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Preschool Teachers, Except Special Education
Instruct preschool-aged students, following curricula or lesson plans, in activities designed to promote social, physical, and intellectual growth.
Other titles employers use
Child Development Teacher · Early Childhood Teacher · Group Teacher · Infant Teacher · Montessori Preschool Teacher · Nursery Teacher · Pre-Kindergarten Teacher (Pre-K Teacher) · Teacher
Inside the work
What you would actually do.
6 responsibilities that define the role, before job titles and workplaces change the details.
- Teach basic skills, such as color, shape, number and letter recognition, personal hygiene, and social skills.
- Establish and enforce rules for behavior and procedures for maintaining order.
- Adapt teaching methods and instructional materials to meet students' varying needs and interests.
- Provide a variety of materials and resources for children to explore, manipulate, and use, both in learning activities and in imaginative play.
- Serve meals and snacks in accordance with nutritional guidelines.
- Attend to children's basic needs by feeding them, dressing them, and changing their diapers.
Who it suits
Would this work hold your attention?
This career often appeals to people drawn to helping, creative and organizing work.
- Creative
- Making, designing, writing, or performing without one set answer
- Organizing
- Creating order, checking details, and keeping work accurate
Skills and strengths
What you would get good at.
Compare the skills the work relies on, the subjects behind it, and the abilities that make it easier to learn.
Core skills
- Speaking
- Instructing
- Active Listening
- Learning Strategies
- Reading Comprehension
- Critical Thinking
Subjects to know
- Education and Training
- English Language
- Public Safety and Security
- Customer and Personal Service
- Psychology
Useful strengths
- Oral Comprehension
- Oral Expression
- Speech Clarity
- Problem Sensitivity
- Originality
Working day
Picture yourself doing it.
These measures show how much of the day involves people, movement, conversation, and hands-on work.
| Measure | Out of 5 | What that means here |
|---|---|---|
| Close to other people | 4.0 | Arm’s length or closer, most of the day |
| On your feet | 3.6 | Up and down through the day |
| Talking face to face | 4.3 | A regular part of the day |
| Working with your hands | 3.0 | Little of the day |
Preparation
How people prepare for this work.
Employers usually ask for an associate degree. Other routes may also lead into the field.
- High school or less 29%
- A certificate or some college 22%
- A master's degree 20%
- A four-year degree 17%
- A two-year degree 12%
Tools of the work
Technology you may use.
- Spreadsheet software
- Office suite software
- Word processing software
- Computer based training software
- Desktop communications software
- Multi-media educational software
- Electronic mail software
- Video creation and editing software
Opportunity near you
See where this work is growing.
Choose a state to compare the size of the field, annual openings, and expected hiring change.
- People doing this work
- 65,100
- Job openings each year
- 7,370
- Expected hiring change, 2022–2032
- 21.5%
Compare every available state
| State | People doing it | Job openings each year | Expected change |
|---|---|---|---|
| California | 65,100 | 7,370 | 21.5% |
| Texas | 56,220 | 6,320 | 19.1% |
| Florida | 33,080 | 3,630 | 11.5% |
| New York | 28,390 | 560 | 24.4% |
| Illinois | 22,140 | 2,430 | 11.8% |
| Georgia | 19,960 | 2,190 | 11.7% |
| New Jersey | 19,300 | 2,050 | 3.3% |
| North Carolina | 18,490 | 2,010 | 9.5% |
| Pennsylvania | 18,260 | 1,930 | 2.1% |
| Ohio | 15,920 | 1,710 | 5.4% |
| Washington | 15,270 | 1,990 | 19.6% |
| Missouri | 13,250 | 1,450 | 10.4% |
| Minnesota | 11,900 | 1,310 | 11.7% |
| Wisconsin | 11,210 | 1,190 | 2.0% |
| Arizona | 10,160 | 1,120 | 13.4% |
| Maryland | 9,080 | 990 | 10.1% |
| Connecticut | 8,810 | 1,000 | 20.5% |
| Michigan | 8,720 | 940 | 5.4% |
| Indiana | 8,030 | 860 | 5.0% |
| Tennessee | 7,160 | 780 | 9.6% |
| Alabama | 7,070 | 790 | 16.3% |
| Colorado | 7,000 | 760 | 10.2% |
| Oregon | 6,810 | 770 | 23.1% |
| Utah | 6,500 | 780 | 49.4% |
| Oklahoma | 6,390 | 690 | 6.5% |
| Iowa | 6,200 | 680 | 11.7% |
| South Carolina | 5,490 | 610 | 16.6% |
| Arkansas | 5,420 | 620 | 24.9% |
| Massachusetts | 4,960 | 520 | — |
| Puerto Rico | 3,620 | 390 | 5.2% |
| New Hampshire | 3,580 | 390 | 7.8% |
| Mississippi | 3,460 | 380 | 15.0% |
| Nevada | 2,940 | 320 | 8.5% |
| New Mexico | 2,880 | 310 | 8.7% |
| Kentucky | 2,870 | 310 | 4.4% |
| West Virginia | 2,510 | 260 | −4.6% |
| District of Columbia | 2,380 | 260 | 7.7% |
| Delaware | 2,260 | 240 | 8.1% |
| Louisiana | 1,980 | 210 | 5.3% |
| Kansas | 1,800 | 190 | 3.4% |
| South Dakota | 1,800 | 200 | 9.1% |
| Montana | 1,680 | 190 | 12.8% |
| Vermont | 1,610 | 180 | 7.3% |
| Rhode Island | 1,530 | 160 | 7.0% |
| Idaho | 1,390 | 150 | 13.9% |
| Maine | 1,170 | 120 | — |
| Nebraska | 1,070 | 110 | 3.9% |
| Wyoming | 1,020 | 110 | 7.4% |
| North Dakota | 740 | 80 | 8.8% |
| Alaska | 610 | 70 | 1.7% |
| Guam | 80 | 10 | 33.3% |
| Virgin Islands | 60 | 10 | 20.0% |
Career to college
Build a path toward this work.
Start with a related major, then compare colleges where students complete that field.
Where to study
Colleges with strong activity in these fields.
Start with program size, admission, and likely cost. Open a college for the full picture.
Western Governors University
- Degrees each year
- 1,496
- Admit rate
- Not reported
- Annual cost after aid
- $13,000
Arizona State University Campus Immersion
- Degrees each year
- 568
- Admit rate
- 90%
- Annual cost after aid
- $17,000
Liberty University
- Degrees each year
- 554
- Admit rate
- 99%
- Annual cost after aid
- $27,000
Illinois State University
- Degrees each year
- 505
- Admit rate
- 89%
- Annual cost after aid
- $16,000
University of Central Florida
- Degrees each year
- 434
- Admit rate
- 40%
- Annual cost after aid
- $10,000
University of Northern Iowa
- Degrees each year
- 463
- Admit rate
- 94%
- Annual cost after aid
- $14,000
California State University-Sacramento
- Degrees each year
- 424
- Admit rate
- 94%
- Annual cost after aid
- $9,000
California State University-Los Angeles
- Degrees each year
- 402
- Admit rate
- 92%
- Annual cost after aid
- $5,000