Setting and role drive your pay more than anything else: public school pre-K and kindergarten, special education and director jobs pay far above child care classrooms. Get there by stacking credentials the state helps pay for, then ask for raises with the numbers in hand.

By our editors · Facts checked October 7, 2026

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The short version

  • Massachusetts preschool teachers earned a median $45,890 in 2025 federal wage data, versus $38,140 nationally.
  • In Massachusetts, center directors hit a median $70,320, kindergarten teachers $84,100 and preschool special education teachers $99,070.
  • The levers: credentials (EEC Lead Teacher and Director, a degree, a state teaching license), specialization and leadership.
  • The state helps pay for school through free Career Pathways courses and the ECE Scholarship.
  • Negotiate with data, your credentials and your added duties, and ask for training support as well as wages.
A teacher helps three children draw with colored pencils at a bright yellow classroom table
Photo: AMONWAT DUMKRUT / Unsplash

What do early childhood teachers earn?

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) has the most reliable numbers. Its national May 2025 figures show how much the setting matters.

Role and setting (U.S., May 2025)Median yearly pay
Childcare workers, all settings$34,980 ($16.82 an hour)
Preschool teachers, all settings$38,140 ($18.34 an hour)
Preschool teachers in child daycare services$36,850
Preschool teachers in religious, civic and similar groups$44,810
Preschool teachers in individual and family services$45,550
Preschool teachers in public and private schools$52,800

Massachusetts pay, 2025

BLS’s 2025 state wage data, published on the Labor Department’s O*NET OnLine, replace the May 2023 figures we used before. These are medians: half earn more, half less.

Role (Massachusetts)Median yearly payU.S. median
Childcare workers$40,900 ($19.66 an hour)$34,980
Preschool teachers (not special education)$45,890 ($22.06 an hour)$38,140
Preschool and child care center directors$70,320 ($33.81 an hour)$59,300
Kindergarten teachers (not special education)$84,100$62,680
Preschool special education teachers$99,070$64,830

Greater Boston pays high across the board. In May 2025, the average for all jobs there was $43.09 an hour, versus $33.54 nationally; for education and library jobs, it was $41.04 versus $32.47.

Pay is a big reason people walk. In NAEYC’s January 2025 survey of more than 10,000 educators, 26% were thinking of leaving within a year, and 60% of them said higher wages would keep them. As NAEYC CEO Michelle Kang put it, “educators can’t afford to earn less.”

Why does public pre-K pay more?

  • Setting. NAEYC says child care is squeezed between families who can’t pay more and too little public funding. BLS data show preschool teachers in schools out-earn those in child care centers.
  • Credentials. BLS notes public schools generally require at least a bachelor’s degree, and Head Start requires that at least half its preschool teachers nationwide hold one.
  • Role. In Massachusetts, the median center director earns about $24,000 more a year than the median preschool teacher.
  • Specialization. Preschool special education teachers top the Massachusetts table.

Five ways to earn more

1. Move up EEC certification levels

The Department of Early Education and Care (EEC) certifies Teacher, Lead Teacher, Director I and Director II. Lead Teacher requires age 21, early childhood coursework (or a credential such as a CDA) and supervised experience: 9 added months with an early childhood bachelor’s, 36 with a high school diploma.

Certification is optional and doesn’t come with a set raise, so ask how titles and raises tie to it. Step-by-step: how to become an EEC lead teacher.

2. Get the degree for little or no cost

EEC funds free courses, textbooks, tutoring and mentoring at all 15 community colleges. The ECE Scholarship pays per credit:

School typePer creditMost per semester
Community college$350$3,150
State university$550$4,950
Public university or private college$750$6,750

You must work, or plan to work, in an EEC-licensed program, and agree to keep working in Massachusetts early education afterward: six months for each semester of aid. Career Pathways coordinators help you apply.

3. Specialize

Early Head Start requires center teachers to hold at least a CDA plus infant-toddler training, so start with whether a CDA is worth it for you. Inclusion skills, like supporting IFSP and IEP goals, are a first step toward special education roles, the best-paid line in the table above.

4. Move into public pre-K or kindergarten

Public school jobs usually need a bachelor’s degree and a state teaching license from DESE. EEC accepts a DESE PreK–2 or PreK–3 license toward preschool Lead Teacher, so this path keeps both doors open. For how public pre-K works on the family side, see our free pre-K guide.

5. Lead a program

Director I and II require age 21, the Lead Teacher requirements and Child Care Administration coursework; Director I adds 6 months of experience. Massachusetts center directors earn a median $70,320.

How do I ask for a raise?

  • Know the numbers. Bring the tables above and what similar programs nearby advertise.
  • List what you bring. Certification level, CDA, college credits, languages you speak with families and years with the program.
  • Show added duties. Leading a room, mentoring new staff, supporting children with IEPs or IFSPs, covering for the director.
  • Ask for more than wages. Paid class time, a schedule that fits courses, tuition help and a raise promised when you finish a credential.
  • Pick your moment. Your annual review, a new certification or a new role. Get it in writing.

If pay is only part of the strain, read our guide to early childhood teacher burnout. More career guides are on our educators page.

Common questions

Do public pre-K teachers earn more than child care teachers?

Usually. Nationally, preschool teachers in schools had a median of $52,800 in May 2025, versus $36,850 in child daycare services. Public schools generally require a bachelor’s degree and a state license.

How much do preschool teachers make in Massachusetts?

The median was $45,890 a year, or $22.06 an hour, in BLS’s 2025 wage data. The middle 80% earned roughly $35,890 to $60,440.

Will EEC certification raise my pay automatically?

No. EEC certification is optional and doesn’t set wages. It’s a portable state record of your qualifications that can back up a promotion or raise request.

Can I get my degree paid for?

Often, at least in part. Career Pathways courses are free at community colleges, and the ECE Scholarship pays $350 to $750 per credit depending on the school. Both require you to work, or plan to work, in early education.

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