Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, aged to 2026 using compounded market movement. State selections show BLS state-level figures where published. Actual pay varies with experience, industry, and organization size.
Preschool Teachers, Except Special Education salary in Delaware
The average Preschool Teachers, Except Special Education salary in Delaware is $38,500 per year on WePayFairly's 2026 basis. The 25th-to-75th-percentile range is $36,000 to $39,000. Based on BLS state wage data, aged to 2026.
The following occupation, experience, industry and career information describes the role nationally. For Delaware pay, use the state figures above and the state salary questions below.
Total cash compensation
Base salary plus target annual bonus. Target bonus opportunity scales with role level, so a higher base carries a higher target percentage.
Base salary
$44,500
National baseline
Target bonus
$3,500
7.9% of base
Total target cash
$48,000
Base plus target bonus
Bonus percentiles:25th$2,00050th$3,50075th$5,500
Long-term incentive is not shown for this role. Equity awards are only disclosed publicly for the named executive officers of public companies, so no market figure exists for most jobs. See executive pay disclosures.
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About this role
Preschool Teachers, Except Special Education is a professional role within the function in the Educational Instruction and Library job family.
Typical entry preparation: High School Diploma and up to 1 year of related work experience, per O*NET occupational data. Advancement typically requires additional years in role.
What Preschool Teachers, Except Special Educations do
Typical education: High School Diploma
Teach basic skills, such as color, shape, number and letter recognition, personal hygiene, and social skills.
Establish and enforce rules for behavior and procedures for maintaining order.
Adapt teaching methods and instructional materials to meet students' varying needs and interests.
Provide a variety of materials and resources for children to explore, manipulate, and use, both in learning activities and in imaginative play.
Serve meals and snacks in accordance with nutritional guidelines.
Top skills:SpeakingInstructingLearning StrategiesActive ListeningSocial PerceptivenessReading Comprehension
Includes information from O*NET OnLine by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (CC BY 4.0).
Preschool Teachers, Except Special Education pay by experience level
Entry level$30,000
Typical starting pay (about the 10th percentile)
Early career$35,500
A few years in (about the 25th percentile)
Experienced$39,500
Mid-career median pay
Senior$49,000
Seasoned professionals (about the 75th percentile)
Top earners$63,500
Highest earners (about the 90th percentile)
Experience tiers are derived from the BLS wage percentile distribution for this occupation, aged to 2026. Actual pay varies by employer, location, and specialization.
Job outlook
+4.1%
projected change in jobs, 2024–2034
65,500
projected openings per year
Growing about as fast as average
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections program (2024–2034). Openings include growth and replacement needs.
Preschool Teachers, Except Special Education salary by industry
Social Assistance
361,430 workers
$40,500
Child Care Services
347,720 workers
$40,500
Educational Services
88,550 workers
$59,000
Elementary and Secondary Schools
78,390 workers
$60,500
Educational Services, Local Government Owned
53,990 workers
$65,500
Educational Services, Privately Owned
31,610 workers
$47,000
Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations
15,960 workers
$48,500
Individual and Family Services
12,760 workers
$48,500
Religious Organizations
9,020 workers
$50,500
Federal, State, and Local Government, excluding State and Local Schools and Hospitals and USPS
6,060 workers
$52,500
National sector-level figures, BLS OEWS May 2025, aged to 2026.
Pay trend
National median annual wage, 2020 to 2025: $31,930 to $38,140.
+19.4% over this period
Medians as published each May in the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics national estimates. Nominal dollars, not adjusted for inflation. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS.
Pay by experience level
How annual pay for this occupation spreads from newcomers to the highest paid, aged to 2026.
Entry10th percentile
$30,000
Early career25th percentile
$35,500
Median50th percentile
$39,500
Experienced75th percentile
$49,000
Top earners90th percentile
$63,500
Bands are the 10th, 25th, 50th, 75th, and 90th percentile annual wages for this occupation nationally. Percentiles reflect the full mix of tenure, employer, and location, so they approximate but do not equal years of experience. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS national estimates.
Where this job pays most
Top-paying states for this occupation, average annual wage aged to 2026.
State averages for this occupation from the BLS OEWS state estimates. Cost of living differs by state; a higher wage does not always mean more buying power.
Source: U.S. Department of Labor, O*NET occupational database.
Typical duties and FLSA status
Core duties
Teach basic skills, such as color, shape, number and letter recognition, personal hygiene, and social skills.
Establish and enforce rules for behavior and procedures for maintaining order.
Adapt teaching methods and instructional materials to meet students' varying needs and interests.
Provide a variety of materials and resources for children to explore, manipulate, and use, both in learning activities and in imaginative play.
Serve meals and snacks in accordance with nutritional guidelines.
FLSA classification (typical)
Typically Exempt · Professional, Administrative, or Executive exemption
Occupations in this SOC group are typically classified as Exempt when paid above the salary threshold, provided they satisfy the duties test for one of the FLSA exemption categories. Actual classification depends on the specific job duties, salary basis, and any applicable state or local rules. The current federal salary threshold for exemption is $684 per week ($35,568 per year), per the 2020 Department of Labor rule; the 2024 rule that would have raised the threshold was struck down by federal court in November 2024.
Pay outlook
Five-year pay outlook for this title
2026$44,500
2027$46,000
2028$47,500
2029$49,500
2030$51,000
2031$53,000
Projection assumes market wages keep rising about 3.5% a year, consistent with recent wage growth measured by the BLS Employment Cost Index. It reflects market movement for the title, not individual raises or promotions, which vary.
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Sources and assumptions
Modeled market estimate, aged to 2026. Underlying source families are BLS OEWS May 2025 for BLS-mapped occupations and the 2018–19 collection for corporate titles. Annual aging is compounded at approximately 3–4%; geographic, industry and company-size repricing are modeled. See the role details and methodology for the applicable source and assumptions.
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Preschool Teachers, Except Special Education pays 50% below the average across 65 roles in the Educational Instruction and Library job family (family average $88,500).
Similar-paying roles in Educational Instruction and Library
Related occupations from O*NET OnLine, U.S. Department of Labor.
Delaware salary questions
How much does a Preschool Teachers, Except Special Education make in Delaware?
The average base salary for a Preschool Teachers, Except Special Education in Delaware is $38,500 per year, or about $18.51 per hour, on WePayFairly's 2026 basis.
What is the median Preschool Teachers, Except Special Education salary in Delaware?
The median is $37,500 per year on the same 2026 basis. The median is the middle wage in the state distribution; the average is $38,500.
What is the typical Preschool Teachers, Except Special Education salary range in Delaware?
The 25th-to-75th-percentile range in Delaware is $36,000 to $39,000 per year on the 2026 basis. These percentiles describe the state wage distribution; individual pay varies by employer and experience.
How does Preschool Teachers, Except Special Education pay in Delaware compare with the national average?
The Delaware average of $38,500 is $6,000 (13.5%) below the national average of $44,500. Both figures use WePayFairly's 2026 basis.
Where do these Delaware salary figures come from?
The state figures come from BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics state data. WePayFairly applies the same compounded market movement factor used elsewhere on this page to express the published figures on a 2026 basis. They are estimates, not a guarantee of a particular offer.
Need a defensible market price for this role? WePayFairly data is compiled from published survey sources and maintained by compensation professionals.
Need Preschool Teachers, Except Special Education pay benchmarked for your organization, or defensible compensation analysis for a dispute or valuation? Grahall builds it from primary sources, backed by an expert who testifies.
