Substitute Teachers, Short-Term Salary
The median pay for a substitute teachers, short-term in Portland-South Portland, ME is $41,930/year ($20.16/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $35K at the entry level to $56K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 101.86), that's roughly $41,164 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $2,130/month, about 73.6% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $42K get you in Portland-South Portland?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Portland-South Portland’s Regional Price Parity (101.86). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
About substitute teachers, short-terms
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What this looks like in Portland-South Portland
Substitute teachers, short-term pay in Portland-South Portland tracks closely to the national median, $42K locally vs. $42K nationwide, a 1% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $2,130/month, which is 74.9% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost of living (RPP 101.86) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for substitute teachers, short-terms in metros near Portland-South Portland, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Bangor | $35K | $36K |
| Lewiston-Auburn | $35K | $37K |
| Manchester-Nashua | $35K | $33K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Portland-South Portland, ME
Entry-level substitute teachers, short-terms (10th percentile) start around $35K. Mid-career wages sit at $42K. Top earners bring in $56K or more, a $21K spread from bottom to top.
Substitute Teachers, Short-Term pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Substitute Teachers, Short-Term salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alaska | $67K | +61% | 1,420 |
| California | $60K | +45% | 115,660 |
| Hawaii | $59K | +40% | 3,990 |
| Oregon | $58K | +40% | 8,090 |
| Washington | $56K | +34% | 14,820 |
| Minnesota | $50K | +21% | 8,660 |
| District of Columbia | $50K | +19% | 750 |
| West Virginia | $49K | +18% | 4,840 |
| Maryland | $46K | +12% | 7,610 |
| Rhode Island | $46K | +9% | 1,910 |
| Pennsylvania | $45K | +8% | 22,360 |
| Wisconsin | $44K | +5% | 8,420 |
| New Jersey | $44K | +5% | 17,100 |
| New York | $43K | +4% | 36,090 |
| North Dakota | $43K | +2% | 420 |
| Massachusetts | $41K | -1% | 8,410 |
| Michigan | $40K | -5% | 3,600 |
| Illinois | $39K | -5% | 17,220 |
| Virginia | $39K | -6% | 24,350 |
| Georgia | $39K | -7% | 16,400 |
| Arizona | $39K | -8% | 4,710 |
| Connecticut | $38K | -8% | 5,950 |
| Vermont | $38K | -8% | 1,400 |
| Nebraska | $38K | -10% | 3,430 |
| Maine | $37K | -10% | N/A |
| Iowa | $37K | -11% | 7,300 |
| Ohio | $37K | -11% | 9,140 |
| Florida | $37K | -11% | 25,270 |
| Wyoming | $37K | -11% | 2,230 |
| Delaware | $37K | -12% | N/A |
| Utah | $36K | -12% | 4,710 |
| New Mexico | $36K | -13% | 3,510 |
| Indiana | $36K | -13% | 9,920 |
| Kansas | $36K | -13% | 9,360 |
| New Hampshire | $35K | -16% | 1,070 |
| Missouri | $35K | -17% | 11,480 |
| Idaho | $34K | -18% | 1,800 |
| North Carolina | $34K | -19% | 20,360 |
| Texas | $32K | -23% | 29,150 |
| South Carolina | $30K | -27% | 7,700 |
| Kentucky | $30K | -29% | 320 |
| Tennessee | $30K | -29% | 7,690 |
| Arkansas | $29K | -30% | 2,560 |
| Montana | $28K | -33% | 2,370 |
| South Dakota | $28K | -33% | 1,610 |
| Louisiana | $27K | -34% | 1,090 |
| Alabama | $25K | -39% | 9,290 |
| Nevada | $25K | -40% | 6,600 |
| Oklahoma | $24K | -43% | 4,990 |
| Mississippi | $22K | -46% | 2,390 |
Showing 1–10 of 50 states with published data
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track substitute teachers, short-term salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Portland-South Portland numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a substitute teachers, short-term afford a 2BR apartment alone in Portland-South Portland?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $42K, rent takes 74.9% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $2,130/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 Portland-South Portland?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new substitute teachers, short-terms typically earn — is $35K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,094/month. At HUD’s $2,130/month FMR, rent would take 102% 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 Portland-South Portland?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $42K locally vs. $42K nationally, a 1% difference.
How does Portland-South Portland compare to the national average for substitute teachers, short-terms?
Portland-South Portland pays $42K median vs. the U.S. average of $42K — that’s +1%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 101.86), the purchasing-power equivalent is $41K — below the national median.
How much do substitute teachers, short-terms make in Portland-South Portland, ME?
The median is $41,930 a year, that works out to about $20 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $34,900, and experienced substitute teachers, short-terms can clear $55,950. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $42K enough to live in Portland-South Portland?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,843/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $2,130/month, which eats 74.9% 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 Portland-South Portland?
Portland-South Portland has a Regional Price Parity of 101.86 (100 is the national average). Prices are above average here, so your dollar buys less than the same salary would in a cheaper metro. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median substitute teachers, short-term salary is worth about $41,164 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.