Also called: Child development professor
College instructor who trains future preschool and kindergarten teachers.
Professors teach classes on child development and teaching methods, supervise student teachers in real classrooms, and do research on early learning. Community colleges hire many early childhood instructors.
Based on BLS education teachers, postsecondary; research universities pay more.
Approximate: anchored on Bureau of Labor Statistics data for a broader job group.
Doctorate (PhD), about 9 years after high school. Master's for community colleges; PhD or EdD for universities.
Ways in: Graduate school. Training cost: $15k – $60k.
Majors to look at: Early Childhood Education, Child Development.
Growing about average (about 4% over 10 years). BLS projects modest growth.
Low risk in 5 years, medium in 10. AI grading and course tools mean fewer adjunct sections; supervising student teachers in real classrooms keeps demand.
Classes: Psychology, AP English Language, Child development CTE class.
Official data: O*NET occupation 25-1081.
Career Universe is an early version. Pay, training and AI-risk figures are estimates to start your own research, not verified facts. The research was written with AI research assistants, checked by validation scripts and spot-checked by hand. Check anything important with schools, employers and official sources. How the numbers work.