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Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Real salary distribution from 288 tracked cities across 46 states. Compare entry-level, median, and senior compensation — then adjust for cost of living.
Before negotiating salary, check what the market actually pays — city by city. The national median salary for Preschool Teachers in 2026 is $41,773, with entry-level positions averaging $27,152 and senior roles reaching $59,317. But those numbers flatten a reality with enormous geographic variation — Sunnyvale pays a median of $76,320, while other markets fall well below the national average. We tracked 288 cities to build the complete picture.
Positioned in Education within the broader Education industry, Preschool Teachers typically hold Associate's or bachelor's. The employment landscape is shaped by growing, and the day-to-day is school-based. Those factors — education investment, demand trajectory, and work structure — all feed into the salary numbers below.
$46,440 separates the highest and lowest-paying cities. A Preschool Teacher in Sunnyvale, California earns a median of $76,320 — $46,440 more than their counterpart in Toledo, Ohio ($29,880). That gap alone is more than many cities' annual rent. Cost-adjusted, this occupation outearns its reputation.
The three-tier salary picture for Preschool Teachers in 2026: $27,152 at entry (P10), $41,773 at midpoint, and $59,317 at the senior end (P90). The city-level data complicates the national narrative. The $32,165 range from bottom to top isn't just experience — it's geography, specialization, and industry mixed together. The median itself lands $38,594 below the national median household income of $80,367.
Compare the extremes: the highest-paying trio of cities (Sunnyvale, Santa Clara, Irvine) averages $71,280, while the lowest-paying trio (Toledo, Detroit, Akron) averages $30,120. The $41,160 difference is the kind of number that reshapes career strategy — assuming the cost of living cooperates.
A Preschool Teacher in Sunnyvale, California earns a median of $76,320 — $46,440 more than their counterpart in Toledo, Ohio ($29,880). That gap alone is more than many cities' annual rent.
The 10th-percentile (entry-level) Preschool Teacher salary averages $27,152 nationally. That's below the typical median household income, which means early-career earnings depend heavily on location and cost of living.
| Country | Coverage | Entry (P10) | Median | Senior (P90) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| United States | 288 | $27,152 | $41,773 | $59,317 |
| United Kingdom | 27 | £15,598 | £21,664 | £30,763 |
| Canada | 21 | CA$29,008 | CA$40,288 | CA$57,210 |
| Australia | 13 | A$34,398 | A$47,775 | A$67,841 |
| Sweden | 24 | 185,740 kr | 257,972 kr | 366,321 kr |
| State | Cities | Entry (P10) | Median | Senior (P90) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| California | 61 | $32,871 | $50,571 | $71,811 |
| Massachusetts | 4 | $31,766 | $48,870 | $69,396 |
| Hawaii | 1 | $31,590 | $48,600 | $69,012 |
| District of Columbia | 1 | $29,250 | $45,000 | $63,900 |
| New Jersey | 4 | $28,899 | $44,460 | $63,133 |
| Washington | 8 | $28,343 | $43,605 | $61,919 |
| New York | 5 | $26,676 | $41,040 | $58,277 |
| Rhode Island | 1 | $26,676 | $41,040 | $58,277 |
| Florida | 22 | $26,474 | $40,729 | $57,835 |
| Colorado | 11 | $26,017 | $40,025 | $56,836 |
| New Hampshire | 1 | $25,974 | $39,960 | $56,743 |
| Nevada | 5 | $25,927 | $39,888 | $56,641 |
| Arizona | 12 | $25,799 | $39,690 | $56,360 |
| Oregon | 5 | $25,740 | $39,600 | $56,232 |
| Idaho | 3 | $25,662 | $39,480 | $56,062 |
| Connecticut | 5 | $25,459 | $39,168 | $55,619 |
| Utah | 4 | $25,389 | $39,060 | $55,465 |
| Virginia | 7 | $24,971 | $38,417 | $54,552 |
| South Carolina | 3 | $24,648 | $37,920 | $53,846 |
| Alaska | 1 | $24,570 | $37,800 | $53,676 |
| Illinois | 5 | $24,289 | $37,368 | $53,062 |
| North Carolina | 9 | $23,686 | $36,440 | $51,745 |
| New Mexico | 3 | $23,400 | $36,000 | $51,120 |
| Montana | 1 | $23,400 | $36,000 | $51,120 |
| Tennessee | 6 | $23,322 | $35,880 | $50,950 |
| Texas | 40 | $23,207 | $35,703 | $50,698 |
| Minnesota | 2 | $23,166 | $35,640 | $50,609 |
| Wisconsin | 2 | $23,049 | $35,460 | $50,353 |
| Georgia | 6 | $22,971 | $35,340 | $50,183 |
| Pennsylvania | 3 | $22,932 | $35,280 | $50,098 |
| Kansas | 4 | $22,815 | $35,100 | $49,842 |
| Michigan | 6 | $22,737 | $34,980 | $49,672 |
| Kentucky | 2 | $22,464 | $34,560 | $49,076 |
| Maryland | 1 | $22,464 | $34,560 | $49,075 |
| Nebraska | 2 | $22,230 | $34,200 | $48,564 |
| South Dakota | 1 | $22,230 | $34,200 | $48,564 |
| Oklahoma | 4 | $21,645 | $33,300 | $47,286 |
| North Dakota | 1 | $21,528 | $33,120 | $47,030 |
| Louisiana | 4 | $21,236 | $32,670 | $46,391 |
| Missouri | 4 | $21,236 | $32,670 | $46,392 |
| Alabama | 5 | $21,154 | $32,544 | $46,213 |
| Indiana | 3 | $20,826 | $32,040 | $45,497 |
| Arkansas | 1 | $20,826 | $32,040 | $45,497 |
| Iowa | 2 | $20,592 | $31,680 | $44,986 |
| Ohio | 6 | $20,553 | $31,620 | $44,901 |
| Mississippi | 1 | $19,656 | $30,240 | $42,941 |
At the state level, California leads with an average Preschool Teacher median of $50,571 across 61 cities, followed by Massachusetts ($48,870) and Hawaii ($48,600). The state breakdown adds another layer. The lowest-paying states — Mississippi, Ohio, Iowa — offer medians between $30,240 and $31,680. But state averages mask city-level variation that's often just as large.
When you adjust the top-paying cities for cost of living, the ranking reshuffles. Sunnyvale ($76,320 nominal, 212 cost index) delivers $36,000 in purchasing power — maintaining its lead even after cost adjustment. This is the metric that matters for anyone considering a geo-based career move.
Raw salary divided by the local cost index — this shows where your paycheck buys the most.
| # | City | Nominal Salary | Cost Index | Adjusted Salary | Est. Take-Home |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sunnyvale California | $76,320 | 212 | $36,000 | $48,488 |
| 2 | Santa Clara California | $71,280 | 198 | $36,000 | $45,612 |
| 3 | Irvine California | $66,240 | 184 | $36,000 | $42,737 |
| 4 | San Francisco California | $65,160 | 181 | $36,000 | $42,121 |
| 5 | Carlsbad California | $64,080 | 178 | $36,000 | $41,505 |
| 6 | San Jose California | $63,720 | 177 | $36,000 | $41,299 |
| 7 | Fremont California | $63,720 | 177 | $36,000 | $41,299 |
| 8 | Berkeley California | $62,280 | 173 | $36,000 | $40,478 |
| 9 | Costa Mesa California | $62,280 | 173 | $36,000 | $40,478 |
| 10 | Huntington Beach California | $60,840 | 169 | $36,000 | $39,656 |
From a career planning perspective, Preschool Teacher offers a $32,165 earning range. The 2.2× multiplier from entry to senior makes this a field where longevity pays off. The typical entry requires Associate's or bachelor's. Day-to-day, expect school-based work environments. With data from 288 cities, the geographic flexibility is substantial — this career travels well.
The weighted national median salary for Preschool Teachers is $41,773 in 2026, based on BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics across 288 U.S. metro areas. Entry-level (10th percentile) averages $27,152, while experienced professionals at the 90th percentile average $59,317.
The highest-paying city for Preschool Teachers is Sunnyvale, California with a median salary of $76,320. The top 3 cities are Sunnyvale ($76,320), Santa Clara ($71,280), Irvine ($66,240). Note: high-paying cities often have higher costs of living — check the cost-adjusted rankings above for purchasing power.
The lowest median Preschool Teacher salary in our data is in Toledo, Ohio at $29,880. However, lower-paying cities often have significantly lower costs of living, which can offset the pay gap. Always compare salary data alongside local cost of living.
Entry-level Preschool Teachers (10th percentile) average $27,152 nationally. This varies by city — in the highest-paying markets, entry-level pay can be close to $49,608. Experience, certifications, and employer type all influence starting salary.
At the 90th percentile (senior level), Preschool Teachers average $59,317 nationally — $32,165 more than entry-level. In top-paying cities, senior Preschool Teachers can earn up to $108,374.
The top-paying states for Preschool Teachers are California ($50,571 median), Massachusetts ($48,870 median), Hawaii ($48,600 median). State averages are computed across all tracked cities in each state, weighted equally.
The typical education path for a Preschool Teacher involves Associate's or bachelor's. The field is in the Education sector (Education), and the career outlook is growing. Work style is typically school-based.
With a national median of $41,773 and representation across 288 metro areas, Preschool Teacher offers a foundation that can be strengthened by strategic location choices. The $32,165 gap between entry and senior pay shows room for salary growth. Industry outlook: growing.
All salary data on this page is sourced from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) program, which surveys employers across U.S. metropolitan areas. We present 10th percentile (entry), 50th percentile (median), and 90th percentile (senior) pay benchmarks. Cost-of-living adjustments use our core database of 288 cities.
Salary data is sourced from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) program, which surveys employers across U.S. metropolitan and non-metropolitan areas. We present the 10th percentile (entry-level), 50th percentile (median), and 90th percentile (senior) pay benchmarks.
Cost-of-living adjustments use Livably's core index derived from Zillow rent data, Census income surveys, and regional BLS price data. Take-home pay estimates apply simplified federal brackets, 7.65% FICA, and state income tax rates from the Tax Foundation.
State and national averages are computed as simple means across all tracked cities with data for this occupation. Rankings are updated monthly as new BLS releases become available.