Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special Education
SOC 25-2012 • View wages by state
The median annual wage for Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special Education is $62,690, based on BLS OEWS 2023 data. The mean annual wage is $67,790, and an estimated 118,580 workers are employed in this occupation nationally. Between 2020 and 2023, pay rose +8.3% while consumer prices rose 17.7% — a real change of -8% (pay did not keep up with inflation). BLS projects employment will shrink 1.6% between 2024 and 2034.
Wage Trend & Inflation Adjustment
How the national median wage for Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special Education has moved across BLS OEWS release years, and what each year's wage is worth in 2023 dollars after adjusting for CPI inflation. "Real" change strips out inflation — the truest measure of whether pay is actually rising.
| Year | Median (nominal) | In 2023 $ (real) | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | $62,690 | $62,690 | 118,580 |
| 2022 | $60,490 | $62,980 | 119,250 |
| 2021 | $60,900 | $68,481 | 120,730 |
| 2020 | $57,860 | $68,119 | 120,080 |
Nominal change
+8.3%
Inflation (CPI)
+17.7%
Real change
-8%
Job Outlook (2024–2034 BLS projection)
The BLS Employment Projections program estimates how each occupation's employment will change over the coming decade, and how many job openings to expect each year (from both growth and the need to replace workers who leave).
Projected Growth
-1.6%
Declining
Employment 2024
117,200
Projected 2034
115,200
Annual Openings
12,800
Typical entry-level education: Bachelor's degree.
Highest-Paying Areas (2023)
Where Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special Education earn the most, and how each area's median compares to the national median of $62,690. A positive premium means the area pays above the national rate.
| Area | Median Annual | vs National | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| California | $94,580 | +50.9% | 6,500 |
| Rhode Island | $90,070 | +43.7% | 360 |
| Massachusetts | $85,820 | +36.9% | 2,250 |
| Connecticut nonmetropolitan area | $84,510 | +34.8% | 40 |
| Border Region of Texas nonmetropolitan area | $84,280 | +34.4% | 50 |
| Washington | $83,200 | +32.7% | 4,660 |
| New York | $83,160 | +32.7% | 7,910 |
| Connecticut | $81,990 | +30.8% | 1,390 |
| Western Washington nonmetropolitan area | $80,790 | +28.9% | 270 |
| Oregon | $80,530 | +28.5% | 1,390 |
Wage Distribution (National, 2023)
10th, 25th, 50th (median), 75th, and 90th percentile annual wages from BLS OEWS — the full spread, not just an average.
10th Pct
$45,650
25th Pct
$50,970
Median
$62,690
75th Pct
$78,950
90th Pct
$100,390
H-1B Employer Filings
Employer-certified wages from DOL H-1B LCA filings — competitive market benchmark, not approved visas.
| Employer | State | Filings | Median Wage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cedar Tree Education Inc | CA | 2 | $79,934 |
| Milwaukee Board of School Directors | WI | 2 | $77,299 |
| Blytheville School District No. 5 | AR | 2 | $50,000 |
| Immersion 5 LLC | CA | 1 | $62,400 |
| Guidepost A LLC | TX | 1 | $55,000 |
| MONTESSORI WEST, INC. | CA | 1 | $60,237 |
| WEST HARVEY DIXMOOR SCHOOL DISTRICT 147 | IL | 1 | $49,020 |
| Na' Neelzhiin Ji Olta, Inc. | NM | 1 | $60,270 |
| Playhouse NYC, Inc. | NY | 1 | $53,210 |
| Granville County Public Schools | NC | 1 | $34,150 |
| Star Lights LLC | VA | 1 | $48,250 |
| Little Tree Montessori International School, Inc | CA | 1 | $66,456 |
| Sioux Falls School District 49-5 | SD | 1 | $53,715 |
| King City Union School District | CA | 1 | $56,696 |
| Lower Yukon School District | AK | 1 | $70,362 |
| ES KHM OpCo, LLC | CA | 1 | $49,026 |
| Little Tiger Chinese Immersion School, LLC | TX | 1 | $65,000 |
| Warren County Schools | NC | 1 | $49,000 |
| INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT 270, HOPKINS | MN | 1 | $59,627 |
| Casa dei Bambini School | CA | 1 | $67,548 |
Source: DOL Office of Foreign Labor Certification, H-1B LCA data.
Related Occupations in Educational Instruction & Library
Other occupations in the same SOC major group, ranked by national median wage.