The average salary for a kindergarten teacher in California is around $82,550 per year.
Avg Salary
Kindergarten teachers earn an average yearly salary of $82,550.
Wages typically start from $53,210 and go up to $124,400.
8% above national average Updated in 2025
Kindergarten teacher earnings by seniority
Top-level kindergarten teacher earnings begin at:
$59.81 per hour
$124,400 per year
Senior-level kindergarten teacher earnings begin at:
$51.61 per hour
$107,340 per year
Mid-level kindergarten teacher earnings begin at:
$39.69 per hour
$82,550 per year
Junior-level kindergarten teacher earnings begin at:
$30.82 per hour
$64,100 per year
Starting level kindergarten teacher earnings begin at:
$25.58 per hour
$53,210 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 California. On average, they make less than distance learning coordinators but more than preschool teachers.
| Career | Median Salary |
|---|---|
| Distance learning coordinator salary | $100K |
| High school teacher salary | $101K |
| Elementary school teacher salary | $100K |
| School counselor salary | $86K |
| Librarian salary | $90K |
| Kindergarten teacher salary | $83K |
| Teacher salary | $83K |
| Childcare program administrator salary | $67K |
| Graduate teaching assistant salary | $49K |
| Preschool teacher salary | $47K |
Source: CareerExplorer (Aggregated)