Early Childhood Education Jobs in Texas
What you probably already know is that Texas enjoys a reputation as a leader in early childhood education – both for the sheer number of jobs available here and for the top salary averages of its workforce. It’s a recipe for success for the state’s early childcare educators.
But what you may not know is that Texas also has plans to increase spending for the state’s youngest learners. While the budget for the state’s pre-k programs of $824 million in 2018 may, at first, sound quite impressive, the sobering news is that this total was 7% lower than 2017 numbers.
But a legislative proposal in the Lone Star state may pump more than $6 billion more into public education – $780 million of which would be directed toward the state’s pre-k programs. The money earmarked for the state’s early childhood education system would be used, in part, to introduce full-day pre-k programs to all districts in the state. (About 70% of all districts already have full-day pre-k programs.)
And while the jury is still out whether this funding will be approved and made available, it’s important to note that Texas still served about 231,000 children in pre-k programs in 2018 – an increase of 3% from 2017.
A growing number of children served in pre-k settings translates into exceptional opportunities for the professionals who have dedicated their careers to the education of the state’s youngest learners.
Texas Salary Rankings
in the US for Preschool Teachers, Except Special Education
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
in the US for Childcare Workers
in the US for Education Administrators, Preschool and Childcare
Early Childhood Jobs in Texas
Texas’ early childhood educators enjoy some of the highest salaries in the South, often surpassing average salaries in neighboring states, and throughout the U.S. In fact, Texas has been able to successfully recruit many educators from Oklahoma with its higher salaries. The relatively low cost of living in the Lone Star State also means that salaries for early childhood educators can go further, making jobs in this field even more attractive.
| Occupation | Total Employed | Median Annual Salary | % of US Median | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Childcare Workers | 46,890 | $22,150 |  90% |
|
| Preschool Teachers, Except Special Education | 34,790 | $34,960 |  102% |
|
| Child, Family, and School Social Workers | 19,510 | $48,920 | 98% |
|
| Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special Education | 15,050 | $54,780 | 94% |
|
| Special Education Teachers, Kindergarten and Elementary School | 13,470 | $57,770 | 91% |
|
| Education Administrators, Preschool and Childcare | 3,110 | $48,640 | 90% |
|
| Special Education Teachers, Preschool | 1,030 | $51,010 | 83% |
|
| = Salary below nat’l. avg. = Salary above nat’l. avg. |
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Texas ranks among the top five states in the nation in terms of the number of jobs for preschool teachers and others working within the broader field of early childhood education. The one exception is with the highly specialized role of special ed teachers working in preschool settings.
Childcare Workers – Texas’ 46,890 childcare workers earn an average salary of $22,150. The number of childcare workers in Texas is projected to rise by 16% through 2026 – that’s more than double the projected national growth rate of 7% for this profession.
Child, Family, and School Social Workers – There are 19,510 child, family, and school social workers employed in Texas. These professionals earn an average salary of $48,920, which is just slightly less than the national average of $49,760. Employment among Texas’ child, family, and school social workers is projected to rise by 16.1% through 2026, which is in line with the national projected growth rate of 16% for these professionals.
Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special Education – There are 15,050 kindergarten teachers working in Texas earning an average salary of $54,780. Kindergarten teacher jobs in Texas should rise by 20.6% through 2026, or nearly triple the national projected growth rate of 7% for these professionals .
Preschool Teachers, Except Special Education – Texas’ 34,790 preschool teachers earn an average salary of $34,960, which is slightly higher than the national average. The job outlook for this profession is very strong, thanks to a projected increase of 19.1% through 2026, nearly double the national projected growth rate for these early childhood educators.
Special Education Teachers – Kindergarten and Elementary School – There are 13,470 special education teachers in kindergarten and elementary school settings employed in Texas earning an impressive average salary of $57,770. Jobs for special education teachers at the kindergarten and elementary school level in the Lone Star State are projected to rise by 19.9% through 2026 – that’s more than double the national projected growth rate of 8%.
Education Administrators, Preschool and Childcare – There are 3,110 education administrators working in Texas. These professionals earn an average salary of $48,640. Jobs in this field are projected to increase by an impressive 11% through 2026. Preschool administrator jobs in Texas are expected to increase by 18.2% through 2026 – much higher than the national projected growth rate of 11% for this profession.
Special Education Teachers, Preschool – Texas’ 1,030 special education teachers in preschool settings earn $51,010 on average. Employment among Texas’ preschool level special ed teachers should rise by 20.6% through 2026 – this impressive growth rate far surpasses the national projected growth rate of 8% for these professionals.
City-Level Job Stats
The sheer number of early childhood educator jobs in Texas makes the Lone Star State a national standout. And among this state’s many metropolitan areas, the Dallas-Fort Worth region consistently lands on top among metropolitan areas with the highest employment level for professional working in all aspects of early childhood education.
El Paso also cements a spot among the top paying metro areas for preschool and childcare center education administrators, earning an average salary of $64,970.
Preschool Teachers
- Houston-Sugar Land-The Woodlands – 10,130 licensed teachers with an average salary of $35,150
- Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington – 11,870 licensed teachers with an average salary of $34,370
- San Antonio-New Braunfels – 2,070 licensed teachers with an average salary of $37,660
- Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos – 3,470 licensed teachers with an average salary of $34,420
- McAllen-Edinburg-Mission – 360 licensed teachers with an average salary of $39,040
- El Paso – 850 licensed teachers with an average salary of $39,530
- Brownsville-Harlingen – 360 licensed teachers with an average salary of $40,530
- Killeen-Temple-Fort Hood – 540 licensed teachers with an average salary of $31,870
- Corpus Christi –300 licensed teachers with an average salary of $34,570
- Beaumont-Port Arthur –average salary of $31,810
- Lubbock – 600 licensed teachers with an average salary of $27,330
- Longview – 160 licensed teachers with an average salary of $49,390
- Tyler – 260 licensed teachers with an average salary of $29,060
- College Station-Bryan – 300 licensed teachers with an average salary of $27,980
- Abilene – 100 licensed teachers with an average salary of $34,170
- Midland – 130 licensed teachers with an average salary of $29,360
- Amarillo – 130 licensed teachers with an average salary of $29,360
- Texarkana, TX-AR – 160 licensed teachers with an average salary of $24,710
- Victoria –average salary of $31,850
- Wichita Falls – 170 licensed teachers with an average salary of $32,040
- Sherman-Denison –average salary of $28,830
- San Angelo – 50licensed teachers with an average salary of $26,820
- Odessa – 120 licensed teachers with an average salary of $30,270
Kindergarten Teachers
- Houston-Sugar Land-The Woodlands – 3,680 licensed teachers with an average salary of $57,270
- Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington – 4,690 licensed teachers with an average salary of $53,720
- San Antonio-New Braunfels – 1,220 licensed teachers with an average salary of $56,990
- Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos – 1,170 licensed teachers with an average salary of $56,820
- McAllen-Edinburg-Mission – 270 licensed teachers with an average salary of $51,860
- El Paso – 310 licensed teachers with an average salary of $72,030
- Brownsville-Harlingen – 320 licensed teachers with an average salary of $52,750
- Killeen-Temple-Fort Hood – 170 licensed teachers with an average salary of $47,750
- Corpus Christi –260 licensed teachers with an average salary of $62,020
- Beaumont-Port Arthur –90 licensed teachers with an average salary of $51,720
- Lubbock – 60 licensed teachers with an average salary of $41,400
- Longview – 70 licensed teachers with an average salary of $43,960
- Tyler – 50 licensed teachers with an average salary of $48,150
- College Station-Bryan –110 licensed teachers with an average salary of $46,870
- Abilene – 100 licensed teachers with an average salary of $47,380
- Midland –average salary of $46,540
- Waco – 140 licensed teachers with an average salary of $50,390
- Victoria – 60 licensed teachers with an average salary of $46,830
- Wichita Falls – 50 licensed teachers with an average salary of $45,270
- Sherman-Denison –40 licensed teachers with an average salary of $49,620
- San Angelo –60 licensed teachers with an average salary of $46,000
- Odessa – 170 licensed teachers with an average salary of $51,350
Special Education Teachers – Preschool
- Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington – 380 licensed teachers with an average salary of $56,960
- San Antonio-New Braunfels –average salary of $46,070
- Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos – 100 licensed teachers with an average salary of $38,180
- Abilene – 60 licensed teachers with an average salary of $47,790
Special Education Teachers – Kindergarten and Elementary School
- Houston-Sugar Land-The Woodlands – 3,110 licensed teachers with an average salary of $60,560
- Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington – 4,690 licensed teachers with an average salary of $53,720
- San Antonio-New Braunfels – 1,340 licensed teachers with an average salary of $60,130
- Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos – 1,110 licensed teachers with an average salary of $61,230
- McAllen-Edinburg-Mission – 750 licensed teachers with an average salary of $55,620
- El Paso – 330 licensed teachers with an average salary of $59,820
- Brownsville-Harlingen – 180 licensed teachers with an average salary of $55,690
- Killeen-Temple-Fort Hood – 270 licensed teachers with an average salary of $48,660
- Corpus Christi –210 licensed teachers with an average salary of $62,630
- Beaumont-Port Arthur –70 licensed teachers with an average salary of $48,280
- Lubbock – 140 licensed teachers with an average salary of $48,770
- Longview – 70 licensed teachers with an average salary of $57,620
- Tyler – 110 licensed teachers with an average salary of $49,710
- College Station-Bryan – 150 licensed teachers with an average salary of $46,620
- Midland –average salary of $55,410
- Texarkana, TX-AR – 80 licensed teachers with an average salary of $45,630
- Waco – 110 licensed teachers with an average salary of $50,190
- Wichita Falls – 80 licensed teachers with an average salary of $48,580
- Sherman-Denison –50 licensed teachers with an average salary of $67,300
- San Angelo –50 licensed teachers with an average salary of $44,150
Education Administrators – Preschool and Childcare
- Houston-Sugar Land-The Woodlands – 1,040 administrators with an average salary of $48,780
- Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington – 780 administrators with an average salary of $50,290
- San Antonio-New Braunfels – 200 administrators with an average salary of $46,450
- Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos – 290 administrators with an average salary of $50,540
- McAllen-Edinburg-Mission – 80 administrators with an average salary of $34,050
- El Paso – 40 administrators with an average salary of $64,970
- Brownsville-Harlingen – 70 administrators with an average salary of $41,540
- Killeen-Temple-Fort Hood – 80 administrators with an average salary of $53,450
- Corpus Christi –average salary of $48,000
- Lubbock – 50 administrators with an average salary of $54,370
- College Station-Bryan – 30 administrators with an average salary of $41,770
*Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Employment Statistics, [salary data accessed April 2019] https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes_tx.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.