Teacher shortages are a problem that affect schools every year. One of the biggest factors in solving this issue is raising substitute teacher salaries so that more people want to become substitute teachers.
If you’re a certified substitute teacher in Georgia, your salary will vary depending on your experience, location and type of school.
Certified Substitute Teacher Salary in Georgia
There are many factors that affect the amount of money a substitute teacher makes. The most common factor is experience. The more experienced you are as a substitute, the more money you can expect to earn. According to PayScale, the average starting salary for an inexperienced substitute teacher is $17,000 per year and the average salary for an experienced substitute is $30,000 per year.
Another factor that impacts your pay as a substitute teacher is where you live. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), teachers in Georgia earn an average annual income of $46,740 per year (as of May 2015). This number represents one of the highest salaries for teachers in the nation; however it does not mean that all teachers in Georgia earn this amount annually. In fact, according to PayScale’s research from 2014-2015 data from over 1 million users nationwide who reported their income and education level information, teachers in Georgia earn an average annual salary of $43,000 per year. This means that both inexperienced and experienced substitutes
How Much Do Substitute Teachers Make?
As a substitute teacher, you can expect to be paid by the day, whether you are teaching in an elementary, middle, or high school. Depending upon the state, school district, your certification status, and whether or not you have a college degree, pay can vary dramatically, ranging anywhere from as low as $20 to as much as $190 per day.
One way your per-day pay can increase after a set number of days is served. For example, in Alaska, state-certified substitute teachers are paid as much as $120 per day for short-term assignments, and up to $140 per day for assignments lasting more than 20 days.
Many districts offer monetary incentives in the form of daily pay increases or bonuses for substitutes who work more than a certain number of days in the school year. For instance, some Ohio districts not only pay substitutes $75-$100 per day, but they also offer benefits such as a monetary bonus after substituting for a set number of days.
Additional benefits on top of your daily pay is an uncommon practice. As a substitute, you should not expect to qualify for any type of benefits unless you can join a substitute teacher union that provides the option to receive health, vision, and dental insurance.
Licensure and certification can also increase your pay. For example, in North Carolina, licensed teachers or those with a degree earn $71 per day whereas those who are unlicensed or don’t have a degree earn $55 per day. Keep in mind, that per-day wages will vary depending on the school district your teaching in.
Average Substitute Teacher Salary
The national average annual salary for substitute teachers in elementary and secondary schools was $31,510 in 2017. However, just as daily pay varies from state to state, the average salary a substitute teacher makes can be significantly different in different regions or cities within a state.
Top-paying states for substitute teachers include Hawaii, Alaska, Oregon, and California, with average salaries ranging between $40,000-$46,000 per year. Metropolitan areas tend to offer substitutes a slightly higher average salary than non-metropolitan locations. For instance, in the metropolitan area of San Jose, California, the annual mean wage for a substitute teacher is $44,670, while in the more rural North Valley region of California, the average salary is $40,870.
Substitute Teacher Salary by Stateand top 10% of earners, check out the table below.
| State | Average Annual Wage | Bottom 10% Annual Wage | Top 10% Annual Wage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $18,550 | $15,980 | $22,520 |
| Alaska | $41,450 | $26,210 | $60,420 |
| Arizona | $30,150 | $21,220 | $40,040 |
| California | $40,920 | $31,880 | $52,240 |
| Connecticut | $32,540 | $21,560 | $45,280 |
| Delaware | $25,280 | $18,540 | $30,580 |
| District of Columbia | $39,020 | $26,630 | $49,750 |
| Florida | $25,800 | $18,310 | $36,590 |
| Georgia | $23,050 | $16,510 | $34,180 |
| Hawaii | $46,210 | $37,920 | $58,540 |
| Idaho | $21,160 | $16,410 | $28,530 |
| Illinois | $38,610 | $20,570 | $57,160 |
| Indiana | $22,380 | $16,670 | $29,590 |
| Iowa | $29,520 | $24,450 | $37,500 |
| Kansas | $32,410 | $19,850 | $40,160 |
| Kentucky | $22,260 | $16,710 | $29,700 |
| Louisiana | $26,300 | $17,170 | $37,210 |
| Maine | $23,790 | $19,620 | $29,380 |
| Maryland | * | * | * |
| Massachusetts | $32,020 | $22,990 | $45,640 |
| Michigan | $27,750 | $20,400 | $35,220 |
| Minnesota | $38,100 | $27,100 | $54,410 |
| Mississippi | $21,220 | $16,160 | $24,250 |
| Missouri | $26,200 | $18,420 | $31,610 |
| Montana | $22,930 | $18,200 | $29,090 |
| Nebraska | $34,990 | $26,630 | $46,560 |
| Nevada | $27,230 | $22,500 | $30,760 |
| New Hampshire | $23,760 | $19,710 | 29,440 |
| New Jersey | $30,420 | $22,840 | $37,300 |
| New Mexico | $24,090 | $16,900 | $33,230 |
| New York | $38,630 | $22,460 | $54,280 |
| North Carolina | $23,880 | $19,350 | $29,840 |
| North Dakota | $36,430 | $24,080 | $48,250 |
| Ohio | $29,620 | $20,030 | $39,120 |
| Oklahoma | $26,080 | $16,210 | $44,370 |
| Oregon | $44,730 | $40,470 | $50,320 |
| Pennsylvania | $32,740 | $19,880 | $38,100 |
| Rhode Island | $30,820 | $20,550 | $44,100 |
| South Carolina | $23,820 | $16,970 | $30,600 |
| South Dakota | $28,130 | S23,490 | $32,020 |
| Tennessee | $19,970 | $16,060 | $24,590 |
| Texas | $23,990 | $17,500 | $30,280 |
| Utah | $29,050 | $17,540 | $46,540 |
| Vermont | $31,800 | $21,380 | $44,520 |
| Virginia | * | * | * |
| Washington | $38,590 | $31,420 | $48,770 |
| West Virginia | $36,430 | $19,120 | $48,620 |
| Wisconsin | $33,830 | $25,210 | $46,550 |
| Wyoming | $30,440 | $25,400 | $37,590 |
