Other Teachers and Instructors

How to become a Short-Term Substitute Teacher

Official title: Substitute Teachers, Short-Term

Also called: Building Sub (Building Substitute), Building Sub Teacher (Building Substitute Teacher), Child Development Sub Teacher (Child Development Substitute Teacher), ESL Sub (English as a Second Language Substitute), HS Sub Teacher (High School Substitute Teacher), Pre-School Sub Teacher (Pre-School Substitute Teacher), Short-Term Sub Teacher (Short-Term Substitute Teacher), Sub (Substitute), Sub Teacher (Substitute Teacher)

Teach students on a short-term basis as a temporary replacement for a regular classroom teacher, typically using the regular teacher's lesson plan.

Main tasks

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.
Supervise students during activities outside the classroom, such as recess, lunch, and field trips.
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.

How to become one

Typical education to start: Bachelor's degree

Pay · Outlook · AI and this job

Median pay: $41,670 a year The middle half earn $34,170 to $54,890.
About 556,100 people work in this job now, and about 567,000 are projected by 2035. (+2%)
People already use generative AI for some of this work. Microsoft Research rates its AI applicability as medium.

Questions people ask

How much does a Short-Term Substitute Teacher earn in the US?

Median full-time pay is $41,670 a year (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics). The middle half earn $34,170 to $54,890.

Is a Short-Term Substitute Teacher a growing career in the US?

Employment is projected to stay about the same by 2035: about 556,100 people now and 567,000 later (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics).

Do you need a degree to become a Short-Term Substitute Teacher?

Usually. 61% of people in this job hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

Will AI change the work of a Short-Term Substitute Teacher?

People already use generative AI for some of this work. Microsoft Research rates its AI applicability as medium.

Sources

Microsoft Research: Working with AI: AI applicability by occupation (2025-12-22 (built on O*NET 29.0)), CC BY 4.0, retrieved 2026-10-03
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Employment Projections (2025-35 (released 2026-08-27)), Public domain (BLS), retrieved 2026-10-03
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (May 2025), Public domain (BLS), retrieved 2026-10-03

Updated 2026-10-03

This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.