Preschool Teachers vs Middle School Teachers
Median pay is about $26k higher for Middle School Teachers. The usual entry education is associate's plus cert for Preschool Teachers and bachelor's plus license for Middle 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 | Middle School Teachers |
|---|---|---|
| Pay | ||
| Median pay | $38,140 | $64,370, higher |
| Entry pay 25th percentile | $34,530 | $58,530, higher |
| Experienced pay 75th percentile | $47,550 | $80,490, higher |
| Outlook, 2025 to 2035 | ||
| Projected growth | +4.5% Growing fast, higher | -0.4% Declining |
| Openings a year | 66,700 | 38,800 |
| 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 | 73rd pct |
Where the skills differ
Only Preschool Teachers
- Critical Thinking
- Monitoring
Only Middle School Teachers
- Writing
- Active Learning
Both lean on speaking, active listening, learning strategies, reading comprehension.
More comparisons
Compare Preschool Teachers with
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.