💡 Why it matters: Children learn faster before age 5 than at any other time. Good early years teachers give them a strong start in reading, talking and friendships.
🌍 Around the world
- United States: Jobs for preschool teachers are projected to grow 4% from 2025 to 2035, about as fast as average (US Bureau of Labor Statistics).
💰 What it can pay
🇳🇬 Nigeria
- Starting out
- ₦600k – ₦1.2M
- Mid-career
- ₦1.2M – ₦3M
- Senior
- ₦3M – ₦6M
≈ ₦100k – ₦250k a month mid-career. Indicative estimate by Incusim.
🇬🇧 United Kingdom
UK job profile: Early years teacher. Typical starter to experienced salary. National Careers Service, 2026
🇺🇸 United States
Closest US category: Preschool teachers. Median pay; low and high are the 10th and 90th percentiles. US Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2025
🇨🇦 Canada
Job Bank wages for: Early Childhood Educator (ECE). Hourly low, median and high multiplied by 2,080 hours. Job Bank (Government of Canada), 2023-2024
Yearly pay before tax. UK, US and Canada figures come from the official sources named on each card. Nigeria has no official salary survey, so those are our indicative estimates. Real pay depends on the employer, the place, your skills and experience.
🛠️ What you actually do
- Plan play-based activities that teach language, numbers and creativity
- Keep young children safe and happy
- Watch how each child is developing
- Talk with parents and carers about progress
- Work with other staff to support children who need extra help
⚡ Skills you'll need
- Patience
- Creativity
- Communication
- Caring for children
- Organisation
Get ready at school
🇳🇬 Nigeria
- Start in a nursery or primary school as an assistant, then upgrade to a degree
🇬🇧 United Kingdom
- Early years apprenticeship at a nursery
- Work as a nursery assistant while studying
🇺🇸 United States
- Work as a childcare or teaching assistant while studying
- Head Start and community programmes (varies by state)
🇨🇦 Canada
- Work as a childcare assistant while studying
- Apprenticeship or work placement in a child care centre (varies by province)
🗺️ Your path to this career
- 1Study English and Mathematics at school
- 2Take a qualification in early childhood education
- 3Gain experience in a nursery or school
- 4Gain a teaching or early years licence where required
- 5Grow into a lead teacher or nursery manager
⏰ A day in the life
You greet the children and set out a sand tray and picture books. During a story session you ask each child what happens next. At the end of the day you write short notes about their progress and talk to parents at pick-up.