Career comparison
Elementary School Teacher vs. Kindergarten Teacher
Side-by-side pay, training, growth and day-to-day duties to help you choose between two related careers.
Elementary school teachers earn more at the median ($63,970 vs. $62,680), while elementary school teachers usually get to work faster (4 years plus licensing of training). Elementary school teachers teach children in grades 1 through 5 the foundations of every subject. Kindergarten teachers teach children their first year of school: reading, math and how to learn.
Pay data: BLS OEWS, May 2025 · Outlook: BLS 2025–35 · Checked October 15, 2026
| Elementary School Teacher | Kindergarten Teacher | |
|---|---|---|
| Median pay | $63,970 | $62,680 |
| Pay range (10th–90th) | $47,960 – $104,340 | $46,990 – $101,830 |
| Job growth, 2025–35 | -0.4% (little or no change) | -0.3% (little or no change) |
| Openings per year | 87,500 | 11,900 |
| Typical entry education | Bachelor's degree | Bachelor's degree |
| Training time | 4 years plus licensing | 4 years plus licensing |
| Key credential | State teaching license | State teaching license |
| Work setting | Teachers work in elementary school classrooms, with time in meetings and duties around the school.. | Kindergarten teachers work in elementary school classrooms that are active and noisy, with lots of movement.. |
What each job does
Elementary School Teacher
- Plan and teach lessons in core subjects
- Assess and grade student work
- Manage classroom behavior
- Differentiate instruction
- Communicate with families
Kindergarten Teacher
- Teach early reading, writing and math
- Plan hands-on lessons
- Build classroom routines and social skills
- Assess student progress
- Differentiate instruction for different learners
How they’re similar
Both careers involve helping others, working with people, indoor work, and creative work. Both are part of the education & childcare field, so many skills transfer between them.
Which should you choose?
Choose elementary school teacher if…
- I want to help children learn
- I enjoy teaching many subjects
- I’m organized
Choose kindergarten teacher if…
- I love young children
- I’m patient and energetic
- I want to teach reading foundations
Still torn? Take the Elementary School Teacher fit quiz and the Kindergarten Teacher fit quiz, or the full Career Match Quiz.
Quick comparisons
Which pays more, elementary school teacher or kindergarten teacher?
Elementary School Teachers earn more at the median: $63,970 versus $62,680 for kindergarten teachers, based on BLS May 2025 data.
Which takes less time to train for?
Elementary School Teachers typically train faster (4 years plus licensing) than kindergarten teachers (4 years plus licensing).
Which career has better job growth?
BLS projects kindergarten teachers to grow -0.3% from 2025–35, compared with -0.4% for elementary school teachers.