Early Childhood Education Jobs in West Virginia

West Virginia’s efforts aimed at early childhood education are nothing short of impressive, producing superb opportunities not just for the state’s earliest learners and their families, but also for the professionals who dedicate their careers to educating them.

West Virginia offers free, universal preschool to all of the state’s 20,000 four-year-olds, along with three-year-olds with special needs. This massive undertaking, which began about twenty years ago, doesn’t come cheap (costing about $98 million in 2018 alone), but it’s a worthy investment in the state’s future.

And it’s not just West Virginia’s funding that makes this state a winner in early childhood education – it’s just one of a handful of states that has a formative pre-k assessment tool that’s designed to ensure children are meeting the state’s early learning standards.

Pursue a career in early childhood education in West Virginia and you’ll be part of an outstanding endeavor designed to transform the future of the state – now that’s something to get excited about.

Early Childhood Jobs in West Virginia

West Virginia educators started a movement in 2018 with a call for better pay, and a weeklong walkout to drive home their point. The movement for better pay spread across the nation, inspiring teachers in other states like Arizona and Oklahoma to raise their collective voices and demand fair salaries. The result of West Virginia’s teacher strike—a 5% pay raise across the board—was significant, but there’s still more work to be done for early childhood educators in the Mountain State.

Occupation	Total Employed	Median Annual Salary	% of US Median
Childcare Workers	2,470	$21,490	87%
Special Education Teachers – Kindergarten and Elementary School	1,920	$42,400	67%
Child, Family, and School Social Workers	1,350	$36,430	73%
Preschool Teachers, Except Special Education	1,890	$32,560	95%
Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special Education	910	$47,370	81%
Education Administrators, Preschool and Childcare	200	$38,210	65%
= Salary below nat’l. avg.      = Salary above nat’l. avg.

While average salaries remain below the national average in most categories, in most cases take home pay here goes a lot further than in other parts of the country thanks to a lower cost of living.

Childcare Workers – There are 2,470 childcare workers employed in West Virginia earning an average salary of $21,490. Jobs in this field are projected to grow at a rate of 2.6% through 2026 in West Virginia.

Child, Family, and School Social Workers – There are 1,350 child, family, and school social workers employed in West Virginia, and these professionals earn an average salary of $36,430. Jobs for these professionals in West Virginia are projected to grow at a rate of 13.2% through 2026.

Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special Education – West Virginia’s 910 kindergarten teachers earn an average salary of $47,370. Job growth for these educators is projected to be 7% through 2026, which is the same as the national projected growth rate for this profession.

Preschool Teachers, Except Special Education – The state’s 1,890 preschool teachers earn an average salary of $32,560. Job growth for preschool teachers in West Virginia is expected to be 6.1% through 2026.

Special Education Teachers – Kindergarten and Elementary School – There are 1,920 special education teachers in kindergarten and elementary school settings in West Virginia, and these professionals earn an average salary of $42,400. Employment is projected to increase 7% through 2026.

Education Administrators, Preschool and Childcare – West Virginia’s 200 education administrators in preschool and childcare settings earn an average salary of $38,210. The number of jobs for these professionals is expected to grow at a rate of 7% through 2026.

City-Level Job Stats

Average salaries for early childhood educators in many of West Virginia’s metro areas tend to be significantly higher than the state averages.

For example, while the state’s average salary for preschool teachers is just $32,560, teachers in the metro areas of Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, Hagerstown-Martinsburg, Charleston, Cumberland, and Parkersburg-Marietta-Vienna all boast average salaries that exceed the national salary average of $34,410.

Preschool Teachers

• Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV – 10,180 licensed teachers with an average salary of $40,490
• Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH – 400 licensed teachers with an average salary of $30,980
• Hagerstown-Martinsburg, MD-WV – 210 licensed teachers with an average salary of $34,420
• Charleston, WV – 240 licensed teachers with an average salary of $35,850
• Parkersburg-Marietta-Vienna, WV-OH –average salary of $36,440
• Winchester, WA-WV – 170 licensed teachers with an average salary of $30,310
• Morgantown – 160 licensed teachers with an average salary of $32,080
• Wheeling, WV-OH – 110 licensed teachers with an average salary of $30,010
• Cumberland, MD-WV –average salary of $42,620

Kindergarten Teachers

• Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV – 2,940 licensed teachers with an average salary of $69,980
• Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH – 200 licensed teachers with an average salary of $45,120
• Hagerstown-Martinsburg, MD-WV – 100 licensed teachers with an average salary of $52,500
• Winchester, WA-WV –average salary of $60,820
• Wheeling, WV-OH –average salary of $56,410

Special Education Teachers – Preschool

• Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV – 270 licensed teachers with an average salary of $78,760

Special Education Teachers – Kindergarten and Elementary School

• Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV – 4,560 licensed teachers with an average salary of $73,620
• Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH – 450 licensed teachers with an average salary of $44,620
• Winchester, WA-WV –average salary of $55,690
• Wheeling, WV-OH – 40 licensed teachers with an average salary of $45,880

Education Administrators – Preschool and Childcare

• Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV – 1,400 licensed teachers with an average salary of $67,700
• Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH – 40 licensed teachers with an average salary of $38,460

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_wv.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.