Substitute Teachers, Short-Term Salary (2024) — Pay by Metro Area
Substitute Teachers, Short-Term earn a national median of $38,470 per year. Because pay tracks local labour markets, the same job ranges from $30,550 in the cheapest metro covered to $64,090 in the most expensive — a 110% gap for identical work. This page ranks 24 metro areas with released data.
Substitute Teachers, Short-Term pay by metro area
Ranked by median annual wage among the metro areas with published estimates for this occupation. Local cost of living is not applied — a lower median in a cheaper metro can still leave more in your pocket.
| Metro area | Hourly | Annual | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles, CA — CA | $27.02 | $56,210 | 30,210 |
| New York, NY — NY | $19.60 | $40,770 | 27,290 |
| Riverside, CA — CA | $27.76 | $57,740 | 14,750 |
| Washington, DC — DC | $19.23 | $39,990 | 14,560 |
| Houston, TX — TX | $14.85 | $30,890 | 11,270 |
| Dallas, TX — TX | $15.14 | $31,490 | 11,220 |
| Chicago, IL — IL | $19.12 | $39,770 | 9,720 |
| San Francisco, CA — CA | $30.81 | $64,090 | 9,370 |
| San Diego, CA — CA | $26.80 | $55,740 | 9,240 |
| Atlanta, GA — GA | $18.46 | $38,390 | 8,960 |
| Minneapolis, MN — MN | $23.42 | $48,710 | 7,150 |
| Miami, FL — FL | $27.92 | $58,070 | 6,760 |
| Seattle, WA — WA | $28.16 | $58,570 | 6,750 |
| Philadelphia, PA — PA | $21.78 | $45,310 | 5,900 |
| St. Louis, MO — MO | $16.75 | $34,840 | 5,410 |
| Charlotte, NC — NC | $14.69 | $30,550 | 3,100 |
| Portland, OR — OR | $27.75 | $57,720 | 3,060 |
| Baltimore, MD — MD | $18.34 | $38,140 | 2,890 |
The gap between Los Angeles, CA ($56,210) and Baltimore, MD ($38,140) is 47% . For substitute teachers, short-term this mainly reflects industry mix and regional price levels rather than a difference in the work itself. The middle metro sits at $39,770, which is the better single number for a "typical" market than either extreme.
Frequently asked questions
How much do substitute teachers, short-term make in the United States?
The national median for this occupation is $38,470 per year, across all areas including non-metropolitan ones. Metro-level medians for this occupation range from $30,550 to $64,090, with a middle value of $39,770.
Which metro area pays substitute teachers, short-term the most?
Los Angeles, CA pays the most among the metros covered, at a median of $56,210, with about 30,210 people employed in the occupation.
Which metro area pays substitute teachers, short-term the least?
Baltimore, MD sits at the bottom of the range, with a median of $38,140.
Do substitute teachers, short-term earn more in large cities?
Usually, but not always. Large metros tend to show higher nominal pay because they concentrate high-wage industries and a higher cost of living. The spread above is nominal — it is not adjusted for local prices, so a lower median in a cheaper metro can still buy more.
About these figures
Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), 2024. The US figure on this page is an employment-weighted benchmark computed across the metro areas covered by this site, not the official national OEWS median, which BLS publishes separately. OEWS excludes self-employed workers and reports wages only, not benefits or total compensation.
See the methodology for how the benchmark and the metro ranking are derived.