Early Childhood Education Jobs in Nevada

The good news is that a career in Nevada’s early childhood education system comes with plenty of job opportunities and salaries that exceed the national average. The bad news is that Nevada’s early childhood education system is one that has been largely overlooked by the state – up until now, that is.

Nevada is ranked 48^th in the nation for preschool enrollment according to the Nevada Children’s Report Card published by the Children’s Advocacy Alliance, and spending per student is much lower than the national average. While an increasing population has kept jobs in early childhood education strong, the sad fact is that a mere 37 percent of three- and four-year-olds in the state are enrolled in preschool.

But Nevada’s legislature has finally begun to make early childhood learning a priority, investing more than $500 million in education in the last two years, which has included increased funding for early childhood education. Most recently, the state received a $600,000 federal preschool development grant toward improving and coordinating existing childcare and education programs.

This renewed focus on the early childhood learning will bring even more opportunities to Nevada’s early childhood educators and secure a brighter future for those who dedicate their lives to the earliest learners.

Early Childhood Jobs in Nevada

There’s more to Nevada than just the gaming and hospitality that Las Vegas is known for, and it includes well-paying jobs for early childhood education professionals, from teachers and special education specialists, to administrators and even school social workers. Fortunately, both industries are thriving, particularly throughout Clark County, and bringing new residents in daily. Many of those new Nevadans are coming along with kids, driving job growth into the double digits for early childhood educators—good news for both job openings and salaries.

Occupation	Total Employed	Median Annual Salary	% of US Median
Child, Family, and School Social Workers	3,130	$52,410	107%
Childcare Workers	4,340	$22,280	97%
Preschool Teachers, Except Special Education	1,220	$32,540	132%
Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special Education	1,500	$56,280	104%
Special Education Teachers, Preschool	270	$59,700	97%
Education Administrators, Preschool and Childcare	190	$56,800	105%
= Salary below nat’l. avg.      = Salary above nat’l. avg.

The Silver State has overall employment numbers in childcare and early childhood education that would make other states of a similar size envious. The competition has also boosted salaries in most categories, up to and even past the national average in some categories. This is really impressive for a state with so many rural districts.

Childcare Workers – 4,340 people work directly in childcare roles in Nevada, with an average salary of $22,280. Jobs in this role are set for strong growth through  2026, with openings increasing by an estimated 14 percent.

Child, Family, and School Social Workers – There are 3,130 school and child specialist social workers in Nevada. They make an average of $52,410 a year, which is $2,650 above the national average.

Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special Education – There are 1,500 kindergarten teachers in Nevada, making an average of $56,280 a year. A 21 percent jump is expected in this job category by 2026.

Preschool Teachers, Except Special Education – Nevada has 1,220 preschool teachers who pull in an average of $32,540 a year. This category is forecast to expand by nearly 16 percent over the next seven years.

Special Education Teachers, Kindergarten and Elementary School – 930 people work as special education teachers at the kindergarten and elementary school levels. The average salary for the role is $53,180. The forecasted job growth in this category is impressive by any measure – 21 percent in just the next handful of years.

Special Education Teachers, Preschool and Childcare – Only 270 people work in special education at the preschool level here in Nevada, earning an average salary of $59,700. Demand is driving plenty more opportunities for this kind of specialized work, with a 20 percent increase in the number of openings in this category expected by 2026.

Education Administrators, Preschool and Childcare – There are 190 education administrators working at the preschool level in Nevada, making an average $56,800 each year. That beats the national average for this role by nearly $3,000.

City-Level Job Stats

The growth story in Las Vegas has been nothing short of astounding in recent years, and the influx of workers and families has driven up employment numbers considerably in recent years. For salaries, however, many early childhood educators will want to look north, to the Reno area, where salaries still beat out the big city numbers in the Las Vegas metro area.

Preschool Teachers

• Las Vegas-Henderson-Paradise, NV – 880 teachers with a median annual salary of $24,250
• Reno, NV – Median annual salary of $25,800

Kindergarten Teachers

• Las Vegas-Henderson-Paradise, NV – 1,060 teachers with a median annual salary of $52,960
• Reno, NV – 240 teachers with a median annual salary of $59,360

Special Education Teachers – Preschool

• Las Vegas-Henderson-Paradise, NV – Median annual salary of $56,550

Special Education Teachers – Kindergarten and Elementary School

• Las Vegas-Henderson-Paradise, NV – 510 teachers with a median annual salary of $53,000

Education Administrators – Preschool and Childcare

• Las Vegas-Henderson-Paradise, NV – 110 administrators with a median annual salary of $51,620
• Reno, NV – 40 administrators with a median annual salary of $47,300

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_nv.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.