SOC 25-2011 · Athens-Clarke County, GA metro

Preschool Teachers, Except Special Education Salary in Athens, GA

The average salary for preschool teachers (except special education) in Athens, Georgia is $39,630 a year ($19.05 an hour), according to BLS estimates for May 2025. The median is $36,410: half of the 360 people in this job in the Athens-Clarke County, GA metro area earn more than that, half earn less. That average is 8% less than the U.S. average for this job ($43,030).

$39,630average per year

$19.05 / hourMedian $36,410Take-home ≈ $32,794

  • $23K10th
  • $31K25th
  • $36KMedian
  • $45K75th
  • $58K90th

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

360people in this job
-8%vs U.S. average
#13 of 14Georgia metros
93cost of living (U.S. = 100)
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Preschool Teachers, Except Special Education pay range in Athens

New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $23,390 a year or less, while the top 10% make $58,090 or more. The middle half of preschool teachers (except special education) in Athens earn between $30,880 and $45,270.

  • $23K10th
  • $31K25th
  • $36KMedian
  • $45K75th
  • $58K90th

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

Pay levelPer yearPer monthPer hour*
Average$39,630$3,302$19.05
Median$36,410$3,034$17.50
Entry level (25th percentile)$30,880$2,573$14.85
Experienced (75th percentile)$45,270$3,772$21.76

*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.

Preschool Teachers, Except Special Education pay in Athens vs. Georgia and the U.S.

Preschool teachers (except special education) in Athens earn 17% less than the Georgia average ($47,920) and 8% less than the U.S. average ($43,030). At the median the gap is -5% against the U.S. median of $38,140.

AreaAverageMedian10th pct.90th pct.Jobs
Athens$39,630$36,410$23,390$58,090360
Georgia$47,920$43,920$28,150$77,13016,850
United States$43,030$38,140$28,990$61,390478,780

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

Preschool Teachers, Except Special Education salary after taxes in Athens

On the average salary of $39,630, a single filer in Athens takes home about $32,794 a year, or $2,733 a month and $1,261 every two weeks. Taxes take 17% of gross pay.

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

Georgia paycheck calculator: try your own salary

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

Prices in the Athens area are 7% below the U.S. average (BEA price parity 93.3), so the average $39,630 buys what about $42,456 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 0.9 times the median wage of all jobs in Athens ($41,220). A typical home costs $373,118, or 9.4 years of this average salary before tax.

See what $39,630 is worth in another city

Preschool Teachers, Except Special Education salary in other Georgia cities

Athens ranks 13th of 14 Georgia metro areas for this job; Albany pays the most ($62,070).

All Preschool Teachers, Except Special Education salaries in Georgia

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

Vineland, NJ pays this job the most of the metro areas we cover ($62,570).

Preschool Teachers, Except Special Education salary by city

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Preschool Teachers, Except Special Education salary in Athens: questions

How much do preschool teachers (except special education) make an hour in Athens?

$19.05 an hour on average, and $17.51 at the median (BLS, May 2025).

What is the entry-level preschool teachers (except special education) salary in Athens?

The lowest-paid 10% earn about $23,390 a year and the 25th percentile is $30,880, a fair guide to starting pay.

What is the preschool teachers (except special education) take-home pay in Athens?

About $32,794 a year ($2,733 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $39,630.

Do preschool teachers (except special education) earn more in Athens than elsewhere?

The average here is 8% less than the U.S. average for this job ($43,030).

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 25-2011; area Athens-Clarke County, GA (12020). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 5.8%.
  • 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 state income tax (2026 rules).
  • Job concentration: location quotient 1.21, this job is about as common as in the U.S. overall.

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