Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
The differences between teachers and substitute teachers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a teacher has an average salary of $47,989, which is higher than the $32,904 average annual salary of a substitute teacher.
The top three skills for a teacher include ESL, handle scheduling and kids. The most important skills for a substitute teacher are kids, math, and help support.
| Teacher | Substitute Teacher | |
| Yearly salary | $47,989 | $32,904 |
| Hourly rate | $23.07 | $15.82 |
| Growth rate | 4% | 4% |
| Number of jobs | 71,918 | 69,292 |
| Job satisfaction | 4.14 | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 64% | Bachelor's Degree, 67% |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Years of experience | - | - |
Being a teacher is one of the most passionate professions, among others. Teachers educate, motivate, and guide every generation of learners to prepare them for the real world. Every teacher is unique and has their own teaching styles and methods depending on the subject they teach and the age of their students. Oftentimes they also function as a parent, counselor, coach, friend, and even a lawmaker. There is essentially no limit to the roles a teacher portrays.
Substitute teachers are responsible for filling in the role of regular teachers who will not be able to come to school. They may be engaged short-term or long-term, depending on the need. Substitute teachers should have a deep understanding of the topics that are related to the subject matter and are appropriate to the learning level of the student. They should be able to advance the lessons while the regular teacher is unavailable. At times, they are required to create their own lesson plans. Substitute teachers should have the skills of regular teachers. They should also be flexible and adaptable.
Teachers and substitute teachers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Teacher | Substitute Teacher | |
| Average salary | $47,989 | $32,904 |
| Salary range | Between $32,000 And $70,000 | Between $23,000 And $45,000 |
| Highest paying City | Baltimore, MD | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | Maryland | Alaska |
| Best paying company | King Low Heywood Thomas | Ethical Culture Fieldston School |
| Best paying industry | Education | Education |
There are a few differences between a teacher and a substitute teacher in terms of educational background:
| Teacher | Substitute Teacher | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 64% | Bachelor's Degree, 67% |
| Most common major | Elementary Education | Elementary Education |
| Most common college | University of Pennsylvania | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between teachers' and substitute teachers' demographics:
| Teacher | Substitute Teacher | |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 25.7% Female, 74.3% | Male, 27.2% Female, 72.8% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 10.1% Unknown, 3.9% Hispanic or Latino, 12.9% Asian, 3.7% White, 68.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5% | Black or African American, 11.8% Unknown, 5.9% Hispanic or Latino, 16.0% Asian, 7.7% White, 58.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5% |
| LGBT Percentage | 9% | 11% |