All About Preschool Teachers
Example of Preschool Teacher Job Instruct preschool-aged children in activities designed to promote social, physical, and intellectual growth needed for primary school in preschool, day care center, or other child development facility. May be required to hold State certification.
Preschool Teacher Responsibilities
- Organize and label materials and display students’ work in a manner appropriate for their ages and perceptual skills.
- Arrange indoor and outdoor space to facilitate creative play, motor-skill activities, and safety.
- Demonstrate activities to children.
- Plan and supervise class projects, field trips, visits by guests, or other experiential activities and guide students in learning from those activities.
- Supervise, evaluate, and plan assignments for teacher assistants and volunteers.
- Attend professional meetings, educational conferences, and teacher training workshops to maintain and improve professional competence.
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Preschool Teacher Required Skills
Below is a list of the skills most Preschool Teachers say are important on the job.
Instructing: Teaching others how to do something.
Speaking: Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Active Listening: Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Learning Strategies: Selecting and using training/instructional methods and procedures appropriate for the situation when learning or teaching new things.
Social Perceptiveness: Being aware of others’ reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
Critical Thinking: Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
Other Preschool Teacher Job Titles
- Bilingual Instructor
- Montessori Teacher
- Child Care Teacher
- Childhood Development Teacher
- Day Care Provider
What Kind of Preschool Teacher Job Opportunities Are There?
There were about 478,500 jobs for Preschool Teacher in 2016 (in the United States). New jobs are being produced at a rate of 10.5% which is above the national average. The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts 50,100 new jobs for Preschool Teacher by 2026. There will be an estimated 53,600 positions for Preschool Teacher per year.

The states with the most job growth for Preschool Teacher are Utah, Colorado, and Arizona. Watch out if you plan on working in Maine, Wyoming, or Rhode Island. These states have the worst job growth for this type of profession.
How Much Does a Preschool Teacher Make?
The average yearly salary of a Preschool Teacher ranges between $20,610 and $55,350.

Preschool Teachers who work in New York, Hawaii, or District of Columbia, make the highest salaries.
Below is a list of the median annual salaries for Preschool Teachers in different U.S. states.
State | Annual Mean Salary |
---|---|
Alabama | $24,800 |
Alaska | $36,210 |
Arizona | $31,010 |
Arkansas | $33,150 |
California | $37,850 |
Colorado | $33,140 |
Connecticut | $43,350 |
Delaware | $28,910 |
District of Columbia | $42,060 |
Florida | $27,990 |
Georgia | $30,910 |
Hawaii | $39,560 |
Idaho | $26,000 |
Illinois | $31,500 |
Indiana | $27,250 |
Iowa | $27,030 |
Kansas | $31,560 |
Kentucky | $33,650 |
Louisiana | $32,290 |
Maine | $35,560 |
Maryland | $38,440 |
Massachusetts | $39,180 |
Michigan | $35,010 |
Minnesota | $37,500 |
Mississippi | $27,940 |
Missouri | $30,440 |
Montana | $31,160 |
Nebraska | $37,980 |
Nevada | $32,540 |
New Hampshire | $30,860 |
New Jersey | $40,880 |
New Mexico | $34,100 |
New York | $48,630 |
North Carolina | $28,260 |
North Dakota | $28,220 |
Ohio | $29,020 |
Oklahoma | $29,310 |
Oregon | $30,400 |
Pennsylvania | $29,250 |
Rhode Island | $32,400 |
South Carolina | $28,940 |
South Dakota | $30,860 |
Tennessee | $32,630 |
Texas | $34,960 |
Utah | $29,700 |
Vermont | $34,290 |
Virginia | $37,880 |
Washington | $32,960 |
West Virginia | $32,560 |
Wisconsin | $26,550 |
Wyoming | $32,610 |
What Tools do Preschool Teachers Use?
Below is a list of the types of tools and technologies that Preschool Teachers may use on a daily basis:
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Word
- Microsoft Office
- Data entry software
- Email software
- Children’s educational software
How do I Become a Preschool Teacher?
Are there Preschool Teachers education requirements?

How Long Does it Take to Become a Preschool Teacher?

Preschool Teachers Sector

The table below shows the approximate number of Preschool Teachers employed by various industries.

Related Careers
Those who work as a Preschool Teacher sometimes switch careers to one of these choices:
References:
Image Credit: Vgrigas via Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported
More about our data sources and methodologies.
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