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Substitute Teacher Salary by State (2026)
Substitute Teachers (Substitute Teachers, Short-Term) hold 519,520 jobs across the US. Typical pay is $43,923 per year, but the median ranges from $22,340 in Mississippi to $66,920 in Alaska. Pick your state for the full pay range and an estimated take-home after taxes.
Median Substitute Teacher salary in every state
| State | Median salary | Jobs |
| Alaska | $66,920 | 1,420 |
| California | $60,300 | 115,660 |
| Hawaii | $58,530 | 3,990 |
| Oregon | $58,280 | 8,090 |
| Washington | $55,740 | 14,820 |
| Minnesota | $50,390 | 8,660 |
| District of Columbia | $49,790 | 750 |
| West Virginia | $49,020 | 4,840 |
| Maryland | $46,470 | 7,610 |
| Rhode Island | $45,590 | 1,910 |
| Pennsylvania | $44,870 | 22,360 |
| Wisconsin | $43,950 | 8,420 |
| New Jersey | $43,780 | 17,100 |
| New York | $43,490 | 36,090 |
| North Dakota | $42,570 | 420 |
| Massachusetts | $41,350 | 8,410 |
| Michigan | $39,500 | 3,600 |
| Illinois | $39,410 | 17,220 |
| Virginia | $39,020 | 24,350 |
| Georgia | $38,870 | 16,400 |
| Arizona | $38,500 | 4,710 |
| Connecticut | $38,460 | 5,950 |
| Vermont | $38,200 | 1,400 |
| Nebraska | $37,690 | 3,430 |
| Maine | $37,440 | 0 |
| Iowa | $37,230 | 7,300 |
| Ohio | $37,150 | 9,140 |
| Florida | $37,080 | 25,270 |
| Wyoming | $36,990 | 2,230 |
| Delaware | $36,510 | 0 |
| Utah | $36,490 | 4,710 |
| New Mexico | $36,400 | 3,510 |
| Indiana | $36,360 | 9,920 |
| Kansas | $36,190 | 9,360 |
| New Hampshire | $34,990 | 1,070 |
| Missouri | $34,790 | 11,480 |
| Idaho | $34,080 | 1,800 |
| North Carolina | $33,780 | 20,360 |
| Texas | $32,040 | 29,150 |
| South Carolina | $30,400 | 7,700 |
| Kentucky | $29,730 | 320 |
| Tennessee | $29,500 | 7,690 |
| Arkansas | $29,230 | 2,560 |
| Montana | $28,050 | 2,370 |
| South Dakota | $27,840 | 1,610 |
| Louisiana | $27,370 | 1,090 |
| Alabama | $25,340 | 9,290 |
| Nevada | $24,960 | 6,600 |
| Oklahoma | $23,770 | 4,990 |
| Mississippi | $22,340 | 2,390 |
Frequently asked questions
- What is the average Substitute Teacher salary in the US?
- The typical (employment-weighted median) Substitute Teacher salary in the US is about $43,923 per year, based on the latest BLS data covering 519,520 jobs nationwide.
- Which state pays Substitute Teachers the most?
- Alaska has the highest median Substitute Teacher salary at $66,920 per year. Remember that taxes and cost of living vary — a high gross salary can shrink after state taxes.
- Which state pays Substitute Teachers the least?
- Mississippi has the lowest median at $22,340 per year. Lower-paying states often also have lower living costs and, in some cases, no state income tax.
Sources and methodology
All figures: BLS OEWS May 2025 (state file, released April 2026) (Substitute Teachers, Short-Term, code 25-3031). “Typical pay” is the employment-weighted average of state medians. Take-home estimates on state pages use 2026 federal and verified state tax rules from our PaycheckTally engine.