The average salary for a kindergarten teacher in the United States is around $62,680 per year.
Avg Salary
Kindergarten teachers earn an average yearly salary of $62,680.
Wages typically start from $46,990 and go up to $101,830.
1% above national average Updated in 2025
Kindergarten teacher earnings by seniority
Top-level kindergarten teacher earnings begin at:
$48.96 per hour
$101,830 per year
Senior-level kindergarten teacher earnings begin at:
$38.42 per hour
$79,910 per year
Mid-level kindergarten teacher earnings begin at:
$30.13 per hour
$62,680 per year
Junior-level kindergarten teacher earnings begin at:
$25.09 per hour
$52,180 per year
Starting level kindergarten teacher earnings begin at:
$22.59 per hour
$46,990 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 |
| Alaska | $63,670 |
| Michigan | $63,300 |
| Vermont | $63,280 |
| Utah | $63,190 |
| Colorado | $62,870 |
| Idaho | $62,240 |
| Nebraska | $62,200 |
| 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 |
| Guam | $48,010 |
| Oklahoma | $47,860 |
| Montana | $47,590 |
| Puerto Rico | $22,270 |
How do kindergarten teacher salaries compare to similar careers?
Kindergarten teachers earn about the same as related careers in the United States. On average, they make less than professors but more than preschool teachers.
| Career | Median Salary |
|---|---|
| Professor salary | $75K |
| High school teacher salary | $72K |
| Librarian salary | $68K |
| Elementary school teacher salary | $64K |
| School counselor salary | $64K |
| Kindergarten teacher salary | $63K |
| Teacher salary | $61K |
| Childcare program administrator salary | $59K |
| Graduate teaching assistant salary | $43K |
| Preschool teacher salary | $38K |
Source: CareerExplorer (Aggregated)