Preschool Teachers

Preschool teachers educate and care for children younger than age 5 who have not yet entered kindergarten. They teach language, motor, and social skills to young children.

Duties

Preschool teachers typically do the following:

• Teach children basic skills such as identifying colors, shapes, numbers, and letters
• Work with children in groups or one on one, depending on the needs of children and on the subject matter
• Plan and carry out a curriculum that focuses on different areas of child development
• Organize activities so children can learn about the world, explore interests, and develop skills
• Develop schedules and routines to ensure children have enough physical activity and rest
• Watch for signs of emotional or developmental problems in each child and bring them to the attention of the child’s parents
• Keep records of the children’s progress, routines, and interests, and inform parents about their child’s development

Young children learn from playing, problem solving, and experimenting. Preschool teachers use play and other instructional techniques to teach children. For example, they use storytelling and rhyming games to teach language and vocabulary. They may help improve children’s social skills by having them work together to build a neighborhood in a sandbox or teach math by having children count when building with blocks.

Preschool teachers work with children from different ethnic, racial, and religious backgrounds. Teachers include topics in their lessons that teach children how to respect people of different backgrounds and cultures.

Preschool teachers held about 555,100 jobs in 2024. The largest employers of preschool teachers were as follows:

It may be rewarding to see children develop new skills and gain an appreciation of knowledge and learning. However, it can also be tiring to work with young, active children all day.

Work Schedules

Preschool teachers in public schools generally work during school hours. Many work the traditional 10-month school year and have a 2-month break during the summer. Some preschool teachers may teach in summer programs.

Teachers in districts with a year-round schedule typically work 9 weeks in a row and then have a break for 3 weeks before starting a new school session.

Those working in daycare settings may work year-round with longer hours.

Education and training requirements vary based on settings and state regulations. Preschool teachers typically need at least an associate’s degree.

The median annual wage for preschool teachers was $37,120 in May 2024.

Employment of preschool teachers is projected to grow 4 percent from 2024 to 2034, about as fast as the average for all occupations.

About 65,500 openings for preschool teachers are projected each year, on average, over the decade. Many of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to different occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire.