How long does the training take?

Typically about two years for the degree. That is the usual route rather than a rule — people arrive by other paths all the time.

How much do preschool teachers, except special education make?

The US median is $38,140 a year, meaning half earn more and half less. Pay varies widely by state, employer and experience.

Do you need a degree for this work?

Yes — a degree is the usual way in.

Where can you train for this work?

1,490 US colleges, community colleges and trade schools award credentials in a matching program. See which ones →

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Preschool teachers, except special education: pay, training and the programs that lead there

Education · SOC 25-2011

$38,140US median pay, 2025

+4.5%Projected growth, 2025–35

66,700Openings per year

DegreeUsual way in

How you get in

A degree is the usual way in.

Associate's degree
Work in: preschool teachers, except special education

Programs that lead to this job

These are the federal program codes (CIP) that the Department of Education maps to this occupation, and how many US colleges, community colleges or trade schools report awarding credentials in each.

Program	Code	Schools
Early Childhood Education and Teaching	CIP 13.1210	915
Teaching English as a Second or Foreign Language/ESL Language Instructor	CIP 13.1401	331
Teacher Education, Multiple Levels	CIP 13.1206	258
Child Care and Support Services Management	CIP 19.0708	230
Child Development	CIP 19.0706	215
Kindergarten/Preschool Education and Teaching	CIP 13.1209	115
Bilingual and Multilingual Education	CIP 13.0201	73
Montessori Teacher Education	CIP 13.1207	15
Teaching English or French as a Second or Foreign Language, Other	CIP 13.1499	6
Waldorf/Steiner Teacher Education	CIP 13.1208	1
International Teaching and Learning	CIP 13.1212	1
Teaching French as a Second or Foreign Language	CIP 13.1402	0

See the 1,490 schools that offer these programs →

Common questions

How long does the training take?: Typically about two years for the degree. That is the usual route rather than a rule — people arrive by other paths all the time.
How much do preschool teachers, except special education make?: The US median is $38,140 a year, meaning half earn more and half less. Pay varies widely by state, employer and experience.
Do you need a degree for this work?: Yes — a degree is the usual way in.
Where can you train for this work?: 1,490 US colleges, community colleges and trade schools award credentials in a matching program. See which ones →

Pay and growth are national figures. What you earn depends on where you work, your employer and your experience, and these are projections rather than promises. Education requirements describe how most people enter the job, not a rule — plenty of people take another route.

Pay, growth, openings and entry requirements: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections 2025–35. Program-to-occupation mapping: NCES CIP–SOC crosswalk (2020/2018). School counts: IPEDS completions, 2022–23.

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