SOC 25-3031 · May 2025 · United States
Substitute Teachers, Short-Term
National figures, with pay broken out by state and metro area
The median wage for Substitute Teachers, Short-Term across the United States is $41,670 per year, measured over 524,770 jobs. The highest state median is in Alaska, at $66,920.
National wage distribution · annual
Shaded band holds the middle 50% of earners
The next ten years
Projected to grow more slowly than average
- Change in jobs, 2024 to 2034
- +1.6%
- Openings per year
- 61,100
- Typical entry-level education
- Bachelor's degree
Includes jobs opened by workers leaving the occupation, not only new positions.
5.0% of people in this occupation work for themselves.
Projections are based on 2024 employment and run to 2034. The wages above are from the May 2025 survey, a separate BLS programme on a different release cycle, so the two are not two views of one dataset.
Where the pay is highest for Substitute Teachers, Short-Term
Pay for this occupation varies by 199.6% between the highest and lowest paying states with published data. Alaska pays $66,920 and Mississippi pays $22,340.
| # | State | Median | Jobs | Relative |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Alaska | $66,920 | 1,420 | |
| 2 | California | $60,300 | 115,660 | |
| 3 | Hawaii | $58,530 | 3,990 | |
| 4 | Oregon | $58,280 | 8,090 | |
| 5 | Washington | $55,740 | 14,820 | |
| 6 | Minnesota | $50,390 | 8,660 | |
| 7 | District of Columbia | $49,790 | 750 | |
| 8 | West Virginia | $49,020 | 4,840 | |
| 9 | Maryland | $46,470 | 7,610 | |
| 10 | Rhode Island | $45,590 | 1,910 |
States with the most Substitute Teachers, Short-Term jobs
| # | State | Jobs | Median | Relative |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | California | 115,660 | $60,300 | |
| 2 | New York | 36,090 | $43,490 | |
| 3 | Texas | 29,150 | $32,040 | |
| 4 | Florida | 25,270 | $37,080 | |
| 5 | Virginia | 24,350 | $39,020 | |
| 6 | Pennsylvania | 22,360 | $44,870 | |
| 7 | North Carolina | 20,360 | $33,780 | |
| 8 | Illinois | 17,220 | $39,410 | |
| 9 | New Jersey | 17,100 | $43,780 | |
| 10 | Georgia | 16,400 | $38,870 |
Top-paying metro areas
Source and methodology
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 Salary Explorer is an independent project. It is not affiliated with, or endorsed by, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics or any government agency. Full methodology.
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