Early Childhood Teachers: How to Become One

If you were to ask a group of early childhood teachers about how they arrived at their current job, there's a good chance you would get several different answers about the paths and steps that each person took.

That said, there are still ways that you can develop a baseline understanding of the preparation that is necessary to become one.

The Best Adult Colleges and Careers Guide has gathered data to provide you with insight into the type of education that's commonly required for early childhood teachers to land a job. This page contains information, sourced from real job postings, that describes the experience levels and specific skills that employers of early childhood teachers expect candidates to have. In the end, this information will help you create an education or professional development plan that aligns with your career aspirations.

Keep reading to learn more about career steps for early childhood teachers.

What Education & Experience is Needed for Early Childhood Teachers?

Do early childhood teachers need a degree? What kind of experience do early childhood teachers typically need? Thanks to data sourced from Lightcast™ from real job postings, we can get some clarity on those questions, as well as the level of education that is commonly required for early childhood teachers to secure jobs.

Education Level Required in Job Postings for Early Childhood Teachers

A bachelor's degree is the level of education sought the most by employers of early childhood teachers. According to job data, a bachelor's degree was required for 44% of positions. In 36% of job listings no education level was listed and in 15% of postings a master's degree was required.

Experience Level Required in Job Postings for Early Childhood Teachers

While the amount of required experience will vary based on the responsibility and seniority of the position, an aggregate view of job posting data can help paint a picture of the experience level sought for most job openings for early childhood teachers. In 51% of job postings for Early Childhood Teachers, employers were looking for candidates with 0-1 years of experience. In 38% of listings employers were looking for candidates with 2-3 years of experience, while 10+ years of experience was sought in 6% of job postings for early childhood teachers.

What Kind of Degree Do Early Childhood Teachers Need?

So far this page has provided detail into the level of education and the amount of experience required in job openings for early childhood teachers, but what type of education or degree will help prepare you for a career in the field?

According to occupational data obtained through Lightcast,™ there are 21 key academic programs that can help prepare prospective early childhood teachers, and in 2023 a total of 75,335 of those programs were completed at institutions in the United States.

Check out the information below to learn more about the specific programs that should be considered by prospective early childhood teachers.

Top Degree Programs for Early Childhood Teachers

Top Online College For Working Adults

Franklin University is a top choice for adults who need to balance school with busy lives. Founded in 1902 in Columbus, Ohio, Franklin's main focus has been serving adult students and tailoring education to fit their needs. Nonprofit and accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (hlcommission.org/800.621.7440), Franklin offers more than 50 affordable bachelor's, master's, and doctoral programs — all available 100% online.

Degree Options for Early Childhood Teachers

What Skills Do Early Childhood Teachers Need?

Education and experience have been covered, so what are the specific skills and traits needed by early childhood teachers to secure a job?

A good way to understand this is to examine actual job postings for skills commonly sought by employers. Continue reading for a breakdown of specialized skills found in job postings for early childhood teachers, as well as common skills that can help you thrive in the workplace.

In-Demand Skills for Today's Early Childhood Teachers
Based on 3,095 job postings

Based on 3,095 job postings related to early childhood teachers, special education was the top specialized skill sought by employers, with 93% of all postings looking for that skillset. Skills for individualized education programs (iep), lesson planning, disabilities, classroom management and curriculum development were also highly sought.

As for common skills, teaching was the most desired skill found in job postings for early childhood teachers, followed by communication, planning, writing, progress reporting and management.

Additional Links

Ready to dig deeper into career information about early childhood teachers? Visit our other pages focused on salary and education for early childhood teachers.

What do early childhood teachers do?
How much do early childhood teachers make?

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