Preschool Teachers, Except Special Education Salary
The median pay for a preschool teachers, except special education in Waterbury-Shelton, CT is $44,670/year ($21.48/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $35K at the entry level to $75K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 99.78), that's roughly $44,768 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,788/month, about 58% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $45K get you in Waterbury-Shelton?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Waterbury-Shelton’s Regional Price Parity (99.78). 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 Waterbury-Shelton
Waterbury-Shelton sits well above the national pay line for preschool teachers, except special education, local pay runs about 17% 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 $1,788/month, which is 59.8% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost of living (RPP 99.78) 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 Waterbury-Shelton, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford | $44K | $43K |
| Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury | $49K | $46K |
| New Haven | $45K | $43K |
| Norwich-New London-Willimantic | $46K | $46K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Waterbury-Shelton, CT
Entry-level preschool teachers, except special educations (10th percentile) start around $35K. Mid-career wages sit at $45K. Top earners bring in $75K or more, a $40K 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
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Frequently asked questions
Can a preschool teachers, except special education afford a 2BR apartment alone in Waterbury-Shelton?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $45K, rent takes 59.8% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,788/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 Waterbury-Shelton?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new preschool teachers, except special educations typically earn — is $35K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,105/month. At HUD’s $1,788/month FMR, rent would take 85% 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 Waterbury-Shelton?
Local pay is 17% above the national median — $45K here vs. $38K nationally.
How does Waterbury-Shelton compare to the national average for preschool teachers, except special educations?
Waterbury-Shelton pays $45K median vs. the U.S. average of $38K — that’s +17%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 99.78), the purchasing-power equivalent is $45K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do preschool teachers, except special educations make in Waterbury-Shelton, CT?
The median is $44,670 a year, that works out to about $21 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $35,090, and experienced preschool teachers, except special educations can clear $75,480. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $45K enough to live in Waterbury-Shelton?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,991/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,788/month, which eats 59.8% 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 Waterbury-Shelton?
Waterbury-Shelton has a Regional Price Parity of 99.78 (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 $44,768 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.