Preschool Teachers vs Elementary School Teachers
Median pay is about $26k higher for Elementary School Teachers. The usual entry education is associate's plus cert for Preschool Teachers and bachelor's plus license for Elementary School Teachers.
marks the higher pay or growth. Education, difficulty and the AI rows depend on what you want, so they are not marked.
| Measure | Preschool Teachers | Elementary School Teachers |
|---|---|---|
| Pay | ||
| Median pay | $38,140 | $63,970, higher |
| Entry pay 25th percentile | $34,530 | $57,710, higher |
| Experienced pay 75th percentile | $47,550 | $81,450, higher |
| Outlook, 2025 to 2035 | ||
| Projected growth | +4.5% Growing fast, higher | -0.4% Declining |
| Openings a year | 66,700 | 87,500 |
| Getting in | ||
| Typical education | Associate's plus cert | Bachelor's plus license |
| Difficulty modeled | 2.8 / 5 | 2.8 / 5 |
| AI | ||
| Displacement risk modeled | Moderate | Low |
| AI exposure modeled, percentile | 50th pct | 62nd pct |
Skills
Both lean on the same top skills: speaking, active listening, learning strategies, reading comprehension, critical thinking, monitoring.
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Pay and outlook: BLS (OEWS 2025, Employment Projections 2025-2035). Skills: O*NET 30.3. Difficulty, displacement risk and AI exposure are modeled estimates. How these numbers are made.