How much does a kindergarten teacher make?
a year · about $30 an hour
A typical kindergarten teacher in the United States makes $62,680 a year, about $30 an hour, about the same as a typical US worker (median, May 2025, US Bureau of Labor Statistics).
What do they do?
They teach reading, math, and other basics with hands-on activities, watch children practice sharing, and supervise lunch or recess. When students leave, they plan lessons, grade work, or meet with families and coworkers.
Did you know? One study found that the share of US kindergarten teachers who said children should learn to read in kindergarten rose from 31% in 1998 to 80% in 2010.
Is that a lot?
Compared with jobs you knowIf 100 people had this job
Most earn between $46,990 and $101,830How do you become one?
In the US, earn a bachelor’s degree in elementary education and complete supervised student teaching. Then meet your state’s public-school licensing rules, usually including a background check and teaching and subject tests; requirements vary by state.
School needed: Usually a bachelor's degree
Good for people who like helping and teaching and creating
Why does pay differ?
In the US, pay often rises with teaching experience and higher degrees; many public districts use salary steps tied to those factors. Pay also varies by location and employer, including public versus private schools. Public-school teachers need a state license, and its rules vary.
Where does it pay most?
Highest in Washington ($99,960), lowest in Oklahoma ($47,860).
See every state
Top 5 and bottom 3 states, typical (median) yearly pay.
Jobs like this
In Japan, a kindergarten teacher averages $29,508. Kindergarten teacher salary in Japan
Data table and sources
| Lower earner (10th from bottom) | Typical person (median) | Higher earner (10th from top) | People in this job |
|---|---|---|---|
| $46,990 | $62,680 | $101,830 | about 109,000 |
| State | Typical person (median) | People in this job |
|---|---|---|
| Washington | $99,960 | about 5,000 |
| Connecticut | $90,030 | about 1,000 |
| Massachusetts | $84,100 | about 2,000 |
| California | $82,550 | about 7,000 |
| New York | $77,630 | about 7,000 |
Official definition: Teach academic and social skills to kindergarten students. Excludes “Special Education Teachers” (25-2050) and “Substitute Teachers, Short-Term” (25-3031).
Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025 (bls.gov); descriptions and related jobs from O*NET 31.0. Figures as of May 2025, full-time yearly pay (hourly × 2,080 hours). bls.gov/oes · O*NET OnLine
Pages used for the text
- www.bls.gov/ooh/Education-Training-and-Library/Kindergarten-and-elementary-schoo
- www.bls.gov/careeroutlook/2015/article/wage-differences.htm
- www.nber.org/system/files/working_papers/w24813/revisions/w24813.rev1.pdf
- journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/2332858415616358
- www.bls.gov/opub/mlr/2014/article/teacher-staffing-and-pay-differences.htm
Data: US BLS OEWS, May 2025 · 1 USD = 150 JPY