Talking Numbers: Preschool Teacher Salary Compared to All Teacher Salaries

When looking at a preschool teacher salary compared to all teacher salaries, plain and simple, preschool teachers usually make less. But exactly how much less and why? Here are the details:

So how much less are we talking?

In 2011, the average preschool teacher made about $26,600 annually. According to the U.S. Census, teachers overall made nearly twice as much, at over $50,000 per year. During the same year, preschool teachers made less than both middle school and elementary school teachers. They even made less than the average sports coach in the year 2011.

Why the big difference?

Why the large difference when examining a preschool teacher salary compared to all teacher salaries? One reason could be the education required. Most preschool teachers are required to have an associate’s degree, which only takes two years to obtain. Other teachers, however, from kindergarten through high school, are nearly always required to have a four-year bachelor’s degree. Some, even hold master’s.

The salary differences could also have a lot to do with where the teachers work. Teachers who make the most are often found in public schools with a constant stream of funding, while preschool teachers are usually filed into the child care industry. This means they’re almost always privately run and many lack the necessary funding to keep them up and running, meaning they simply don’t have more money to offer their teachers. Interestingly enough, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, in 2012, the preschool teachers who made the most money were actually the ones found working in elementary schools, not in privately funded programs.

Finally, preschool is usually optional. The rest of a child’s education is not. Plain and simple.

Sources:

-“How Much do Preschool Teachers Make Compared to Kindergarten Teachers” Chron: http://work.chron.com/much-preschool-teachers-make-compared-kindergarten-teachers-25399.html

-“Preschool Teacher Salary” US News Money: http://money.usnews.com/careers/best-jobs/preschool-teacher/salary