Employment of preschool teachers is expected to grow by 25 percent from 2010 to 2020, faster than the average for all occupations.
It is widely accepted that early childhood education is important for a child’s intellectual and social development. As a result, there has been increasing demand for preschool programs, which is expected to create demand for preschool teachers.
In addition, the population of children ages 3 to 5 is expected to increase. Because children between these ages are typically enrolled in preschool, increases to that population will increase the demand for preschool teachers.
The following are the growth rates from 2010 to 2020 for the industries employing the most preschool teachers:
| Child day care services | 30% |
| Religious, grantmaking, civic, professional, and similar organizations | 17 |
| Elementary and secondary schools; state, local, and private | 12 |
Workers who have postsecondary education, particularly those with a bachelor’s degree, should have better job prospects than those with less education. In addition, workers with the Child Development Associate (CDA) or Child Care Professional (CCP) credential should have better prospects than those without these certifications.
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2012-13 Edition