SOC 25-2012 · Memphis, TN-MS-AR metro

Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special Education Salary in Memphis, TN

The average salary for kindergarten teachers (except special education) in Memphis, Tennessee is $54,280 a year, according to BLS estimates for May 2025. The median is $56,780: half of the 300 people in this job in the Memphis, TN-MS-AR metro area earn more than that, half earn less. That average is 22% less than the U.S. average for this job ($69,370).

$54,280average per year

Median $56,780Take-home ≈ $45,794

  • $41K10th
  • $48K25th
  • $57KMedian
  • $58K75th
  • $70K90th

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

300people in this job
-22%vs U.S. average
#8 of 9Tennessee metros
92cost of living (U.S. = 100)
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Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special Education pay range in Memphis

New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $41,220 a year or less, while the top 10% make $69,670 or more. The middle half of kindergarten teachers (except special education) in Memphis earn between $47,690 and $58,070.

  • $41K10th
  • $48K25th
  • $57KMedian
  • $58K75th
  • $70K90th

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

Pay levelPer yearPer monthPer hour*
Average$54,280$4,523—
Median$56,780$4,732—
Entry level (25th percentile)$47,690$3,974—
Experienced (75th percentile)$58,070$4,839—

*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 Memphis vs. Tennessee and the U.S.

Kindergarten teachers (except special education) in Memphis earn 6% less than the Tennessee average ($57,680) and 22% less than the U.S. average ($69,370). At the median the gap is -9% against the U.S. median of $62,680.

AreaAverageMedian10th pct.90th pct.Jobs
Memphis$54,280$56,780$41,220$69,670300
Tennessee$57,680$58,070$46,980$74,4402,740
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 Memphis

On the average salary of $54,280, a single filer in Memphis takes home about $45,794 a year, or $3,816 a month and $1,761 every two weeks. Taxes take 16% of gross pay.

The Memphis, TN-MS-AR metro area crosses state lines, so take-home pay depends on the state where you work:

StatePer yearPer month
Working in TN$45,794$3,816
Working in MS$44,355$3,696
Working in AR$44,273$3,689

Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and no state income tax.

Tennessee paycheck calculator: try your own salary

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

Prices in the Memphis area are 8% below the U.S. average (BEA price parity 92.2), so the average $54,280 buys what about $58,885 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 1.2 times the median wage of all jobs in Memphis ($46,890). A typical home costs $247,229, or 4.6 years of this average salary before tax.

See what $54,280 is worth in another city

Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special Education salary in other Tennessee cities

Memphis ranks 8th of 9 Tennessee metro areas for this job; Nashville pays the most ($62,210).

All Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special Education salaries in Tennessee

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 Memphis: questions

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

The lowest-paid 10% earn about $41,220 a year and the 25th percentile is $47,690, a fair guide to starting pay.

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

About $45,794 a year ($3,816 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $54,280. Tennessee has no state income tax.

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

The average here is 22% less 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 Memphis, TN-MS-AR (32820). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 1.8%.
  • 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 no state income tax.
  • Job concentration: location quotient 0.70, this job is less common than in the U.S. overall (location quotient 0.70).

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