SOC 25-2011 · May 2025 · BLS OEWS
Preschool Teachers, Except Special Education — Rockford
Rockford, IL · 7 metro areas compared
Median pay for this occupation in Rockford, IL comes to $46,730 a year, ahead of the national median of $38,140 by 22.5%.
Wage distribution · annual
Shaded band holds the middle 50% of earners
Salary overview
Median pay for this occupation in Rockford, IL comes to $46,730 a year, ahead of the national median of $38,140 by 22.5%. The middle half of workers in this occupation earn between $38,180 and $58,820. The lowest tenth earn under $35,480, while the highest tenth earn more than $76,400.
The area has 380 jobs in this occupation, giving a location quotient of 0.89 — a measure of how concentrated the occupation is here relative to the country as a whole. Chicago leads the state's metro areas for this occupation, at $43,050. Set against every other occupation measured in the same area, it ranks 218th of 329 by median pay.
Percentile breakdown
| Percentile | Annual | vs US median |
|---|---|---|
| 10th | $35,480 | −7.0% |
| 25th | $38,180 | +0.1% |
| Median (50th) | $46,730 | +22.5% |
| 75th | $58,820 | +54.2% |
| 90th | $76,400 | +100.3% |
| Mean | $50,870 | +33.4% |
Other metro areas in Illinois
| # | Metro area | Median | Jobs | Relative |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Chicago | $43,050 | 17,180 | |
| 2 | Decatur | $42,740 | 130 | |
| 3 | Champaign | $39,510 | 630 | |
| 4 | Springfield | $38,300 | 450 | |
| 5 | Kankakee | $38,030 | 190 | |
| 6 | Peoria | $37,850 | 590 | |
| 7 | Bloomington | $37,720 | 310 |
What the pay is worth locally
Prices in Rockford sit close to the national average, so $46,730 is worth roughly its face value against pay elsewhere.
Published median
$46,730as reported by BLSLocal price level
100.0US average = 100 · BEA 2024Adjusted for local prices
$46,730US average = 100 · BEA 2024Key takeaways
- Median pay is $46,730 a year, 22.5% above the national median.
- Published pay spans $35,480 to $76,400 between the tenth and ninetieth percentiles.
- The area has 380 jobs in this occupation.
- The highest-paying metro area covered is Chicago, at $43,050.
Frequently asked questions
What is the median wage for Preschool Teachers, Except Special Education in Rockford, IL?
The median annual wage is $46,730, or $22.47 per hour, as of May 2025. Half of the workers in this occupation earn more than that and half earn less.
Is that higher than the national average?
The national median for this occupation is $38,140, so pay in Rockford, IL is 22.5% higher. These figures are medians, not averages: half of workers fall on each side.
What do the top earners make?
The top tenth of this occupation in Rockford, IL earns more than $76,400 per year. The ninetieth percentile is the highest figure the survey publishes.
What is the starting range?
The tenth percentile wage is $35,480 per year. The survey measures wages actually paid rather than experience level, so this reflects the lowest-paid tenth rather than entry-level pay specifically.
Which area nearby pays the most?
The highest median for this occupation among the metro areas covered is in Chicago, at $43,050 per year.
How many jobs are there in this occupation here?
The survey estimates 380 jobs in this occupation in Rockford, IL. Self-employed workers are not included.
Source and methodology
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 Wages are for wage-and-salary workers; self-employed workers are not included. Salary Explorer is an independent project. It is not affiliated with, or endorsed by, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics or any government agency. Full methodology.
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