Education · Career brief

Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special Education

Is it a good career to pursue?

The 30-second read

Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special Education at a glance

Six signals to look at before you spend time on the full guide.

1Pay

$62,680

Middle-of-the-pack pay

2025 national median. Near the middle of ChooseField careers for pay.

2Demand

-0.3%

Projected employment decline

Projected employment growth for 2025–2035. Below the middle of ChooseField careers for growth.

3Openings

11,900

Above the middle on opening volume

Average openings per year in 2025–2035, including replacement hiring. Above the middle of ChooseField careers for openings.

4Route in

Bachelor's degree

A bachelor's degree is typically expected

Bachelor's degree. Prior related work is not typically required.

5The work

People-centered

Helping, teaching, or working directly with people matters

Establish and enforce rules for behavior and policies and procedures to maintain order among students.

6The catch

Know this first

What could make this a poor fit

BLS projects employment to shrink 0.3% from 2025 to 2035. Openings can still occur when existing workers leave.

ChooseField take

The national benchmarks are mixed, so the work itself and the route in matter more than any standout pay or demand signal. It makes the most sense if people-centered work appeals to you and you are comfortable with a bachelor's-degree path. Main tradeoff: BLS projects employment to shrink 0.3% from 2025 to 2035. Openings can still occur when existing workers leave.

Before choosing, compare:Elementary School Teacher High School Teacher Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education

National labor-market measures: BLS 2025 wages and 2025–2035 projections. Work-profile signals: O*NET. See sources and caveats.

Compare Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special Education with another field Explore rankings in Education Open shareable infographic

Want the evidence behind the snapshot?

Market and path

Pay, outlook, and the route in

National median pay (2025)

$62,680

A midpoint for workers nationwide, not a starting salary.

2025–2035 outlook

-0.3%employment growth11,900openings per year

Openings include replacement hiring, not only newly created jobs.

Typical entry route

Bachelor's degree

BLS reports the usual education, related experience, and on-the-job training, not a guaranteed minimum for every employer.

2025 employment

111,200

Estimated workers in this occupation across the United States.

Source: BLS 2025 wages and 2025–2035 occupational projections ↗ · Kindergarten teachers, except special education (25-2012).

Actual responsibilities

What you would be trusted to own

Selected O*NET task statements, not a list of traits that applies to almost every career.

Establish and enforce rules for behavior and policies and procedures to maintain order among students.
Prepare children for later grades by encouraging them to explore learning opportunities and to persevere with challenging tasks.
Instruct students individually and in groups, adapting teaching methods to meet students' varying needs and interests.
Observe and evaluate children's performance, behavior, social development, and physical health.

Decision-changing realities

What could make this a poor fit

BLS projects employment to shrink 0.3% from 2025 to 2035. Openings can still occur when existing workers leave.
The work routinely happens in close physical proximity to other people; personal space is limited.

Work profile

What the work emphasizes

O*NET importance scores. Bars are relative to the highest score shown within this chart.

Thinking Creatively4.3
Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work4.2
Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships4.1
Developing Objectives and Strategies4.0
Making Decisions and Solving Problems4.0

Interest profile

Career interests

O*NET interest scores describe work someone may enjoy, not personality requirements. Bars are relative to the highest score shown within this chart.

Relative mix of the interest scores below, not percentages of your workday.

Social7.0
Artistic4.0
Conventional3.8
Investigative3.1
Realistic2.7
Enterprising2.5

Preparation

What the training must make you competent at

Subject matter

Psychology Mathematics Sociology and Anthropology Public Safety and Security

Before choosing the major or training

Run a cheaper test first

Tutor the same learner more than once, check what they actually understood, and change the explanation when the first approach fails.
Ask an early-career worker which beginner task consumes the most time, what makes new hires quit, and what school or training failed to simulate.

The fuller career guide

How the evidence fits together

Pay and demand: reading the benchmark

The pay and outlook figures describe Kindergarten teachers, except special education nationally. They do not establish the salary or number of vacancies available in your area.

Median pay is the middle wage across workers, not a starting offer. Projected openings include replacements as well as growth; neither measure predicts an individual worker's job security.

Before choosing a program

O*NET lists Active Listening, Learning Strategies, Monitoring among this occupation's skills. Ask a program to show the assignments, supervised practice, and assessment that develop these skills. Compare those examples with local job descriptions.

Common questions

Questions people ask about this career

Can I enter this occupation without related work experience?

BLS does not assign a related-experience requirement to the occupation. Employers may still ask for placements, supervised practice, a portfolio, or experience with particular tools. Check entry-level vacancies separately from experienced roles.

What should I check before paying for training?

Get the full prerequisite and completion timeline, total cost, placement arrangements, and any licensing eligibility in writing. Ask local employers whether they hire graduates from the route you are considering and whether paid training is available.

Adjacent options