Early Childhood Educator Salary in the United States
The median Early Childhood Educator salary in the United States is $38,140, with most packages landing between $34,530 and $61,390. This benchmark is a official wage benchmark; sign in to compare your exact pay against the percentile bands.
Pay percentiles
Official wage dataGross annual, local currency.
See your strike price
This band is the market. Your strike price is the number to ask for, built from your own CV. Free.
Per hour and per month
| 25th percentile | Median (p50) | 75th percentile | Top 10% (p90) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Per hour | $16.60 | $18.34 | $22.86 | $29.51 |
| Per month | $2,878 | $3,178 | $3,963 | $5,116 |
Converted from the annual figure at 2080 working hours a year.
Salary by seniority
Estimated| Junior | $23,000 | -40% |
| Mid-level | $34,000 | -12% |
| Senior | $48,000 | +25% |
| Lead / Exec | $67,000 | +75% |
Total compensation
Benefits are worth about $4,500 a year on top of cash pay.
Where this pay goes furthest
The same package, in local cost-of-living terms, across markets.
- India₹341,000
- Portugal€11,000
- Greece€13,000
- PolandPLN 61,000
- Italy€16,000
- Japan¥2,798,000
How we calculate this
These figures place a Early Childhood Educator's pay against percentile bands (p25 to p90) in the United States. Where national occupation data is thin, we model from regional wage references and label it as such; we never present an estimate as official. Figures are gross annual, rounded.
Where this figure comes from
- Occupation as published
- Preschool Teachers, Except Special Education (25-2011)
- Reference period
- 2025-05
- The percentiles are exactly as published by the source.
Frequently asked questions
Is $38,140 a good salary for a Early Childhood Educator in the United States?
$38,140 is the median, so it sits at the centre of the market. Earning above $47,550 puts you in the top quartile; below $34,530, there is room to negotiate.
How much does a senior Early Childhood Educator earn in the United States?
A senior Early Childhood Educator earns around $48,000, against $23,000 early in the career. Seniority bands are estimated from the overall median.
What is the total compensation for a Early Childhood Educator in the United States?
On top of base pay, benefits are worth about $4,500 a year. Bonus and equity vary by employer and sector.
How is this Early Childhood Educator salary benchmark calculated?
We place your package against percentile bands for the role and country, from official wage data where available and regional references otherwise, always labeled.