Substitute Teachers, Short-Term Salary
The median pay for a substitute teachers, short-term in South Dakota is $27,840/year ($13.39/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $26K at the entry level to $35K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 89.89), which stretches that salary to about $30,971 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,017/month, about 49.1% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across South Dakota. Jump to a metro for precise data:
Where the paycheck goes
What $28K actually covers in South Dakota, month by month
About substitute teachers, short-terms
Sponsored links, AffordMap may earn a commission at no cost to you. Learn more
What this looks like in South Dakota
Pay for substitute teachers, short-term in South Dakota runs about 33% below the U.S. median of $42K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,017/month, which is 50% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 89.89 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 10% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. That combination, below-market pay with high housing costs, makes this a financially demanding market for substitute teachers, short-term.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, South Dakota
Entry-level substitute teachers, short-terms (10th percentile) start around $26K. Mid-career wages sit at $28K. Top earners bring in $35K or more, a $9K spread from bottom to top.
Substitute Teachers, Short-Term salary by metro in South Dakota
2 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sioux Falls | $30K | +9% | 400 |
| Rapid City | $29K | +3% | 100 |
Compare to other states
Track substitute teachers, short-term salary changes
BLS updates this data annually. We'll email you when South Dakota numbers change.
Related careers in Education
Quick answers
The stuff people actually ask about this job
Can a substitute teachers, short-term afford a 2BR apartment alone in South Dakota?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $28K, rent takes 50% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,017/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $600/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 South Dakota?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new substitute teachers, short-terms typically earn — is $26K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,879/month. At HUD’s $1,017/month FMR, rent would take 54% 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 South Dakota?
Local pay runs 33% below the national median — $28K here vs. $42K nationally. Cost of living is 10% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does South Dakota compare to the national average for substitute teachers, short-terms?
South Dakota pays $28K median vs. the U.S. average of $42K — that’s -33%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 89.89), the purchasing-power equivalent is $31K — below the national median.
How much do substitute teachers, short-terms make in South Dakota?
The median is $27,840 a year, that works out to about $13 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $25,560, and experienced substitute teachers, short-terms can clear $34,700. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $28K enough to live in South Dakota?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,034/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,017/month, which eats 50% 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 South Dakota?
South Dakota has a Regional Price Parity of 89.89 (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 $30,971 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.