$ PaycheckDecoded

Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special Education Salary

Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special Education earn a median $62,680 a year nationally. Educational Instruction and Library Occupations

U.S. median
$62,680
$30.13 per hour
Range
$46,990 – $101,830
10th to 90th percentile
Employed
108,870
across the U.S.

Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special Education take-home pay calculator

Starts at the national median. Pick your state to see your real paycheck.

Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special Education
Deductions, kids & local tax

2026 tax year. Federal brackets from IRS Rev. Proc. 2025-32.

Your take-home pay
$52,543
per year · effective tax rate 16.2%
$4,379Monthly
$2,189Twice a month
$2,021Every 2 weeks
$25.26Hourly
  • Federal income tax$5,342
  • Social Security (6.2%)$3,886
  • Medicare (1.45%)$909
  • Texas income tax$0
  • Take-home pay$52,543

Marginal rate: 12% federal + 0.00% state

Pay by experience

PercentileSalaryHourlyTake-home (no state tax)
10th percentile (entry level)$46,990$22.59$39,936
25th percentile$52,180$25.09$44,107
Median (50th)$62,680$30.13$52,543
75th percentile$79,910$38.42$65,047
90th percentile (top earners)$101,830$48.96$80,467

Best cities for kindergarten teachers, except special education (after tax & cost of living)

#Metro areaMedianTake-homeReal value*Jobs
1Seattle, WA$101,580$80,292$72,2482,530
2Spokane, WA$89,710$71,941$71,693440
3Sacramento, CA$106,000$76,395$71,618740
4Bridgeport, CT$99,660$75,035$70,215440
5Cleveland, OH$82,080$65,098$69,310570
6Hartford, CT$93,040$70,741$68,851440
7Columbus, OH$79,470$63,334$66,340730
8Providence, RI$85,470$66,370$65,214480
9Jacksonville, FL$76,440$62,606$62,930740
10Virginia Beach, VA$78,580$60,407$61,677650
11Bakersfield, CA$78,330$59,862$59,336440
12Minneapolis, MN$80,780$61,689$58,8511,900
13Atlanta, GA$75,690$58,772$58,7382,650
14Riverside, CA$82,550$62,383$58,608750
15Boston, MA$81,700$62,441$57,6741,500
16Portland, OR$81,090$59,611$56,546900
17Houston, TX$65,970$55,187$55,9541,270
18Denver, CO$74,960$58,975$55,7511,610
19Detroit, MI$70,800$55,880$55,714780
20Baltimore, MD$73,940$57,698$55,221650
21Washington, DC$77,200$59,547$54,6882,400
22Omaha, NE$61,870$49,957$54,354510
23Las Vegas, NV$64,930$54,351$54,2351,080
24Cincinnati, OH$62,150$51,191$53,676680
25Louisville, KY$61,630$49,660$53,356560

*Take-home pay in U.S.-average dollars (BEA Regional Price Parities).

Highest-paying cities

Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special Education salary by state

StateMedianTake-homeRangeJobs
Washington $99,960$79,152 $65,400 – $125,9905,270
Connecticut $90,030$68,789 $61,730 – $111,4501,420
Rhode Island $85,470$66,370 $38,050 – $99,320360
Massachusetts $84,100$64,009 $58,900 – $106,6001,980
California $82,550$62,383 $53,210 – $124,4007,430
District of Columbia $81,500$62,206 $63,530 – $123,530180
New York $77,630$59,848 $49,020 – $137,7106,950
Maryland $75,910$58,991 $56,520 – $108,3601,560
Minnesota $75,500$58,334 $45,280 – $98,6802,840
New Mexico $74,380$58,826 $51,420 – $88,570950
New Jersey $74,210$58,484 $60,040 – $102,8705,370
Delaware $74,030$57,365 $46,940 – $82,95070
Ohio $72,570$58,670 $46,040 – $97,8803,290
Oregon $68,580$51,905 $49,190 – $98,1001,330
Georgia $65,680$52,168 $48,610 – $95,0704,530
Nevada $64,930$54,351 $55,020 – $82,7401,400
Pennsylvania $64,430$51,972 $41,700 – $92,6002,510
Illinois $64,020$50,596 $46,040 – $103,4204,660
Virginia $63,920$50,678 $48,850 – $100,9303,740
Texas $63,780$53,427 $43,730 – $72,6403,820
Michigan $63,300$50,602 $39,070 – $95,3201,890
Vermont $63,280$51,309 $49,120 – $89,030250
Utah $63,190$51,076 $40,900 – $95,620530
Colorado $62,870$50,638 $47,300 – $97,7103,260
Idaho $62,240$49,999 $49,840 – $81,240460
Nebraska $62,200$50,207 $46,260 – $78,1601,120
Wyoming $60,990$51,185 $50,980 – $75,280360
South Carolina $60,890$48,609 $47,730 – $79,0901,540
Kentucky $60,280$48,623 $44,980 – $79,9202,450
New Hampshire $60,240$50,583 $47,150 – $83,570520
North Dakota $59,420$49,924 $47,490 – $77,890600
Wisconsin $59,350$48,037 $39,990 – $79,3401,510
West Virginia $58,790$47,507 $47,630 – $72,210730
Iowa $58,420$47,552 $47,020 – $75,8601,160
Indiana $58,250$47,295 $46,260 – $76,2002,120
Florida $58,100$48,863 $49,960 – $77,4608,810
Tennessee $58,070$48,839 $46,980 – $74,4402,740
Kansas $56,670$45,352 $47,180 – $65,0701,300
Missouri $56,590$45,928 $44,520 – $79,1002,300
North Carolina $53,180$43,297 $40,760 – $63,6202,250
Hawaii $53,160$42,383 $47,740 – $75,34090
Louisiana $53,130$43,662 $44,720 – $60,5303,730
Arizona $52,830$43,517 $45,850 – $76,7603,020
Maine $52,660$42,119 $45,350 – $79,290570
Arkansas $52,060$42,193 $47,240 – $65,7101,490
Alabama $50,900$40,798 $37,400 – $67,510310
South Dakota $49,410$41,881 $46,520 – $59,910610
Mississippi $48,880$40,232 $37,980 – $60,1101,350
Oklahoma $47,860$39,027 $43,790 – $60,4201,690
Montana $47,590$38,939 $38,570 – $81,070400

Frequently asked questions

How much does a kindergarten teachers, except special education make?

The national median salary for kindergarten teachers, except special education is $62,680 a year ($30.13 an hour). The lowest-paid 10% earn under $46,990 and the top 10% earn over $101,830. Source: BLS, May 2025.

Which state pays kindergarten teachers, except special education the most?

Washington has the highest median pay at $99,960. After taxes and local prices, Seattle, WA offers the best real take-home pay of any metro area.

How many kindergarten teachers, except special education are there in the U.S.?

About 108,870 people work as kindergarten teachers, except special education nationwide.

All 48 cities