Salary Range & Percentiles
Pay distribution across experience levels
- 10th Percentile — Entry Level$46,990
- 25th Percentile — Junior$52,180
- 50th Percentile — Median$62,680
- 75th Percentile — Senior$79,910
- 90th Percentile — Top Earners$101,830
The top 10% of Kindergarten Teachers earn $101,830 or more per year. Entry-level professionals can expect to start around $46,990, with significant growth over the first 5 years.
Salary by State
Geographic salary comparison
| State | Avg Salary | vs National |
|---|---|---|
| Washington | $95,380 | +37.5% |
| Alaska (est.) | $91,568 | +32.0% |
| California | $88,160 | +27.1% |
| Connecticut | $88,070 | +27.0% |
| New York | $86,620 | +24.9% |
| District of Columbia | $86,500 | +24.7% |
| Massachusetts | $84,950 | +22.5% |
| Maryland | $78,160 | +12.7% |
| New Jersey | $78,110 | +12.6% |
| Rhode Island | $77,600 | +11.9% |
| Minnesota | $72,880 | +5.1% |
| Oregon | $72,090 | +3.9% |
| Illinois | $71,160 | +2.6% |
| New Mexico | $71,000 | +2.3% |
| Ohio | $70,590 | +1.8% |
| Virginia | $69,880 | +0.7% |
| Georgia | $69,870 | +0.7% |
| Utah | $69,280 | -0.1% |
| Pennsylvania | $68,760 | -0.9% |
| Delaware | $68,420 | -1.4% |
| Vermont | $68,220 | -1.7% |
| Colorado | $68,150 | -1.8% |
| Michigan | $66,710 | -3.8% |
| Nevada | $66,570 | -4.0% |
| Idaho | $64,620 | -6.8% |
| New Hampshire | $64,240 | -7.4% |
| Nebraska | $63,530 | -8.4% |
| Wyoming | $61,500 | -11.3% |
| Texas | $60,880 | -12.2% |
| South Carolina | $60,850 | -12.3% |
| Wisconsin | $60,320 | -13.0% |
| Florida | $59,970 | -13.6% |
| Kentucky | $59,670 | -14.0% |
| North Dakota | $58,850 | -15.2% |
| Missouri | $58,740 | -15.3% |
| West Virginia | $58,600 | -15.5% |
| Hawaii | $58,230 | -16.1% |
| Iowa | $58,170 | -16.1% |
| Indiana | $57,920 | -16.5% |
| Maine | $57,810 | -16.7% |
| Tennessee | $57,680 | -16.9% |
| Arizona | $57,550 | -17.0% |
| Kansas | $57,130 | -17.6% |
| Montana | $56,060 | -19.2% |
| Arkansas | $55,220 | -20.4% |
| Louisiana | $54,040 | -22.1% |
| Alabama | $53,360 | -23.1% |
| North Carolina | $53,120 | -23.4% |
| Oklahoma | $52,620 | -24.1% |
| South Dakota | $51,640 | -25.6% |
| Mississippi | $49,960 | -28.0% |
What Factors Affect Kindergarten Teachers Salary?
Key factors affecting compensation
Pay for Kindergarten Teachers is influenced by geographic location, years of experience, employer type, and educational background. Location alone is a large factor: Washington pays an average of $95,380, while Mississippi pays $49,960 — a gap of $45,420 per year.
The middle half of Kindergarten Teachers earn between $52,180 and $79,910 per year. The lowest-paid 10% earn under $46,990, while the top 10% earn more than $101,830.
These figures are the wages employers report to BLS: base pay plus commissions, production bonuses and tips. They exclude overtime pay, shift differentials, year-end bonuses, benefits and self-employed workers, so total compensation can be higher than the numbers shown.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OES) · May 2025
Compare with Similar Jobs
Related career salary benchmarks
- Elementary School Teachers $72,650/yr United States +4.7% vs this role
- Secondary School Teachers $76,320/yr United States +10.0% vs this role
- Middle School Teachers $72,030/yr United States +3.8% vs this role
- Preschool Teachers $43,030/yr United States 38.0% vs this role
- Special Education Teachers $79,750/yr United States +15.0% vs this role
- Business Professors $114,720/yr United States +65.4% vs this role
- Registered Nurses $101,420/yr United States +46.2% vs this role
- Nurse Practitioners $137,300/yr United States +97.9% vs this role
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about this salary
What is the average salary for Kindergarten Teachers?
The average salary for Kindergarten Teachers in the United States is $69,370 per year, with a median of $62,680.
What is the starting salary for Kindergarten Teachers?
Entry-level Kindergarten Teachers typically earn between $46,990 and $52,180 per year depending on location and employer.
What state pays Kindergarten Teachers the most?
Washington pays Kindergarten Teachers the most at $95,380 per year on average, followed by California ($88,160) and Connecticut ($88,070).
How much do Kindergarten Teachers make per hour?
Based on the average annual salary of $69,370, Kindergarten Teachers earn approximately $33.35 per hour (based on 2,080 working hours/year).
Is Kindergarten Teachers a good career in 2026?
BLS counts 108,870 Kindergarten Teachers jobs in the United States, with a mean annual wage of $69,370 and a median of $62,680 (OEWS May 2025). This site does not publish job-growth projections; the BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook covers the outlook for each occupation.
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