, TX $40,993

Lorain, OH $40,984

Benton Harbor, MI $40,976

Toledo, OH $40,967

Binghamton, NY $40,946

Rock Hill, SC $40,942

Rockford, IL $40,921

Springfield, IL $40,904

Elyria, OH $40,899

Fargo, ND $40,899

Flagstaff, AZ $40,870

Fort Lauderdale, FL $40,844

Duluth, MN $40,819

Miami, FL $40,819

Cheyenne, WY $40,789

Grand Forks, ND $40,789

Bangor, ME $40,696

Cedar Rapids, IA $40,649

Durham, NC $40,631

Louisville, KY $40,628

Grand Rapids, MI $40,619

Hialeah, FL $40,615

Casper, WY $40,555

Scranton, PA $40,504

New Orleans, LA $40,492

Virginia Beach, VA $40,487

Akron, OH $40,466

Peoria, IL $40,411

Sarasota, FL $40,402

Nashville, TN $40,373

Omaha, NE $40,373

Green Bay, WI $40,373

Baton Rouge, LA $40,351

Charleston, SC $40,343

Jamestown, NY $40,322

Davenport, IA $40,322

Tucson, AZ $40,300

Saint Petersburg, FL $40,275

Tampa, FL $40,266

Evansville, IN $40,241

Port Arthur, TX $40,241

Bradenton, FL $40,224

Santa Fe, NM $40,147

Orlando, FL $40,071

Clearwater, FL $40,058

Canton, OH $39,969

La Crosse, WI $39,969

Albuquerque, NM $39,944

Newport News, VA $39,939

High Point, NC $39,927

Ogden, UT $39,910

Corpus Christi, TX $39,876

Norfolk, VA $39,850

Laramie, WY $39,850

Rock Island, IL $39,825

Saginaw, MI $39,816

Jacksonville, FL $39,812

Salisbury, NC $39,803

Boise, ID $39,795

Moline, IL $39,774

Fort Myers, FL $39,761

Memphis, TN $39,752

Tulsa, OK $39,731

Waterloo, IA $39,706

Spartanburg, SC $39,663

Lincoln, NE $39,642

Fort Wayne, IN $39,633

Provo, UT $39,629

Cedar Falls, IA $39,578

San Antonio, TX $39,561

Greensboro, NC $39,544

South Bend, IN $39,540

Savannah, GA $39,493

Muskegon, MI $39,476

Birmingham, AL $39,472

Winston Salem, NC $39,451

Lake Charles, LA $39,349

Anderson, IN $39,340

Lexington, KY $39,328

Augusta, GA $39,315

Greenville, SC $39,315

Lima, OH $39,281

Wichita, KS $39,277

Tuscaloosa, AL $39,277

Columbia, SC $39,238

Springfield, OH $39,230

Asheville, NC $39,162

Bloomington, IN $39,132

Knoxville, TN $38,979

Shreveport, LA $38,975

Wilmington, NC $38,920

Roanoke, VA $38,920

Topeka, KS $38,843

Frankfort, KY $38,839

Oklahoma City, OK $38,809

Chillicothe, OH $38,792

Longview, TX $38,788

Melbourne, FL $38,784

Sioux Falls, SD $38,716

Mobile, AL $38,712

Terre Haute, IN $38,695

Altoona, PA $38,669

Amarillo, TX $38,639

Killeen, TX $38,627

Fayetteville, AR $38,593

Chattanooga, TN $38,580

Sioux City, IA $38,542

Idaho Falls, ID $38,533

Lynchburg, VA $38,499

Gainesville, FL $38,444

Portsmouth, OH $38,423

Little Rock, AR $38,414

Lafayette, LA $38,397

Youngstown, OH $38,397

Daytona Beach, FL $38,372

Clarksville, TN $38,367

Pensacola, FL $38,363

Temple, TX $38,360

Hopkinsville, KY $38,236

Erie, PA $38,227

Florence, SC $38,210

Charleston, WV $38,142

Great Falls, MT $38,121

Macon, GA $38,062

Tallahassee, FL $38,057

Fayetteville, NC $38,049

Waco, TX $38,040

Helena, MT $38,011

Pine Bluff, AR $37,994

Vincennes, IN $37,943

Lubbock, TX $37,926

Alamogordo, NM $37,900

Twin Falls, ID $37,862

Rapid City, SD $37,849

Jackson, MS $37,773

Huntington, WV $37,770

Greenville, MS $37,768

Parkersburg, WV $37,725

Montgomery, AL $37,717

Wichita Falls, TX $37,675

Springfield, MO $37,675

Biloxi, MS $37,654

Monroe, LA $37,611

Johnstown, PA $37,581

Sumter, SC $37,564

Columbus, GA $37,560

Pascagoula, MS $37,479

Abilene, TX $37,479

Kingsport, TN $37,369

Albany, GA $37,369

Gulfport, MS $37,356

Alexandria, LA $37,216

Fort Smith, AR $37,110

El Paso, TX $36,995

Las Cruces, NM $36,804

Harlingen, TX $36,696

Pocatello, ID $36,689

Florence, AL $36,634

Brownsville, TX $36,626

Mcallen, TX $36,536

Dothan, AL $36,477

Columbus, MS $36,224

Altus, OK $36,027

Lawton, OK $35,946

Pierre, SD $35,793

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	$47,582	12%
IDEA	$46,308	9%
Special Education	$45,883	8%
Confidentiality	$44,608	5%
Staff Development	$44,608	5%
Pediatric	$44,183	4%

Get Latest Data

Preschool Salary by Industry: Top Paying Sectors

For Preschool roles, the industry you choose can affect earning potential by as much as 100% (the gap between the highest and lowest paying industries). Data shows that the Healthcare and Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit sectors offer the strongest compensation, at 50% above the average. In contrast, Preschool positions in Hospitality & Leisure or Business Services typically offer lower base pay, as these industries often view Preschool as a support function rather than a direct revenue driver.

The top paying industries for a Preschool

Industry Sector	Average Annual Salary	Average Hourly Rate	Pay vs.Avg
Healthcare	$63,726	$31.0	50%
Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit	$50,981	$25.0	20%

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 July 01, 2026

$36,905

Average $42,484/year

$46,836

$3,075

Average $3,540/month

$3,903

$710

Average $817/week

$901

$18

Average $20/hour

$23

	Annual Salary	Monthly Pay	Weekly Pay	Hourly Wage
75th Percentile	$46,836	$3,903	$901	$23
Average	$42,484	$3,540	$817	$20
25th Percentile	$36,905	$3,075	$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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401(k)

Disability

Healthcare

Pension

Time Off (days)

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Where Does Our Salary Data Come From?

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