Substitute Teachers, Short-Term Salary
The median pay for a substitute teachers, short-term in Pennsylvania is $44,870/year ($21.57/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $30K at the entry level to $64K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 94.97), which stretches that salary to about $47,246 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,351/month, about 43.3% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Pennsylvania. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $45K get you in Pennsylvania?
About substitute teachers, short-terms
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What this looks like in Pennsylvania
Substitute teachers, short-term pay in Pennsylvania tracks closely to the national median, $45K locally vs. $42K nationwide, a 8% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,351/month, which is 44.2% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 94.97 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 5% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Pennsylvania
Entry-level substitute teachers, short-terms (10th percentile) start around $30K. Mid-career wages sit at $45K. Top earners bring in $64K or more, a $33K spread from bottom to top.
Substitute Teachers, Short-Term salary by metro in Pennsylvania
12 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Erie | $50K | +10% | 400 |
| Reading | $46K | +3% | 1,140 |
| Lebanon | $46K | +2% | 240 |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington | $46K | +2% | 11,210 |
| Harrisburg-Carlisle | $43K | -3% | 620 |
| York-Hanover | $43K | -4% | 410 |
| Altoona | $42K | -6% | 70 |
| Pittsburgh | $42K | -7% | 2,230 |
| Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton | $39K | -14% | 690 |
| Lancaster | $38K | -14% | 180 |
| Scranton--Wilkes-Barre | $37K | -17% | 740 |
| Gettysburg | $35K | -22% | 40 |
Showing 1–10 of 12 metros
Compare to other states
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BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Pennsylvania numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a substitute teachers, short-term afford a 2BR apartment alone in Pennsylvania?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $45K, rent takes 44.2% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,351/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $900/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for substitute teachers, short-terms in Pennsylvania?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new substitute teachers, short-terms typically earn — is $30K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,828/month. At HUD’s $1,351/month FMR, rent would take 74% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is substitute teachers, short-term a high-paying job in Pennsylvania?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $45K locally vs. $42K nationally, a 8% difference.
How does Pennsylvania compare to the national average for substitute teachers, short-terms?
Pennsylvania pays $45K median vs. the U.S. average of $42K — that’s +8%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 94.97), the purchasing-power equivalent is $47K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do substitute teachers, short-terms make in Pennsylvania?
The median is $44,870 a year, that works out to about $22 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $30,470, and experienced substitute teachers, short-terms can clear $63,930. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $45K enough to live in Pennsylvania?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,059/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,351/month, which eats 44.2% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.
How far does a substitute teachers, short-term salary go in Pennsylvania?
Pennsylvania has a Regional Price Parity of 94.97 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median substitute teachers, short-term salary is worth about $47,246 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do substitute teachers, short-terms get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.