Careers / Substitute Teachers, Short-Term

Substitute Teachers, Short-Term — Career Decision Dashboard

United States

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Median annual wage

$41,670

United States, 2025

Employment

524,770

United States, 2025

Typical education

Bachelor's Degree

Job Zone 4

Skills identified

35

10 related careers

Career overview

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
Experience required
None

Typical tasks

  • Enforce school and class rules to maintain order in the classroom.
  • 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.

Choose a location

Salary analysis — United States

$28,560
10th
$34,170
25th
$41,670
Median
$54,890
75th
$65,790
90th

10th percentile

$28,560

25th percentile

$34,170

75th percentile

$54,890

90th percentile

$65,790

Most important skills

  • Reading Comprehension3.6
  • Active Listening3.6
  • Speaking3.6
  • Social Perceptiveness3.5
  • Critical Thinking3.4
  • Instructing3.4
  • Monitoring3.4
  • Learning Strategies3.1
  • Time Management3.1
  • Writing3.1
  • Active Learning3.0
  • Service Orientation3.0

What skills do you need?

Select the skills you already have

Skills listed are those O*NET rates at importance 3.0 or above for this occupation. Set your own level on the same 0–7 O*NET scale.

Skill coverage

0%

0 of 12 identified skills

Matched

0

Missing

12

Your selected skills cover approximately 0% of the skills identified for this occupation in O*NET. This is a coverage measure of listed skills only — it is not a qualification, hiring or interview outcome.

Skills to develop

SkillImportanceRequired levelYour levelGap
Reading Comprehension3.63.8Not selected3.8
Active Listening3.63.8Not selected3.8
Speaking3.63.5Not selected3.5
Social Perceptiveness3.53.6Not selected3.6
Monitoring3.43.4Not selected3.4
Critical Thinking3.43.3Not selected3.3
Instructing3.43.1Not selected3.1
Writing3.13.4Not selected3.4
Learning Strategies3.13.0Not selected3.0
Service Orientation3.03.0Not selected3.0
Time Management3.12.9Not selected2.9
Active Learning3.02.9Not selected2.9

Ordered by required level gap multiplied by O*NET importance. No prediction or recommendation is implied.

Related careers

How salary varies by location

LocationMedianEmploymentYear
Anchorage, AK$78,8403302025
Napa, CA$76,5203002025
San Jose, CA$72,3303,8002025
AK$66,9201,4202025
Bakersfield, CA$66,4805,3902025
Vallejo, CA$66,0007002025
Stockton, CA$65,1903,0602025
Salinas, CA$63,9701,2202025
Modesto, CA$63,4401,9902025
Eugene, OR$62,6604802025
La Crosse, WI$62,4001702025
Santa Maria, CA$62,3106102025
Kahului, HI$62,2803502025
Oxnard, CA$62,2602,1002025
Yuba City, CA$61,7103702025
Hanford, CA$61,5902102025
Santa Rosa, CA$61,2901,4302025
Longview, WA$61,2602302025
Portland, OR$61,1904,1102025
Chico, CA$61,0304502025
All locations with published data

Career transition paths

Compare the skills of a career you hold today with Substitute Teachers, Short-Term to see shared skills, target-only skills and skill overlap.

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Career and skills data: O*NET 31.0.

Salary and employment data: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS, 2025 (May 2025 release).

Figures are periodic published survey snapshots, not real-time market rates.