How to Become a Kindergarten Teacher: Requirements & Salary 2026

Q: How long does it take to become a kindergarten teacher?

On the traditional pathway, becoming a kindergarten teacher typically takes around five years, including approximately four years for a bachelor's degree plus the required clinical experience and assessments. Candidates who already hold a bachelor's degree may qualify through an alternative certification pathway, which can change the timeline. Program structure, availability, and whether candidates can work while completing preparation vary by state.

Q: What degree do I need to teach kindergarten?

Kindergarten teachers generally need a bachelor's degree and completion of a state-approved educator preparation program. Common majors include early childhood education, elementary education, and child development. The important factor for licensure is whether the candidate's preparation meets the state's requirements for the applicable elementary or early childhood teaching credential.

Q: Do kindergarten teachers need a background check?

Yes. Kindergarten teachers are subject to background screening requirements, although the process varies by state and employer. Requirements may include fingerprinting and state or federal criminal history checks, and these may occur during educator licensure, school district hiring, or both. Candidates should check their state licensing agency and prospective employer for the applicable process.

Q: Is kindergarten teaching a growing field?

Not nationally. Employment projections indicate a slight decline of about 1.7% in kindergarten teacher positions between 2024 and 2034. However, approximately 12,800 openings are projected each year nationally, largely because existing teachers retire, change careers, or otherwise leave their positions. As a result, schools can continue to have regular hiring needs even while total employment remains relatively flat or declines slightly.

Q: Can I teach kindergarten with an elementary education degree instead of early childhood education?

In many states, yes. Kindergarten is commonly included within an elementary or early childhood teaching license, so an elementary education degree that leads to an appropriate state credential can qualify a teacher for kindergarten positions. Grade bands differ by state, however, so candidates should confirm that their specific license includes kindergarten with their state's educator-licensing agency.

Written by Amanda Castillo, Last Updated: August 17, 2026

The standard path to becoming a kindergarten teacher is a bachelor's degree plus state teaching licensure, though requirements, assessments, and background-check steps vary by state and by route. Most finish the traditional path in about five years, including a clinical placement. Your state's educator-licensing agency sets the specific steps.

Featured Programs:

How to Become a Kindergarten Teacher

The standard route into a public-school kindergarten classroom is a bachelor's degree plus state teaching licensure. The BLS itself notes that kindergarten and elementary teachers generally need at least a bachelor's degree, and that public-school teachers need state certification or licensure. Kindergarten may fall within an elementary or early-childhood credential, but the grades that credential actually authorizes you to teach vary by state. State-specific alternative routes and credential structures also exist outside this traditional path.

Education Requirements

Bachelor's Degree

Most kindergarten teachers major in child development, elementary education, or early childhood education. The exact coursework depends on your program and your state's licensing rules, but expect classes in child development, children's literature, and how to teach reading and basic math to young learners, alongside coursework on teaching students with disabilities and English language learners.

Teacher Preparation Program

Traditional pathways pair your degree with a state-approved teacher preparation program that includes a supervised student teaching or clinical placement, where you plan lessons and get evaluated by an experienced educator before taking your own classroom. Alternative-route availability, eligible grade bands, employment status during preparation, and the credential you end up with all vary by state, so a career-changer's path can look structured very differently from the traditional one.

Assessments

Complete any assessments required for your credential and pathway. States differ widely here: some require a basic-skills test, a content exam, a pedagogy or performance assessment, a reading-specific exam, or some combination, and many offer exemptions or alternatives tied to GPA, prior test scores, or program design. Check your state's requirements directly rather than assuming a standard formula applies.

Certification

Once you've finished your coursework, program, and required assessments, you'll apply for licensure through your state's educator-licensing or credentialing agency. Background-check and fingerprinting requirements, including whether they happen during licensure, hiring, or both, vary by state and employer. Requirements and the exact application process vary by state, so contact your state's educator-licensing agency directly for the current list.

Find Information About Becoming a Teacher In Your State

Each state has different requirements for becoming a certified teacher. To find out specific requirements, click on your state.

Kindergarten Teacher: Requirements & Salary 2026 by Degree Level

The tables and charts below break down the education level obtained as averaged across the U.S.

Preschool and Kindergarten Teachers

Degree Level	Percent (%)
Less Than High School Diploma	2.0%
High School Diploma	13.2%
Some College	23.8%
Associate Degree	13.7%
Bachelors Degree	33.9%
Masters Degree	12.7%
Doctorate Degree	0.7%

Data taken from BLS Educational attainment for workers 25 years and older by detailed occupation, 2010-11 (http://www.bls.gov/emp/ep_table_111.htm)

What Does a Kindergarten Teacher Do?

A kindergarten teacher usually runs their own classroom and teaches the core subjects: reading, writing, basic math, science, and social studies, built around play and hands-on activities rather than lecture. Since this is often a child's first year of formal schooling, a lot of the work is foundational: teaching classroom routines, turn-taking, and how to sit through a lesson, alongside the academic content. That means developing and adapting lesson plans daily to fit where each child actually is, not just where the curriculum guide assumes they are.

Kindergarten Curriculum

Curriculum in kindergarten is typically built around play and hands-on learning rather than worksheets. School districts select the specific curriculum and textbooks based on their state's learning standards, and the kindergarten teacher adapts that curriculum for their own classroom and students.

Where Kindergarten Teachers Work

Public Schools

Public schools are funded by state and federal money and governed by the state's board of education along with the local school district, which controls curriculum and textbook decisions. Public school students come from a wide range of backgrounds, and public school teaching positions almost always require full state licensure.

Private Schools

Private schools don't receive public funding and generally have more control over their own curriculum. Most require tuition and are governed by their own board rather than a public school district. Licensure requirements vary by school: some private schools require the same state license as public schools, others don't. Confirm directly with the school.

Charter Schools

Charter schools are independently run public schools that don't charge tuition, but operate under a charter, a contract with the state or district laying out the school's mission, curriculum, and goals. They typically have more flexibility on curriculum than a traditional public school, along with more accountability for results.

Kindergarten Teacher Organizations

Two organizations are worth knowing if you're entering this field:

NKA - National Kindergarten Alliance: a coalition of individuals and organizations focused on the education of the country's youngest learners.

NAEYC - National Association for the Education of Young Children: a professional membership organization promoting high-quality early learning for children through age 8, connecting practice, policy, and research.

Kindergarten Teacher Salary and Job Outlook

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, kindergarten teachers, except special education, earned a median annual salary of $61,430 as of May 2024, with the highest 10% earning more than $99,360.

Employment of kindergarten teachers is projected to decline slightly, about 1.7% between 2024 and 2034, according to Projections Central. That's not a reason to rule the field out: Projections Central still estimates roughly 12,800 openings each year nationally, mostly as current teachers retire or leave the classroom. The demand is real. It's replacement demand, not growth, and it's worth knowing the difference going in.

Kindergarten falls under the elementary school umbrella for most salary and staffing purposes. For more general context on teacher salary, see What to Expect.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long does it take to become a kindergarten teacher?

On the traditional path, most people finish in around five years total: four years for the bachelor's degree, plus a year or so for a clinical placement and required assessments. If you already have a degree in another field, an alternative certification pathway may change that timeline, but availability, structure, and employment status during preparation vary by state, so check your specific state's process.

What degree do I need to teach kindergarten?

You need a bachelor's degree, most often in early childhood education, elementary education, or child development, paired with a state-approved teacher preparation program. The specific major matters less than whether the program leads to your state's elementary or early childhood licensure.

Do kindergarten teachers need a background check?

Yes, in every state, but the details differ. Background-check and fingerprinting requirements, including whether they happen during state licensure, during district hiring, or both, vary by state and employer, so there's no single national standard to point to.

Is kindergarten teaching a growing field?

Not exactly. The Bureau of Labor Statistics and Projections Central project a slight decline (about 1.7%) in kindergarten teaching positions between 2024 and 2034. What keeps the job market active is turnover: roughly 12,800 openings a year nationally as teachers retire or leave the profession, so open positions are common even as total employment holds flat or edges down.

Can I teach kindergarten with an elementary education degree instead of early childhood education?

In most states, yes. Kindergarten is generally covered under the same elementary or early childhood license, so an elementary education degree that leads to that license qualifies you to teach kindergarten as well as other elementary grades. Confirm the specific grade bands covered with your state's educator-licensing agency, since this varies.

Bachelor's degree is the standard - a bachelor's degree plus state licensure is the traditional public-school path, usually in early childhood, elementary education, or child development, though alternative routes and credential structures vary by state.
Assessments vary by state and pathway - some states require basic-skills, content, pedagogy, or reading-specific exams, with exemptions depending on your program, so there's no single formula.
Background-check requirements vary - fingerprinting and criminal-history review may happen during licensure, during hiring, or both, depending on the state and employer.
Median pay is $61,430 - per the BLS as of May 2024, with roughly 12,800 openings projected each year even though total employment is expected to dip slightly through 2034.
Setting changes the rules - public, private, and charter schools each set their own hiring and licensure expectations, so confirm directly with the school type you're targeting.

Amanda Castillo

Amanda R. Castillo, M.Ed., is an education writer and former K–12 teacher with more than 12 years of classroom and curriculum experience. She has taught elementary and middle school, supported special education inclusion, and guided aspiring educators through degree programs and state certification pathways. Amanda focuses on practical, accurate information about teaching careers, licensure requirements, and professional development.

See Full Bio

2024 US Bureau of Labor Statistics salary figures for Kindergarten and Elementary School Teachers. Job growth projections (2024-2034) are from the US Department of Labor-sponsored resource, Projections Central. Figures reflect state and national data, not school-specific information. Conditions in your area may vary. Data accessed August 2026.

Requirements are only step one: the bigger question is finding a program built around how you actually need to study, especially if you're changing careers. The sponsored programs on this page include options for people who already hold a degree in another field and are looking for a faster path into an early childhood or elementary classroom.