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Early Childhood Education Degree and Career Overview
Average Salary & Job Outlook
Elementary School Teacher Median wages (2007)
$50,040 annual
Preschool-Kindergarten Teacher Median wages (2007)
$47,750 annual
U.S. Minimum Wage
$10,712 Annually

*Source: US Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics


The formative early childhood years (from birth to about age 10) are an extremely important part of a child’s life. During this time, children make enormous strides in learning, skill building, and socializing. Kids who have mastered these skills are well on their way to becoming successful and happy young adults!

Since children spend the majority of their time in school, it is very important that they receive an excellent early childhood education. If you have an interest in working with young children, a degree in early childhood education will give you the qualifications that you need to help kids learn, grow, and succeed.

Early childhood education students have the opportunity to explore a variety of career options. The age of their students can range from birth to about 8 years old, which makes for some pretty exciting teacher-student interactions. Early childhood educators use their love of teaching to provide a wide variety of instructional methods to young children. Early childhood educators need to be flexible and energetic in order to keep their young students engaged in the classroom.

Thanks to Internet technology, you can get your degree in early childhood education online! You can receive a certificate, associate’s, bachelor’s, master’s, or even doctorate diploma on your own home computer while you balance other commitments from your family or job.

So, what can you do with a degree in early childhood education? Here are some popular career options for people who love to work with young children:

  • Childcare worker – child care workers operate in a variety of settings, but are found most frequently in day care centers. They are responsible for helping kids learn a variety of new concepts, especially through play-time activities.
  • Preschool teacher – these professionals work with children who are between the age of 2-5 years old. They introduce concepts like letters, numbers, and colors to their students.
  • Elementary school teacher – if you choose to work in an elementary school, you will teach subject-based lessons, like math, reading, and science.

The outlook for early childhood education careers is projected to be excellent. As the government places more importance on early childhood education programs, the mean salary for early childhood professionals will likely rise. Due to the changing dynamic of the household—where both parents work during the day time and are gone for longer hours—the need for qualified early childhood educators is rapidly growing. Don’t forget the biggest benefit of becoming an educator: you get summers off!

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