Headline risk
1%
Very Low RiskPreschool teachers, except special education
AI displacement pressure score for United States AI Work Index, combining global AI task overlap with local wages, employment trends, and demand signals.
Why This Score
Share of job tasks that overlap with current AI capabilities
Median annual wage
Projected employment change over 10 years
Typical preparation needed for this occupation
Occupation profile
Instruct preschool-aged students, following curricula or lesson plans, in activities designed to promote social, physical, and intellectual growth.
Task evidence
99% weighted task match · 10% effective coverage
Scores combine AI task overlap, human advantages, and local demand. How it works
United States Now
Median Wage
USD 37,120
Employment 2024
555.1K
Projected Change (2024–34)
4.1%
Openings (2024–34)
65.5K
Wage distribution
Demand outlook
Employment of preschool teachers is projected to grow 4 percent from 2024 to 2034, about as fast as the average for all occupations.
Role Profile
Tasks
- 1. Teach basic skills, such as color, shape, number and letter recognition, personal hygiene, and social skills. AI use: 0%
- 2. Establish and enforce rules for behavior and procedures for maintaining order. AI use: 0%
- 3. Adapt teaching methods and instructional materials to meet students' varying needs and interests. AI use: 82%
- 4. Organize and lead activities designed to promote physical, mental, and social development, such as games, arts and crafts, music, storytelling, and field trips. AI use: 0%
- 5. Assimilate arriving children to the school environment by greeting them, helping them remove outerwear, and selecting activities of interest to them. AI use: 0%
- 6. Prepare materials and classrooms for class activities. AI use: 0%
Technologies
Requirements
Work context
Worker profile
Median age 43.4 · 349K employed
Under 25: 7% · 25–54: 75% · 55+: 18%
Related
No direct US role match is available yet for this occupation.
Source coverage
11/11 source families · O*NET 30.2 / OEWS 2024 / ORS 2025 / OOH 2025-08-28 / Projections 2024-34 / CPS 2025 / Anthropic task penetration
Data quality
Employment data available
Narrative & sources
Preschool teachers educate and care for children younger than age 5 who have not yet entered kindergarten.
Preschool teachers typically work in public and private schools or childcare centers. Many work the traditional 10-month school year, but some work year-round.
Education and training requirements vary based on settings and state regulations. Preschool teachers typically need at least an associate’s degree.
The median annual wage for preschool teachers was $37,120 in May 2024.
Employment of preschool teachers is projected to grow 4 percent from 2024 to 2034, about as fast as the average for all occupations.
Important context
This score measures structural AI displacement pressure, not actual job losses. Local wages and demand data are specific to United States AI Work Index; the underlying AI task overlap analysis is consistent across all countries.