Early Childhood Education Jobs in California

It’s a great time to be an early childhood educator in California. That’s because California’s earliest learners are moving from the shadows of the state’s educational system right to the forefront, thanks to a windfall $103 billion education budget signed by Governor Gavin Newsom. Within this budget is $1 billion for early education programs and $300 million for expanding full-day kindergarten classes throughout the state. This means thousands more families will receive subsidized childcare and all-day preschool. Newson calls this a “big win” for the state’s earliest learners.

These changes are good news, not only for California’s children and families, but also for the early childhood educators who work here. Choose a career in early childhood education in California and you’ll enjoy the many benefits that result from increased funding for the youngest learners.

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California Salary Rankings

Salaries for early childhood educators in California are higher than the national average in all occupational categories, except for those working in preschool settings.

in the US for Special Education Teachers, Kindergarten and Elementary School

in the US for Childcare Workers

in the US for Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special Education

#10

in the US for Preschool Teachers, Except Special Education

#12

in the US for Education Administrators, Preschool and Childcare

#34

in the US for Special Education Teachers, Preschool

Early Childhood Jobs in California

California’s high cost of living along with the state’s longstanding commitment to education combine to make early childhood educators here some of the best paid in the nation. For example, special education teachers in kindergarten and elementary school settings boast the highest, annual salary in the country, and both kindergarten teachers and child social workers in the Golden State are ranked fifth in the nation for pay.

Occupation	Total Employed	Median Annual Salary	% of US Median
Childcare Workers	60,460	$28,630	116%
Preschool Teachers, Except Special Education	52,950	$37,850	110%
Child, Family, and School Social Workers	31,290	$59,500	120%
Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special Education	11,580	$69,690	119%
Special Education Teachers, Kindergarten and Elementary School	15,230	$80,370	127%
Education Administrators, Preschool and Childcare	7,500	$56,650	105%
Special Education Teachers, Preschool	1,470	$47,870	78%
= Salary below nat’l. avg. = Salary above nat’l. avg.

Salaries for early childhood educators in California are higher than the national average in all occupational categories. For some of the more specialized roles in the broader sphere, like special education teachers in kindergarten and elementary school settings, the pay is significantly more than the national average. Not surprisingly, the state also ranks near or at the top for many occupations in terms of employment level, including a first-place spot for the number of childcare workers, education administrators, preschool teachers, and school social workers employed here.

Childcare Workers – Preschool teachers here number 60,460, the most of any state in the nation. These professionals earn an average salary of $28,630, or about $4,000 more than the national average. Jobs among California’s childcare workers are projected to rise by 6.8% through 2026.

Child, Family, and School Social Workers – There are 31,290 child, family, and school social workers employed in California, also the highest number of any state. The state average annual salary for this occupation is $59,500, or about $10,000 more than the national average. Employment among child, family, and school social workers in California is expected to increase by 12.9% through 2026.

Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special Education – The total number of kindergarten teachers in California is 11,580, placing the state second in the nation for this category behind only Texas. The average salary for kindergarten teachers here is $69,690, or about $11,000 more than the national average. Kindergarten teacher jobs in California are projected to increase by 7.7% through 2026.

Preschool Teachers, Except Special Education – California’s preschool teachers earn an average annual salary of $37,850, or about $3,000 more than the national average. The total number of specialists working in this field is 52,950, the highest of any state in the nation. Preschool teacher jobs in California are projected to increase by 9.7% through 2026.

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City-Level Job Stats

As expected, many metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas of California boast some of the highest employment levels and salaries nationwide.

For example, kindergarten teachers in Modesto earn the highest average salary in the nation, while special education teachers at the kindergarten and elementary school levels in Fresno are ranked second in the nation for pay.

The Sunshine State’s Los Angeles-Long-Beach-Anaheim metropolitan region is home to the second highest number of education administrators in preschool and childcare center settings, as well as the highest number of childcare workers, and school social workers.

Preschool Teachers

Los Angeles-Long Beach-Santa Ana, CA – 17,040 teachers with an average salary of $38,190
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA – 10,280 teachers with an average salary of $43,460
Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA – 2,780 teachers with an average salary of $32,150
San Diego-Carlsbad-San Marco, CA – 4,300 teachers with an average salary of $35,480
Sacramento-Arden-Arcade-Roseville, CA – 2,990 teachers with an average salary of $32,800
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa-Clara, CA – 5,480 teachers with an average salary of $39,290
Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA – 1,130 teachers with an average salary of $33,690
Fresno, CA – 1,220 teachers with an average salary of $34,810
Stockton, CA – 710 teachers with an average salary of $31,960
Bakersfield-Delano, CA – 780 teachers with an average salary of $32,130
Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA – 770 teachers with an average salary of $36,370
Modesto, CA – 490 teachers with an average salary of $45,310
Visalia-Porterville, CA – 270 teachers with an average salary of $39,660
Salinas, CA – 580 teachers with an average salary of $34,610
Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA – 230 teachers with an average salary of $37,240
Merced, CA – 150 teachers with an average salary of $40,750
El Centro, CA – 420 teachers with an average salary of $45,490
Redding, CA – 300 teachers with an average salary of $27,440
Chico, CA – 380 teachers with an average salary of $32,330
San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA – 280 teachers with an average salary of $32,220
Madera-Chowchilla, CA – 160 teachers with an average salary of $30,920
Napa, CA – average salary of $37,900

Kindergarten Teachers

Los Angeles-Long Beach-Santa Ana, CA – 3,540 teachers with an average salary of $70,310
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA – 1,630 teachers with an average salary of $62,310
Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA – 1,160 teachers with an average salary of $71,830
San Diego-Carlsbad-San Marco, CA – 490 teachers with an average salary of $66,720
Sacramento-Arden-Arcade-Roseville, CA – 630 teachers with an average salary of $79,590
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa-Clara, CA – 780 teachers with an average salary of $69,460
Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA – 180 teachers with an average salary of $53,190
Fresno, CA – 310 teachers with an average salary of $69,730
Stockton, CA – 320 teachers with an average salary of $72,160
Bakersfield-Delano, CA – 360 teachers with an average salary of $75,680
Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA – 200 teachers with an average salary of $73,840
Modesto, CA – 120 teachers with an average salary of $98,930
Visalia-Porterville, CA 270 teachers with an average salary of $76,460
Salinas, CA – average salary of $55,940
Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA – average salary of $75,570
Merced, CA 170 – average salary of $74,400
El Centro, CA – average salary of $62,780
Chico, CA – average slary of $51,090
San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA – average salary of $40,220

Special Education Teachers – Preschool

Los Angeles-Long Beach-Santa Ana, CA – average salary of $42,380
San Diego-Carlsbad-San Marco, CA – average salary of $45,700

Special Education Teachers – Kindergarten and Elementary School

Los Angeles-Long Beach-Santa Ana, CA – 5,370 teachers with an average salary of $84,920
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA – 1,320 teachers with an average salary of $73,260
Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA – 2,240 teachers with an average salary of $81,960
San Diego-Carlsbad-San Marco, CA – 1,050 teachers with an average salary of $74,870
Sacramento-Arden-Arcade-Roseville, CA – 820 teachers with an average salary of $72,090
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa-Clara, CA – 600 teachers with an average salary of $83,030
Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA – 230 teachers with an average salary of $66,680
Fresno, CA – 810 teachers with an average salary of $91,680
Stockton, CA – 420 teachers with an average salary of $73,620
Bakersfield-Delano, CA – 410 teachers with an average salary of $69,650
Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA – 180 teachers with an average salary of $76,630
Modesto, CA – 200 teachers with an average salary of $77,400
Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA – average salary of $77,410
Merced, CA 50 teachers with an average salary of $79,700
El Centro, CA – average salary of $81,170
Chico, CA – average salary of $35,500
San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA – 70 teachers with an average salary of $66,420

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