Substitute Teachers, Short-Term Salary
The median pay for a substitute teachers, short-term in Texas is $32,040/year ($15.41/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $23K at the entry level to $39K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 91.49), which stretches that salary to about $35,020 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,415/month, about 61.4% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Texas. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $32K get you in Texas?
About substitute teachers, short-terms
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What this looks like in Texas
Pay for substitute teachers, short-term in Texas runs about 23% below the U.S. median of $42K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,415/month, which is 61.1% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 91.49 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 9% 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-terms.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Texas
Entry-level substitute teachers, short-terms (10th percentile) start around $23K. Mid-career wages sit at $32K. Top earners bring in $39K or more, a $16K spread from bottom to top.
Substitute Teachers, Short-Term salary by metro in Texas
21 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos | $34K | +7% | 1,910 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington | $34K | +7% | 8,050 |
| Midland | $33K | +2% | 560 |
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands | $33K | +2% | 9,600 |
| Laredo | $31K | -3% | 990 |
| Corpus Christi | $30K | -6% | 200 |
| San Antonio-New Braunfels | $30K | -8% | 1,170 |
| Abilene | $29K | -9% | 610 |
| Tyler | $29K | -9% | 240 |
| Wichita Falls | $29K | -10% | 240 |
| Odessa | $28K | -11% | N/A |
| Brownsville-Harlingen | $28K | -12% | 120 |
| Sherman-Denison | $27K | -15% | 50 |
| McAllen-Edinburg-Mission | $27K | -15% | 480 |
| Waco | $27K | -17% | 140 |
| Amarillo | $25K | -21% | 70 |
| El Paso | $25K | -22% | 1,170 |
| Longview | $25K | -23% | 150 |
| Lubbock | $24K | -26% | 100 |
| Killeen-Temple | $24K | -26% | 350 |
| College Station-Bryan | $23K | -29% | 80 |
Showing 1–10 of 21 metros
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BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Texas numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a substitute teachers, short-term afford a 2BR apartment alone in Texas?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $32K, rent takes 61.1% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,415/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $700/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 Texas?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new substitute teachers, short-terms typically earn — is $23K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,372/month. At HUD’s $1,415/month FMR, rent would take 103% 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 Texas?
Local pay runs 23% below the national median — $32K here vs. $42K nationally. Cost of living is 9% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Texas compare to the national average for substitute teachers, short-terms?
Texas pays $32K median vs. the U.S. average of $42K — that’s -23%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 91.49), the purchasing-power equivalent is $35K — below the national median.
How much do substitute teachers, short-terms make in Texas?
The median is $32,040 a year, that works out to about $15 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $22,870, and experienced substitute teachers, short-terms can clear $39,090. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $32K enough to live in Texas?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,315/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,415/month, which eats 61.1% 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 Texas?
Texas has a Regional Price Parity of 91.49 (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 $35,020 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.