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Substitute instructor salary
Average substitute instructor salary
$36,159
Average Substitute Instructor Salary
The average salary for a substitute instructor is approximately $36,159 per year, equating to about $17 per hour. This figure can vary based on factors such as geographic location, years of experience, and the specific educational institution. For instance, substitute instructors in urban areas often earn more due to the higher cost of living.
Where Can a Substitute Instructor Earn More?
Substitute instructors can increase their earnings by teaching in states with higher average salaries. According to recent data, states like California and New York typically offer competitive pay for substitute educators. Additionally, major cities such as Los Angeles and New York City have higher demand for substitute teachers, leading to better compensation packages.
Experience and Salary Progression
Substitute instructors with more years of experience often see salary increases, as schools value their expertise and reliability. Furthermore, obtaining additional certifications can open doors to higher-paying positions within educational institutions.
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Where can a Substitute Instructor earn more?
Average substitute instructor salary by state
The average substitute instructor salary in Hawaii, California, and Arizona are the highest in the U.S. The lowest average substitute instructor salary states are North Carolina, Georgia, and South Carolina.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for substitute instructors
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Arizona | $39,433 | $18.96 |
| 2 | Vermont | $38,356 | $18.44 |
| 3 | Idaho | $36,515 | $17.56 |
| 4 | Illinois | $36,736 | $17.66 |
| 5 | Oregon | $37,030 | $17.80 |
| 6 | Nevada | $33,445 | $16.08 |
| 7 | New Hampshire | $34,293 | $16.49 |
| 8 | California | $39,756 | $19.11 |
| 9 | Iowa | $35,198 | $16.92 |
| 10 | Hawaii | $40,946 | $19.69 |
| 11 | Michigan | $32,726 | $15.73 |
| 12 | Louisiana | $34,188 | $16.44 |
| 13 | Utah | $34,869 | $16.76 |
| 14 | Wisconsin | $35,504 | $17.07 |
| 15 | Alabama | $34,970 | $16.81 |
| 16 | Kentucky | $34,126 | $16.41 |
| 17 | West Virginia | $34,552 | $16.61 |
| 18 | Nebraska | $33,142 | $15.93 |
| 19 | Texas | $34,154 | $16.42 |
| 20 | Colorado | $32,703 | $15.72 |
| 21 | Wyoming | $31,253 | $15.03 |
| 22 | Alaska | $33,707 | $16.21 |
| 23 | New Mexico | $32,096 | $15.43 |
| 24 | Mississippi | $32,265 | $15.51 |
| 25 | Washington | $34,745 | $16.70 |
| 26 | Maryland | $32,540 | $15.64 |
| 27 | Minnesota | $32,637 | $15.69 |
| 28 | Montana | $30,654 | $14.74 |
| 29 | Kansas | $31,301 | $15.05 |
| 30 | Massachusetts | $33,942 | $16.32 |
| 31 | Connecticut | $31,067 | $14.94 |
| 32 | Arkansas | $32,013 | $15.39 |
| 33 | Virginia | $31,800 | $15.29 |
| 34 | Rhode Island | $31,398 | $15.10 |
| 35 | Missouri | $31,714 | $15.25 |
| 36 | North Dakota | $30,364 | $14.60 |
| 37 | Pennsylvania | $31,049 | $14.93 |
| 38 | District of Columbia | $33,867 | $16.28 |
| 39 | New York | $31,149 | $14.98 |
| 40 | New Jersey | $29,978 | $14.41 |
| 41 | Florida | $30,178 | $14.51 |
| 42 | South Carolina | $28,049 | $13.49 |
| 43 | North Carolina | $28,283 | $13.60 |
| 44 | Ohio | $29,340 | $14.11 |
| 45 | Oklahoma | $28,536 | $13.72 |
| 46 | Delaware | $27,521 | $13.23 |
| 47 | Maine | $28,386 | $13.65 |
| 48 | Tennessee | $28,593 | $13.75 |
| 49 | Georgia | $28,272 | $13.59 |
| 50 | South Dakota | $27,301 | $13.13 |
| 51 | Indiana | $27,228 | $13.09 |
Highest paying cities for substitute instructors
The highest-paying cities for substitute instructors are Redwood City, CA, Phoenix, AZ, and Chicago, IL.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Redwood City, CA | $40,663 | $19.55 |
| 2 | Phoenix, AZ | $39,507 | $18.99 |
| 3 | Chicago, IL | $36,753 | $17.67 |
| 4 | Milwaukee, WI | $35,491 | $17.06 |
| 5 | Seattle, WA | $35,012 | $16.83 |
| 6 | Houston, TX | $34,134 | $16.41 |
| 7 | New Orleans, LA | $34,111 | $16.40 |
| 8 | Washington, DC | $33,894 | $16.30 |
| 9 | Castle Rock, CO | $32,773 | $15.76 |
| 10 | Prior Lake, MN | $32,633 | $15.69 |
| 11 | McLean, VA | $31,820 | $15.30 |
| 12 | Kansas City, MO | $31,814 | $15.30 |
| 13 | Philadelphia, PA | $31,156 | $14.98 |
| 14 | New Haven, CT | $31,085 | $14.94 |
| 15 | Billings, MT | $30,434 | $14.63 |
| 16 | Saint Petersburg, FL | $30,347 | $14.59 |
| 17 | Dayton, OH | $29,317 | $14.09 |
| 18 | Indianapolis, IN | $27,250 | $13.10 |
Substitute instructor salary details
A substitute instructor's salary ranges from $28,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $46,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a substitute instructor's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $46,000 | $3,833 | $22 |
| 75th Percentile | $41,000 | $3,417 | $20 |
| Average | $36,159 | $3,013 | $17 |
| 25th Percentile | $31,000 | $2,583 | $15 |
| 10th Percentile | $28,000 | $2,333 | $13 |
Highest paying substitute instructor jobs
The highest paying types of substitute instructors are vocational training instructor, instructor, and adjunct instructor.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Correspondence School Instructor | $42,601 | $3,550 | $20.48 | 67,548 |
| Long Term Substitute Teacher | $42,808 | $3,567 | $20.58 | 69,133 |
| Vocational Training Instructor | $56,294 | $4,691 | $27.06 | 46,814 |
| Substitute School Teacher | $33,215 | $2,768 | $15.97 | 82,842 |
| Substitute Teachers Aide | $27,488 | $2,291 | $13.22 | 77,249 |
| Learning Center Instructor | $33,129 | $2,761 | $15.93 | 59,893 |
How would you rate the starting salaries for substitute instructors, as well as the prospects for salary advancement?
David McMahan Ph.D.
Charles A. Dana Professor of Religious Studies, Franklin and Marshall College
Top companies hiring substitute instructors now:
Which companies pay substitute instructors the most?
Substitute instructor salaries at Erie 2-Chautauqua-Cattaraugus BOCES and San Diego College of Continuing Education are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average substitute instructor salary at companies like American Career College and Denver Public Schools are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Erie 2-Chautauqua-Cattaraugus BOCES | $44,189 | $21.24 |
| 2 | San Diego College of Continuing Education | $41,627 | $20.01 |
| 3 | American Career College | $40,338 | $19.39 |
| 4 | Denver Public Schools | $40,043 | $19.25 |
| 5 | Florida Institute of Technology | $39,578 | $19.03 |
| 6 | Orange-Ulster BOCES | $38,772 | $18.64 |
| 7 | Galileo | $38,508 | $18.51 |
| 8 | Hemet Unified School District | $38,333 | $18.43 |
| 9 | Alutiiq | $38,224 | $18.38 |
| 10 | Apache Junction Unified School District | $38,220 | $18.38 |
| 11 | Pico de Gallo | $37,946 | $18.24 |
| 12 | Taher, Inc. Professional Food Service Management | $37,833 | $18.19 |
| 13 | Home Builders Institute | $37,531 | $18.04 |
| 14 | Pima Medical Institute | $37,435 | $18.00 |
| 15 | Management & Training | $37,380 | $17.97 |
| 16 | Res-Care Premier | $36,069 | $17.34 |
| 17 | Associated Recreation Council | $36,015 | $17.31 |
| 18 | Kaplan | $35,925 | $17.27 |
| 19 | Job Corps | $35,354 | $17.00 |
| 20 | EXOS | $35,320 | $16.98 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Substitute instructor salary trends
The average substitute instructor salary has risen by $3,889 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average substitute instructor earned $32,270 annually, but today, they earn $36,159 a year. That works out to a 6% change in pay for substitute instructors over the last decade.
Compare substitute instructor salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average substitute instructor salary over time
Compare substitute instructor salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Substitute instructor salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $36,200 | $17.38 | +2.4% |
| 2024 | $35,300 | $16.96 | +0.3% |
| 2023 | $35,200 | $16.91 | +1.8% |
| 2022 | $34,600 | $16.61 | +1.7% |
| 2021 | $34,000 | $16.33 | +3.6% |
Recently added substitute instructor salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pico de Gallo | Trade Instructor Substitute | Tulsa, OK | 06/29/2025 | $41,740 |
| Pico de Gallo | Instructor, Academic Substitute | Imperial Beach, CA | 06/29/2025 | $62,735 |
| Monticello Public Schools | Substitute Instructor for Adult Basic Education (Stearns County Jail) | Nore, MN | 06/28/2025 | $56,349 |
| Eastern Oklahoma County Technology Center | Substitute Instructor | Choctaw, OK | 06/20/2025 | $52,175 |
| Passaic County Technical-Vocational Schools | Substitute Instructor | Wayne, NJ | 06/14/2025 | $45,653 |
| Vocational Schools | Substitute Instructor | Downe, NJ | 06/13/2025 | $45,653 |
| Passaic County Technical Institute | Substitute Instructor | Wayne, NJ | 06/13/2025 | $45,653 |
| ICA Language Services | Russian Substitute Instructor-Monterey, CA (Two-Week Assignment) | Ione, CA | 06/12/2025 | $77,219 |
| Galileo | Substitute Summer Instructor, Greater Seattle Area | Seattle, WA | 06/10/2025 | $37,566 |
| Galileo | Substitute Summer Instructor, Greater Chicago Area | Chicago, IL | 06/10/2025 | $34,436 |
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