Substitute Teachers, Short-Term Salaries by State
Mean and median pay, wage percentiles, employment, and top-paying metro areas for substitute teachers, short-terms across the U.S. Source: BLS OEWS May 2025 (data.bls.gov OEWS tool /OESServices/combo/table, all-occupation crawl by area).
National mean salary $46,420 ≈ $22/hr
National median salary $41,670
Total employment 524,770 nationwide
Job Outlook, 2024–2034
Source: BLS Employment Projections 2024-2034.
Projected growth +1.6%
Slower than average
Annual openings 61,100 per year (avg)
Employment 2024→2034 510,100 → 518,500 (+8,400)
Typical entry education Bachelor's degree
Salary Map
Brighter tiles = higher average pay; dashed tiles have no data. Click a state for details.
💰 Top 5 Highest-Paying States
- Alaska$73,070
- California$62,910
- Oregon$61,100
- Washington$56,480
- Hawaii$54,690
📉 5 Lowest-Paying States
- Mississippi$25,610
- Alabama$25,660
- Oklahoma$28,660
- South Dakota$29,220
- Montana$30,060
State Rankings
| # | State | Mean | Median | Hourly | vs. U.S. | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Alaska | $73,070 | $66,920 | $35 | +57.4% | 1,420 |
| 2 | California | $62,910 | $60,300 | $30 | +35.5% | 115,660 |
| 3 | Oregon | $61,100 | $58,280 | $29 | +31.6% | 8,090 |
| 4 | Washington | $56,480 | $55,740 | $27 | +21.7% | 14,820 |
| 5 | Hawaii | $54,690 | $58,530 | $26 | +17.8% | 3,990 |
| 6 | West Virginia | $54,010 | $49,020 | $26 | +16.4% | 4,840 |
| 7 | Minnesota | $53,890 | $50,390 | $26 | +16.1% | 8,660 |
| 8 | Nebraska | $51,590 | $37,690 | $25 | +11.1% | 3,430 |
| 9 | District of Columbia | $49,550 | $49,790 | $24 | +6.7% | 750 |
| 10 | Rhode Island | $48,630 | $45,590 | $23 | +4.8% | 1,910 |
| 11 | New York | $47,760 | $43,490 | $23 | +2.9% | 36,090 |
| 12 | Wisconsin | $47,660 | $43,950 | $23 | +2.7% | 8,420 |
| 13 | Massachusetts | $45,830 | $41,350 | $22 | -1.3% | 8,410 |
| 14 | Connecticut | $45,200 | $38,460 | $22 | -2.6% | 5,950 |
| 15 | Pennsylvania | $44,920 | $44,870 | $22 | -3.2% | 22,360 |
| 16 | New Jersey | $44,570 | $43,780 | $21 | -4% | 17,100 |
| 17 | Michigan | $44,350 | $39,500 | $21 | -4.5% | 3,600 |
| 18 | Maryland | $44,000 | $46,470 | $21 | -5.2% | 7,610 |
| 19 | Illinois | $43,430 | $39,410 | $21 | -6.4% | 17,220 |
| 20 | North Dakota | $42,760 | $42,570 | $21 | -7.9% | 420 |
| 21 | Vermont | $42,690 | $38,200 | $21 | -8% | 1,400 |
| 22 | Arizona | $41,780 | $38,500 | $20 | -10% | 4,710 |
| 23 | Florida | $41,530 | $37,080 | $20 | -10.5% | 25,270 |
| 24 | Virginia | $40,900 | $39,020 | $20 | -11.9% | 24,350 |
| 25 | Utah | $40,210 | $36,490 | $19 | -13.4% | 4,710 |
| 26 | Delaware | $40,040 | $36,510 | $19 | -13.7% | — |
| 27 | South Carolina | $39,860 | $30,400 | $19 | -14.1% | 7,700 |
| 28 | Maine | $39,760 | $37,440 | $19 | -14.3% | — |
| 29 | Indiana | $39,480 | $36,360 | $19 | -15% | 9,920 |
| 30 | Missouri | $39,250 | $34,790 | $19 | -15.4% | 11,480 |
| 31 | Iowa | $39,200 | $37,230 | $19 | -15.6% | 7,300 |
| 32 | Arkansas | $39,080 | $29,230 | $19 | -15.8% | 2,560 |
| 33 | New Hampshire | $38,630 | $34,990 | $19 | -16.8% | 1,070 |
| 34 | Wyoming | $38,080 | $36,990 | $18 | -18% | 2,230 |
| 35 | Ohio | $37,830 | $37,150 | $18 | -18.5% | 9,140 |
| 36 | Kentucky | $37,430 | $29,730 | $18 | -19.4% | 320 |
| 37 | Kansas | $37,140 | $36,190 | $18 | -20% | 9,360 |
| 38 | New Mexico | $36,840 | $36,400 | $18 | -20.6% | 3,510 |
| 39 | Georgia | $36,240 | $38,870 | $17 | -21.9% | 16,400 |
| 40 | Idaho | $36,240 | $34,080 | $17 | -21.9% | 1,800 |
| 41 | North Carolina | $35,220 | $33,780 | $17 | -24.1% | 20,360 |
| 42 | Texas | $32,760 | $32,040 | $16 | -29.4% | 29,150 |
| 43 | Louisiana | $32,630 | $27,370 | $16 | -29.7% | 1,090 |
| 44 | Tennessee | $31,740 | $29,500 | $15 | -31.6% | 7,690 |
| 45 | Nevada | $31,550 | $24,960 | $15 | -32% | 6,600 |
| 46 | Montana | $30,060 | $28,050 | $14 | -35.2% | 2,370 |
| 47 | South Dakota | $29,220 | $27,840 | $14 | -37.1% | 1,610 |
| 48 | Oklahoma | $28,660 | $23,770 | $14 | -38.3% | 4,990 |
| 49 | Alabama | $25,660 | $25,340 | $12 | -44.7% | 9,290 |
| 50 | Mississippi | $25,610 | $22,340 | $12 | -44.8% | 2,390 |
Top-Paying Metro Areas
Highest median pay among 452 metro areas.
| # | Metro area | Median | Mean | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Anchorage, AK | $78,840 | $85,170 | 330 |
| 2 | Napa, CA | $76,520 | $72,780 | 300 |
| 3 | San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $72,330 | $69,430 | 3,800 |
| 4 | Bakersfield-Delano, CA | $66,480 | $65,040 | 5,390 |
| 5 | Vallejo, CA | $66,000 | $67,620 | 700 |
| 6 | Stockton-Lodi, CA | $65,190 | $66,410 | 3,060 |
| 7 | North Coast Region of California nonmetropolitan area | $64,760 | $70,590 | 540 |
| 8 | Salinas, CA | $63,970 | $63,550 | 1,220 |
| 9 | Eastern Sierra-Mother Lode Region of California nonmetropolitan area | $63,680 | $63,640 | 230 |
| 10 | Modesto, CA | $63,440 | $70,990 | 1,990 |
Pay by Industry
Highest-paying industries employing substitute teachers, short-terms (BLS OEWS, by median).
| # | Industry | Median | Mean | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Other Schools and Instruction, Local Government Owned | $85,300 | $82,100 | 120 |
| 2 | Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools, State Government Owned | $68,340 | $72,020 | — |
| 3 | General Medical and Surgical Hospitals | $64,540 | $57,310 | 30 |
| 4 | General Medical and Surgical Hospitals, Privately Owned | $64,540 | $57,310 | — |
| 5 | Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools | $62,050 | $65,610 | — |
| 6 | Educational Services, State Government Owned | $58,470 | $56,870 | 6,610 |
| 7 | State Government, including Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) | $58,420 | $56,060 | 7,050 |
| 8 | Elementary and Secondary Schools, State Government Owned | $57,870 | $52,930 | 5,010 |
| 9 | Junior Colleges, State Government Owned | $57,860 | $62,770 | 420 |
| 10 | Junior Colleges | $57,180 | $60,530 | 530 |
| 11 | Federal, State, and Local Government, excluding State and Local Schools and Hospitals and USPS | $56,600 | $56,670 | 3,420 |
| 12 | Local Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) | $56,600 | $58,560 | 2,980 |
Frequently Asked Questions
How much do substitute teachers, short-term make in the U.S.?
The median substitute teachers, short-term salary in the United States is $41,670 per year (mean $46,420), and about 80% earn between $28,560 and $65,790.
How much do substitute teachers, short-term make per hour?
Roughly $22 per hour, based on a mean annual wage of $46,420 and 2,080 work hours per year.
Which state pays substitute teachers, short-term the most?
Alaska has the highest average pay for substitute teachers, short-term at $73,070 per year (median $66,920).
What is the job outlook for substitute teachers, short-term?
Employment is projected to change +1.6% from 2024 to 2034 (Slower than average), with about 61,100 openings per year.
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Common U.S. search queries related to this occupation.
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