Preschool teachers educate and care for children younger than age 5 who have not yet entered kindergarten. They teach language, motor, and social skills to young children. Preschool teachers typically work in public and private schools or childcare centers. Many work the traditional 10-month school year, but some work year-round. The median annual wage for preschool teachers was $31,930 in May 2020.*
* Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, Preschool Teachers, on the Internet at https://www.bls.gov/ooh/education-training-and-library/preschool-teachers.htm (visited March 24, 2022).
When you look at the different degree options you have in earning an Associates in Early Childhood Education, you may be a little confused. A.S., A.A. what do these degree designations mean? Check below for a list of the most commonly available degrees in education.
An Associate’s degree is a four-year degree program, more or less. Some ECE degree programs require you to earn more credits, while others may require fewer credits to be able to graduate. This is often based on state requirements for teacher licensure.
Before you are formally admitted to an ECE Associates degree program, you may be required to complete your general education courses—you should take most or all of these in the first two years. The final two years of your degree program will be spent learning about the needs and characteristics of young children and factors that exert an influence on how they develop and learn. You’ll observe, document, and assess the development and learning of each child in your classroom.
For many teaching careers you will need a bachelor’s degree in order to be the main lead teacher. Each state has different teaching requirements that need to be fulfilled before you can actually teach in a classroom environment. Below are some careers educator careers that may interest you: