SOC 25-2011 · Fort Wayne, IN metro

Preschool Teachers, Except Special Education Salary in Fort Wayne, IN

The average salary for preschool teachers (except special education) in Fort Wayne, Indiana is $36,350 a year ($17.48 an hour), according to BLS estimates for May 2025. The median is $35,610: half of the 370 people in this job in the Fort Wayne, IN metro area earn more than that, half earn less. That average is 16% less than the U.S. average for this job ($43,030).

$36,350average per year

$17.48 / hourMedian $35,610Take-home ≈ $29,765

  • $29K10th
  • $30K25th
  • $36KMedian
  • $38K75th
  • $48K90th

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

370people in this job
-16%vs U.S. average
#9 of 12Indiana metros
93cost of living (U.S. = 100)
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Preschool Teachers, Except Special Education pay range in Fort Wayne

New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $28,760 a year or less, while the top 10% make $48,160 or more. The middle half of preschool teachers (except special education) in Fort Wayne earn between $29,760 and $38,100.

  • $29K10th
  • $30K25th
  • $36KMedian
  • $38K75th
  • $48K90th

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

Pay levelPer yearPer monthPer hour*
Average$36,350$3,029$17.48
Median$35,610$2,968$17.12
Entry level (25th percentile)$29,760$2,480$14.31
Experienced (75th percentile)$38,100$3,175$18.32

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

Preschool Teachers, Except Special Education pay in Fort Wayne vs. Indiana and the U.S.

Preschool teachers (except special education) in Fort Wayne earn 5% less than the Indiana average ($38,240) and 16% less than the U.S. average ($43,030). At the median the gap is -7% against the U.S. median of $38,140.

AreaAverageMedian10th pct.90th pct.Jobs
Fort Wayne$36,350$35,610$28,760$48,160370
Indiana$38,240$36,650$28,720$50,9207,110
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 Fort Wayne

On the average salary of $36,350, a single filer in Fort Wayne takes home about $29,765 a year, or $2,480 a month and $1,145 every two weeks. Taxes take 18% of gross pay.

Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2025 rules). Includes Fort Wayne's local income tax (1.59%).

Indiana paycheck calculator: try your own salary

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

Prices in the Fort Wayne area are 7% below the U.S. average (BEA price parity 92.6), so the average $36,350 buys what about $39,267 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 0.7 times the median wage of all jobs in Fort Wayne ($47,700). A typical home costs $259,816, or 7.1 years of this average salary before tax.

See what $36,350 is worth in another city

Preschool Teachers, Except Special Education salary in other Indiana cities

Fort Wayne ranks 9th of 12 Indiana metro areas for this job; Kokomo pays the most ($40,720).

All Preschool Teachers, Except Special Education salaries in Indiana

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 Fort Wayne: questions

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

$17.48 an hour on average, and $17.12 at the median (BLS, May 2025).

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

The lowest-paid 10% earn about $28,760 a year and the 25th percentile is $29,760, a fair guide to starting pay.

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

About $29,765 a year ($2,480 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $36,350. Includes Fort Wayne's local income tax (1.59%).

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

The average here is 16% 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 Fort Wayne, IN (23060). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 2.5%.
  • 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 (2025 rules). Includes Fort Wayne's local income tax (1.59%).
  • Job concentration: location quotient 0.53, this job is less common than in the U.S. overall (location quotient 0.53).

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