Preschool Teachers, Except Special Education salary · Illinois

Preschool Teachers, Except Special Education Salary in Illinois

Preschool Teachers, Except Special Education in Illinois earn a median of $40,910 a year, which is $19.67 an hour. That is $2,770 above the national median of $38,140, a difference of 7 percent. The state employs 22,420.

Median in Illinois $40,910 $19.67 an hour · May 2025
US median $38,140
Jobs in Illinois 22,420

Illinois against the US May 2025

Preschool Teachers, Except Special Education in Illinois against the US, May 2025
FigureIllinoisUnited States
Median annual $40,910 $38,140
Median hourly$19.67$18.34
Mean annual$45,150$43,030
10th percentile$36,030$28,990
90th percentile$60,890$61,390
Employment22,420478,780

How Illinois compares

By median pay, Illinois ranks 6 of the 12 states this site reports for preschool teachers, except special education. Ranking is on the published median only. It says nothing about how far that salary goes once housing, state income tax and commuting are paid, and those differences between states are frequently larger than the pay gap itself.

Other states for preschool teachers, except special education May 2025

StateMedianHourlyJobs
New Jersey $48,220 $23.19 16,190
California $47,400 $22.79 55,700
New York $46,520 $22.37 23,870
Massachusetts $45,890 $22.06 18,710
Georgia $43,920 $21.12 16,850
Virginia $37,140 $17.86 13,570
Pennsylvania $36,050 $17.33 22,760
Florida $35,860 $17.24 35,740
North Carolina $35,710 $17.17 18,370
Ohio $35,180 $16.91 19,840
Texas $33,860 $16.28 41,200

Common questions

How much do preschool teachers, except special education make in Illinois?

The median salary for preschool teachers, except special education in Illinois is $40,910 a year, or $19.67 an hour. That is $2,770 above the national median of $38,140, a difference of 7 percent. Illinois employs 22,420 of them.

Is Illinois a good state to work as a preschool teacher?

On pay alone, Illinois ranks 6 of the 12 states this site reports for the occupation, by median salary. Pay is only half the question though: a state with a higher median can still leave you with less once housing and taxes are counted, and this site does not adjust for cost of living.

What is the pay range for preschool teachers, except special education in Illinois?

The lowest-paid 10 percent earn $36,030 or less and the highest-paid 10 percent earn $60,890 or more. The middle half falls between $37,750 and $46,790.

Where these numbers come from

Published by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 release, for SOC code 25-2011 in Illinois. Nothing on this page is interpolated or averaged by this site. See the national preschool teachers, except special education salary page for the full picture, or how to read these figures for what the survey covers.