CareerFacts

All careers › Substitute Teachers, Short-Term › Florida

Substitute teacher salary in Florida

Updated October 30, 2026. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data. Published by Humblebee.

$37,080median pay per year in Florida, or $17.83 an hour, May 2025[1]
  1. $30,300lowest 10% earn less
  2. $32,06025th percentile
  3. $37,080median
  4. $50,37075th percentile
  5. $60,520top 10% earn more
Middle half of workers in the inner band[2]US median for this job, $41,670[3]

The median pay for substitute teachers in Florida was $37,080 a year in May 2025[1]. That was $4,590 lower than the US median[6].

Jobs in FL
25,270[4]
Rank by median pay
28 of 50[5]
Compared with US median
−11.0%[6]

How much do substitute teachers make in Florida?

Half of the substitute teachers in Florida earned more than $37,080 a year, or $17.83 an hour, and half earned less[1]. The average was higher at $41,530 a year[7]. Across the US, the median for substitute teachers was $41,670[3]. Florida was $4,590, or 11.0%, below that[6]. Florida had the 28th highest median among the 49 states and DC with a published median[5].

For all jobs in Florida, the median was $47,880 a year[8]. Substitute teachers in the state had a median $10,800 lower[9]. The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $30,300 a year[2]. The highest-paid 10% earned more than $60,520[2].

Pay differs by metro area. Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach had the highest median of the 18 Florida metro areas with a published figure, at $54,050[10]. It had 7,940 jobs[11]. Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater had a median of $36,100[11]. OEWS counts wage and salary workers. It leaves out the self-employed, and it does not include bonuses or the cost of benefits like health insurance[12].

Florida vs US pay

Pay for substitute teachers in Florida next to the national figures[1][3].

FLUS
Median per year$37,080[1]$41,670[3]
Median per hour$17.83[1]$20.03[3]
Lowest 10% earn less than$30,300[2]$28,560[13]
Top 10% earn more than$60,520[2]$65,790[13]
Jobs25,270[4]524,770[3]

Pay by metro area in Florida

Metro areas in Florida with the most jobs for substitute teachers, and the median pay in each[11].

Metro areaMedian per yearJobs
Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL[11]$54,0507,940
Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL$36,1003,300
Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL$37,6902,180
Jacksonville, FL$36,0401,480
Crestview-Fort Walton Beach-Destin, FL$31,2001,280
Naples-Marco Island, FL$44,690970
North Port-Bradenton-Sarasota, FL$40,000930
Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL$37,650890

Pay in nearby states

Median pay for substitute teachers in the states that border Florida, highest first[14].

StateMedian per yearJobs
Georgia[14]$38,87016,400
Alabama$25,3409,290

Median pay for substitute teachers in every state

Job outlook and training

Across the US, jobs for substitute teachers are projected to grow 2% from 2025 to 2035[15]. BLS does not publish this projection by state. The typical education for entry is: bachelor's degree[16].

How to become one: steps, training and duties

Frequently asked questions

How much does a substitute teacher make in Florida?
The median was $37,080 a year in May 2025[1]. The average was $41,530 a year[7].
How much does a substitute teacher make an hour in Florida?
The median was $17.83 an hour[1]. The 10th percentile wage was $14.57 an hour and the 90th percentile wage was $29.10[17].
Which city in Florida pays substitute teachers the most?
Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach had the highest median of the 18 metro areas with a published figure, at $54,050 a year[10].
Is Florida a good state for substitute teachers?
Florida had the 28th highest median among the 49 states and DC with a published median[5]. Its median was 11.0% below the US median[6].
What do you need to become a substitute teacher in Florida?
Across the US, the typical education needed for entry is a bachelor's degree, with no related work experience and no on-the-job training[16]. That is a US figure, not a Florida one.

Facts and sources

  1. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median wage for Substitute Teachers, Short-Term in Florida was $37,080 per year and $17.83 per hour. Half of these workers earned more and half earned less. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  2. BLS OEWS, May 2025, annual wage percentiles for Substitute Teachers, Short-Term in Florida: 10th percentile $30,300, 25th percentile $32,060, 75th percentile $50,370, 90th percentile $60,520. The 10th percentile means 10% of workers earned less, the 90th means 10% earned more. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  3. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median wage for Substitute Teachers, Short-Term in the US as a whole was $41,670 per year and $20.03 per hour, with about 524,770 jobs nationwide. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  4. BLS OEWS, May 2025: about 25,270 people worked as Substitute Teachers, Short-Term in Florida (wage and salary jobs, not counting self-employed workers). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  5. BLS OEWS, May 2025: Florida had the 28th highest median annual wage for Substitute Teachers, Short-Term out of the 49 states and DC with a published median. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  6. CareerFacts calculation from BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for Substitute Teachers, Short-Term in Florida ($37,080) was $4,590 (11.0%) lower than the US median ($41,670). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  7. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the mean (average) wage for Substitute Teachers, Short-Term in Florida was $41,530 per year and $19.97 per hour. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  8. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for all occupations in Florida was $47,880. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  9. CareerFacts calculation from BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for Substitute Teachers, Short-Term in Florida was $10,800 lower than the median for all occupations in the state ($47,880). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  10. BLS OEWS, May 2025: of the 18 metro areas in or partly in Florida with a published median for Substitute Teachers, Short-Term, Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL had the highest median annual wage, $54,050. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  11. Metro areas with the most jobs in this occupation, with median annual wage, May 2025 (table on this page). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  12. 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
  13. BLS OEWS, May 2025, annual wage percentiles for Substitute Teachers, Short-Term in the US: 10th percentile $28,560, 25th percentile $34,170, 75th percentile $54,890, 90th percentile $65,790. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  14. BLS OEWS, May 2025, median annual wage for Substitute Teachers, Short-Term in states that border Florida (highest first): Georgia $38,870; Alabama $25,340. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  15. BLS Employment Projections (US, not by state): employment of Substitute Teachers, Short-Term is projected to grow 2% nationwide from 2025 to 2035, with about 65,000 openings a year on average. All occupations are projected to grow 3.5%. BLS Employment Projections
  16. BLS Employment Projections (US, not by state), 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
  17. BLS OEWS, May 2025, hourly wage percentiles for Substitute Teachers, Short-Term in Florida: 10th percentile $14.57, 25th percentile $15.42, 75th percentile $24.21, 90th percentile $29.10. BLS OEWS, May 2025

State figures cover only Florida. Job outlook and entry requirements are national (US) figures: BLS does not publish them by state in our sources. Figures labelled “CareerFacts calculation” are simple differences between the BLS numbers shown.