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The average salary for a Long Term Substitute Teacher is $42,808 annually. This figure varies based on geography, experience, and the specific educational institution.
Long term substitute teachers typically earn between $35,000 and $50,000 annually, depending on their location and the district's pay scale. Factors such as educational background and years of service also play a crucial role in determining salary.
States like California, New York, and Texas offer higher salaries for long term substitute teachers, often exceeding the national average. For example, California's long-term substitutes can earn upwards of $50,000 due to a higher cost of living and increased funding for education.
According to various sources, salaries for long term substitute teachers can fluctuate significantly. Websites such as Glassdoor and Indeed provide valuable insights into salary estimates based on user-reported data.
Understanding these variations can assist prospective educators in making informed decisions regarding their career paths.
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The average long term substitute teacher salary in California, Hawaii, and Alaska are the highest in the U.S. The lowest average long term substitute teacher salary states are South Dakota, Indiana, and Maine.
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nevada | $41,260 | $19.84 |
| 2 | New Mexico | $42,559 | $20.46 |
| 3 | Illinois | $43,585 | $20.95 |
| 4 | Michigan | $39,729 | $19.10 |
| 5 | California | $51,413 | $24.72 |
| 6 | Maryland | $43,017 | $20.68 |
| 7 | New Jersey | $41,148 | $19.78 |
| 8 | Minnesota | $39,631 | $19.05 |
| 9 | Arizona | $37,566 | $18.06 |
| 10 | Washington | $43,565 | $20.94 |
| 11 | Kansas | $38,368 | $18.45 |
| 12 | Nebraska | $38,409 | $18.47 |
| 13 | Virginia | $41,377 | $19.89 |
| 14 | Wyoming | $36,157 | $17.38 |
| 15 | Colorado | $38,443 | $18.48 |
| 16 | District of Columbia | $42,834 | $20.59 |
| 17 | Alaska | $43,622 | $20.97 |
| 18 | New York | $38,970 | $18.74 |
| 19 | Oregon | $39,502 | $18.99 |
| 20 | Texas | $36,667 | $17.63 |
| 21 | Hawaii | $47,375 | $22.78 |
| 22 | Pennsylvania | $35,991 | $17.30 |
| 23 | Delaware | $35,763 | $17.19 |
| 24 | Ohio | $35,385 | $17.01 |
| 25 | Georgia | $36,645 | $17.62 |
| 26 | North Carolina | $34,596 | $16.63 |
| 27 | Connecticut | $34,571 | $16.62 |
| 28 | Rhode Island | $35,278 | $16.96 |
| 29 | Montana | $33,427 | $16.07 |
| 30 | Utah | $35,841 | $17.23 |
| 31 | Louisiana | $35,310 | $16.98 |
| 32 | Mississippi | $34,585 | $16.63 |
| 33 | Florida | $35,074 | $16.86 |
| 34 | Oklahoma | $32,633 | $15.69 |
| 35 | Massachusetts | $35,374 | $17.01 |
| 36 | Idaho | $33,758 | $16.23 |
| 37 | Tennessee | $33,174 | $15.95 |
| 38 | Vermont | $31,343 | $15.07 |
| 39 | Kentucky | $34,285 | $16.48 |
| 40 | Iowa | $33,739 | $16.22 |
| 41 | Alabama | $34,153 | $16.42 |
| 42 | Wisconsin | $34,042 | $16.37 |
| 43 | New Hampshire | $28,957 | $13.92 |
| 44 | North Dakota | $32,948 | $15.84 |
| 45 | Arkansas | $32,500 | $15.63 |
| 46 | South Carolina | $30,211 | $14.52 |
| 47 | West Virginia | $32,452 | $15.60 |
| 48 | Indiana | $30,714 | $14.77 |
| 49 | Maine | $30,331 | $14.58 |
| 50 | South Dakota | $30,880 | $14.85 |
| 51 | Missouri | $26,351 | $12.67 |
The highest-paying cities for long term substitute teachers are Oxnard, CA, Naperville, IL, and Baltimore, MD.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Oxnard, CA | $52,209 | $25.10 |
| 2 | Naperville, IL | $43,633 | $20.98 |
| 3 | Baltimore, MD | $43,048 | $20.70 |
| 4 | New Brunswick, NJ | $41,379 | $19.89 |
| 5 | Detroit, MI | $39,851 | $19.16 |
| 6 | Roseville, MN | $39,621 | $19.05 |
| 7 | Castle Rock, CO | $38,594 | $18.55 |
| 8 | Buffalo, NY | $37,205 | $17.89 |
| 9 | Pasadena, TX | $36,734 | $17.66 |
| 10 | Stratford, CT | $34,939 | $16.80 |
| 11 | Indianapolis, IN | $30,644 | $14.73 |
| 12 | Nashua, NH | $29,118 | $14.00 |
| 13 | Wentzville, MO | $26,249 | $12.62 |
A long term substitute teacher's salary ranges from $30,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $59,000 at the 90th percentile.

| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $59,000 | $4,917 | $28 |
| 75th Percentile | $50,000 | $4,167 | $24 |
| Average | $42,808 | $3,567 | $21 |
| 25th Percentile | $36,000 | $3,000 | $17 |
| 10th Percentile | $30,000 | $2,500 | $14 |
The highest paying types of long term substitute teachers are science teacher, student teacher, and reading teacher.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Teacher | $47,989 | $3,999 | $23.07 | 71,918 |
| Math Teacher | $51,088 | $4,257 | $24.56 | 59,347 |
| Head Teacher | $51,715 | $4,310 | $24.86 | 73,756 |
| Elementary School Teacher | $52,161 | $4,347 | $25.08 | 84,607 |
| ESL Teacher | $52,701 | $4,392 | $25.34 | 63,897 |
| Reading Teacher | $55,452 | $4,621 | $26.66 | 68,234 |
How would you rate the starting salaries for long term substitute teachers, as well as the prospects for salary advancement?
Patricia Rogan Ph.D.
Professor, Special Education/Urban Teacher Education, Indiana University - Purdue University Indianapolis
Top companies hiring long term substitute teachers now:
Long term substitute teacher salaries at Capistrano Unified and The Archer School for Girls are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average long term substitute teacher salary at companies like Lake Zurich Community Unit School District 95 and Boston Public Schools are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Capistrano Unified | $64,798 | $31.15 |
| 2 | The Archer School for Girls | $62,752 | $30.17 |
| 3 | Lake Zurich Community Unit School District 95 | $61,263 | $29.45 |
| 4 | Boston Public Schools | $59,087 | $28.41 |
| 5 | Escalon | $58,121 | $27.94 |
| 6 | Strongsville City Schools | $56,907 | $27.36 |
| 7 | Excelsior Charter School | $55,606 | $26.73 |
| 8 | Oxnard Union High School District | $55,228 | $26.55 |
| 9 | Newton Public Schools | $55,164 | $26.52 |
| 10 | The Agnes Irwin School | $54,904 | $26.40 |
| 11 | Jefferson Elementary School District | $54,781 | $26.34 |
| 12 | Cheshire Academy | $54,232 | $26.07 |
| 13 | Little Lukes | $54,090 | $26.00 |
| 14 | Palatine School District 15 | $53,805 | $25.87 |
| 15 | French American International School | $53,799 | $25.86 |
| 16 | Orinda Union School District | $53,776 | $25.85 |
| 17 | Distinctive Schools | $53,457 | $25.70 |
| 18 | Renaissance Acquisition Holdings | $53,127 | $25.54 |
| 19 | Worcester Academy | $53,094 | $25.53 |
| 20 | Legacy Traditional Schools | $52,623 | $25.30 |
The average long term substitute teacher salary has risen by $5,690 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average long term substitute teacher earned $37,118 annually, but today, they earn $42,808 a year. That works out to a 9% change in pay for long term substitute teachers over the last decade.
Compare long term substitute teacher salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Compare long term substitute teacher salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $42,800 | $20.58 | +2.1% |
| 2025 | $41,900 | $20.15 | +2.4% |
| 2024 | $40,900 | $19.67 | +1.8% |
| 2023 | $40,200 | $19.30 | +2.4% |
| 2022 | $39,200 | $18.84 | +1.6% |
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The University of Chicago | Laboratory Schools: Mandarin/Chinese Long-Term Substitute Teacher | Chicago, IL | 06/30/2025 | $72,433 |
| High Tech High | 3Rd Grade Elementary Long-Term Substitute Teacher | Chula Vista, CA | 06/29/2025 | $63,280 |
| Stamford Public Schools | K.T. Murphy Elementary School: Long-Term Substitute English Learner (EL) Teacher | Stamford, CT | 06/28/2025 | $52,175 |
| Abby Kelley Foster Charter School | ES Long Term Substitute IA | Worcester, MA | 06/28/2025 | $39,131 |
| Grand Haven Area Public Schools | Long Term Substitute Teacher-English Language Learners (ELL) | Bowne, MI | 06/28/2025 | $39,131 |
| Making Waves Academy | Long-Term Substitute Teacher | Richmond, CA | 06/28/2025 | $77,402 |
| Somerville Public Schools | Long Term Substitute Teacher-Grade/25) | Somerville, MA | 06/28/2025 | $39,131 |
| Public School of North Carolina | Substitute Daily/Long Term | Chapel Hill, NC | 06/28/2025 | $32,609 |
| Francis Parker School | Physical Education Long-Term Substitute Teacher (August 21-November) | San Diego, CA | 06/27/2025 | $65,219 |
| Milford Public Schools | Long Term Substitute Spanish Teacher | Noank, CT | 06/27/2025 | $37,827 |
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