Substitute Teachers, Short-Term Salary in the United States
The median annual wage for substitute teachers, short-term in the U.S. is $41,670 ($20.03 per hour), according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program, May 2025 estimates.
- Median annual wage
- $41,670
- Mean annual wage
- $46,420
- Median hourly wage
- $20.03
- Employment
- 524,770
524,770 employed
Wage percentiles
| Percentile | Annual wage | Hourly wage |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $28,560 | $13.73 |
| 25th percentile | $34,170 | $16.43 |
| Median (50th) | $41,670 | $20.03 |
| 75th percentile | $54,890 | $26.39 |
| 90th percentile | $65,790 | $31.63 |
Highest-paying states for substitute teachers, short-term
| State | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|
| Alaska | $66,920 | 1,420 |
| California | $60,300 | 115,660 |
| Hawaii | $58,530 | 3,990 |
| Oregon | $58,280 | 8,090 |
| Washington | $55,740 | 14,820 |
| Minnesota | $50,390 | 8,660 |
| District of Columbia | $49,790 | 750 |
| West Virginia | $49,020 | 4,840 |
| Maryland | $46,470 | 7,610 |
| Rhode Island | $45,590 | 1,910 |
Lowest-paying states
- Mississippi: $22,340 median annual wage
- Oklahoma: $23,770 median annual wage
- Nevada: $24,960 median annual wage
- Alabama: $25,340 median annual wage
- Louisiana: $27,370 median annual wage
Related occupations
- Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondary$36,780
- Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education$63,970
- Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education$72,040
- Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education$64,370
- Preschool Teachers, Except Special Education$38,140
- Self-Enrichment Teachers$46,800
- Special Education Teachers, Kindergarten and Elementary School$65,120
- Instructional Coordinators$77,440
About this data
- Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics — data period May 2025, retrieved August 13, 2026.
- Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics — data period May 2025, retrieved August 13, 2026.
Figures are shown exactly as published by the source or derived by the documented formulas on our methodology page. Where a source suppresses an estimate, we show “—” rather than a substitute value.