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Substitute teacher: pay, job outlook and how to become one

Updated October 26, 2026. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and O*NET data. Published by Humblebee.

$41,670median pay per year, or $20.03 an hour, May 2025[1]
  1. $28,560lowest 10% earn less
  2. $34,17025th percentile
  3. $41,670median
  4. $54,89075th percentile
  5. $65,790top 10% earn more
Middle half of workers in the inner band[3]Median for all US jobs, $50,980[4]

A short-term substitute teacher had a median pay of $41,670 a year in May 2025[1]. Jobs are projected to grow 2% from 2025 to 2035[2].

Job growth, 2025–35
+2%[2]
Openings per year
65,000[5]
Typical entry education
Bachelor's degree[6]

How much do substitute teachers make?

The BLS category is substitute teachers, short-term. Its median pay was $41,670 a year, or $20.03 an hour[1]. The average was $46,420 a year, or $22.32 an hour[7]. The median for all occupations was $50,980 a year[4].

The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $28,560 a year, and the highest-paid 10% earned more than $65,790[3]. The 25th percentile was $34,170 and the 75th was $54,890[3]. Hourly, the 10th, 25th, 75th and 90th percentiles were $13.73, $16.43, $26.39 and $31.63[8].

A percentile is a boundary, and BLS publishes no starting salary[9]. These figures cover wage and salary workers only. They leave out the self-employed, bonuses and the cost of benefits[10]. In 2025, 5.2% of short-term substitute teachers were self-employed[11].

Pay by state and city

Alaska had the highest state median at $66,920 a year, followed by California at $60,300 and Hawaii at $58,530[12]. Mississippi had the lowest listed median at $22,340[12]. Among metro areas with at least 100 jobs, Anchorage, AK was first at $78,840, then Napa, CA at $76,520 and San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA at $72,330[13].

California had the most jobs at 115,660, followed by New York at 36,090 and Texas at 29,150[14]. The metro area with the most jobs was Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim with 35,740 and a median of $57,210[15]. New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ had 26,760 jobs and a median of $45,220[15].

Show median pay in 49 states and DC
StateMedian per yearJobs
Alaska[12]$66,9201,420
California$60,300115,660
Hawaii$58,5303,990
Oregon$58,2808,090
Washington$55,74014,820
Minnesota$50,3908,660
District of Columbia$49,790750
West Virginia$49,0204,840
Maryland$46,4707,610
Rhode Island$45,5901,910
Pennsylvania$44,87022,360
Wisconsin$43,9508,420
New Jersey$43,78017,100
New York$43,49036,090
North Dakota$42,570420
Massachusetts$41,3508,410
Michigan$39,5003,600
Illinois$39,41017,220
Virginia$39,02024,350
Georgia$38,87016,400
Arizona$38,5004,710
Connecticut$38,4605,950
Vermont$38,2001,400
Nebraska$37,6903,430
Maine$37,440n/a
Iowa$37,2307,300
Ohio$37,1509,140
Florida$37,08025,270
Wyoming$36,9902,230
Delaware$36,510n/a
Utah$36,4904,710
New Mexico$36,4003,510
Indiana$36,3609,920
Kansas$36,1909,360
New Hampshire$34,9901,070
Missouri$34,79011,480
Idaho$34,0801,800
North Carolina$33,78020,360
Texas$32,04029,150
South Carolina$30,4007,700
Kentucky$29,730320
Tennessee$29,5007,690
Arkansas$29,2302,560
Montana$28,0502,370
South Dakota$27,8401,610
Louisiana$27,3701,090
Alabama$25,3409,290
Nevada$24,9606,600
Oklahoma$23,7704,990
Mississippi$22,3402,390

How to become a substitute teacher

BLS lists a bachelor's degree as the typical entry education for short-term substitute teachers. It lists no work experience in a related job and no typical on-the-job training[6].

O*NET rates the job as Job Zone Four, which means considerable preparation is needed[17].

What substitute teachers do

A short-term substitute teaches students temporarily in place of the regular classroom teacher, typically using that teacher's lesson plan[18]. Common tasks include:

O*NET sample job titles include building sub, HS sub teacher and short-term sub teacher[20].

Job outlook

BLS projects employment to grow 2% from 2025 to 2035, from about 556,100 to 567,000 jobs, a gain of 10,900[2]. For all occupations, the projected growth is 3.5%[21]. These counts include self-employed workers[2].

About 65,000 openings a year are projected on average[5]. Openings include jobs left by workers who retire or change occupations, not only new jobs[5]. Each year, 5.6% of workers leave the labor force and 5.8% move to a different occupation[22].

Is it a good fit?

The median pay is below the all-occupations median, and the pay range is wide[1][3][4]. BLS lists a bachelor's degree for entry, with no related experience or on-the-job training[6]. Projected growth is a little below the average for all jobs, though openings each year are numerous because workers leave and move on[2][21][5][22]. Pay also differs a lot by state[12].

Related occupations from O*NET, with BLS median pay and projected growth[23].

Frequently asked questions

How much does a substitute teacher make an hour?
The median was $20.03 an hour in May 2025, and the average was $22.32[1][7].
What degree do you need to be a substitute teacher?
BLS lists a bachelor's degree as the typical entry education[6]. In an O*NET survey of 34 workers, 40% named a bachelor's degree[16].
Is substitute teaching in demand?
Employment is projected to grow 2% from 2025 to 2035, with about 65,000 openings a year[2][5].
What is the highest paying state for substitute teachers?
Alaska, with a median of $66,920 a year[12].

Facts and sources

  1. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median wage for Substitute Teachers, Short-Term in the US was $41,670 per year and $20.03 per hour. Half of workers earned more and half earned less. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  2. BLS Employment Projections: employment of Substitute Teachers, Short-Term is projected to grow 2% from 2025 to 2035, from about 556,100 to 567,000 jobs (a change of +10,900). These counts include self-employed workers. BLS Employment Projections
  3. BLS OEWS, May 2025, annual wage percentiles for Substitute Teachers, Short-Term: 10th percentile $28,560, 25th percentile $34,170, 75th percentile $54,890, 90th percentile $65,790. The 10th percentile means 10% of workers earned less. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  4. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for all occupations in the US was $50,980. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  5. BLS Employment Projections: about 65,000 openings for Substitute Teachers, Short-Term are projected each year, on average, from 2025 to 2035. Openings include jobs that open when workers retire or move to other occupations, not only new jobs. BLS Employment Projections
  6. BLS Employment Projections, typical path into Substitute Teachers, Short-Term: education needed for entry: Bachelor's degree; work experience in a related occupation: None; typical on-the-job training: None. BLS Employment Projections
  7. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the mean (average) wage for Substitute Teachers, Short-Term was $46,420 per year and $22.32 per hour. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  8. BLS OEWS, May 2025, hourly wage percentiles for Substitute Teachers, Short-Term: 10th percentile $13.73, 25th percentile $16.43, 75th percentile $26.39, 90th percentile $31.63. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  9. BLS OEWS FAQ: a percentile wage is a boundary. The median (50th percentile) separates the highest-paid 50% from the lowest-paid 50% of workers in the occupation. OEWS publishes percentile wages, not a starting salary. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  10. BLS OEWS FAQ: OEWS covers part-time and full-time workers paid a wage or salary. It does not cover the self-employed, owners and partners in unincorporated firms, household workers or unpaid family workers. OEWS wages do not include nonproduction bonuses or employer costs of benefits such as health insurance or retirement contributions. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  11. BLS Employment Projections: 5.2% of Substitute Teachers, Short-Term were self-employed in 2025. BLS Employment Projections
  12. Median annual wage for Substitute Teachers, Short-Term in every state with published data, May 2025 (table on this page). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  13. BLS OEWS, May 2025, metro areas with the highest median annual wage for Substitute Teachers, Short-Term (areas with at least 100 jobs): Anchorage, AK $78,840; Napa, CA $76,520; San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA $72,330; Bakersfield-Delano, CA $66,480; Vallejo, CA $66,000; Stockton-Lodi, CA $65,190; Salinas, CA $63,970; Modesto, CA $63,440. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  14. BLS OEWS, May 2025, states with the most Substitute Teachers, Short-Term jobs: California 115,660; New York 36,090; Texas 29,150; Florida 25,270; Virginia 24,350. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  15. BLS OEWS, May 2025, metro areas with the most Substitute Teachers, Short-Term jobs: Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA 35,740 (median $57,210); New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ 26,760 (median $45,220); Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA 15,430 (median $60,780); Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV 15,060 (median $46,470); Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA 12,070 (median $39,340); Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD 11,210 (median $45,680). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  16. O*NET 25-3031.00 survey of workers (34 respondents), education level they say is required: Bachelor's Degree 40%, Associate's Degree or other 2-year degree 35%, Some College Courses 10%, High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED) 10% (levels under 5% not listed). O*NET OnLine
  17. O*NET 25-3031.00: Job Zone Four: Considerable Preparation Needed. A considerable amount of work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is needed for these occupations. For example, an accountant must complete four years of college and work for several years in accounting to be considered qualified. O*NET OnLine
  18. O*NET description of Substitute Teachers, Short-Term. O*NET OnLine
  19. O*NET task list for Substitute Teachers, Short-Term. O*NET OnLine
  20. O*NET 25-3031.00 sample job titles reported by workers: Building Sub (Building Substitute), Building Sub Teacher (Building Substitute Teacher), Child Development Sub Teacher (Child Development Substitute Teacher), ESL Sub (English as a Second Language Substitute), HS Sub Teacher (High School Substitute Teacher), Pre-School Sub Teacher (Pre-School Substitute Teacher), Short-Term Sub Teacher (Short-Term Substitute Teacher), Sub (Substitute). O*NET OnLine
  21. BLS Employment Projections: employment in all occupations is projected to grow 3.5% from 2025 to 2035. BLS Employment Projections
  22. BLS Employment Projections, 2025-35 annual average for Substitute Teachers, Short-Term: 5.6% of workers leave the labor force each year and 5.8% move to a different occupation. BLS Employment Projections
  23. Related occupations (O*NET) with BLS pay, growth and entry education. O*NET OnLine

Notes are for reading the data only. They are not facts and cannot be cited: use the wage_scope and percentile_meaning facts instead. OEWS employment (jobs in May 2025) and Employment Projections employment (2025, includes self-employed) are different measures and can differ. O*NET education shares come from a small survey of workers in the occupation, not from all workers.

This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. CareerFacts has modified all or some of this information. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.