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Substitute teacher salary in New York

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

$43,490median pay per year in New York, or $20.91 an hour, May 2025[1]
  1. $35,090lowest 10% earn less
  2. $37,65025th percentile
  3. $43,490median
  4. $49,40075th percentile
  5. $60,010top 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 New York was $43,490 a year in May 2025[1]. That was $1,820 higher than the US median[6].

Jobs in NY
36,090[4]
Rank by median pay
14 of 50[5]
Compared with US median
+4.4%[6]

How much do substitute teachers make in New York?

Substitute teachers in New York had a median pay of $43,490 a year, or $20.91 an hour[1]. Half of them earned more than that and half earned less. The average was a bit higher, at $47,760 a year[7]. Across the US, the median was $41,670[3], so New York was 4.4% above it[6]. New York had the 14th highest median among the 49 states and DC with a published median[5].

Against all jobs in the state, the pay is lower. The median for all occupations in New York was $59,670[8], which is $16,180 more than the substitute teacher median[9]. At the low end, the lowest-paid 10% earned less than $35,090[2]. At the high end, the top-paid 10% earned more than $60,010[2].

By metro area, New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ had the highest median, at $45,220[10]. Buffalo-Cheektowaga came in at $42,740[11]. OEWS counts part-time and full-time workers who are paid a wage or salary. It leaves out the self-employed and does not include bonuses or the cost of benefits[12].

New York vs US pay

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

NYUS
Median per year$43,490[1]$41,670[3]
Median per hour$20.91[1]$20.03[3]
Lowest 10% earn less than$35,090[2]$28,560[13]
Top 10% earn more than$60,010[2]$65,790[13]
Jobs36,090[4]524,770[3]

Pay by metro area in New York

Metro areas in New York with the most jobs for substitute teachers, and the median pay in each[11]. A metro area that crosses state lines is counted as a whole.

Metro areaMedian per yearJobs
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ[11]$45,22026,760
Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY$42,7403,380
Rochester, NY$42,2803,130
Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY$39,8702,270
Syracuse, NY$43,0701,880
Kiryas Joel-Poughkeepsie-Newburgh, NY$38,0601,470
Binghamton, NY$39,860650
Utica-Rome, NY$39,000540

Pay in nearby states

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

StateMedian per yearJobs
Pennsylvania[14]$44,87022,360
New Jersey$43,78017,100
Massachusetts$41,3508,410
Connecticut$38,4605,950
Vermont$38,2001,400

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 New York?
The median pay for substitute teachers in New York was $43,490 a year in May 2025[1]. The average was $47,760 a year[7].
How much does a substitute teacher make an hour in New York?
The median was $20.91 an hour[1]. The 10th percentile wage was $16.87 an hour and the 90th percentile wage was $28.85[17].
Which city in New York pays substitute teachers the most?
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ had the highest median annual wage among the metro areas with a published figure, at $45,220[10].
Is New York a good state for substitute teachers?
New York had the 14th highest median annual wage for this job out of the 49 states and DC with a published median[5]. Its median was 4.4% above the US median[6].
What do you need to become a substitute teacher in New York?
This is a US figure, not a New York one. Across the US, the typical education needed for entry is a Bachelor's degree, with no related work experience or on-the-job training[16].

Facts and sources

  1. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median wage for Substitute Teachers, Short-Term in New York was $43,490 per year and $20.91 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 New York: 10th percentile $35,090, 25th percentile $37,650, 75th percentile $49,400, 90th percentile $60,010. 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 36,090 people worked as Substitute Teachers, Short-Term in New York (wage and salary jobs, not counting self-employed workers). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  5. BLS OEWS, May 2025: New York had the 14th 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 New York ($43,490) was $1,820 (4.4%) higher 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 New York was $47,760 per year and $22.96 per hour. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  8. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for all occupations in New York was $59,670. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  9. CareerFacts calculation from BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for Substitute Teachers, Short-Term in New York was $16,180 lower than the median for all occupations in the state ($59,670). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  10. BLS OEWS, May 2025: of the 13 metro areas in or partly in New York with a published median for Substitute Teachers, Short-Term, New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ had the highest median annual wage, $45,220. 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 New York (highest first): Pennsylvania $44,870; New Jersey $43,780; Massachusetts $41,350; Connecticut $38,460; Vermont $38,200. 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 New York: 10th percentile $16.87, 25th percentile $18.10, 75th percentile $23.75, 90th percentile $28.85. BLS OEWS, May 2025

State figures cover only New York. 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.