Early Childhood Education Jobs in New Jersey

You’ll be pleased to know that New Jersey is fully committed to its youngest learners and that careers in this field come with outstanding professional opportunities and impressive salaries to match.

The state’s focus on children has earned it national recognition. In fact, New Jersey ranks among the top states in the nation for education. According to the Annie E. Casey Foundation 30^th annual Kids Count report, New Jersey was ranked fifth in the nation for overall child well-being and second for education.

The state’s robust early education environment is also enjoying a recent boost from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, which provided the state with a $10.6 million federal grant to fund the New Jersey Preschool Development Collaboration. This program is designed to improve coordination and collaboration between state and local childhood education and childcare programs.

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New Jersey Salary Rankings

in the US for Preschool Teachers, Except Special Education

in the US for Education Administrators, Preschool and Childcare

in the US for Special Education Teachers, Preschool

in the US for Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special Education

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

#12

in the US for Childcare Workers

Early Childhood Jobs in New Jersey

You’ll find a strong commitment to early childhood education in New Jersey. The state is home to a large and close-knit community of preschool teachers, administrators and other professionals that work within the broader sphere of early childhood education, and salaries are quite high for many of these educators and caregivers.

In fact, New Jersey leads the nation in salaries for early childhood education administrators, beating out many heavyweights, from next-door-neighbor New York to some of the biggest states out west, including California. And this is just the tip of the iceberg if you are planning a long career in the state in one of these fields… job growth of ten percent or more is forecast for many of them, making the Garden State a great spot for ECE professionals at all levels.

Occupation	Total Employed	Median Annual Salary	% of US Median
Childcare Workers	18,490	$26,450	107%
Preschool Teachers, Except Special Education	15,820	$40,880	119%
Special Education Teachers, Kindergarten and Elementary School	12,110	$70,630	112%
Child, Family, and School Social Workers	5,060	$67,700	136%
Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special Education	5,120	$67,400	115%
Education Administrators, Preschool and Childcare	1,750	$76,410	142%
Special Education Teachers, Preschool	250	$66,890	109%
= Salary below nat’l. avg. = Salary above nat’l. avg.

With great pay for early childhood professionals of all stripes, from preschool teachers to child and family social workers and preschool administrators, New Jersey is a place that respects expertise in early childhood education, and is willing to pay accordingly.

Childcare Workers – There are 18,490 childcare workers throughout the state, making an average of $26,450. That’s right around the national average for this profession, but demand is strong, with a 9.2 percent increase in the number of jobs forecast through 2026.

Child, Family, and School Social Workers – With only 5,060 social workers in New Jersey schools and other settings where they deal with child and family issues, the safety net is stretched thin here. However, the average salary of $67,700 is $17,940 higher than the national average, making it a fairly lucrative field to be in.

Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special Education – There are only 5,120 kindergarten teachers working outside of special education in New Jersey, and between them they earn an average annual salary of $67,400. That puts them about $9,000 above the national average for such positions.

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City-Level Job Stats

The Newark area bordering New York is the most obvious hotspot for both job opportunities and compensation in just about every job category within the sphere of early childhood education. But there are many excellent options around the state for teachers who aren’t aiming for big-city living and prefer a more small-town vibe that still comes with above-average salaries. This includes the area around Atlantic City.

Preschool Teachers

Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ – 420 teachers with a median annual salary of $25,090
Ocean City, NJ – 50 teachers with a median annual salary of $37,950
Trenton, NJ – 1,030 teachers with a median annual salary of $32,380
Vineland-Bridgeton, NJ – 260 teachers.
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA – 35,280 teachers with a median annual salary of $40,270
Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ – 960 teachers with a median annual salary of $29,640
Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD – 9,400 teachers with a median annual salary of $28,100

Kindergarten Teachers

Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ – 140 teachers with a median annual salary of $67,250
Ocean City, NJ – 40 teachers with a median annual salary of $64,050
Trenton, NJ – 180 teachers with a median annual salary of $64,300
Vineland-Bridgeton, NJ – 70 teachers with a median annual salary of $66,590
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA – 7,360 teachers with a median annual salary of $72,720
Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ – 510 teachers with a median annual salary of $75,920
Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD – 1,810 teachers with a median annual salary of $57,800

Special Education Teachers – Preschool

New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA – 3,880 teachers with a median annual salary of $73,480
Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD – 130 teachers with a median annual salary of $48,840

Special Education Teachers – Kindergarten and Elementary School

Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ – 400 teachers with a median annual salary of $73,100
Ocean City, NJ – 90 teachers with a median annual salary of $64,620
Trenton, NJ – 460 teachers with a median annual salary of $72,150
Vineland-Bridgeton, NJ – 130 teachers with a median annual salary of $64,470
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA – 21,830 teachers with a median annual salary of $73,140
Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ – 860 teachers with a median annual salary of $72,450
Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD – 4,980 teachers with a median annual salary of $64,230

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