Substitute Teachers, Short-Term Salary in the United States
The median annual wage for substitute teachers, short-term is $41,670, or $20.03 per hour. About 524,770 people work in this occupation nationwide. Wages vary substantially by state — from $66,920 in Alaska to $22,340 in Mississippi.
Wage distribution nationwide
Earnings spread across all U.S. workers in this occupation.
Salary by state
All 50 states with published data, ranked by median annual wage.
| # | State | Median annual | Median hourly | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Alaska | $66,920 | $32.17 | 1,420 | 1.30 |
| 2 | California | $60,300 | $28.99 | 115,660 | 1.88 |
| 3 | Hawaii | $58,530 | $28.14 | 3,990 | 1.89 |
| 4 | Oregon | $58,280 | $28.02 | 8,090 | 1.22 |
| 5 | Washington | $55,740 | $26.80 | 14,820 | 1.24 |
| 6 | Minnesota | $50,390 | $24.22 | 8,660 | 0.87 |
| 7 | District of Columbia | $49,790 | $23.94 | 750 | 0.31 |
| 8 | West Virginia | $49,020 | $23.57 | 4,840 | 2.05 |
| 9 | Maryland | $46,470 | $22.34 | 7,610 | 0.82 |
| 10 | Rhode Island | $45,590 | $21.92 | 1,910 | 1.13 |
| 11 | Pennsylvania | $44,870 | $21.57 | 22,360 | 1.09 |
| 12 | Wisconsin | $43,950 | $21.13 | 8,420 | 0.85 |
| 13 | New Jersey | $43,780 | $21.05 | 17,100 | 1.18 |
| 14 | New York | $43,490 | $20.91 | 36,090 | 1.10 |
| 15 | North Dakota | $42,570 | $20.47 | 420 | 0.29 |
| 16 | Massachusetts | $41,350 | $19.88 | 8,410 | 0.69 |
| 17 | Michigan | $39,500 | $18.99 | 3,600 | 0.24 |
| 18 | Illinois | $39,410 | $18.95 | 17,220 | 0.84 |
| 19 | Virginia | $39,020 | $18.76 | 24,350 | 1.76 |
| 20 | Georgia | $38,870 | $18.69 | 16,400 | 0.99 |
| 21 | Arizona | $38,500 | $18.51 | 4,710 | 0.43 |
| 22 | Connecticut | $38,460 | $18.49 | 5,950 | 1.04 |
| 23 | Vermont | $38,200 | $18.37 | 1,400 | 1.36 |
| 24 | Nebraska | $37,690 | $18.12 | 3,430 | 0.99 |
| 25 | Maine | $37,440 | $18.00 | — | — |
| 26 | Iowa | $37,230 | $17.90 | 7,300 | 1.39 |
| 27 | Ohio | $37,150 | $17.86 | 9,140 | 0.49 |
| 28 | Florida | $37,080 | $17.83 | 25,270 | 0.75 |
| 29 | Wyoming | $36,990 | $17.79 | 2,230 | 2.35 |
| 30 | Delaware | $36,510 | $17.55 | — | — |
| 31 | Utah | $36,490 | $17.55 | 4,710 | 0.80 |
| 32 | New Mexico | $36,400 | $17.50 | 3,510 | 1.19 |
| 33 | Indiana | $36,360 | $17.48 | 9,920 | 0.92 |
| 34 | Kansas | $36,190 | $17.40 | 9,360 | 1.93 |
| 35 | New Hampshire | $34,990 | $16.82 | 1,070 | 0.46 |
| 36 | Missouri | $34,790 | $16.73 | 11,480 | 1.16 |
| 37 | Idaho | $34,080 | $16.39 | 1,800 | 0.62 |
| 38 | North Carolina | $33,780 | $16.24 | 20,360 | 1.22 |
| 39 | Texas | $32,040 | $15.41 | 29,150 | 0.61 |
| 40 | South Carolina | $30,400 | $14.62 | 7,700 | 0.99 |
| 41 | Kentucky | $29,730 | $14.29 | 320 | 0.05 |
| 42 | Tennessee | $29,500 | $14.18 | 7,690 | 0.69 |
| 43 | Arkansas | $29,230 | $14.05 | 2,560 | 0.58 |
| 44 | Montana | $28,050 | $13.49 | 2,370 | 1.37 |
| 45 | South Dakota | $27,840 | $13.39 | 1,610 | 1.04 |
| 46 | Louisiana | $27,370 | $13.16 | 1,090 | 0.17 |
| 47 | Alabama | $25,340 | $12.18 | 9,290 | 1.30 |
| 48 | Nevada | $24,960 | $12.00 | 6,600 | 1.26 |
| 49 | Oklahoma | $23,770 | $11.43 | 4,990 | 0.87 |
| 50 | Mississippi | $22,340 | $10.74 | 2,390 | 0.61 |
Related occupations
Same job family, ranked by national employment.
Frequently asked questions
How much do substitute teachers, short-term make?
The median annual wage for substitute teachers, short-term in the United States is $41,670, or $20.03 per hour. Entry-level workers (10th percentile) earn $28,560, and the top 10% earn $65,790.
How many substitute teachers, short-term are employed in the U.S.?
About 524,770 people work as substitute teachers, short-term nationwide.
Which state pays substitute teachers, short-term the most?
Alaska pays the most at a median of $66,920, followed by California ($60,300) and Hawaii ($58,530).
Which state pays substitute teachers, short-term the least?
Mississippi has the lowest median at $22,340.
Where are substitute teachers, short-term jobs most concentrated?
The location quotient measures employment concentration relative to the national average. The highest is Wyoming at 2.35×.