Substitute Teachers, Short-Term Career, Salary and Skills
Substitute Teachers, Short-Term have a BLS-reported national median annual wage of $41,670 based on the 2025 OEWS dataset, with reported national employment of 524,770. Wage data is published for 374 locations.
Occupation description
Teach students on a short-term basis as a temporary replacement for a regular classroom teacher, typically using the regular teacher's lesson plan.
O*NET code
25-3031.00
Job zone
4
Typical education
Bachelor's Degree
Experience
None
National salary and employment
Median annual
$41,670
Hourly median
$20.03
Employment
524,770
Data year
2025
National salary distribution
Top skills
| Skill | Importance | Level |
|---|---|---|
| Speaking | 3.62 | 3.50 |
| Reading Comprehension | 3.62 | 3.75 |
| Active Listening | 3.62 | 3.75 |
| Social Perceptiveness | 3.50 | 3.62 |
| Critical Thinking | 3.38 | 3.25 |
| Monitoring | 3.38 | 3.38 |
| Instructing | 3.38 | 3.12 |
| Learning Strategies | 3.12 | 3.00 |
| Writing | 3.12 | 3.38 |
| Time Management | 3.12 | 2.88 |
Typical tasks
- Answer students' questions.
- Follow lesson plans designed by absent teachers.
- Take class attendance and maintain attendance records.
- Supervise students during activities outside the classroom, such as recess, lunch, and field trips.
- Teach social skills to students, such as communication, conflict resolution, and etiquette.
- Tutor or assist students individually or in small groups.
- Distribute or collect tests or homework assignments.
- Enforce school and class rules to maintain order in the classroom.
Technology
- Common Curriculum
- EasyCBM
- Edmodo
- Flipgrid
- Google Classroom
- Google Meet
- Instructure Canvas
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Office software
- Microsoft Outlook
- Moodle
- Nearpod
- Schoology
- Seesaw
Substitute Teachers, Short-Term salary by location
Areas with the highest reported employment for this occupation.
- Substitute Teachers, Short-Term Salary in CAMedian $60,300 · Employment 115,660
- Substitute Teachers, Short-Term Salary in NYMedian $43,490 · Employment 36,090
- Substitute Teachers, Short-Term Salary in Los Angeles, CAMedian $57,210 · Employment 35,740
- Substitute Teachers, Short-Term Salary in TXMedian $32,040 · Employment 29,150
- Substitute Teachers, Short-Term Salary in New York, NYMedian $45,220 · Employment 26,760
- Substitute Teachers, Short-Term Salary in FLMedian $37,080 · Employment 25,270
- Substitute Teachers, Short-Term Salary in VAMedian $39,020 · Employment 24,350
- Substitute Teachers, Short-Term Salary in PAMedian $44,870 · Employment 22,360
- Substitute Teachers, Short-Term Salary in NCMedian $33,780 · Employment 20,360
- Substitute Teachers, Short-Term Salary in ILMedian $39,410 · Employment 17,220
- Substitute Teachers, Short-Term Salary in NJMedian $43,780 · Employment 17,100
- Substitute Teachers, Short-Term Salary in GAMedian $38,870 · Employment 16,400
Related careers
- Self-Enrichment TeachersNational median $46,800
- Preschool Teachers, Except Special EducationNational median $38,140
- Education Administrators, Kindergarten through SecondaryNational median $105,870
- Career/Technical Education Teachers, Secondary SchoolNational median $66,270
- Career/Technical Education Teachers, Middle SchoolNational median $65,030
- Special Education Teachers, KindergartenNational median not published
- Instructional CoordinatorsNational median $77,440
- Special Education Teachers, PreschoolNational median $64,830
Career and skills data: O*NET 31.0 (onetcenter.org). Salary and employment data: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS, 2025 (bls.gov/oes). Figures are published survey estimates, not real-time market data.