SOC 25-2011 · Lancaster, PA metro

Preschool Teachers, Except Special Education Salary in Lancaster, PA

The average salary for preschool teachers (except special education) in Lancaster, Pennsylvania is $36,480 a year ($17.54 an hour), according to BLS estimates for May 2025. The median is $35,240: half of the 560 people in this job in the Lancaster, PA metro area earn more than that, half earn less. That average is 15% less than the U.S. average for this job ($43,030).

$36,480average per year

$17.54 / hourMedian $35,240Take-home ≈ $30,372

  • $30K10th
  • $31K25th
  • $35KMedian
  • $36K75th
  • $44K90th

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

560people in this job
-15%vs U.S. average
#5 of 16Pennsylvania metros
98cost of living (U.S. = 100)
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Preschool Teachers, Except Special Education pay range in Lancaster

New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $30,180 a year or less, while the top 10% make $44,390 or more. The middle half of preschool teachers (except special education) in Lancaster earn between $30,700 and $36,320.

  • $30K10th
  • $31K25th
  • $35KMedian
  • $36K75th
  • $44K90th

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

Pay levelPer yearPer monthPer hour*
Average$36,480$3,040$17.54
Median$35,240$2,937$16.94
Entry level (25th percentile)$30,700$2,558$14.76
Experienced (75th percentile)$36,320$3,027$17.46

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

Preschool Teachers, Except Special Education pay in Lancaster vs. Pennsylvania and the U.S.

Preschool teachers (except special education) in Lancaster earn about the same as the Pennsylvania average ($37,250) and 15% less than the U.S. average ($43,030). At the median the gap is -8% against the U.S. median of $38,140.

AreaAverageMedian10th pct.90th pct.Jobs
Lancaster$36,480$35,240$30,180$44,390560
Pennsylvania$37,250$36,050$29,590$46,46022,760
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 Lancaster

On the average salary of $36,480, a single filer in Lancaster takes home about $30,372 a year, or $2,531 a month and $1,168 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 (2025 rules). Local earned income taxes (for example Philadelphia's wage tax) are not included.

Pennsylvania paycheck calculator: try your own salary

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

Prices in the Lancaster area are 2% below the U.S. average (BEA price parity 98.3), so the average $36,480 buys what about $37,127 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 0.7 times the median wage of all jobs in Lancaster ($48,210). A typical home costs $388,207, or 10.6 years of this average salary before tax.

See what $36,480 is worth in another city

Preschool Teachers, Except Special Education salary in other Pennsylvania cities

Lancaster ranks 5th of 16 Pennsylvania metro areas for this job; Philadelphia pays the most ($41,250).

All Preschool Teachers, Except Special Education salaries in Pennsylvania

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 Lancaster: questions

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

$17.54 an hour on average, and $16.94 at the median (BLS, May 2025).

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

The lowest-paid 10% earn about $30,180 a year and the 25th percentile is $30,700, a fair guide to starting pay.

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

About $30,372 a year ($2,531 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $36,480. Local earned income taxes (for example Philadelphia's wage tax) are not included.

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

The average here is 15% 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 Lancaster, PA (29540). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 1.6%.
  • 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). Local earned income taxes (for example Philadelphia's wage tax) are not included.
  • Job concentration: location quotient 0.71, this job is less common than in the U.S. overall (location quotient 0.71).

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