How Much Does a Preschool Teacher Earn?
Preschool teachers are in charge of the education of children typically between the ages of 3 and 5. Preschool teachers are responsible for a much different educational role than elementary school teachers; instead of focusing on well-defined subject areas, preschool teachers work on developing motor skills, emotional maturity and language. Salaries for preschool teachers are less than they are for educators at other levels.
Average Salary
In 2008, the median salary earned by preschool teachers was $23,870, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The lowest 10 percent of salaried preschool teachers earned less than $16,030, while the highest 10 percent earned greater than $41,660. Hourly pay rates for preschool teachers average from $9.64 to $13.50, with overtime paying from $12.73 to $18.75 per hour.
Advancement
Preschool teachers can earn additional money by specializing in a need area, such as bilingual teaching or handling special education students. Many preschool teachers also advance to administrative positions within preschool or elementary school settings. Experience does not always result in great pay raises; in fact, wage reports for preschool teachers indicate that wages can fall from beginning pay rates. However, with 20 years of experience, the average salary for preschool teachers reaches about $29,000 per year.
Other Teachers
Preschool teachers make less than those in many other educational careers. Median salary levels for teachers in kindergarten through high school range from $47,100 to $51,180. Teachers involved in special education at the preschool, kindergarten and elementary level earned a median salary of $50,020 in 2008. Preschool teachers earn more than child care workers, however. Child care workers earned a median hourly wage of $9.12, about 50 cents less than the average hourly wage for preschool teachers.
Geography
The closer a preschool teacher works to a major metropolitan city, the more that teacher earns. Salaries for preschool teachers are highest in Newark, New Jersey, where preschool teachers earn $48,997 per year, and New York City, where they earn $35,224 per year. Preschool teacher wages drop with the size of the surrounding population; while a preschool teacher in Los Angeles earns from $11.14 to $16.35 per hour, teachers in Atlanta earn from $9.94 to $12.92 per hour and teachers in Austin, Texas, earn from $9.45 to $12.33 per hour.
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