Preschool Teachers, Except Special Education Salary
The median pay for a preschool teachers, except special education in El Centro, CA is $44,370/year ($21.33/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $37K at the entry level to $73K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 95.17), that's roughly $46,622 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,362/month, about 44.5% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $44K get you in El Centro?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by El Centro’s Regional Price Parity (95.17). 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 preschool teachers, except special educations
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What this looks like in El Centro
El Centro sits well above the national pay line for preschool teachers, except special education, local pay runs about 16% higher than the U.S. median of $38K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,362/month, which is 44.5% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost of living (RPP 95.17) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. The pay premium is real, but so are the offsets.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for preschool teachers, except special educations in metros near El Centro, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim | $47K | $41K |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont | $54K | $47K |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad | $45K | $40K |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara | $51K | $46K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, El Centro, CA
Entry-level preschool teachers, except special educations (10th percentile) start around $37K. Mid-career wages sit at $44K. Top earners bring in $73K or more, a $36K spread from bottom to top.
Preschool Teachers, Except Special Education pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Preschool Teachers, Except Special Education salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $62K | +63% | 2,350 |
| Vermont | $50K | +30% | 940 |
| Hawaii | $49K | +28% | 1,410 |
| New Jersey | $48K | +26% | 16,190 |
| Kansas | $48K | +25% | 1,330 |
| California | $47K | +24% | 55,700 |
| Nebraska | $47K | +23% | 1,630 |
| New York | $47K | +22% | 23,870 |
| Alaska | $46K | +21% | 520 |
| Massachusetts | $46K | +20% | 18,710 |
| Connecticut | $46K | +20% | 5,230 |
| Washington | $46K | +20% | 13,210 |
| Colorado | $46K | +19% | 5,210 |
| Oregon | $45K | +18% | 6,300 |
| Maryland | $45K | +17% | 8,020 |
| South Dakota | $45K | +17% | 1,470 |
| New Mexico | $44K | +16% | 2,490 |
| Georgia | $44K | +15% | 16,850 |
| Maine | $44K | +15% | 1,110 |
| Minnesota | $43K | +14% | 10,320 |
| Illinois | $41K | +7% | 22,420 |
| North Dakota | $40K | +4% | 540 |
| New Hampshire | $39K | +3% | 2,220 |
| Nevada | $39K | +2% | 2,360 |
| Louisiana | $38K | -0% | 3,570 |
| Virginia | $37K | -3% | 13,570 |
| Michigan | $37K | -3% | 10,950 |
| Rhode Island | $37K | -3% | 1,890 |
| Indiana | $37K | -4% | 7,110 |
| Montana | $37K | -4% | 960 |
| Delaware | $36K | -5% | 2,000 |
| Arizona | $36K | -5% | 9,400 |
| Mississippi | $36K | -5% | 3,600 |
| Wisconsin | $36K | -5% | 11,330 |
| Missouri | $36K | -5% | 5,580 |
| Pennsylvania | $36K | -5% | 22,760 |
| Florida | $36K | -6% | 35,740 |
| North Carolina | $36K | -6% | 18,370 |
| Ohio | $35K | -8% | 19,840 |
| Utah | $35K | -8% | 3,670 |
| South Carolina | $35K | -10% | 4,550 |
| Tennessee | $34K | -10% | 5,420 |
| Arkansas | $34K | -10% | 3,270 |
| Texas | $34K | -11% | 41,200 |
| Iowa | $34K | -11% | 5,910 |
| Idaho | $33K | -14% | 1,010 |
| West Virginia | $32K | -15% | 2,190 |
| Oklahoma | $32K | -17% | 7,010 |
| Wyoming | $30K | -22% | 1,040 |
| Kentucky | $30K | -22% | 8,520 |
| Alabama | $28K | -26% | 7,910 |
Showing 1–10 of 51 (all 50 states + DC)
Track preschool teachers, except special education salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when El Centro numbers change.
Related careers in Education
Frequently asked questions
Can a preschool teachers, except special education afford a 2BR apartment alone in El Centro?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $44K, rent takes 44.5% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,362/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $900/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for preschool teachers, except special educations in El Centro?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new preschool teachers, except special educations typically earn — is $37K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,194/month. At HUD’s $1,362/month FMR, rent would take 62% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is preschool teachers, except special education a high-paying job in El Centro?
Local pay is 16% above the national median — $44K here vs. $38K nationally.
How does El Centro compare to the national average for preschool teachers, except special educations?
El Centro pays $44K median vs. the U.S. average of $38K — that’s +16%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 95.17), the purchasing-power equivalent is $47K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do preschool teachers, except special educations make in El Centro, CA?
The median is $44,370 a year, that works out to about $21 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $36,570, and experienced preschool teachers, except special educations can clear $73,020. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $44K enough to live in El Centro?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,061/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,362/month, which eats 44.5% 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 preschool teachers, except special education salary go in El Centro?
El Centro has a Regional Price Parity of 95.17 (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 preschool teachers, except special education salary is worth about $46,622 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do preschool 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.