Average Preschool Teacher Salary in California

Preschool teachers educate children between the ages of 3 and 5, laying the critical developmental groundwork for literacy, numeracy, social-emotional skills, and school readiness. They design and implement age-appropriate curricula grounded in early childhood development principles — balancing structured learning with play-based exploration. Settings range from federally funded Head Start and Early Head Start programs serving low-income families, to private preschools, childcare centers, public school pre-K programs, and Montessori or Reggio Emilia classrooms. With a national median salary of $38,540 (BLS, May 2023), preschool teaching is among the lower-paid education roles relative to its educational demands and developmental impact — a structural gap reflecting the childcare sector's chronic underfunding. However, public school pre-K positions (covered under K-12 collective bargaining agreements) and lead teacher roles at well-funded programs significantly exceed the national median.

In California, preschool teachers earn an average of $44,171 per year as of 2026, with salaries ranging from $28,927 for entry-level roles to $64,039 for the most experienced professionals — +16.2% above the national average. Pay is influenced most by work setting — public school pre-k positions covered by teacher union contracts pay $50,000–$65,000+; private childcare center teachers typically earn $30,000–$45,000, education level — bachelor's-degreed teachers earn significantly more than cda-only credential holders; master's degrees in ece or educational leadership command further premiums, and the specific metro area within California.