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Salary comparison

Preschool Teachers, Except Special Education vs. Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondary: Who Earns More?

Preschool Teachers, Except Special Educations out-earn Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondarys by $1K a year at the national median, per BLS OEWS May 2025. Preschool Teachers, Except Special Educations land at $38,140 and Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondarys at $36,780. The education gap is real: preschool teachers, except special education programs typically require bachelor's degree, while teaching assistants, except postsecondary programs require bachelor's degree. Top-paying state for Preschool Teachers, Except Special Educations is District of Columbia ($62,150); for Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondarys it's Washington ($49,120).

Preschool Teachers, Except Special Education
Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondary
Median salary
$38,140
$36,780
Hourly rate
$18.34/hr
$null/hr
Entry level (10th %)
$28,990
$27,150
Senior level (90th %)
$61,390
$50,040
Education required
Bachelor's degree
Bachelor's degree
U.S. employment
478,780
1,420,350
Job growth (10-year)
N/A
N/A
Category
Education
Education
Top-paying state
District of Columbia
Washington

Pay by state

States where both occupations have BLS data, sorted by Preschool Teachers, Except Special Education median pay.

State
Preschool Teachers, Except Special Education
Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondary
District of Columbia
$62,150
$46,920
Vermont
$49,730
$43,800
California
$47,400
$46,490
New York
$46,520
$38,240
Massachusetts
$45,890
$39,380
Connecticut
$45,740
$38,110
Washington
$45,660
$49,120
Oregon
$45,140
$39,850
Maine
$43,890
$46,750
Minnesota
$43,430
$40,100
North Dakota
$39,720
$38,240
New Hampshire
$39,350
$38,440
Virginia
$37,140
$38,520
Delaware
$36,360
$37,830
Wisconsin
$36,160
$37,800

Source: BLS OEWS May 2025. Highlighted value is higher in each row.

Common questions

Who earns more, Preschool Teachers, Except Special Educations or Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondarys?

Preschool Teachers, Except Special Educations earn more nationally. The median is $38,140 for Preschool Teachers, Except Special Educations versus $36,780 for Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondarys, a difference of $1K. Per BLS OEWS May 2025.

Which has better job growth, Preschool Teachers, Except Special Education or Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondary?

BLS Employment Projections data is not available for one or both occupations. Check the individual career pages for current outlook figures.

Which requires more education, Preschool Teachers, Except Special Education or Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondary?

Preschool Teachers, Except Special Education typically requires bachelor's degree. Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondary requires bachelor's degree. Education requirements vary by employer and state licensing board.

Where do Preschool Teachers, Except Special Educations get paid the most?

District of Columbia is the top-paying state for Preschool Teachers, Except Special Educations at $62,150/year, per BLS OEWS May 2025. Major metro areas within that state typically pay even more than the state average.

How does Preschool Teachers, Except Special Education vs. Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondary pay differ by state?

The gap varies significantly by state. In District of Columbia, Preschool Teachers, Except Special Educations earn $62,150 vs. $46,920 for Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondarys. See the state comparison table on this page for the full picture.

Full Preschool Teachers, Except Special Education salary breakdownView →Full Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondary salary breakdownView →Best cities for Preschool Teachers, Except Special Educations by take-home payExplore →Best cities for Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondarys by take-home payExplore →How to become a preschool teachers, except special educationGuide →How to become a teaching assistants, except postsecondaryGuide →