How to hire a substitute teachers aide

How to hire a substitute teachers aide, step by step

Here's a step-by-step substitute teachers aide hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write a substitute teachers aide job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new substitute teachers aide
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does a substitute teachers aide do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   The substitute teachers aide hiring process starts by determining what type of worker you actually need. Certain roles might require a full-time employee, whereas part-time workers or contractors can do others.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   A substitute teachers aide's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, substitute teachers aides from different industries or fields will have radically different experiences and will bring different viewpoints to the role. You also need to consider the candidate's previous level of experience to make sure they'll be comfortable with the job's level of seniority.

   This list presents substitute teachers aide salaries for various positions.

   Type of Substitute Teachers Aide	Description	Hourly rate
   Substitute Teachers Aide	Teacher assistants work under a teacher’s supervision to give students additional attention and instruction.	$10-15
   Para Educator	Paraeducators' primary role is to provide students with extra guidance and support outside or inside the classroom. They are also called paraprofessional educators or teaching assistants who are expected to support teachers... Show more	$11-18
   Education Paraprofessional	An education paraprofessional's role is to carry out support tasks for a teacher in a school setting. They are responsible for creating learning materials such as visual aids and presentations, participating in devising lesson plans and assessment methods, grading and evaluating student performances, and even maintaining order in the classroom... Show more	$11-18

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • CPR
   • Classroom Management
   • Mathematics
   • K-12
   • Classroom Environment
   • Teacher Aides
   • Pre-K
   • Student Learning
   • Instructional Materials
   • Autistic Children
   • IEP
   • Lunch Room
   • Physical Education
   • Developmental Disabilities

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Help ESL students achieve their academic goals while they learn a new language and adapt to a new community and culture.
   • Substitute teacher and aide for all ages from Pre-K to high school
   • Aid classroom teachers in executing each student's IEP and evaluating students' needs and progress.
   • Assist lead and assistant teachers with implementing lesson plans and IEP goals for each individual student in their classrooms.
   • Work alongside teachers in a close classroom with children grades Pre-K through 6th grade with profound autism and special needs.
   • Assist students requiring additional help in mathematics.

   More substitute teachers aide duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your substitute teachers aide job description is a great way to entice the best and brightest candidates. A substitute teachers aide salary can vary based on several factors:

   • Location. For example, substitute teachers aides' average salary in florida is 35% less than in massachusetts.
   • Seniority. Entry-level substitute teachers aides earn 33% less than senior-level substitute teachers aides.
   • Certifications. A substitute teachers aide with a few certifications under their belt will likely demand a higher salary.
   • Company. Working for a prestigious company or an exciting start-up can make a huge difference in a substitute teachers aide's salary.

   Average substitute teachers aide salary

   $13.22hourly

   $27,488 yearly

   ---

   Entry-level substitute teachers aide salary

   $22,000 yearly salary

   Updated January 19, 2026

   Average substitute teachers aide salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	Arizona	$30,003	$14
   2	New York	$29,946	$14
   3	California	$29,152	$14
   4	Colorado	$28,211	$14
   5	Illinois	$28,114	$14
   6	Montana	$26,288	$13
   7	Idaho	$24,329	$12
   8	Texas	$23,993	$12
   9	Georgia	$23,455	$11
   10	Maryland	$23,357	$11

   Average substitute teachers aide salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	University Settlement	$36,210	$17.41
   2	Erie 2-Chautauqua-Cattaraugus BOCES	$31,607	$15.20	9
   3	EASTCONN	$29,696	$14.28	11
   4	San Jose Charter Academy	$29,093	$13.99	2
   5	East Whittier City School District	$28,490	$13.70	1
   6	Gateway Longview	$28,426	$13.67	2
   7	Erie 1 Boces	$28,401	$13.65
   8	Morton High School	$28,262	$13.59	31
   9	Telamon	$28,216	$13.57
   10	Kelly Services	$28,117	$13.52	771
   11	Madera County Superintendent of Schools	$28,091	$13.51	5
   12	GST BOCES	$28,043	$13.48
   13	Tomball ISD	$27,957	$13.44	17
   14	ywcacentralmass	$27,856	$13.39
   15	Buffalo Schools	$27,595	$13.27	6
   16	Lancaster School District	$27,494	$13.22	29
   17	E Center	$27,310	$13.13	8
   18	Thames Valley Council for Community Action Inc	$27,087	$13.02
   19	Orleans/niagara Boces	$27,047	$13.00	4
   20	Northern Arizona Council Of Governments	$27,007	$12.98	10

4. Writing a substitute teachers aide job description

   A good substitute teachers aide job description should include a few things:

   • Summary of the role
   • List of responsibilities
   • Required skills and experience

   Including a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager is also appreciated by candidates. Here's an example of a substitute teachers aide job description:

   Substitute teachers aide job description example

   • Be able to sit on floor and interact with children.
   • Hear children from a distance of at least 70 feet.
   • Lift and carry at least 30 lbs unassisted and 50 lbs with assistance.
   • Visually observe children from all areas of the classroom and playground from a distance of at least 70 feet.

   EDUCATION, TRAINING, AND EXPERIENCE:

   • High School diploma or GED
   • CDA or Degree in Early Childhood Education is a plus

   PHYSICAL DEMANDS:

   The Substitute Teacher may be required to lift and carry children and equipment. The Substitute Teacher will at times spend time sitting on the floor or child sized furniture. The Substitute Teacher will be expected to clean and maintain equipment and facility, and move throughout the community with children. The Substitute Teacher may come in contact with children who are ill and/or contagious, and must take precautions to ensure the health and safety of all children, parents, staff and themselves. Lift and carry at least 30 lbs unassisted and 50 lbs with assistance. The Substitute Teacher will be working in a busy and occasionally noisy environment where there may be a number of activities and situations happening at once.

   Performing General Physical Activities – The Substitute Teacher will be expected to perform physical activities that require considerable use of their arms and legs and moving their whole body, such as climbing, lifting, balancing, walking, stooping, and handling of materials.

   EVALUATION:

   Performance of this job will be evaluated consistent with Sheltering Arms evaluation policy.

   PAY:

   The pay range for this job is commensurate with the applicant's level of education. The range for short-term substitutes is $9.00-$11.50 an hour.

   Date Established:
   Date(s) Revised:

   This description may be changed at any time. This job description in no way states or implies that these are the only duties to be performed by the employee. The employee will be required to follow any other instructions and to perform any other related duties as assigned by leadership. Sheltering Arms reserves the right to update, revise or change this job description and related duties at any time.

   Full vaccination is a condition of employment for a full-time and part-time Sheltering Arms employees, long-term substitutes, and interns, regardless of date of hire at time of hire or no later than 60 days from date of hire. As with current employees, Sheltering Arms will consider job applicants' requests for reasonable accommodation for disability or sincerely held religious belief.

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5. Post your job

   There are a few common ways to find substitute teachers aides for your business:

   • Promoting internally or recruiting from your existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals from friends, family members, and current employees.
   • Attend job fairs at local colleges to meet candidates with the right educational background.
   • Use social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to recruit passive job-seekers.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your substitute teachers aide job on Zippia to find and recruit substitute teachers aide candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   Your first interview with substitute teachers aide candidates should focus on their interest in the role and background experience. As the hiring process goes on, you can learn more about how they'd fit into the company culture in later rounds of interviews.

   Remember to include a few questions that allow candidates to expand on their strengths in their own words. Asking about their unique skills might reveal things you'd miss otherwise. At this point, good candidates can move on to the technical interview.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new substitute teachers aide

   Once you've found the substitute teachers aide candidate you'd like to hire, it's time to write an offer letter. This should include an explicit job offer that includes the salary and the details of any other perks. Qualified candidates might be looking at multiple positions, so your offer must be competitive if you like the candidate. Also, be prepared for a negotiation stage, as candidates may way want to tweak the details of your initial offer. Once you've settled on these details, you can draft a contract to formalize your agreement.

   It's also good etiquette to follow up with applicants who don't get the job by sending them an email letting them know that the position has been filled.

   To prepare for the new employee's start date, you can create an onboarding schedule and complete any necessary paperwork, such as employee action forms and onboarding documents like I-9 forms, benefits enrollment, and federal and state tax forms. Human Resources should also ensure that a new employee file is created.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

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How much does it cost to hire a substitute teachers aide?