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Best states for a substitute teacher
Quoted expert
Dr. Mark Williams Ph.D.
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It seems like substitute teachers are becoming more and more common across America. But working conditions and demand for substitute teachers aren't the same everywhere in the U.S. Although there are abundant substitute teacher jobs in the United States, a large number of them are in the South. Arizona is the best state in the country for substitute teacher jobs.
To that end, we dove into our dataset of job and salary numbers to figure out which states have the best opportunities for substitute teachers. Arizona is the best state for substitute teachers, where the median salary is $33,237.We found that the South is best for substitute teachers, and the West is the worst. San Francisco, CA is the best city in the country for substitute teacher jobs, where as Arizona is the best state in the country.
10 best states for substitute teachers in 2026
1. Arizona
Total substitute teacher jobs: 1,054 Average annual salary: $33,237 Lowest 10 percent earn: $23,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $47,000 Location Quotient: 1.6
2. Nevada
Total substitute teacher jobs: 615 Average annual salary: $31,047 Lowest 10 percent earn: $21,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $45,000 Location Quotient: 2.61
3. New Mexico
Total substitute teacher jobs: 315 Average annual salary: $30,732 Lowest 10 percent earn: $21,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $43,000 Location Quotient: 1.42
4. Michigan
Total substitute teacher jobs: 1,079 Average annual salary: $30,022 Lowest 10 percent earn: $21,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $42,000 Location Quotient: 1.23
5. Alaska
Total substitute teacher jobs: 74 Average annual salary: $39,750 Lowest 10 percent earn: $29,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $53,000 Location Quotient: 0.79
6. California
Total substitute teacher jobs: 2,731 Average annual salary: $38,660 Lowest 10 percent earn: $26,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $56,000 Location Quotient: 0.83
7. Vermont
Total substitute teacher jobs: 113 Average annual salary: $30,200 Lowest 10 percent earn: $21,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $43,000 Location Quotient: 1.31
8. Oregon
Total substitute teacher jobs: 367 Average annual salary: $37,742 Lowest 10 percent earn: $25,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $56,000 Location Quotient: 0.79
9. Washington
Total substitute teacher jobs: 605 Average annual salary: $38,025 Lowest 10 percent earn: $25,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $56,000 Location Quotient: 0.73
10. Wyoming
Total substitute teacher jobs: 95 Average annual salary: $28,598 Lowest 10 percent earn: $20,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $40,000 Location Quotient: 1.41
Substitute teacher jobsNear Columbus, OH
How Zippia determines the best states to be a substitute teacher
You can read about how the best state rankings are calculated here.
Detailed list of the best states for a substitute teacher
| Rank | State | Average salary | Lowest 10% earn | Population | Job count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Arizona | $33,237 | $23,000 | 7,016,270 | 1,054 |
| 2 | Nevada | $31,047 | $21,000 | 2,998,039 | 615 |
| 3 | New Mexico | $30,732 | $21,000 | 2,088,070 | 315 |
| 4 | Michigan | $30,022 | $21,000 | 9,962,311 | 1,079 |
| 5 | Alaska | $39,750 | $29,000 | 739,795 | 74 |
| 6 | California | $38,660 | $26,000 | 39,536,653 | 2,731 |
| 7 | Vermont | $30,200 | $21,000 | 623,657 | 113 |
| 8 | Oregon | $37,742 | $25,000 | 4,142,776 | 367 |
| 9 | Washington | $38,025 | $25,000 | 7,405,743 | 605 |
| 10 | Wyoming | $28,598 | $20,000 | 579,315 | 95 |
| 11 | Minnesota | $29,843 | $20,000 | 5,576,606 | 988 |
| 12 | North Dakota | $35,004 | $24,000 | 755,393 | 72 |
| 13 | Iowa | $30,148 | $21,000 | 3,145,711 | 347 |
| 14 | Nebraska | $29,209 | $20,000 | 1,920,076 | 272 |
| 15 | Colorado | $29,459 | $20,000 | 5,607,154 | 914 |
| 16 | Kansas | $28,828 | $20,000 | 2,913,123 | 365 |
| 17 | Idaho | $28,817 | $19,000 | 1,716,943 | 213 |
| 18 | Montana | $27,883 | $19,000 | 1,050,493 | 216 |
| 19 | Alabama | $30,559 | $21,000 | 4,874,747 | 289 |
| 20 | New York | $29,641 | $20,000 | 19,849,399 | 1,543 |
| 21 | Maine | $28,985 | $20,000 | 1,335,907 | 128 |
| 22 | Utah | $29,252 | $20,000 | 3,101,833 | 239 |
| 23 | South Dakota | $29,057 | $20,000 | 869,666 | 77 |
| 24 | New Jersey | $27,045 | $18,000 | 9,005,644 | 1,374 |
| 25 | Pennsylvania | $27,108 | $18,000 | 12,805,537 | 1,183 |
| 26 | Illinois | $26,722 | $18,000 | 12,802,023 | 1,821 |
| 27 | New Hampshire | $25,742 | $17,000 | 1,342,795 | 308 |
| 28 | Hawaii | $33,312 | $27,000 | 1,427,538 | 57 |
| 29 | Texas | $26,175 | $18,000 | 28,304,596 | 2,145 |
| 30 | Wisconsin | $27,158 | $19,000 | 5,795,483 | 455 |
| 31 | Louisiana | $25,769 | $18,000 | 4,684,333 | 307 |
| 32 | Connecticut | $24,792 | $17,000 | 3,588,184 | 662 |
| 33 | Tennessee | $25,690 | $18,000 | 6,715,984 | 540 |
| 34 | Massachusetts | $26,901 | $18,000 | 6,859,819 | 857 |
| 35 | Oklahoma | $24,240 | $17,000 | 3,930,864 | 386 |
| 36 | West Virginia | $25,802 | $18,000 | 1,815,857 | 81 |
| 37 | Rhode Island | $25,309 | $17,000 | 1,059,639 | 123 |
| 38 | Virginia | $26,264 | $18,000 | 8,470,020 | 886 |
| 39 | Delaware | $23,925 | $16,000 | 961,939 | 188 |
| 40 | Missouri | $24,960 | $17,000 | 6,113,532 | 574 |
| 41 | Arkansas | $24,573 | $17,000 | 3,004,279 | 217 |
| 42 | Maryland | $23,734 | $16,000 | 6,052,177 | 1,006 |
| 43 | Ohio | $24,050 | $17,000 | 11,658,609 | 843 |
| 44 | District of Columbia | $24,571 | $17,000 | 693,972 | 173 |
| 45 | Indiana | $23,023 | $16,000 | 6,666,818 | 706 |
| 46 | Florida | $23,018 | $16,000 | 20,984,400 | 1,700 |
| 47 | North Carolina | $22,585 | $16,000 | 10,273,419 | 1,021 |
| 48 | Mississippi | $23,362 | $16,000 | 2,984,100 | 193 |
| 49 | South Carolina | $21,742 | $15,000 | 5,024,369 | 510 |
| 50 | Kentucky | $22,677 | $16,000 | 4,454,189 | 259 |
| 51 | Georgia | $22,084 | $15,000 | 10,429,379 | 918 |
Highest paying states for substitute teachers
| Rank | State | Avg. Substitute Teacher Salary |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Arizona | $33,237 |
| 2 | Nevada | $31,047 |
| 3 | New Mexico | $30,732 |
| 4 | Michigan | $30,022 |
| 5 | Alaska | $39,750 |
| 6 | California | $38,660 |
| 7 | Vermont | $30,200 |
| 8 | Oregon | $37,742 |
| 9 | Washington | $38,025 |
| 10 | Wyoming | $28,598 |
| 11 | Minnesota | $29,843 |
| 12 | North Dakota | $35,004 |
| 13 | Iowa | $30,148 |
| 14 | Nebraska | $29,209 |
| 15 | Colorado | $29,459 |
| 16 | Kansas | $28,828 |
| 17 | Idaho | $28,817 |
| 18 | Montana | $27,883 |
| 19 | Alabama | $30,559 |
| 20 | New York | $29,641 |
| 21 | Maine | $28,985 |
| 22 | Utah | $29,252 |
| 23 | South Dakota | $29,057 |
| 24 | New Jersey | $27,045 |
| 25 | Pennsylvania | $27,108 |
| 26 | Illinois | $26,722 |
| 27 | New Hampshire | $25,742 |
| 28 | Hawaii | $33,312 |
| 29 | Texas | $26,175 |
| 30 | Wisconsin | $27,158 |
| 31 | Louisiana | $25,769 |
| 32 | Connecticut | $24,792 |
| 33 | Tennessee | $25,690 |
| 34 | Massachusetts | $26,901 |
| 35 | Oklahoma | $24,240 |
| 36 | West Virginia | $25,802 |
| 37 | Rhode Island | $25,309 |
| 38 | Virginia | $26,264 |
| 39 | Delaware | $23,925 |
| 40 | Missouri | $24,960 |
| 41 | Arkansas | $24,573 |
| 42 | Maryland | $23,734 |
| 43 | Ohio | $24,050 |
| 44 | District of Columbia | $24,571 |
| 45 | Indiana | $23,023 |
| 46 | Florida | $23,018 |
| 47 | North Carolina | $22,585 |
| 48 | Mississippi | $23,362 |
| 49 | South Carolina | $21,742 |
| 50 | Kentucky | $22,677 |
| 51 | Georgia | $22,084 |
Expert opinions on the best states for substitute teachers
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for substitute teachers to find work opportunities?
Dr. Mark Williams Ph.D.
Professor, Calvin University
If you mean in the field(s) of classics, some private schools and academies are hiring (still) Latin and Greek teachers, especially in the South and Southwest. In the upper Midwest and Northeast, not so much.
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Updated January 8, 2025