How Much Does a Preschool Teacher Make In Arizona?

Are you looking for a fulfilling career? Arizona is experiencing a shortage of qualified early childhood teachers, especially in their preschools. These teachers are instrumental in guiding children through their development and preparing them for further education. The vocation is dynamic, fun, and full of hugs. 

The average annual preschool teacher salary as of May 2023 in Arizona is $36,530. Salary ranges can vary widely depending on the city and many other important factors, including education, certifications, additional skills, and the number of years you have spent in your profession.

Teachers of Tomorrow will take you through Arizona preschool salaries in this guide. We’ll also show you the various pathways to becoming an Arizona preschool teacher, including alternative teacher certification options. 

What Is a Preschool Teacher?

Preschool teachers work with very young children. These educational professionals are knowledgeable in early childhood, often having studied the needs of children between birth and third grade. They focus on their students’ cognitive, social, and emotional development and help them become ready for further education.

Preschool teachers often work in daycare centers or other facilities that are designed to meet the needs of very young children. However, some elementary schools do offer grade PreK. Curriculums vary depending on the school’s educational philosophy, such as Head Start, Montessori, or Waldorf. However, the general consensus is that education should be achieved through play. 

Play activities are indoors and outdoors and can involve arts and crafts, songs, musical instruments, water play, games, puzzles, and interactive learning exercises. The activities are designed to:

• Be fun and engaging. 
• Work on specific developmental skills. 
• Encourage discovery. 
• Increase student confidence.
• How to function in a social environment. 

Young children have to learn more than basic academics, such as recognizing colors and shapes. Many of their lessons focus on life skills, like:

• How to be a good friend. 
• Cooperation. 
• Taking turns. 
• Washing hands. 
• Tying shoes. 
• How to put on a coat. 
• How to clean up and put things away. 

Successful preschool teachers come from a variety of cultures and experiences. Nor do they share the same personality. Some are extroverts, while others are introverts. However, all successful preschool teachers share certain characteristics, including the following: 

• Flexible: Preschool students are masters of taking plans and tossing them aside. Successful teachers have backup plans and know how to adjust on the spot and work with the unexpected. 
• Warmth: Young children require a lot of nurturing, kindness, and compassion. They still yearn for constant care and attention. Successful preschool teachers can make every child feel special and cared for. 
• Communication: Preschool students are still developing their “listening ears.” The challenges go beyond typical misbehavior or lack of attention span. Their auditory processing and other cognitive areas are not fully developed, so even if they “hear” somebody talking, they do not always fully register the specifics of what is being said. Thus, preschool teachers must patiently repeat their words and find other ways of presenting information to ensure students understand. 

Preschool teachers have many responsibilities, including:

• Classroom management: Young children need a safe, welcoming, and accessible space that meets their mental, emotional, and physical needs. 
• Monitor playground: Many daycares, child centers, and early learning schools require their teachers to be present during outdoor free play. Teachers must monitor the children and intervene when necessary.  
• Lesson planning: Learning through play while meeting curriculum standards requires creative planning. Activities need to be prepared ahead of time to address the students’ development skills and learning stages. 
• Keep parents and caregivers updated: Parents and caregivers always want to know how their children are progressing. However, the most anxious group is those with young children. Preschool teachers must have various communication channels to ensure parents and caregivers feel involved in their children’s lives away from home.

How Much Do Preschool Teachers in Arizona Make?

This is the average annual salaries for preschool teachers in Arizona as of May 2023, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics:

• Highest salary – $46,770
• Average salary – $35,700
• Lowest salary – $29,970

Arizona’s preschool teacher salaries are determined by location, type of school, and a teacher’s years of experience and qualifications.

Certification Routes for Preschool Teachers in Arizona

US Rules and regulations for preschool teachers vary across the country. In Arizona, some preschool teaching jobs only require a high school diploma or GED. However, most positions require an associate’s or bachelor’s degree. Another popular requirement is a Child Development Association Credential. 

However, Arizona teaching candidates who want an Early Childhood Education, Birth-Grade 3 Certification from the Arizona Department of Education (ADE) must obtain a bachelor’s degree. There are many advantages to being a certified early childhood educator, including:

• Helps a candidate stand out when applying for jobs. 
• Puts a preschool teaching candidate at a higher pay bracket.
• Widens the job opportunity pool. 
• Allows greater career flexibility, including allowing candidates to teach the higher paying grade levels, K-3.
• Makes it easier to continue teaching if you move to another state.  

Arizona’s traditional pathway to becoming a certified early childhood educator involves the following steps:

1. Obtain a bachelor’s degree. Candidates should study early childhood education or the nearest equivalent at an accredited college or university.  
2. Attend a teacher preparation program. Preschool teaching candidates must complete a board-approved Early Childhood Education program, provided by a college, university, or an independent provider, like Teachers of Tomorrow.
3. Obtain teaching experience. Canidate must have a certain number hours of in-person classroom observation in addition to hands-on teaching. 
4. Pass the required exams. Arizona certification exams depend on the grade level, subject areas, and specialties. For example, early childhood education candidates must take Pearson’s Professional Knowledge, Pearson’s Early Childhood Education, and any subject area or specialty exams related to their career goals. 
5. Pass a background check. Arizona requires all teachers and childcare workers to pass a background check. The regulation applies to public schools and anyone in the private sector, including those running daycare services from home. The checks can be done using the process outlined by the Arizona Centralized Background Checks (CBS). When applying for certification, a photocopy of an AZDPS IVP card will be required. 
6. Apply for your license. Applying for an Early Childhood Education Birth-Grade 3 Certificate is done through the ADE. Candidates can review the qualifying criteria and required documentation and find the submission portal button on their webpage. 

Alternative Routes to Certification for Arizona Preschool Teachers

Arizona preschool candidates have alternative routes to becoming certified early childhood educators. These are options for those who did not major in early childhood education or already have teaching experience to put towards some of the requirements. 

Arizona’s Alternative Teaching Preparation Program. 

Arizona allows candidates to attend alternative teaching preparation programsthat are not affiliated with a college or university. 

These programs have many advantages, including:

• Being able to teach while completing the course. 
• Flexible study schedule.
• Online classes and content. 
• More affordable. 

Arizona’s Alternative Teaching Experience with Course Work

Arizona allows teaching candidates to qualify for full certification without going through a teacher preparation program. To qualify, the candidate must:

• Have 2 years of full-time teaching experience with children between birth and grade 3. 
• Complete coursework that meets the Board-approved standards. However, some requirements allow deficiencies. These give candidates three years after their certification to make up for the deficient (missing) coursework. 

What Is the Lowest and Highest Paying Preschool Teaching Job?

As a certified preschool teacher in Arizona, you can work in various settings:

• Special education: According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, as of May 2023, Arizona preschool special education teachers make an average of $57,110. Special education teachers are among the hardest hit by the teaching shortage impacting the nation. While the positions pay well, they do require extra training.
• Private schools: Private preschools provide smaller class sizes and other perks that attract families not qualifying for tuition assistance for Head Start or other government-funded preschools. The higher tuition fees allow private preschools to pay their teachers more. 
• Public schools: Arizona receives grants and other federal funding for preschool and PreK programs. However, the state’s funding is relatively low compared to its spending on elementary school and higher education, and preschool teaching salaries reflect this funding difference. 
• Charter schools: Arizona charter schools receive less funding than public schools, reducing teaching salaries. 
• Online teaching: There is not a high demand for online teachers for preschool aged children. Thus, the jobs are few and do not pay as well as in-person education roles. 

Ready to start your journey towards a life-changing career? Teachers of Tomorrow is here to help you strive towards becoming one of Arizona’s top educators. 

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