Preschool Teacher, Except Special Education Salary in California
Median annual pay in California
$47,400
$22.79/hour
BLS OEWS, May 2025
Adjusted for cost of living in California
$42,811
Regional Price Parity: 110.720 (U.S. = 100)
Wages: BLS OEWS, May 2025. Cost of living: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.
Difference from the U.S. median ($38,140): +$9,260 (+24.3%)
California ranks 6th of 51 states by median pay, and 20th of 51 after adjusting for cost of living.
Pay
| Annual | Hourly | |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $37,870 | $18.21 |
| 25th percentile | $43,910 | $21.11 |
| Median | $47,400 | $22.79 |
| 75th percentile | $59,150 | $28.44 |
| 90th percentile | $65,350 | $31.42 |
Employment
- Employment in California
- 55,700
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Comparison
Compared with the U.S.
- Median annual pay in California
- $47,400
- Median annual pay in the U.S.
- $38,140
- Difference
- +$9,260 (+24.3%)
Cost of living
$47,400 ÷ 110.720 × 100 = $42,811
Wages: BLS OEWS, May 2025. Cost of living: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.
Ranking
| Rank | Median annual pay | Adjusted for cost of living (annual) |
|---|---|---|
| New Jersey | ||
| 4th | $48,220 | $44,318 12th |
| Kansas | ||
| 5th | $47,750 | $53,015 2nd |
| California This page | ||
| 6th | $47,400 | $42,811 20th |
| Nebraska | ||
| 7th | $47,040 | $52,207 3rd |
| New York | ||
| 8th | $46,520 | $43,106 18th |
Similar occupations
Related occupations from O*NET, in O*NET's order, with their BLS median pay. Each figure shows the place it is for.
- Kindergarten Teacher, Except Special Education salary in California
$82,550/year California
- Childcare Worker salary in California
$40,020/year California
- Secondary School Teacher, Except Special and Career/Technical Education salary in the U.S.
$72,040/year U.S.
- Tutor salary in the U.S.
$43,350/year U.S.
- Self-Enrichment Teacher salary in the U.S.
$46,800/year U.S.
- Instructional Coordinator salary in the U.S.
$77,440/year U.S.
Outlook
- Projected employment change, 2025–35 (U.S.)
- +4.5%
- Typical education needed for entry (U.S.)
- Associate's degree
BLS publishes employment projections only for the U.S. as a whole. BLS Employment Projections, 2025–35
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Preschool Teacher, Except Special Education salary in nearby places
- Preschool Teacher, Except Special Education salary in Arizona
$36,300/year Arizona
- Preschool Teacher, Except Special Education salary in Nevada
$38,870/year Nevada
- Preschool Teacher, Except Special Education salary in Oregon
$45,140/year Oregon
- Preschool Teacher, Except Special Education salary in the U.S.
$38,140/year U.S.
Sources and update
- Wages and employment: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025.
- Cost of living: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.
- Related occupations: O*NET® 31.0 Database, CC BY 4.0. Attributions
- Employment projections and typical education: BLS Employment Projections, 2025–35.
- Neighboring states: U.S. Census Bureau, County Adjacency File, 2024.
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