Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special Education Salary
In Durham-Chapel Hill, NC, kindergarten teachers, except special educations earn $50,320 at the median. The range runs from $44K at the entry level to $72K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 97.57), that's roughly $51,573 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,711/month, about 50.8% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $50K get you in Durham-Chapel Hill?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Durham-Chapel Hill’s Regional Price Parity (97.57). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
About kindergarten teachers, except special educations
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What this looks like in Durham-Chapel Hill
Pay for kindergarten teachers, except special education in Durham-Chapel Hill runs about 20% below the U.S. median of $63K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,711/month, which is 51.1% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost of living (RPP 97.57) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. That combination, below-market pay with high housing costs, makes this a financially demanding market for kindergarten teachers, except special educations.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for kindergarten teachers, except special educations in metros near Durham-Chapel Hill, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Raleigh-Cary | $57K | $58K |
| Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia | $59K | $61K |
| Asheville | $60K | $62K |
| Fayetteville | $48K | $52K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Durham-Chapel Hill, NC
Entry-level kindergarten teachers, except special educations (10th percentile) start around $44K. Mid-career wages sit at $50K. Top earners bring in $72K or more, a $28K spread from bottom to top.
Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special Education pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special Education salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Washington | $100K | +59% | 5,270 |
| Connecticut | $90K | +44% | 1,420 |
| Rhode Island | $85K | +36% | 360 |
| Massachusetts | $84K | +34% | 1,980 |
| California | $83K | +32% | 7,430 |
| District of Columbia | $82K | +30% | 180 |
| New York | $78K | +24% | 6,950 |
| Maryland | $76K | +21% | 1,560 |
| Minnesota | $76K | +20% | 2,840 |
| New Mexico | $74K | +19% | 950 |
| New Jersey | $74K | +18% | 5,370 |
| Delaware | $74K | +18% | 70 |
| Ohio | $73K | +16% | 3,290 |
| Oregon | $69K | +9% | 1,330 |
| Georgia | $66K | +5% | 4,530 |
| Nevada | $65K | +4% | 1,400 |
| Pennsylvania | $64K | +3% | 2,510 |
| Illinois | $64K | +2% | 4,660 |
| Virginia | $64K | +2% | 3,740 |
| Texas | $64K | +2% | 3,820 |
| Michigan | $63K | +1% | 1,890 |
| Vermont | $63K | +1% | 250 |
| Utah | $63K | +1% | 530 |
| Colorado | $63K | +0% | 3,260 |
| Idaho | $62K | -1% | 460 |
| Nebraska | $62K | -1% | 1,120 |
| Wyoming | $61K | -3% | 360 |
| South Carolina | $61K | -3% | 1,540 |
| Kentucky | $60K | -4% | 2,450 |
| New Hampshire | $60K | -4% | 520 |
| North Dakota | $59K | -5% | 600 |
| Wisconsin | $59K | -5% | 1,510 |
| West Virginia | $59K | -6% | 730 |
| Iowa | $58K | -7% | 1,160 |
| Indiana | $58K | -7% | 2,120 |
| Florida | $58K | -7% | 8,810 |
| Tennessee | $58K | -7% | 2,740 |
| Kansas | $57K | -10% | 1,300 |
| Missouri | $57K | -10% | 2,300 |
| North Carolina | $53K | -15% | 2,250 |
| Hawaii | $53K | -15% | 90 |
| Louisiana | $53K | -15% | 3,730 |
| Arizona | $53K | -16% | 3,020 |
| Maine | $53K | -16% | 570 |
| Arkansas | $52K | -17% | 1,490 |
| Alabama | $51K | -19% | 310 |
| South Dakota | $49K | -21% | 610 |
| Mississippi | $49K | -22% | 1,350 |
| Oklahoma | $48K | -24% | 1,690 |
| Montana | $48K | -24% | 400 |
Showing 1–10 of 50 states with published data
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track kindergarten teachers, except special education salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Durham-Chapel Hill numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a kindergarten teachers, except special education afford a 2BR apartment alone in Durham-Chapel Hill?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $50K, rent takes 51.1% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,711/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,000/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for kindergarten teachers, except special educations in Durham-Chapel Hill?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new kindergarten teachers, except special educations typically earn — is $44K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,617/month. At HUD’s $1,711/month FMR, rent would take 65% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is kindergarten teachers, except special education a high-paying job in Durham-Chapel Hill?
Local pay runs 20% below the national median — $50K here vs. $63K nationally.
How does Durham-Chapel Hill compare to the national average for kindergarten teachers, except special educations?
Durham-Chapel Hill pays $50K median vs. the U.S. average of $63K — that’s -20%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 97.57), the purchasing-power equivalent is $52K — below the national median.
How much do kindergarten teachers, except special educations make in Durham-Chapel Hill, NC?
The median is $50,320 a year. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $43,610, and experienced kindergarten teachers, except special educations can clear $71,870. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $50K enough to live in Durham-Chapel Hill?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,351/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,711/month, which eats 51.1% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.
How far does a kindergarten teachers, except special education salary go in Durham-Chapel Hill?
Durham-Chapel Hill has a Regional Price Parity of 97.57 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median kindergarten teachers, except special education salary is worth about $51,573 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do kindergarten teachers, except special educations get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.