Substitute Teachers, Short-Term salary in the U.S.
Substitute Teachers, Short-Term in the U.S. earn a median of $41,670 a year ($20.03 an hour), based on BLS data for 524,770 workers.
Pay ranges from $28,560 for the lowest-paid 10% to $65,790 for the top 10%. The average (mean) salary is $46,420, above the median because a few high earners pull it up.
Pay range for substitute teachers, Short-Term in the U.S.
| Pay level | Yearly | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $28,560 | $13.73 |
| 25th percentile | $34,170 | $16.43 |
| Median | $41,670 | $20.03 |
| 75th percentile | $54,890 | $26.39 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $65,790 | $31.63 |
| Average (mean) | $46,420 | $22.32 |
Half of substitute teachers, Short-Term earn more than the median and half earn less. Percentiles show the spread: 10% earn less than the 10th percentile, and 10% earn more than the 90th.
Median paycheck, before taxes
| Pay period | Amount |
|---|---|
| Monthly | $3,472.50 |
| Semi-monthly (24 a year) | $1,736.25 |
| Biweekly (26 a year) | $1,602.69 |
| Weekly | $801.35 |
| Hourly | $20.03 |
Based on a full-time year of 2,080 hours. Convert any amount with the hourly to salary converter.
Substitute Teachers, Short-Term salary by state
| State | Median salary | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Alaska | $66,920 | 1,420 |
| California | $60,300 | 115,660 |
| Hawaii | $58,530 | 3,990 |
| Oregon | $58,280 | 8,090 |
| Washington | $55,740 | 14,820 |
| Minnesota | $50,390 | 8,660 |
| District of Columbia | $49,790 | 750 |
| West Virginia | $49,020 | 4,840 |
| Maryland | $46,470 | 7,610 |
| Rhode Island | $45,590 | 1,910 |
| Pennsylvania | $44,870 | 22,360 |
| Wisconsin | $43,950 | 8,420 |
| New Jersey | $43,780 | 17,100 |
| New York | $43,490 | 36,090 |
| North Dakota | $42,570 | 420 |
| Massachusetts | $41,350 | 8,410 |
| Michigan | $39,500 | 3,600 |
| Illinois | $39,410 | 17,220 |
| Virginia | $39,020 | 24,350 |
| Georgia | $38,870 | 16,400 |
| Arizona | $38,500 | 4,710 |
| Connecticut | $38,460 | 5,950 |
| Vermont | $38,200 | 1,400 |
| Nebraska | $37,690 | 3,430 |
| Maine | $37,440 | n/a |
| Iowa | $37,230 | 7,300 |
| Ohio | $37,150 | 9,140 |
| Florida | $37,080 | 25,270 |
| Wyoming | $36,990 | 2,230 |
| Delaware | $36,510 | n/a |
| Utah | $36,490 | 4,710 |
| New Mexico | $36,400 | 3,510 |
| Indiana | $36,360 | 9,920 |
| Kansas | $36,190 | 9,360 |
| New Hampshire | $34,990 | 1,070 |
| Missouri | $34,790 | 11,480 |
| Idaho | $34,080 | 1,800 |
| North Carolina | $33,780 | 20,360 |
| Texas | $32,040 | 29,150 |
| South Carolina | $30,400 | 7,700 |
| Kentucky | $29,730 | 320 |
| Tennessee | $29,500 | 7,690 |
| Arkansas | $29,230 | 2,560 |
| Montana | $28,050 | 2,370 |
| South Dakota | $27,840 | 1,610 |
| Louisiana | $27,370 | 1,090 |
| Guam | $27,210 | 780 |
| Alabama | $25,340 | 9,290 |
| Nevada | $24,960 | 6,600 |
| Oklahoma | $23,770 | 4,990 |
| Mississippi | $22,340 | 2,390 |
Best-paying metro areas for substitute teachers, Short-Term
| Metro area | Median salary | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Anchorage, AK | $78,840 | 330 |
| Napa, CA | $76,520 | 300 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $72,330 | 3,800 |
| Bakersfield-Delano, CA | $66,480 | 5,390 |
| Vallejo, CA | $66,000 | 700 |
| Stockton-Lodi, CA | $65,190 | 3,060 |
| Salinas, CA | $63,970 | 1,220 |
| Modesto, CA | $63,440 | 1,990 |
| Eugene-Springfield, OR | $62,660 | 480 |
| La Crosse-Onalaska, WI-MN | $62,400 | 170 |
| Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA | $62,310 | 610 |
| Kahului-Wailuku, HI | $62,280 | 350 |
| Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA | $62,260 | 2,100 |
| Yuba City, CA | $61,710 | 370 |
| Hanford-Corcoran, CA | $61,590 | 210 |
Metro areas with the most substitute teachers, Short-Term
| Metro area | Workers | Median salary |
|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | 35,740 | $57,210 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | 26,760 | $45,220 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | 15,430 | $60,780 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | 15,060 | $46,470 |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | 12,070 | $39,340 |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | 11,210 | $45,680 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | 11,110 | $43,460 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | 10,570 | $60,790 |
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | 9,600 | $32,550 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | 9,480 | $59,860 |
| Fresno, CA | 8,670 | $54,890 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | 8,050 | $34,270 |
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | 7,940 | $54,050 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | 7,510 | $50,390 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | 7,220 | $60,070 |
Related jobs in the U.S.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 estimates, occupation code 25-3031. Wages include base pay, tips, commissions and shift pay, but not overtime, bonuses or benefits, and exclude the self-employed.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a substitute teachers, Short-Term make in the U.S.?
The median salary for substitute teachers, Short-Term in the U.S. is $41,670 a year, or $20.03 an hour. Pay ranges from $28,560 for the lowest-paid 10% to $65,790 for the top 10%.
How much do the highest-paid substitute teachers, Short-Term make in the U.S.?
The top 10% of substitute teachers, Short-Term in the U.S. earn at least $65,790 a year. The top 25% earn $54,890 or more.
What is the starting pay for substitute teachers, Short-Term in the U.S.?
Entry-level pay (the 10th percentile) is about $28,560 a year, and a quarter of substitute teachers, Short-Term earn $34,170 or less.
How many substitute teachers, Short-Term work in the U.S.?
About 524,770 substitute teachers, Short-Term are employed in the U.S., not counting the self-employed.