Preschool Director

Career Overview

Most preschools are smaller than elementary or other public schools, and have a smaller administrative staff as a result. Some preschool directors are the only administrator on staff, while some have a small support staff in addition to the director. The preschool director often began his or her career as a teacher and moved into the administrative role. It is the director's job to manage classroom staff and to work with parents on any concerns that may arise from either the school staff or the parent.

Education

Virtually all states license preschool directors. Some states require a bachelor's degree and a certain number of hours in on-site training. Directors are also often asked to provide a general preschool education credential issued by one of the recognized accrediting bodies such as the National Child Care Association. These credentials usually have both coursework and experience requirements. Private child care facility operators must be licensed, but generally have no educational requirement.

Employment

The Department of Labor estimates that there were about 56,000 child care and preschool directors employed in the U.S. in 2006.

Job Outlook

Jobs in this profession are expected to grow by 24% over the decade 2006 - 2016. That is twice as fast as the projected average growth of all jobs during that time period. However because the profession is small in numbers, that means only about 13,000 additional positions over the decade.

Salary

Lowest 10% $25,910

Median Salary $39,940

Highest 10% $77,150

Source: U.S. Department of Labor