Preschool Teachers, Except Special Education pay in California
$51,190avg. a year
$24.61 an hour · 55,700 employed
Preschool Teachers, Except Special Education in California earn an average of $51,190 a year. That is $8,160 (19%) more than the U.S. average of $43,030. The best-paying metro area is Visalia, CA at $56,190.
$47,400Median pay
$24.61Average hourly
+27%Avg. pay since 2020
#6Of 50 states + D.C.
Top-paying California metro areas
Average pay for preschool teachers, except special education by metro area. Swipe to see all 25.
1430 jobs
Visalia, CA
$56,190
$27.02 an hour
210,280 jobs
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA
$55,850
$26.85 an hour
3640 jobs
Modesto, CA
$55,820
$26.84 an hour
43,570 jobs
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA
$55,510
$26.69 an hour
5290 jobs
Merced, CA
$53,500
$25.72 an hour
6600 jobs
Salinas, CA
$52,530
$25.25 an hour
7420 jobs
Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA
$52,250
$25.12 an hour
818,430 jobs
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA
$50,550
$24.30 an hour
9190 jobs
Napa, CA
$50,540
$24.30 an hour
10630 jobs
Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA
$50,460
$24.26 an hour
11620 jobs
Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA
$50,260
$24.16 an hour
12210 jobs
Yuba City, CA
$50,090
$24.08 an hour
13450 jobs
Vallejo, CA
$49,880
$23.98 an hour
143,560 jobs
Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA
$49,550
$23.82 an hour
15140 jobs
El Centro, CA
$48,950
$23.54 an hour
16680 jobs
Stockton-Lodi, CA
$48,860
$23.49 an hour
171,260 jobs
Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA
$48,760
$23.44 an hour
18320 jobs
San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA
$48,360
$23.25 an hour
191,800 jobs
Fresno, CA
$48,050
$23.10 an hour
20890 jobs
Bakersfield-Delano, CA
$48,000
$23.08 an hour
21140 jobs
Hanford-Corcoran, CA
$47,760
$22.96 an hour
223,070 jobs
Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA
$47,110
$22.65 an hour
235,130 jobs
San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA
$47,090
$22.64 an hour
24220 jobs
Redding, CA
$45,830
$22.03 an hour
25300 jobs
Chico, CA
$45,490
$21.87 an hour
Why people trust JobPayFacts
Official government dataEvery number comes from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics wage survey of employers, not self-reported salaries.
Every state and city830 jobs across all 50 states, D.C. and 199 large metro areas.
Updated every yearNew figures each spring when BLS releases them. This site uses May 2025 data.
Preschool Teachers, Except Special Education pay in California, charted
Pay over time
California, annual wage, May of each year
AverageMedian
Where California preschool teachers, except special education work
Employment by metro area, May 2025
Average pay by state
May 2025 · California highlighted · tap a state
AKMEWIVTNHWAIDMTNDMNILMINYMAORNVWYSDIAINOHPANJCTRICAUTCONEMOKYWVVAMDDEAZNMKSARTNNCSCDCOKLAMSALGAHITXFL
Under $37k$37k–$41k$41k–$48k$48k+California
California vs. neighbors
Average pay, May 2025
| Area | Avg. pay | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| United States | $43,030 | $20.69 |
| California | $51,190 | $24.61 |
| Oregon | $48,130 | $23.14 |
| Nevada | $42,970 | $20.66 |
| Arizona | $38,800 | $18.65 |
Related jobs in California
- Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education$95,670
- Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education$105,880
- Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education$94,680
- Special Education Teachers, Kindergarten and Elementary School$93,510
- Special Education Teachers, Secondary School$102,780
- Career/Technical Education Teachers, Secondary School$89,160
Average pay, California, May 2025
Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS
Questions and answers
How much do preschool teachers, except special education make in California?
The average is $51,190 a year, and the median is $47,400. That is $8,160 (19%) more than the U.S. average of $43,030.
What is the hourly wage in California?
$24.61 an hour on average; the median is $22.79.
Where in California do they earn the most?
Visalia, CA ($56,190), followed by San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA ($55,850). The lowest average among 25 metro areas with data is Chico, CA ($45,490).
How does California rank?
California ranks #6 of 51 states (including D.C.) with published data for this job, by average pay.
Sources and notes. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 (trend: May 2020–May 2025), occupation code 25-2011. State rank compares average pay across states with published data. Metro figures cover metropolitan statistical areas; a metro area can cross state lines. See also the national preschool teachers, except special education page. Wages are gross pay before taxes and don't include overtime premiums, tips, bonuses or benefits; self-employed workers aren't included. Year-to-year changes can partly reflect survey method changes, so treat the trend as a guide. How we use the data. JobPayFacts isn't affiliated with BLS.