Early Childhood Education Jobs in Louisiana

With a new state budget that includes additional funding for early childhood education, a federal grant expanding preschool programs throughout the state, and a coordinated network of early childhood education programs, Louisiana’s ECE system and the educators who make it work are poised for success.

In June 2019, Louisiana lawmakers gave the greenlight to a $30 billion state budget which includes both teacher pay raises and more funding for the state’s early childhood education system. This windfall for the education system builds on the state’s already-robust system that includes the Louisiana Early Childhood Care and Education Network, which unifies the state’s childhood education programs, and the $32 million preschool expansion grant, which is designed to expand preschool programs to early learners in high-need communities throughout the state.

These exciting steps toward a brighter future for Louisiana’s earliest learners also translate into exceptional professional opportunities for early childhood educators across all disciplines.

Early Childhood Jobs in Louisiana

While state salary stats aren’t often kind to early childhood educators in the Deep South, particularly when compared to national averages, it’s all quite relative when considering that the cost of living tends to be much lower in this part of the country. Often times, the best way to make a fair assessment is to compare average salaries between states in the same region.

This holds true in Louisiana, where salaries for early childhood education professionals, shine bright when compared to neighboring states. For example, the average salary for preschool teachers in Louisiana is $32,290 – that’s well above the average for both Mississippi ($27,940) and Oklahoma ($29,310).

Occupation	Total Employed	Median Annual Salary	% of US Median
Childcare Workers	8,840	$19,820	81%
Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special Education	820	$50,540	87%
Special Education Teachers, Kindergarten and Elementary School	3,990	$50,300	80%
Preschool Teachers, Except Special Education	1,980	$32,290	94%
Child, Family, and School Social Workers	620	$50,690	102%
Special Education Teachers, Preschool	530	$49,480	80%
Education Administrators, Preschool and Childcare	280	$45,010	83%
= Salary below nat’l. avg.      = Salary above nat’l. avg.

Child, family and school social workers earn a top spot among professionals working within the sphere of early childhood education in the Bayou State with salaries that exceed the national average.  Kindergarten teachers, special ed teachers at the preschool and elementary school levels, and education administrators all make the grade with average salaries that land between $45000-$50,000.

Childcare Workers – There are 8,840 childcare workers employed in Louisiana, and these professionals earn an average of $19,820. Thanks to a projected increase of 7% in the number of jobs expected to open up through 2026, the future looks bright for a career in childcare. Jobs for Louisiana’s childcare workers are expected to increase by 2.6% through 2026.

Child, Family, and School Social Workers – Louisiana’s 620 child, family, and school social workers earn an average salary of $50,690 – that’s about $1,000 higher than the national average. Child, family, and school social worker jobs in Louisiana are expected to rise by 11.1% through 2026.

Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special Education – There are 820 kindergarten teachers working in Louisiana. These education professionals earn an average salary of $50,540. Kindergarten teacher jobs in Louisiana are projected to increase by 7.3% through 2026.

Preschool Teachers, Except Special Education – Louisiana is home to 1,980 preschool teachers – that’s more than double the number of kindergarten teachers. Jobs for preschool teachers pay an average salary of $32,290. The number of preschool teachers in Louisiana is expected to increase by 6.5% through 2026.

Special Education Teachers – Kindergarten and Elementary School – Louisiana’s 3,990 special education teachers at the kindergarten and elementary school level earn an annual salary of $50,300. Special education teachers at this level far surpass their colleagues at the preschool level, outnumbering them by more than 3,400, and the demand for these professionals is only expected to increase. In fact, employment among Louisiana’s special ed teachers in kindergarten and elementary school settings is projected to rise by 6.6% through 2026.

Education Administrators, Preschool and Childcare – There are 280 education administrators working in Louisiana’s preschools and childcare settings earning an average salary of $45,010. The number of jobs in this field in the coming years is impressive, with the number of jobs projected to rise by 11% through 2026. Preschool and childcare education administrator jobs in Louisiana are projected to rise by 5.7% through 2026.

Special Education Teachers, Preschool – There are 530 special education teachers in preschool settings working in Louisiana, and these professionals earn an average salary of $49,480. Demand for these professionals is expected to remain strong in the coming years, with the number of jobs rising 6.4% through 2026.

City-Level Job Stats

There is little consistency when it comes to where the top earners in early childhood education are located in Louisiana. For example, preschool teachers in the Monroe area earn an average salary of $45,430, which is 11,000 more than their closest competitor, Shreveport-Bossier City, where they earn $34,520 on average.

But Shreveport-Bossier city takes the lead when it comes to kindergarten teacher average salaries, beating out the state’s other metro regions by nearly $6,000.

Preschool Teachers

• New Orleans-Metairie-Kenner – 770 licensed teachers with an average salary of $31,050
• Baton Rouge –average salary of $30,730
• Shreveport-Bossier City – 230 licensed teachers with an average salary of $34,520
• Lafayette – 280 licensed teachers with an average salary of $32,570
• Monroe –50 licensed teachers with an average salary of $45,430

Kindergarten Teachers

• New Orleans-Metairie-Kenner – 240 licensed teachers with an average salary of $52,020
• Baton Rouge – 180 licensed teachers with an average salary of $51,370
• Shreveport-Bossier City – 60 licensed teachers with an average salary of $56,220
• Monroe – 100 licensed teachers with an average salary of $50,880

Special Education Teachers – Preschool

• New Orleans-Metairie-Kenner – 100 licensed teachers with an average salary of $51,840

Special Education Teachers – Kindergarten and Elementary School

• New Orleans-Metairie-Kenner – 1,050 licensed teachers with an average salary of $51,320
• Baton Rouge – 670 licensed teachers with an average salary of $51,740
• Shreveport-Bossier City – 470 licensed teachers with an average salary of $52,380
• Lafayette – 330 licensed teachers with an average salary of $49,570
• Houma-Thibodaux – 170 licensed teachers with an average salary of $50,700
• Monroe – 170 licensed teachers with an average salary of $52,050

Education Administrators – Preschool and Childcare

• New Orleans-Metairie-Kenner – 90 licensed teachers with an average salary of $56,440
• Baton Rouge – 80 licensed teachers with an average salary of $34,610
• Shreveport-Bossier City –average salary of $36,760

2018 Occupational Employment Statistics sourced from the U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) [salary data accessed April 2019] https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes_la.htm#25-0000

BLS salary data represents state and MSA (Metropolitan Statistical Area) average and median earnings for the occupations listed and includes workers at all levels of education and experience. This data does not represent starting salaries. Employment conditions in your area may vary.