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Substitute Teacher Salary in U.S.

The salary statistics of substitute teachers are shown in Table 1. In the next few tables we compare the average salaries of substitute teachers within different industry sectors and in the 50 states of the United States. The substitute teachers annual salary statistics are from the national compensation survey conducted by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics in 2022 and published in April 2023 [1].

Table 1. Substitute Teacher Salary in U.S. (2022 survey)

Percentile BracketAverage Annual Salary
10th Percentile Wage
$18,850
25th Percentile Wage
$22,510
50th Percentile Wage
$28,680
75th Percentile Wage
$37,340
90th Percentile Wage
$48,540

Table 1 shows the average annual salary for substitute teachers. The average annual salary for the 90th percentile (the top 10 percent of the highest paid) substitute teachers is $48,540. The median annual salary (50th percentile) is $28,680. The average annual salary for the bottom 10 percent is $18,850. It is noted that in the United States, the annual salary of the 90th percentile (the top 10 percent of the highest paid) is almost 157% higher than that of the bottom 10 percent.

Median salary trend

The table and chart below show the trend of the median salary of substitute teachers from 2012 to 2018.

YearMedian SalaryYearly Growth6-Year Growth
2018
$28,680
1.43% 9.59%
2017
$28,270
0.92% -
2016
$28,010
4.21% -
2015
$26,830
2.35% -
2014
$26,200
1.41% -
2013
$25,830
-0.39% -
2012
$25,930
- -

Table 2. Substitute Teacher Salary by Industry Sector (2022 survey)

The average salaries of substitute teachers in 7 major industry sectors are shown in Table 2. We note that the salaries vary considerably within different industry sectors. The highest paying industry sector for substitute teachers occupations is the federal, state, and local government sector with an annual salary $39,140. The lowest paying sector is the arts, entertainment, and recreation sector (annual salary $22,540).

Industry Sector Median Annual Salary
Federal, State, and Local Government
$39,140
Management of Companies and Enterprises
$35,590
Educational Services
$28,740
Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services
$26,940
Health Care and Social Assistance
$25,200
Other Services (except Federal, State, and Local Government)
$24,350
Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation
$22,540

Table 3. Median Annual Wage of Substitute Teachers by States (2022 survey)

From the above tables we note that not only substitute teachers salaries vary considerably based on one's education and experience, and the industry sectors, they also change considerably from state to state. In the following table we compare the median salary of substitute teachers in all 50 states of the United States. We note that the median annual salaries range from $18,010 to $47,150. The highest paying state for substitute teachers is Hawaii with a median annual salary of $47,150. The lowest paying state is Alabama with a median annual salary of $18,010. For more salary information of substitute teachers profession in a specific state, use the links in the table.

State Name Median Annual Salary
Hawaii
$47,150
Oregon
$46,160
Alaska
$39,950
Washington
$39,240
California
$38,700
Minnesota
$37,080
New York
$35,670
West Virginia
$35,660
Nebraska
$35,290
North Dakota
$34,820
Wisconsin
$31,610
Massachusetts
$31,530
District of Columbia
$31,010
Wyoming
$30,660
Maryland
$30,370
Illinois
$30,110
Iowa
$29,910
Utah
$29,530
Connecticut
$29,070
Arizona
$28,700
New Jersey
$28,430
Rhode Island
$28,400
Pennsylvania
$28,330
Kansas
$28,330
Ohio
$28,170
South Dakota
$28,140
Vermont
$27,970
Nevada
$27,950
Virginia
$27,560
Louisiana
$27,320
Michigan
$26,540
Maine
$25,470
Missouri
$25,310
Delaware
$25,140
Florida
$24,310
New Mexico
$23,770
Guam
$23,590
New Hampshire
$23,430
Colorado
$23,200
North Carolina
$23,080
Georgia
$22,860
South Carolina
$22,180
Montana
$22,150
Indiana
$22,120
Texas
$22,010
Kentucky
$21,790
Idaho
$21,480
Arkansas
$19,950
Oklahoma
$19,140
Mississippi
$19,130
Tennessee
$18,850
Alabama
$18,010