Substitute Teachers, Short-Term
Teach students on a short-term basis as a temporary replacement for a regular classroom teacher, typically using the regular teacher's lesson plan.
Also called: Building Sub (Building Substitute) · Building Sub Teacher (Building Substitute Teacher) · Child Development Sub Teacher (Child Development Substitute Teacher) · ESL Sub (English as a Second Language Substitute) · HS Sub Teacher (High School Substitute Teacher) · Pre-School Sub Teacher (Pre-School Substitute Teacher)
Median pay (national)
$38,470
$26,240–$63,460 (10th–90th)
Employed (US)
481,300
BLS OEWS, May 2024
Outlook 2024–34
+1.6%
~61,100 openings/yr
Typical entry
Bachelor's degree
What the numbers say
Refit analysis ·Pay for substitute teachers, short-term shows a broad range: the top 10% earn $63,460 versus $26,240 at the bottom 10% — 2.4x. The median of $38,470 leaves roughly 65% of headroom to the 90th percentile, which is where seniority, specialization, and the skills below tend to pay off.
Refit analysis ·Employment is projected to change +1.6% from 2024 to 2034 — slower than the 3% all-occupation average. Even so, BLS projects about 61,100 openings a year, mostly to replace workers who retire or change careers.
Refit analysis ·Where you work moves the number a lot. Across the 50 states with released data, California pays the most for this role (median $57,260, +49% vs the national median), while Mississippi sits lowest at $21,120 — a 171% spread for the same job title.
Refit analysis ·O*NET rates Reading Comprehension, Active Listening, Speaking as the highest-importance skills here — so a resume aimed at this role should lead with evidence of those, not a generic skills list.
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Top skills employers ask for
Ranked by O*NET importance for this occupation.
- Reading Comprehension
- Active Listening
- Speaking
- Critical Thinking
- Monitoring
- Writing
- Learning Strategies
- Active Learning
- Mathematics
- Science
What they actually do
Core O*NET tasks for this role.
- Enforce school and class rules to maintain order in the classroom.
- 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.
- Distribute or collect tests or homework assignments.
- Distribute teaching materials, such as textbooks, workbooks, papers, and pencils, to students.
- Operate equipment such as computers or audio-visual aids to supplement presentations.
- Counsel students with adjustment or academic problems.
- Answer students' questions.
Tools & technology
- Common Curriculum
- EasyCBM
- Edmodo
- Flipgrid
- Google Classroom
- Google Meet
- Instructure Canvas
- Moodle
- Nearpod
- Schoology
- Seesaw
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Office software
- Microsoft Outlook
Knowledge areas
- English Language
- Education and Training
- Public Safety and Security
- Customer and Personal Service
- Computers and Electronics
- Mathematics
- Psychology
- Communications and Media