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Substitute teacher salary in Texas

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

$32,040median pay per year in Texas, or $15.41 an hour, May 2025[1]
  1. $22,870lowest 10% earn less
  2. $26,70025th percentile
  3. $32,040median
  4. $34,58075th percentile
  5. $39,090top 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 Texas was $32,040 a year[1]. That was $9,630 lower than the US median[6].

Jobs in TX
29,150[4]
Rank by median pay
39 of 50[5]
Compared with US median
−23.1%[6]

How much do substitute teachers make in Texas?

Half of substitute teachers in Texas earned more than $32,040 a year and half earned less[1]. The average was a little higher, at $32,760 a year[7]. Across the US, the median for this job was $41,670[3]. The Texas median was 23.1% lower than that[6]. Texas had the 39th highest median out of the 49 states and DC with a published figure[5].

Compared with all jobs in Texas, where the median was $48,620[8], substitute teachers earned $16,580 less[9]. At the low end, the lowest-paid 10% earned less than $22,870 a year[2]. At the high end, the highest-paid 10% earned more than $39,090[2]. In hourly terms, that range runs from $10.99 to $18.79 at those two boundaries[10].

Among Texas metro areas with a published median, Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos had the highest, at $34,280[11]. Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington followed in the big-metro list at $34,270, and Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands was at $32,550[12]. El Paso was at $24,980[12]. These figures cover wage and salary workers only. They leave out the self-employed, and they do not include bonuses or the cost of benefits such as health insurance[13].

Texas vs US pay

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

TXUS
Median per year$32,040[1]$41,670[3]
Median per hour$15.41[1]$20.03[3]
Lowest 10% earn less than$22,870[2]$28,560[14]
Top 10% earn more than$39,090[2]$65,790[14]
Jobs29,150[4]524,770[3]

Pay by metro area in Texas

Metro areas in Texas with the most jobs for substitute teachers, and the median pay in each[12].

Metro areaMedian per yearJobs
Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX[12]$32,5509,600
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX$34,2708,050
Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX$34,2801,910
El Paso, TX$24,9801,170
San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX$29,5101,170
Laredo, TX$31,220990
Abilene, TX$29,120610
Midland, TX$32,810560

Pay in nearby states

Median pay for substitute teachers in the states that border Texas, highest first[15].

StateMedian per yearJobs
New Mexico[15]$36,4003,510
Arkansas$29,2302,560
Louisiana$27,3701,090
Oklahoma$23,7704,990

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[16]. BLS does not publish this projection by state. The typical education for entry is: bachelor's degree[17].

How to become one: steps, training and duties

Frequently asked questions

How much does a substitute teacher make in Texas?
The median was $32,040 a year in Texas, and the average was $32,760[1][7]. The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $22,870, and the highest-paid 10% earned more than $39,090[2].
How much does a substitute teacher make an hour in Texas?
The median was $15.41 an hour in Texas[1]. The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $10.99 an hour, and the highest-paid 10% earned more than $18.79[10][2].
Which city in Texas pays substitute teachers the most?
Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos had the highest median of the 20 Texas metro areas with a published figure, at $34,280 a year[11]. Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington was close behind at $34,270[12].
Is Texas a good state for substitute teachers?
Texas had the 39th highest median annual wage for this job out of 49 states and DC with a published median[5]. The Texas median was $9,630 lower than the US median[6].
What do you need to become a substitute teacher in Texas?
This is a US figure, not a Texas one. Across the US, the typical education needed for entry is a Bachelor's degree, with no work experience or on-the-job training typically needed[17].

Facts and sources

  1. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median wage for Substitute Teachers, Short-Term in Texas was $32,040 per year and $15.41 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 Texas: 10th percentile $22,870, 25th percentile $26,700, 75th percentile $34,580, 90th percentile $39,090. 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 29,150 people worked as Substitute Teachers, Short-Term in Texas (wage and salary jobs, not counting self-employed workers). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  5. BLS OEWS, May 2025: Texas had the 39th 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 Texas ($32,040) was $9,630 (23.1%) 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 Texas was $32,760 per year and $15.75 per hour. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  8. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for all occupations in Texas was $48,620. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  9. CareerFacts calculation from BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for Substitute Teachers, Short-Term in Texas was $16,580 lower than the median for all occupations in the state ($48,620). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  10. BLS OEWS, May 2025, hourly wage percentiles for Substitute Teachers, Short-Term in Texas: 10th percentile $10.99, 25th percentile $12.84, 75th percentile $16.63, 90th percentile $18.79. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  11. BLS OEWS, May 2025: of the 20 metro areas in or partly in Texas with a published median for Substitute Teachers, Short-Term, Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX had the highest median annual wage, $34,280. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  12. Metro areas with the most jobs in this occupation, with median annual wage, May 2025 (table on this page). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  13. 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
  14. 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
  15. BLS OEWS, May 2025, median annual wage for Substitute Teachers, Short-Term in states that border Texas (highest first): New Mexico $36,400; Arkansas $29,230; Louisiana $27,370; Oklahoma $23,770. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  16. 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
  17. 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

State figures cover only Texas. 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.