Early Childhood Education Jobs in Nebraska

The pursuit of a career in early childhood learning in Nebraska is one that you can feel good about, thanks to outstanding professional opportunities – the Nebraska Department of Education reports that early childhood programs in Nebraska have grown 875% since 2004! All those new students are driving strong job growth and better pay for skilled educators.

While increasing numbers of early learning programs in the state have provided preschool teachers with ample job opportunities, low pay has plagued the early childhood education system in Nebraska for years.

A report from the Buffett Early Childhood Institute (which used the results of the Nebraska Early Childhood Workforce Survey) reveals what many already knew: Preschool teachers must be better compensated for their work – to decrease employee turnover and to attract highly qualified professionals. The Institute is working with the Nebraska Early Childhood Workforce Commission to find solutions to this issue and is set to bring forth their recommendations in 2019.

With the proper education and training by your side, you’ll be an important asset to the state’s early learning system in the coming years.

Early Childhood Jobs in Nebraska

Nebraska has a healthy market for jobs within the sphere of early childhood education, from preschool teachers to school administrators. Salaries tend to hover near the national average in most categories of employment, but the real secret is the rate of expansion in the number of jobs expected in the coming years.

Many roles in the field here are expected to increase by more than ten percent over the next decade or so, providing a lot of opportunities for educators and childcare professionals across the state.

Occupation	Total Employed	Median Annual Salary	% of US Median
Childcare Workers	9,090	$23,980	97%
Child, Family, and School Social Workers	2,770	$41,560	84%
Special Education Teachers, Kindergarten and Elementary School	1,150	$57,870	92%
Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special Education	920	$59,490	102%
Preschool Teachers, Except Special Education	1,300	$37,980	110%
Education Administrators, Preschool and Childcare	280	$49,810	93%
Special Education Teachers, Preschool	150	$55,900	91%
= Salary below nat’l. avg.      = Salary above nat’l. avg.

Despite not being a huge, urbanized state, there is a considerable number of people working in early childhood education and related professions here. Childcare workers alone represent more than 9,000 jobs in the state, far and away the largest percentage of jobs available in the sector here, and that number is expected to jump by 12 percent by 2026.

Childcare Workers – Nebraska has a robust market for childcare workers, with 9,090 employed here, a number projected to increase by 12 percent in the next seven years. They make a median salary of $23,980 a year, close to the national average.

Child, Family, and School Social Workers – There are 2,770 social workers dealing with child, family, and school matters here, making an average salary of $41,560. Their ranks are expected to increase to 3,320 by 2026.

Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special Education – There are 920 kindergarten teachers in the state, making an average salary of $59,490, just about $1,000 more than the national average for these jobs.

Preschool Teachers, Except Special Education – 1,300 people work as preschool teachers in Nebraska, with an average salary of $37,980. That beats the national average by more than $3,500 a year!

Special Education Teachers, Kindergarten and Elementary School – 1,150 teachers work in special education at this level, with an average salary of $57,870. The state expects a robust amount of job growth for this position over the next few years, with a14 percent job growth rate expected.

Special Education Teachers, Preschool and Childcare – There are 150 teachers working in special education at the preschool level, making an average salary of $55,900 annually. Their numbers are expected to rise by around 6 percent by 2026.

Education Administrators, Preschool and Childcare – 280 people work as administrators at the preschool level here, with an average annual salary of $49,810.

City-Level Job Stats

Lincoln and Omaha are naturally the areas with the greatest concentration of childhood educators and related professionals, but although you may find more openings in those areas, be careful in assuming that big cities lead to big salaries! You’ll find much higher rates in places like Grand Island, where the salaries that preschool and kindergarten teachers earn blows the doors off any other area. In fact, teachers working in these roles right here in Nebraska earn well above the national averages for the same jobs.

Preschool Teachers

• Grand Island, NE – 30 teachers with a median annual salary of $64,030
• Lincoln, NE – 510 teachers with a median annual salary of $24,490
• Omaha-Council Bluffs, NE-IA – 480 teachers with a median annual salary of $35,380
• Sioux City, IA-NE-SD – 140 teachers with a median annual salary of $28,870

Kindergarten Teachers

• Grand Island, NE – 60 teachers with a median annual salary of $73,740
• Lincoln, NE – 180 teachers with a median annual salary of $52,160
• Omaha-Council Bluffs, NE-IA – 430 teachers with a median annual salary of $60,450
• Sioux City, IA-NE-SD – 30 teachers with a median annual salary of $46,140

Special Education Teachers – Preschool

• Omaha-Council Bluffs, NE-IA – 60 teachers with a median annual salary of $56,810

Special Education Teachers – Kindergarten and Elementary School

• Grand Island, NE – 70 teachers with a median annual salary of $66,690
• Lincoln, NE – 190 teachers with a median annual salary of $49,280
• Omaha-Council Bluffs, NE-IA – 470 teachers with a median annual salary of $61,160
• Sioux City, IA-NE-SD – 80 teachers with a median annual salary of $54,490

Education Administrators – Preschool and Childcare

• Lincoln, NE – 90 administrators with a median annual salary of $45,950
• Omaha-Council Bluffs, NE-IA – 160 administrators with a median annual salary of $43,820
• Sioux City, IA-NE-SD – Median annual salary of $46,730

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_ne.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.