Substitute Teachers, Short-Term Salary
Educational Instruction and Library Occupations · 525K employed in the U.S.
Median annual
$41,670
Median hourly
$20
Average annual
$46,420
Typical range
$28,560–$65,790
Pay distribution
10th to 90th percentile, with the median marked.
What this role pays
The median annual salary for Substitute Teachers, Short-Term is $41,670 as of May 2025, based on the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey. That works out to about $20 an hour at a full-time schedule.
Teach students on a short-term basis as a temporary replacement for a regular classroom teacher, typically using the regular teacher's lesson plan..
Most earn between $28,560 and $65,790 a year. There are roughly 525K people employed as substitute teachers, short-term in the United States. Use the state and metro pages below to see how pay changes by location, and the calculator to convert any hourly or annual figure.
Salary calculator
Convert your pay and see where it lands for Substitute Teachers, Short-Term.
- Hourly
- $20.03
- Daily
- $160
- Weekly
- $801
- Bi-weekly
- $1,603
- Monthly
- $3,473
- Annual
- $41,670
$41,670 a year is around the 50th percentile for Substitute Teachers, Short-Terms. The median is $41,670.
Highest-paying states
Median annual wage by state.
- 1Alaska$66,920
- 2California$60,300
- 3Hawaii$58,530
- 4Oregon$58,280
- 5Washington$55,740
- 6Minnesota$50,390
- 7District of Columbia$49,790
- 8West Virginia$49,020
- 9Maryland$46,470
- 10Rhode Island$45,590
- 11Pennsylvania$44,870
- 12Wisconsin$43,950
Top-paying metro areas
Median annual wage by metro area.
- 1Anchorage, AK$78,840
- 2Napa, CA$76,520
- 3San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA$72,330
- 4Bakersfield-Delano, CA$66,480
- 5Vallejo, CA$66,000
- 6Stockton-Lodi, CA$65,190
- 7Salinas, CA$63,970
- 8Modesto, CA$63,440
- 9Eugene-Springfield, OR$62,660
- 10La Crosse-Onalaska, WI-MN$62,400
- 11Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA$62,310
- 12Kahului-Wailuku, HI$62,280
Related job titles
Employers advertise Substitute Teachers, Short-Term roles under these titles.
- Building Substitute Teacher
- Certified Substitute Teacher
- Elementary Substitute Teacher
- English Substitute Teacher
- High School Substitute Teacher
- School Substitute Teacher
- Short-Term Substitute Teacher
- Substitute
- Substitute Aide
- Substitute Classroom Teacher
- Substitute Educator
- Substitute Enrichment Teacher
- Substitute Instructor
- Substitute Paraprofessional
- Substitute Preschool Teacher
- Substitute Teacher Assistant
Related occupations
- Tutors$43,350
- Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special Education$62,680
- Adult Basic Education, Adult Secondary Education, and English as a Second Language Instructors$61,540
- Special Education Teachers, Secondary School$74,260
- Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education$63,970
- Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education$64,370
- Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education$72,040
- Special Education Teachers, Middle School$66,810
Frequently asked questions
- How much does a Substitute Teachers, Short-Term make?
- The median annual wage for Substitute Teachers, Short-Term is $41,670 ($20 per hour). Pay ranges from about $28,560 at the 10th percentile to $65,790 at the 90th percentile.
- What is the average salary for a Substitute Teachers, Short-Term?
- The average (mean) annual salary is $46,420, which is higher than the median because a small number of high earners pull the average up.
- Which state pays Substitute Teachers, Short-Terms the most?
- Alaska has the highest median annual wage for this occupation at $66,920.
- Is Substitute Teachers, Short-Term a growing occupation?
- BLS employment data for May 2025 counts about 525K people in this occupation. Projected growth is published separately in the BLS Employment Projections program.