Kindergarten teacher earnings by seniority

90th percentile

Top-level kindergarten teacher earnings begin at:

$22.30 per hour

$46,380 per year

75th percentile

Senior-level kindergarten teacher earnings begin at:

$19.21 per hour

$39,960 per year

50th percentile

Mid-level kindergarten teacher earnings begin at:

$16.19 per hour

$33,670 per year

25th percentile

Junior-level kindergarten teacher earnings begin at:

$13.29 per hour

$27,650 per year

10th percentile

Starting level kindergarten teacher earnings begin at:

$9.09 per hour

$18,900 per year

Approximate values based on highest and lowest earning segments.

Kindergarten teacher salary by state

State Name Average Salary
Washington $99,960
Connecticut $90,030
Rhode Island $85,470
Massachusetts $84,100
California $82,550
District of Columbia $81,500
New York $77,630
Maryland $75,910
Minnesota $75,500
New Mexico $74,380
New Jersey $74,210
Delaware $74,030
Ohio $72,570
Oregon $68,580
Georgia $65,680
Nevada $64,930
Pennsylvania $64,430
Illinois $64,020
Virginia $63,920
Texas $63,780
Michigan $63,300
Vermont $63,280
Utah $63,190
Colorado $62,870
Idaho $62,240
Nebraska $62,200
Alaska $62,140
Wyoming $60,990
South Carolina $60,890
Kentucky $60,280
New Hampshire $60,240
North Dakota $59,420
Wisconsin $59,350
West Virginia $58,790
Iowa $58,420
Indiana $58,250
Florida $58,100
Tennessee $58,070
Kansas $56,670
Missouri $56,590
North Carolina $53,180
Hawaii $53,160
Louisiana $53,130
Arizona $52,830
Maine $52,660
Arkansas $52,060
Alabama $50,900
South Dakota $49,410
Mississippi $48,880
Oklahoma $47,860
Guam $47,680
Montana $47,590
Puerto Rico $33,670

How much does a Kindergarten Teacher earn?

Where one works has an impact on a kindergarten teacher’s starting salary. Salaries can vary from district to district and from state to state. Urban areas tend to offer higher kindergarten teacher salaries, but the cost of living is also higher. While a kindergarten teacher may earn less in a rural area, they'll probably spend less for rent, food, gas, and other expenses.

Kindergarten teachers at public primary schools generally fare better with their salary than those teaching at private schools. As well, possessing an advanced degree can lead to a higher starting salary. According to Huffington Post, school districts in the United States pay more than $8.6 billion per year in bonuses for teachers with a master’s degree (bonuses range from $1,423 to $10,777).

How do kindergarten teacher salaries compare to similar careers?

Kindergarten teachers earn about the same as related careers in Puerto Rico. On average, they make less than graduate teaching assistants but more than preschool teachers.

Career Median Salary
Graduate teaching assistant salary $35K
Librarian salary $37K
School counselor salary $33K
Health educator salary $32K
Elementary school teacher salary $35K
Kindergarten teacher salary $34K
High school teacher salary $32K
Special education teacher salary $30K
Clergy salary $20K
Preschool teacher salary $22K

Source: CareerExplorer (Aggregated)