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How Much Does a Substitute Teacher, Short-Term Make?
A substitute teacher, short-term in the US earns a median salary of $41,670 a year, or $20.03 an hour (BLS, May 2025). The average is $46,420, and the middle half earn between $34,170 and $54,890.
Substitute teacher, short-term pay range
What substitute teachers, short-term earn at each point of the pay scale. The 10th percentile is a rough guide to starting pay.
| Percentile | A year | An hour | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th (lowest 10%) | $28,560 | $13.73 | |
| 25th | $34,170 | $16.43 | |
| Median (50th) | $41,670 | $20.03 | |
| 75th | $54,890 | $26.39 | |
| 90th (top 10%) | $65,790 | $31.63 |
The median is 18% less than the $50,980 median for all US jobs. About 524,770 people work as substitute teachers, short-term in the US.
After tax and by period
- A week
- $801
- Every two weeks
- $1,603
- Twice a month
- $1,736
- A month
- $3,473
At the median salary, before tax.
Substitute teacher, short-term salary by state
Sorted by average pay. Alaska pays substitute teachers, short-term the most, at $73,070 a year on average.
| State | Average | Median | Jobs | After tax |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alaska | $73,070 | $66,920 | 1,420 | After tax |
| California | $62,910 | $60,300 | 115,660 | After tax |
| Oregon | $61,100 | $58,280 | 8,090 | After tax |
| Washington | $56,480 | $55,740 | 14,820 | After tax |
| Hawaii | $54,690 | $58,530 | 3,990 | After tax |
| West Virginia | $54,010 | $49,020 | 4,840 | After tax |
| Minnesota | $53,890 | $50,390 | 8,660 | After tax |
| Nebraska | $51,590 | $37,690 | 3,430 | After tax |
| District of Columbia | $49,550 | $49,790 | 750 | After tax |
| Rhode Island | $48,630 | $45,590 | 1,910 | After tax |
| New York | $47,760 | $43,490 | 36,090 | After tax |
| Wisconsin | $47,660 | $43,950 | 8,420 | After tax |
| Massachusetts | $45,830 | $41,350 | 8,410 | After tax |
| Connecticut | $45,200 | $38,460 | 5,950 | After tax |
| Pennsylvania | $44,920 | $44,870 | 22,360 | After tax |
| New Jersey | $44,570 | $43,780 | 17,100 | After tax |
| Michigan | $44,350 | $39,500 | 3,600 | After tax |
| Maryland | $44,000 | $46,470 | 7,610 | After tax |
| Illinois | $43,430 | $39,410 | 17,220 | After tax |
| North Dakota | $42,760 | $42,570 | 420 | After tax |
| Vermont | $42,690 | $38,200 | 1,400 | After tax |
| Arizona | $41,780 | $38,500 | 4,710 | After tax |
| Florida | $41,530 | $37,080 | 25,270 | After tax |
| Virginia | $40,900 | $39,020 | 24,350 | After tax |
| Utah | $40,210 | $36,490 | 4,710 | After tax |
| Delaware | $40,040 | $36,510 | – | After tax |
| South Carolina | $39,860 | $30,400 | 7,700 | After tax |
| Maine | $39,760 | $37,440 | – | After tax |
| Indiana | $39,480 | $36,360 | 9,920 | After tax |
| Missouri | $39,250 | $34,790 | 11,480 | After tax |
| Iowa | $39,200 | $37,230 | 7,300 | After tax |
| Arkansas | $39,080 | $29,230 | 2,560 | After tax |
| New Hampshire | $38,630 | $34,990 | 1,070 | After tax |
| Wyoming | $38,080 | $36,990 | 2,230 | After tax |
| Ohio | $37,830 | $37,150 | 9,140 | After tax |
| Kentucky | $37,430 | $29,730 | 320 | After tax |
| Kansas | $37,140 | $36,190 | 9,360 | After tax |
| New Mexico | $36,840 | $36,400 | 3,510 | After tax |
| Georgia | $36,240 | $38,870 | 16,400 | After tax |
| Idaho | $36,240 | $34,080 | 1,800 | After tax |
| North Carolina | $35,220 | $33,780 | 20,360 | After tax |
| Texas | $32,760 | $32,040 | 29,150 | After tax |
| Louisiana | $32,630 | $27,370 | 1,090 | After tax |
| Tennessee | $31,740 | $29,500 | 7,690 | After tax |
| Nevada | $31,550 | $24,960 | 6,600 | After tax |
| Guam | $31,000 | $27,210 | 780 | |
| Montana | $30,060 | $28,050 | 2,370 | After tax |
| South Dakota | $29,220 | $27,840 | 1,610 | After tax |
| Oklahoma | $28,660 | $23,770 | 4,990 | After tax |
| Alabama | $25,660 | $25,340 | 9,290 | After tax |
| Mississippi | $25,610 | $22,340 | 2,390 | After tax |
A dash means BLS did not publish that figure for the state.
Other education and library jobs
- Teaching assistant $36,780 median
- Elementary school teacher $63,970 median
- High school teacher $72,040 median
- Middle school teacher $64,370 median
- Preschool teacher $38,140 median
- Self-enrichment teacher $46,800 median
- Special education teacher, kindergarten and elementary school $65,120 median
- Instructional coordinator $77,440 median
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 (published 2026), for “Substitute Teachers, Short-Term” (SOC 25-3031). Wages are before tax and leave out self-employed workers. All job salaries
About the Job Salaries
Job Salaries shows what more than 500 US jobs pay, from nurses and electricians to software developers and truck drivers. Each job has its median and average salary, hourly and monthly pay, the pay range from the lowest-paid 10% to the top 10%, and a table of pay in every state. The figures come from the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey, the largest survey of US pay, in its latest release.
How to use it
- 1 Search for a job or pick one from the list.
- 2 Read the median salary, hourly pay and the pay range.
- 3 Check the salary by state to see where the job pays most.
- 4 Open the take-home pay calculator to see the salary after tax.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a substitute teacher, short-term make an hour?
The median hourly wage for a substitute teacher, short-term is $20.03, and the average is $22.32. The lowest-paid 10% earn under $13.73 an hour and the top 10% over $31.63.
How much does a substitute teacher, short-term make a month?
At the median salary of $41,670, a substitute teacher, short-term earns about $3,473 a month before tax, or $1,603 every two weeks.
Which state pays substitute teachers, short-term the most?
Alaska has the highest average pay for a substitute teacher, short-term, at $73,070 a year. Next are California and Oregon. Pay is usually higher where living costs are higher, so compare take-home pay too.
What is the starting salary for a substitute teacher, short-term?
The lowest-paid 10% of substitute teachers, short-term earn less than $28,560 a year, and the lowest 25% less than $34,170. That is a fair guide to starting pay, which depends on the state, the employer and your experience.
How much do the highest-paid substitute teachers, short-term make?
The top 10% earn more than $65,790 a year, and the top 25% more than $54,890.
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