Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special Education Salary
In Watertown-Fort Drum, NY, kindergarten teachers, except special educations earn $60,180 at the median. The range runs from $51K at the entry level to $83K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 87.69), which stretches that salary to about $68,628 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,405/month, about 35.8% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $60K get you in Watertown-Fort Drum?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Watertown-Fort Drum’s Regional Price Parity (87.69). 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 Watertown-Fort Drum
Kindergarten teachers, except special education pay in Watertown-Fort Drum tracks closely to the national median, $60K locally vs. $63K nationwide, a 4% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,405/month, which is 35.4% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 87.69 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 12% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for kindergarten teachers, except special educations in metros near Watertown-Fort Drum, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| New York-Newark-Jersey City | $77K | $69K |
| Rochester | $61K | $63K |
| Buffalo-Cheektowaga | $75K | $79K |
| Kiryas Joel-Poughkeepsie-Newburgh | $89K | $82K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Watertown-Fort Drum, NY
Entry-level kindergarten teachers, except special educations (10th percentile) start around $51K. Mid-career wages sit at $60K. Top earners bring in $83K or more, a $33K 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 Watertown-Fort Drum numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a kindergarten teachers, except special education afford a 2BR apartment alone in Watertown-Fort Drum?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $60K, rent takes 35.4% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,405/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,200/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 Watertown-Fort Drum?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new kindergarten teachers, except special educations typically earn — is $51K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,034/month. At HUD’s $1,405/month FMR, rent would take 46% 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 Watertown-Fort Drum?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $60K locally vs. $63K nationally, a 4% difference.
How does Watertown-Fort Drum compare to the national average for kindergarten teachers, except special educations?
Watertown-Fort Drum pays $60K median vs. the U.S. average of $63K — that’s -4%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 87.69), the purchasing-power equivalent is $69K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do kindergarten teachers, except special educations make in Watertown-Fort Drum, NY?
The median is $60,180 a year. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $50,570, and experienced kindergarten teachers, except special educations can clear $83,200. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $60K enough to live in Watertown-Fort Drum?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,974/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,405/month, which eats 35.4% 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 Watertown-Fort Drum?
Watertown-Fort Drum has a Regional Price Parity of 87.69 (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 $68,628 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.