Early Childhood Education Jobs in North Carolina

North Carolina’s booming population has kept job prospects for preschool teachers strong, and the state’s early childhood education system, while admittedly struggling to keep up with the state’s growing youth population, is on the right track toward success.

According to the State of Preschool 2018 annual report, North Carolina increased its pre-k spending by about $6 million in 2017-18 alone, with plans to continue this upward trend in the coming years. Plus, the state received a $4.49 million grant in 2018 to strengthen its early childhood education system.

These types of investments are critical to increasing the number and quality of pre-k programs throughout North Carolina and are just what early childhood educators here depend on for more and varied professional opportunities. In other words, an increasing population and early childhood learning funds to match are the perfect recipe for success for North Carolina’s early childhood educators.

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North Carolina Salary Rankings

#25

in the US for Special Education Teachers, Preschool

#28

in the US for Childcare Workers

#29

in the US for Education Administrators, Preschool and Childcare

#44

in the US for Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special Education

#44

in the US for Preschool Teachers, Except Special Education

#45

in the US for Special Education Teachers, Kindergarten and Elementary School

Early Childhood Jobs in North Carolina

North Carolina’s urban areas are among the fastest-growing in the country, so the number of jobs in cities like Raleigh and Charlotte are on the rise. Even outside the big cities, there are plenty of positions that fall within the early childhood education niche all across the state with equally strong growth prospects and competitive salaries, from preschool teachers to administrators. Job growth in all ECE job classifications is expected to continue. That along with the rising pay rates in some cities make a career in early childhood education a great option in North Carolina.

Occupation	Total Employed	Median Annual Salary	% of US Median
Childcare Workers	18,830	$22,940	93%
Preschool Teachers, Except Special Education	16,110	$28,260	82%
Child, Family, and School Social Workers	11,610	$46,990	95%
Special Education Teachers, Kindergarten and Elementary School	7,080	$47,760	76%
Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special Education	3,320	$46,490	80%
Education Administrators, Preschool and Childcare	1,750	$47,330	88%
Special Education Teachers, Preschool	580	$50,490	82%
= Salary below nat’l. avg. = Salary above nat’l. avg.

Growth numbers are the big story when it comes to early childhood educator jobs throughout North Carolina. Many of these positions will see 10 percent increases by 2026, adding to already impressive numbers in each category. That translates to a lot of openings in almost every part of the state.

Childcare Workers – 18,830 people work in childcare in North Carolina, a number that is expected to go up by around 10 percent over the next seven years. Their average salary here is $22,940 per year.

Child, Family, and School Social Workers – North Carolina has 11,610 social workers serving children, families and the school system, together making an average of $46,990 a year. The state expects to add almost 1,500 of these jobs over the next seven years.

Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special Education – The 3,320 kindergarten teachers in North Carolina make an average of $46,490. The number of jobs for these specialists will increase by around 8 percent by 2026.

Preschool Teachers, Except Special Education – There are 16,110 preschool teachers throughout the state. Their average pay is $28,260. The position is expected to expand by more than 12 percent over the next seven years.

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City-Level Job Stats

The first thing that jumps out at you about the early childhood education field in North Carolina is just how many dedicated teachers, administrators and others are hard at work in all corners of the state. This is particularly true for preschool teachers, who have large numbers in almost every demographic area. Pay close attention to salaries, however, because they can vary considerably depending on position—Winston-Salem is the best for preschool teachers, but the Elizabeth City area near the Virginia border is the clear winner for anyone at the kindergarten level.

Preschool Teachers

Asheville, NC – 720 teachers with a median annual salary of $28,430
Burlington, NC – 180 teachers with a median annual salary of $26,940
Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC – 4,340 teachers with a median annual salary of $25,720
Durham-Chapel Hill, NC – 900 teachers with a median annual salary of $28,490
Fayetteville, NC – 840 teachers with a median annual salary of $26,420
Goldsboro, NC – 280 teachers with a median annual salary of $23,900
Greensboro-High Point, NC – 1,050 teachers with a median annual salary of $24,720
Greenville, NC – 270 teachers with a median annual salary of $23,420
Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC – 340 teachers with a median annual salary of $24,540
Jacksonville, NC – Median annual salary of $22,230
New Bern, NC – 240 teachers with a median annual salary of $23,690
Raleigh, NC – 2,650 teachers with a median annual salary of $28,510
Rocky Mount, NC – 190 teachers with a median annual salary of $23,040
Wilmington, NC – 570 teachers with a median annual salary of $22,080
Winston-Salem, NC – 1,020 teachers with a median annual salary of $31,300
Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News, VA-NC – 1,690 teachers with a median annual salary of $27,290

Kindergarten Teachers

Asheville, NC – 180 teachers with a median annual salary of $49,450
Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC – 840 teachers with a median annual salary of $47,580
Durham-Chapel Hill, NC – 170 teachers with a median annual salary of $41,770
Fayetteville, NC – 320 teachers with a median annual salary of $41,190
Greensboro-High Point, NC – 210 teachers with a median annual salary of $47,690
Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC – 30 teachers with a median annual salary of $40,300
New Bern, NC – 40 teachers with a median annual salary of $45,180
Raleigh, NC – 630 teachers with a median annual salary of $50,430
Rocky Mount, NC – 30 teachers with a median annual salary of $36,530
Wilmington, NC – 40 teachers with a median annual salary of $49,700
Winston-Salem, NC – 290 teachers with a median annual salary of $47,090
Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News, VA-NC – 620 teachers with a median annual salary of $64,600

Special Education Teachers – Preschool

Asheville, NC – 40 teachers with a median annual salary of $46,830
Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC – 90 teachers with a median annual salary of $50,660
Greensboro-High Point, NC – 40 teachers with a median annual salary of $57,170
Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News, VA-NC – 130 teachers with a median annual salary of $69,660

Special Education Teachers – Kindergarten and Elementary School

Asheville, NC – 250 teachers with a median annual salary of $46,830
Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC – 1,700 teachers with a median annual salary of $49,140
Durham-Chapel Hill, NC – 500 teachers with a median annual salary of $43,610
Fayetteville, NC – 290 teachers with a median annual salary of $46,860
Greensboro-High Point, NC – 750 teachers with a median annual salary of $48,530
Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC – 250 teachers with a median annual salary of $43,430
New Bern, NC – 50 teachers with a median annual salary of $43,650
Raleigh, NC – 1,040 teachers with a median annual salary of $52,080
Rocky Mount, NC – 120 teachers with a median annual salary of $38,930
Wilmington, NC – 220 teachers with a median annual salary of $44,930
Winston-Salem, NC – Median annual salary of $46,250
Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News, VA-NC – 1,250 teachers with a median annual salary of $69,780

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