What is a certified substitute teacher and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025
3 min read
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There is more than meets the eye when it comes to being a certified substitute teacher. For example, did you know that they make an average of $17.87 an hour? That's $37,177 a year! Between 2018 and 2028, the career is expected to grow 4% and produce 55,400 job opportunities across the U.S.
ScoreCertified Substitute TeacherUS Average
Salary
2.9

Avg. Salary $37,177

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability Level
4.5

Growth Rate 4%

Growth Rate 0.3%

Diversity
10.0
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.49%

Asian 7.94%

Black or African American 11.57%

Hispanic or Latino 15.70%

Unknown 5.84%

White 58.45%

Gender

female 73.10%

male 26.90%

Age - 42
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 42
Stress Level
4.5

Stress level is manageable

7.1 - high

Complexity Level
5.4

Complexity Level is intermediate

7 - challenging

Work Life Balance
10.0

Work Life balance is excellent

6.4 - fair

Certified Substitute Teacher career paths

Key steps to become a certified substitute teacher

  1. Explore certified substitute teacher education requirements

    Most common certified substitute teacher degrees

    Bachelor's

    68.8 %

    Master's

    13.8 %

    Associate

    12.8 %
  2. Start to develop specific certified substitute teacher skills

    Skills
    ascdesc
    Percentages
    ascdesc
    Classroom Management41.03%
    Student Learning9.00%
    Classroom Environment7.58%
    Substitute Teaching6.17%
    Public Schools4.29%
  3. Research certified substitute teacher duties and responsibilities

    • Manage substitute teaching responsibilities in elementary and secondary school including ESL and bilingual programs.
    • Teach Pre-K through 8th grade, all subjects.
    • Plan & implement lessons for Pre-K - 8th grade
    • Major subjects are mathematics, sciences, and history.
  4. Prepare your certified substitute teacher resume

    When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your certified substitute teacher resume.

    You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a certified substitute teacher resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

    Choose From 10+ Customizable Certified Substitute Teacher Resume templates

    Build a professional Certified Substitute Teacher resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your Certified Substitute Teacher resume.
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  5. Apply for certified substitute teacher jobs

    Now it's time to start searching for a certified substitute teacher job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

    1. Browse job boards for relevant postings
    2. Consult your professional network
    3. Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
    4. Watch out for job scams

How Did You Land Your First Certified Substitute Teacher Job

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Average certified substitute teacher salary

The average Certified Substitute Teacher salary in the United States is $37,177 per year or $18 per hour. Certified substitute teacher salaries range between $28,000 and $47,000 per year.

Average Certified Substitute Teacher Salary
$37,177 Yearly
$17.87 hourly

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How do certified substitute teachers rate their job?

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Certified Substitute Teacher reviews

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A zippia user wrote a review on Jul 2019
Cons

not full time, no benefits, out of work for summer months

Pros

the flexibility of the job and picking assignments you want to do.


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Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

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