Occupations · Educational Instruction and Library
Substitute Teachers, Short-Term
Teach students on a short-term basis as a temporary replacement for a regular classroom teacher, typically using the regular teacher's lesson plan.
O*NET 30.3 Database (USDOL/ETA) · occupation code 25-3031.00
What it pays
A single “average salary” hides the spread. This is the whole distribution — the gap between the bottom and top bar is usually the number that matters.
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2024 · national, cross-industry · annual wage
Pay over time
Median up 34% between 2019 and 2024, before inflation. The band shows the 10th to 90th percentile.
BLS OEWS, one release per year. Before May 2011 only national estimates were published, so geography detail starts there.
Where the jobs are
| Metro area | Median wage | Employed |
|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $56,210 | 30,210 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA | $40,770 | 27,290 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | $57,740 | 14,750 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $39,990 | 14,560 |
| Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX | $30,890 | 11,270 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | $31,490 | 11,220 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI | $39,770 | 9,720 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA | $64,090 | 9,370 |
| San Diego-Carlsbad, CA | $55,740 | 9,240 |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | $38,390 | 8,960 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | $48,710 | 7,150 |
| Fresno, CA | $52,070 | 6,840 |
BLS OEWS May 2024, metropolitan estimates · the 12 areas with the most people in this occupation
Typical education to enter: Bachelor's degree · BLS Employment Projections 2024–34
What people in this job actually do
Ordered by how important the work is rated.
- Enforce school and class rules to maintain order in the classroom.
- Answer students' questions.
- Follow lesson plans designed by absent teachers.
- Take class attendance and maintain attendance records.
- Provide students with disabilities with assistive devices, supportive technology, or assistance accessing facilities, such as restrooms.
- Supervise students during activities outside the classroom, such as recess, lunch, and field trips.
- Organize and supervise games or other recreational activities.
- Assist students with boarding or exiting school buses.
- Teach social skills to students, such as communication, conflict resolution, and etiquette.
- Tutor or assist students individually or in small groups.
- Distribute or collect tests or homework assignments.
- Distribute teaching materials, such as textbooks, workbooks, papers, and pencils, to students.
O*NET 30.3 task ratings, importance scale
Skills that matter most
Importance, rated 1 to 5.
O*NET 30.3 skills, importance scale
Software and tools
A dot marks what O*NET flags as in demand.
O*NET 30.3 software skills · hot-technology flag
What this work is actually like
Conditions rated against the average across all occupations — only what makes this job different is listed.
O*NET 30.3 Job Zones
Working conditions that stand out
O*NET 30.3 work context, frequency scale · observed 2025-08
How people actually get in
Share of workers by the education they hold.
O*NET 30.2 education, training and experience · observed 2025-08
What kind of person the work suits
Occupational interest profile, rated 1 to 7.
O*NET 30.2 occupational interests (RIASEC)
Tasks O*NET flags as emerging
- Provide teachers with notes summarizing the day's activities and feedback on any issues or events that occurred.
O*NET 30.3 emerging tasks
What you take with you
Skills rated for how well they transfer into other occupations.
O*NET 30.3 transferable skills, importance scale
Knowledge the work draws on
Abilities it leans on
O*NET 30.3 abilities and knowledge, importance scale
How this job is advertised
The same work is posted under many titles — this is what to search for.
O*NET 30.3 job titles reported for this occupation
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What changed since 2021
Comparing O*NET release 25.2 (2021-02-01) with 30.3 (2026-05-01). Signs, not colour alone, carry the meaning.
Now listed 3
Diff across the O*NET releases held here in full since October 2015, following occupations through merges and retirements. O*NET re-surveys occupations on a rolling cycle, so “no change” can also mean “not re-surveyed”.
Related jobs
O*NET 30.3 related occupations
Also called
O*NET 30.3 alternative titles
The same work in Europe
| ESCO occupation | ISCO | Match |
|---|---|---|
| secondary school teaching assistant | 5312.3 | close |
| primary school teaching assistant | 5312.2 | close |
| secondary school teacher | 2330.1 | close |
Official ESCO ↔ O*NET crosswalk (ESCO Secretariat with USDOL/ETA)
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