Preschool, Elementary, Middle, Secondary, and Special Education Teachers

How to become a Kindergarten Teacher

Official title: Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special Education

Also called: Bilingual Kindergarten Teacher, Classroom Teacher, Educator, Instructor, Kinder Teacher, Kindergarten Classroom Teacher, Teacher, Title One Kindergarten Teacher, Transitional Kindergarten Teacher

Teach academic and social skills to kindergarten students.

Main tasks

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.
Teach basic skills, such as color, shape, number and letter recognition, personal hygiene, and social skills.
Demonstrate activities to children.
Read books to entire classes or to small groups.
Guide and counsel students with adjustment or academic problems or special academic interests.
Observe and evaluate children's performance, behavior, social development, and physical health.

How to become one

Kindergarten and elementary school teachers usually must have at least a bachelor's degree. In addition, public school teachers must have a state-issued certification or license.

Typical education to start: Bachelor's degree

Read the full guide from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

Ways in

College: Education & Teaching degrees, Offered by 35 universities in the US
Licence: A licence is required in 47 states.

Pay · Outlook · AI and this job

Median pay: $62,680 a year The middle half earn $52,180 to $79,910.
About 111,200 people work in this job now, and about 110,900 are projected by 2035. (-0.3%)
People already use generative AI for some of this work. Microsoft Research rates its AI applicability as medium.

Questions people ask

How do I become a Kindergarten Teacher?

Kindergarten and elementary school teachers usually must have at least a bachelor's degree. In addition, public school teachers must have a state-issued certification or license.

How much does a Kindergarten Teacher earn in the US?

Median full-time pay is $62,680 a year (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics). The middle half earn $52,180 to $79,910.

Is a Kindergarten Teacher a growing career in the US?

Employment is projected to stay about the same by 2035: about 111,200 people now and 110,900 later (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics).

Do you need a degree to become a Kindergarten Teacher?

Not always. 54% of people in this job hold a bachelor's degree or higher. Ways in include: Education & Teaching degrees.

Will AI change the work of a Kindergarten Teacher?

People already use generative AI for some of this work. Microsoft Research rates its AI applicability as medium.

Sources

Microsoft Research: Working with AI: AI applicability by occupation (2025-12-22 (built on O*NET 29.0)), CC BY 4.0, retrieved 2026-10-03
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Employment Projections (2025-35 (released 2026-08-27)), Public domain (BLS), retrieved 2026-10-03
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Occupational Outlook Handbook (2025-35 edition (published 2026-08-27)), Public domain (BLS); photographs excluded, retrieved 2026-10-03
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (May 2025), Public domain (BLS), retrieved 2026-10-03

Updated 2026-10-03

This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.