Early Childhood Education Jobs in Michigan
You’ll feel good pursuing a career in Michigan’s early childhood education system, where salaries are competitive, jobs are plentiful, and investments in early childhood learning continue to grow.
Michigan’s early childhood educators and the children they nurture are in store for exciting changes, thanks to a $5 million federal grant designed to improve preschool programs for the state’s youngest learners. This means more availability and improved programs for children up to five years old.
This newest grant is designed to build upon Michigan’s already-strong early childhood education system, which the National Institute for Early Education Research (NIEER) ranks 15thin the country for access to state-funded preschool.
Significant improvements have been made here in recent years through the state’s Great Start Readiness Program, which enrolled about 40,000 kids in 2016 – an increase of 64% since 2012.
Michigan Salary Rankings
in the US for Special Education Teachers, Kindergarten
in the US for Education Administrators, Preschool and Childcare
in the US for Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special Education
in the US for Preschool Teachers, Except Special Education
in the US for Childcare Workers
in the US for Special Education Teachers, Preschool
Early Childhood Jobs in Michigan
In Michigan, salaries for early childhood educators beat the national averages in almost every category. And the future is bright as well… both employment and salaries are expected to rise throughout the state in the years ahead, in some cases by nearly 10 percent.
| Occupation | Total Employed | Median Annual Salary | % of US Median | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Childcare Workers | 17,510 | $23,670 |  96% |
|
| Child, Family, and School Social Workers | 13,790 | $50,620 |  102% |
|
| Preschool Teachers, Except Special Education | 9,270 | $35,010 | 102% |
|
| Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special Education | 1,450 | $59,140 | 101% |
|
| Education Administrators, Preschool and Childcare | 880 | $51,520 | 102% |
|
| Special Education Teachers, Preschool | 410 | $64,300 | 104% |
|
| = Salary below nat’l. avg. = Salary above nat’l. avg. |
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Michigan has always been a state that treats teachers with the respect they deserve, and this is reflected in the salaries they earn. This holds true with early childhood educators, and is particularly true of those working in specialized roles. In fact, special education teachers at both the kindergarten and preschool levels are looking at median salaries that beat the national average by nearly $3,000!
Childcare Workers – There are 17,510 childcare workers here, but they make an average of only $23,670 a year—just about $1,000 less than the national average.
Child, Family, and School Social Workers – 13,790 people work in child, family, and school social work positions, earning an average salary of $50,620. That’s better than the national average of $49,760.
Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special Education – Michigan employs only 1,450 kindergarten teachers outside of the special education context. Their average salary for them is $59,140, $770 more than the national average.
Preschool Teachers, Except Special Education – There are 9,270 preschool teachers working here, making an average of $35,010 each year. That is just about $1,000 more than their counterparts in other states.
Special Education Teachers, Kindergarten and Elementary School – Michigan has 2,460 special education teachers in kindergartens and elementary schools, each making an average of $66,820. That comes in at $3,710 more than most teachers in the U.S.
Special Education Teachers, Preschool and Childcare – The state has only 410 teachers working in special education at the preschool level, with an average salary of $64,300. That’s just about $2,700 better than the national average.
Education Administrators, Preschool and Childcare – Michigan’s 880 preschool and childcare administrators make an average salary of $51,520.
City-Level Job Stats
It’s important to look carefully at city-level data because different municipal areas can vary greatly in comparison to the state medians. While it was noted earlier that special education teachers at the kindergarten and preschool levels do well in Michigan overall, you’ll find that the numbers are even more impressive in places like Flint and Detroit than other parts of the state.
Preschool Teachers
- Ann Arbor, MI – 700 teachers with a median annual salary of $34,120
- Battle Creek, MI – 90 teachers with a median annual salary of $30,720
- Bay City, MI – 50 teachers with a median annual salary of $23,460
- Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI – 4,520 teachers with a median annual salary of $31,520
- Flint, MI – 220 teachers with a median annual salary of $31,390
- Grand Rapids-Wyoming, MI – 1,100 teachers with a median annual salary of $29,990
- Jackson, MI – 70 teachers with a median annual salary of $31,180
- Kalamazoo-Portage, MI – 500 teachers with a median annual salary of $31,760
- Lansing-East Lansing, MI – 360 teachers with a median annual salary of $30,830
- Midland, MI – 80 teachers with a median annual salary of $24,440
- Monroe, MI – 80 teachers with a median annual salary of $29,090
- Muskegon, MI – 120 teachers with a median annual salary of $38,140
- Niles-Benton Harbor, MI – 40 teachers with a median annual salary of $28,810
- Saginaw, MI – 110 teachers with a median annual salary of $28,440
- South Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MI – 560 teachers with a median annual salary of $25,410
Kindergarten Teachers
- Ann Arbor, MI – A median annual salary of $69,450
- Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI – 620 teachers with a median annual salary of $61,460
- Flint, MI – 100 teachers with a median annual salary of $38,890
- Grand Rapids-Wyoming, MI – 201 teachers with a median annual salary of $58,270
- Kalamazoo-Portage, MI – 50 teachers with a median annual salary of $54,380
- Lansing-East Lansing, MI – 100 teachers with a median annual salary of $60,320
- Muskegon, MI – 60 teachers with a median annual salary of $55,110
- Saginaw, MI – A median annual salary of $67,240
- South Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MI – 120 teachers with a median annual salary of $47,180
Special Education Teachers – Preschool
- Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI – 60 teachers with a median annual salary of $68,190
- Grand Rapids-Wyoming, MI – 110 teachers with a median salary of $69,460
Special Education Teachers – Kindergarten and Elementary School
- Ann Arbor, MI – 100 teachers with a median annual salary of $64,540
- Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI – 1,190 teachers with a median annual salary of $66,750
- Flint, MI – 80 teachers with a median annual salary of $72,180
- Grand Rapids-Wyoming, MI – 260 teachers with a median annual salary of $61,340
- Kalamazoo-Portage, MI – 140 teachers with a median annual salary of $71,620
- Lansing-East Lansing, MI – 130 teachers with a median annual salary of $71,240
- Monroe, MI – 30 teachers
- Muskegon, MI – 40 teachers with a median annual salary of $69,930
- South Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MI – 150 teachers with a median annual salary of $45,140
Education Administrators – Preschool and Childcare
- Ann Arbor, MI – 110 administrators with a median annual salary of $51,550
- Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI – 340 administrators with a median annual salary of $48,710
- Grand Rapids-Wyoming, MI – 120 administrators with a median annual salary of $46,220
- Kalamazoo-Portage, MI – 50 administrators with a median annual salary of $52,790
- Lansing-East Lansing, MI – 60 administrators with a median annual salary of $54,150
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_mi.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.
