JobAfterNext

Preschool Teachers, Except Special Education

Instruct preschool-aged students, following curricula or lesson plans, in activities designed to promote social, physical, and intellectual growth.

Wages

Median annual wage, U.S.$38,140
Employment, U.S.478,780
Median hourly wage$18.34
Annual wage percentiles, U.S., May 2025
10th25thMedian75th90th
$28,990$34,530$38,140$47,550$61,390
By state (51)
StateEmploymentMedian annualLocation quotient
Alabama7,910$28,3101.22
Alaska520$46,1300.52
Arizona9,400$36,3000.94
Arkansas3,270$34,1900.81
California55,700$47,4000.99
Colorado5,210$45,5000.59
Connecticut5,230$45,7401.00
Delaware2,000$36,3601.34
District of Columbia2,350$62,1501.09
Florida35,740$35,8601.17
Georgia16,850$43,9201.12
Hawaii1,410$48,7800.73
Idaho1,010$32,8000.38
Illinois22,420$40,9101.19
Indiana7,110$36,6500.72
Iowa5,910$33,8301.23
Kansas1,330$47,7500.30
Kentucky8,520$29,7801.38
Louisiana3,570$38,0200.60
Maine1,110$43,8900.56
Maryland8,020$44,6000.94
Massachusetts18,710$45,8901.67
Michigan10,950$37,1100.81
Minnesota10,320$43,4301.14
Mississippi3,600$36,2501.00
Missouri5,580$36,0900.62
Montana960$36,5400.61
Nebraska1,630$47,0400.52
Nevada2,360$38,8700.49
New Hampshire2,220$39,3501.06
New Jersey16,190$48,2201.23
New Mexico2,490$44,0700.93
New York23,870$46,5200.80
North Carolina18,370$35,7101.21
North Dakota540$39,7200.41
Ohio19,840$35,1801.16
Oklahoma7,010$31,7901.33
Oregon6,300$45,1401.04
Pennsylvania22,760$36,0501.22
Rhode Island1,890$36,8301.22
South Carolina4,550$34,5000.64
South Dakota1,470$44,5001.05
Tennessee5,420$34,2800.54
Texas41,200$33,8600.95
Utah3,670$35,0100.69
Vermont940$49,7301.01
Virginia13,570$37,1401.07
Washington13,210$45,6601.21
West Virginia2,190$32,4801.01
Wisconsin11,330$36,1601.25
Wyoming1,040$29,9301.20

Similar occupations

Similarity is our measure: the cosine of importance x level over all 120 O*NET skills, knowledge areas and abilities. It is not an O*NET finding. More.

#OccupationJob ZoneSimilarity
1Childcare Workers1-20.974
2Special Education Teachers, Preschool40.971
3Career/Technical Education Teachers, Secondary School40.968
4Self-Enrichment Teachers30.967
5Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education40.967
6Recreation Workers40.965
7Low Vision Therapists, Orientation and Mobility Specialists, and Vision Rehabilitation Therapists50.965
8Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special Education40.965
9Special Education Teachers, Elementary School40.964
10Adapted Physical Education Specialists40.963

One skill away

Among the 50 occupations most similar to Preschool Teachers, Except Special Education, those at the same Job Zone or lower, where exactly one skill rated at least 3 in importance needs a level more than 0.75 points higher (on O*NET's 0-7 level scale). Our definition. Change the thresholds.

None at these thresholds.

Software to learn next

Software used by at least 3 of the 20 occupations most similar to Preschool Teachers, Except Special Education, excluding software Preschool Teachers, Except Special Education already lists and any you named. Ranked by how many of them use it, weighted by how much more common it is among them than across all occupations (lift). Our ranking.

SoftwareSimilar jobs using itLift
Screen magnification software7 of 2040.4x
Screen reader software7 of 2035.9x
Kahoot!5 of 2025.6x
Educational software4 of 2046.2x
Hand held spell checkers4 of 2046.2x
Voice activated software4 of 2036.9x
Video editing software5 of 2017.8x
Edpuzzle4 of 2026.4x
Text to speech software4 of 2023.1x
Blackboard software7 of 205.7x

Skills

From O*NET data. Importance is rated 1 to 5 and level 0 to 7.

SkillTypeImportanceLevel
InstructingTransferable skill 4.00 3.25
SpeakingEssential skill 4.00 3.12
Learning StrategiesEssential skill 3.88 4.00
Active ListeningEssential skill 3.88 3.12
CoordinationTransferable skill 3.75 3.62
Social PerceptivenessTransferable skill 3.75 3.62
MonitoringEssential skill 3.75 3.50
Reading ComprehensionEssential skill 3.75 3.25
Critical ThinkingEssential skill 3.75 3.12
Service OrientationTransferable skill 3.62 3.00
Active LearningEssential skill 3.12 3.00
Judgment and Decision MakingTransferable skill 3.12 3.00
Complex Problem SolvingTransferable skill 3.00 3.00
PersuasionTransferable skill 3.00 3.00
Time ManagementTransferable skill 3.00 3.00
WritingEssential skill 3.00 3.00
Management of Personnel ResourcesTransferable skill 2.88 2.88
NegotiationTransferable skill 2.88 2.88
Systems EvaluationTransferable skill 2.75 2.12
Systems AnalysisTransferable skill 2.50 2.00
MathematicsEssential skill 2.00 1.88
Quality Control AnalysisTransferable skill 2.00 1.75
Management of Material ResourcesTransferable skill 2.00 1.25
Operations AnalysisTransferable skill 1.75 1.38
Operations MonitoringTransferable skill 1.75 1.00
TroubleshootingTransferable skill 1.75 0.75
ScienceEssential skill 1.62 0.62
Management of Financial ResourcesTransferable skill 1.50 0.62
Technology DesignTransferable skill 1.50 0.62
Equipment SelectionTransferable skill 1.38 0.38
Equipment MaintenanceTransferable skill 1.00not rated
InstallationTransferable skill 1.00not rated
Operation and ControlTransferable skill 1.00not rated
ProgrammingTransferable skill 1.00not rated
RepairingTransferable skill 1.00not rated
Knowledge (33) and abilities (52)
Knowledge
NameImportanceLevel
Education and Training 3.99 4.26
English Language 3.79 3.88
Public Safety and Security 3.29 2.81
Customer and Personal Service 3.20 3.98
Psychology 3.08 2.86
Administration and Management 2.66 2.29
Administrative 2.57 2.68
Sociology and Anthropology 2.43 2.45
Therapy and Counseling 2.36 2.37
Mathematics 2.32 1.92
Communications and Media 2.30 2.26
Law and Government 2.23 1.75
Medicine and Dentistry 2.22 1.82
Fine Arts 2.21 1.95
Foreign Language 2.19 1.67
Personnel and Human Resources 2.12 1.75
Sales and Marketing 2.09 1.48
Computers and Electronics 1.98 2.03
Geography 1.97 2.13
Philosophy and Theology 1.93 2.17
Telecommunications 1.86 0.83
History and Archeology 1.82 1.64
Transportation 1.71 1.60
Food Production 1.65 0.92
Design 1.52 1.15
Biology 1.51 1.12
Mechanical 1.44 0.72
Production and Processing 1.37 0.79
Building and Construction 1.33not rated
Economics and Accounting 1.32not rated
Chemistry 1.30not rated
Engineering and Technology 1.26not rated
Physics 1.24not rated
Abilities
NameImportanceLevel
Oral Comprehension 4.00 3.88
Oral Expression 4.00 3.88
Speech Clarity 4.00 3.25
Problem Sensitivity 3.88 3.62
Originality 3.75 3.62
Fluency of Ideas 3.62 3.25
Speech Recognition 3.62 3.25
Written Comprehension 3.62 3.12
Deductive Reasoning 3.50 3.00
Near Vision 3.25 3.12
Information Ordering 3.25 2.88
Written Expression 3.12 3.00
Far Vision 3.00 3.00
Inductive Reasoning 3.00 3.00
Category Flexibility 2.88 3.00
Flexibility of Closure 2.88 3.00
Selective Attention 2.88 3.00
Time Sharing 2.88 2.75
Memorization 2.75 2.50
Trunk Strength 2.75 2.50
Speed of Closure 2.75 2.12
Visualization 2.62 2.50
Perceptual Speed 2.62 2.00
Visual Color Discrimination 2.50 2.25
Auditory Attention 2.50 2.00
Hearing Sensitivity 2.50 2.00
Extent Flexibility 2.38 2.50
Mathematical Reasoning 2.38 2.00
Stamina 2.38 1.75
Arm-Hand Steadiness 2.12 2.00
Finger Dexterity 2.12 2.00
Gross Body Coordination 2.12 2.00
Manual Dexterity 2.12 2.00
Multilimb Coordination 2.12 2.00
Static Strength 2.12 2.00
Number Facility 2.00 2.00
Gross Body Equilibrium 2.00 1.50
Dynamic Strength 2.00 1.38
Depth Perception 2.00 1.00
Speed of Limb Movement 1.62 1.00
Control Precision 1.62 0.75
Explosive Strength 1.38 0.62
Sound Localization 1.38 0.38
Reaction Time 1.25not rated
Wrist-Finger Speed 1.25not rated
Response Orientation 1.12not rated
Spatial Orientation 1.12not rated
Dynamic Flexibility 1.00not rated
Glare Sensitivity 1.00not rated
Night Vision 1.00not rated
Peripheral Vision 1.00not rated
Rate Control 1.00not rated

Software used

Examples from O*NET data. "Hot" and "in demand" are O*NET flags for technologies often listed in job postings.

Where it concentrates

Metro areas ranked by BLS location quotient: the occupation's share of the area's jobs divided by its share of all US jobs. Above 1 means more concentrated than the nation. Metros employing fewer than 100 are left out.

Metro areaEmploymentLocation quotientMedian annual
Hinesville, GA1502.40$49,690
Auburn-Opelika, AL5002.25$28,490
Albany, GA4002.22$62,680
Sebring, FL1701.97$33,000
Goldsboro, NC2401.96$30,050
Champaign-Urbana, IL6301.93$39,510
Eau Claire, WI5001.90$35,270
Mobile, AL9901.87$29,090
Pittsfield, MA3201.80$44,540
Enid, OK1301.79$27,910

More metros, other thresholds