SOC 25-2012 · Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV metro

Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special Education Salary in Washington, DC

The average salary for kindergarten teachers (except special education) in Washington, Washington, D.C. is $78,900 a year, according to BLS estimates for May 2025. The median is $77,200: half of the 2,400 people in this job in the Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV metro area earn more than that, half earn less. That average is 14% more than the U.S. average for this job ($69,370).

$78,900average per year

Median $77,200Take-home ≈ $60,598

  • $57K10th
  • $62K25th
  • $77KMedian
  • $97K75th
  • $107K90th

median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it

2,400people in this job
+14%vs U.S. average
109cost of living (U.S. = 100)
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Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special Education pay range in Washington

New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $56,590 a year or less, while the top 10% make $107,100 or more. The middle half of kindergarten teachers (except special education) in Washington earn between $61,910 and $97,410.

  • $57K10th
  • $62K25th
  • $77KMedian
  • $97K75th
  • $107K90th

median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it

Pay levelPer yearPer monthPer hour*
Average$78,900$6,575—
Median$77,200$6,433—
Entry level (25th percentile)$61,910$5,159—
Experienced (75th percentile)$97,410$8,118—

*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year (BLS publishes this job's pay as annual only). Hourly to annual salary.

Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special Education pay in Washington vs. Washington, D.C. and the U.S.

Kindergarten teachers (except special education) in Washington earn 9% less than the Washington, D.C. average ($86,500) and 14% more than the U.S. average ($69,370). At the median the gap is +23% against the U.S. median of $62,680.

AreaAverageMedian10th pct.90th pct.Jobs
Washington$78,900$77,200$56,590$107,1002,400
Washington, D.C.$86,500$81,500$63,530$123,530180
United States$69,370$62,680$46,990$101,830108,870

State and U.S. rows: BLS statewide and national estimates, May 2025, which include rural areas.

Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special Education salary after taxes in Washington

On the average salary of $78,900, a single filer in Washington takes home about $60,598 a year, or $5,050 a month and $2,331 every two weeks. Taxes take 23% of gross pay.

The Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV metro area crosses state lines, so take-home pay depends on the state where you work:

StatePer yearPer month
Working in WV$61,612$5,134
Working in MD$60,800$5,067
Working in VA$60,614$5,051
Working in DC$60,598$5,050

Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2026 rules).

Washington, D.C. paycheck calculator: try your own salary

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Is Washington a good place for kindergarten teachers (except special education)? Pay vs. cost of living

Prices in the Washington area are 9% above the U.S. average (BEA price parity 108.9), so the average $78,900 buys what about $72,462 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 1.1 times the median wage of all jobs in Washington ($71,060). A typical home costs $583,013, or 7.4 years of this average salary before tax.

See what $78,900 is worth in another city

Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special Education salary in nearby metro areas

Highest-paying cities for kindergarten teachers (except special education)

Modesto, CA pays this job the most of the metro areas we cover ($107,550).

Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special Education salary by city

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Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special Education salary in Washington: questions

What is the entry-level kindergarten teachers (except special education) salary in Washington?

The lowest-paid 10% earn about $56,590 a year and the 25th percentile is $61,910, a fair guide to starting pay.

What is the kindergarten teachers (except special education) take-home pay in Washington?

About $60,598 a year ($5,050 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $78,900.

Do kindergarten teachers (except special education) earn more in Washington than elsewhere?

The average here is 14% more than the U.S. average for this job ($69,370).

Sources and how to read this page

  • Wages: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 estimates for metropolitan areas. SOC code 25-2012; area Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV (47900). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 1.5%.
  • U.S. and statewide figures: BLS OEWS national and state estimates, May 2025, every employer including rural areas.
  • Cost of living: Bureau of Economic Analysis regional price parities (RPP), 2024; 100 = U.S. average.
  • Home value: Zillow Home Value Index. Typical-wage figure: OEWS all occupations, same metro.
  • Take-home pay: Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2026 rules).
  • Job concentration: location quotient 1.09, this job is about as common as in the U.S. overall.

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