Early Childhood Education Jobs in Illinois

Early childhood learning in Illinois is serious business, and the many initiatives and programs here are proof positive that the state is committed to providing the earliest learners with a strong educational foundation long before they step into a kindergarten classroom.

The Governor’s Office of Early Childhood Development oversees Illinois’ initiatives, which include, among others,the Early Learning Council responsible for coordinating and expanding programs for children ages birth to five, and ExceleRate Illinois, which works to make continuous quality improvement a priority for the state’s early learning providers.

These programs work together to produce an effective, well-coordinated, and robust early childhood education system that not only serves young learners and their families but also produces the ideal environment for exciting and varied professional opportunities for early childhood educators.

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Illinois Salary Rankings

in the US for Education Administrators, Preschool and Childcare

#16

in the US for Special Education Teachers, Preschool

#21

in the US for Childcare Workers

#15

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

#23

in the US for Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special Education

#30

in the US for Preschool Teachers, Except Special Education

Early Childhood Jobs in Illinois

Because Illinois is so representative of the U.S. in terms of population demographics and other measure, it is sometimes looked at as a perfect microcosm for what’s going on in the rest of the country. The same holds true when it comes to salaries for the state’s early childhood educators.

Salaries for these professionals almost always fall somewhere in the middle, often aligning with the national average. Childcare workers, special education teachers at the kindergarten and elementary school levels, and special education teachers at the preschool level all enjoy average salaries that are very competitive when compared with the national average.

Occupation	Total Employed	Median Annual Salary	% of US Median
Childcare Workers	17,440	$24,250	99%
Preschool Teachers, Except Special Education	24,120	$31,500	92%
Child, Family, and School Social Workers	3,910	$56,100	113%
Special Education Teachers, Kindergarten and Elementary School	9,670	$63,740	101%
Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special Education	4,630	$55,660	95%
Education Administrators, Preschool and Childcare	2,280	$45,680	85%
Special Education Teachers, Preschool	2,510	$57,560	93%
= Salary below nat’l. avg. = Salary above nat’l. avg.

Work within the sphere of early childhood education in Illinois and chances are you’ll earn close to the national average. Some outliers in the broader sphere of ECE include child, family, and school social workers, whose average salary is about $6,000 more than the national average, and kindergarten and preschool teachers who earn about $3,000 less than their colleagues in much of the rest of the country.

Childcare Workers – The 17,440 childcare workers in Illinois earn an average salary of $24,250, which is right in line with the national average of $24,610. Employment among Illinois’ childcare workers is projected to increase by 3.9% through 2026.

Child, Family, and School Social Workers – Illinois’ 3,910 child, family and school social workers earn an average salary of $56,100 – that’s about $6,000 more than the national average. Jobs among Illinois’ child, family, and school social workers are projected to rise by 5.7% through 2026.

Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special Education – There are 4,630 kindergarten teachers working in Illinois earning an average salary of $55,660. In Illinois, jobs for kindergarten teachers are projected to increase by 3.9% through 2026.

Preschool Teachers, Except Special Education – There are 24,120 preschool teachers employed in Illinois – more than five times the number of kindergarten teachers here. These professionals earn an average salary of $31,500, or about $3,000 less than the national average. Jobs among Illinois’ kindergarten teachers are projected to increase by 3.9% through 2026.

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City-Level Job Stats

Bloomington’s average salary for kindergarten teachers—$81,570—ranks it third in the nation and blows all other metropolitan regions in the state out of the water by at least $20,000.

The Chicago-Elgin-Naperville metropolitan region also came out on top for its average salaries for education administrators in preschool and childcare settings, special ed preschool teachers, and special ed kindergarten and elementary teachers.

Preschool Teachers

Chicago-Elgin-Naperville, IL-IN-WI – 19,560 licensed teachers with an average salary of $31,600
St. Louis, MO-IL – 3,880 licensed teachers with an average salary of $30,370
Peoria – 490 licensed teachers with an average salary of $32,050
Rockford – 470 licensed teachers with an average salary of $33,470
Bloomington- 410 licensed teachers with an average salary of $29,000
Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL – 480 licensed teachers with an average salary of $27,930
Springfield – 650 licensed teachers with an average salary of $28,460
Champaign-Urbana – 490 licensed teachers with an average salary of $30,600
Kankakee – 230 licensed teachers with an average salary of $27,460
Danville – average salary of $35,170

Kindergarten Teachers

Chicago-Elgin-Naperville, IL-IN-WI – 3,430 licensed teachers with an average salary of $56,680
St. Louis, MO-IL – 540 licensed teachers with an average salary of $53,730
Peoria – 110 licensed teachers with an average salary of $58,720
Rockford – 100 licensed teachers with an average salary of $60,760
Bloomington – 50 licensed teachers with an average salary of $81,570
Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL – 140 licensed teachers with an average salary of $60,370
Springfield – 60 licensed teachers with an average salary of $50,850
Champaign-Urbana – average salary of $54,280
Cape Girardeau-Jackson, MO-IL – 40 licensed teachers with an average salary of $44,120

Special Education Teachers – Preschool

Chicago-Elgin-Naperville, IL-IN-WI – 940 licensed teachers with an average salary of $56,320
Louis, MO-IL –average salary of $33,510

Special Education Teachers – Kindergarten and Elementary School

Chicago-Elgin-Naperville, IL-IN-WI – 7,510 licensed teachers with an average salary of $66,640
St. Louis, MO-IL – 990 licensed teachers with an average salary of $55,790
Peoria – 140 licensed teachers with an average salary of $55,270
Rockford – 30 licensed teachers with an average salary of $52,510
Bloomington – 50 licensed teachers with an average salary of $54,280
Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL – 180 licensed teachers with an average salary of $57,810
Springfield – 60 licensed teachers with an average salary of $50,850
Champaign-Urbana – 90 licensed teachers with an average salary of $49,630
Kankakee – 80 licensed teachers with an average salary of $52,430

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