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Kindergarten Teacher

$61,430
median pay per year
full range coming in the next data update

What the job actually is

Teach young children early reading, math, and social skills through structured play and lessons.

Where you work

Public and private elementary schools.

The hours

Weekday schedule following the school calendar

By the numbers

May 2024–25 BLS wage data · 2024–34 BLS employment projections.

Median pay
$61,430
per year
What most earn
range coming soon
Openings a year
~12,800
projected, 2024–34
Outlook to 2034
-2%
Declining
Working in the U.S.
117,200
people, nationwide

Openings a year counts new jobs plus the ones that open when people retire or move on — a truer picture of your odds than growth alone.

“Median” means half earn more and half earn less. Your city, employer, and years on the job move it a lot — that is what the 10th-to-90th range shows.

How you get in

Typical starting education

Bachelor's degree

Training path: Bachelor's degree + license.

License or certification

Public school teachers need a state teaching license or certification.

What it takes

Lesson planningClassroom managementPatienceCommunication

The honest take

Shrinking slightly with enrollment, but a stable public path with a summer break built in.

Standard Occupational Classification 25-2012. Pay, employment, and outlook from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS wage survey and 2024–34 employment projections). See something off? Tell us.