Substitute Teachers, Short-Term Salary in Boston, MA
Substitute Teachers, Short-Term in the Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH metro area earn a median $42,080 a year — 1% more than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $34,107 take-home, or $2,842 a month.
Take-home pay calculator
Pre-filled with the median substitute teachers, short-term salary in Boston, MA. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.
- Federal income tax$2,870
- Social Security (6.2%)$2,609
- Medicare (1.45%)$610
- Massachusetts income tax$1,884
- Take-home pay$34,107
Marginal rate: 12% federal + 5.00% state
The Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH metro spans Massachusetts, New Hampshire. Pick the state you live in — state income tax follows your residence.
Got an offer somewhere else? Compare it with this one after taxes and rent →
Substitute Teachers, Short-Term pay by experience in Boston, MA
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home / yr | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $33,750 | $16.23 | $27,831 | $2,319 |
| 25th percentile | $37,080 | $17.83 | $30,340 | $2,528 |
| Median (50th) | $42,080 | $20.23 | $34,107 | $2,842 |
| 75th percentile | $50,680 | $24.37 | $40,587 | $3,382 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $63,270 | $30.42 | $50,074 | $4,173 |
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, Massachusetts resident, 2026 tax rules.
What $42,080 buys in Boston, MA
Prices in Boston, MA are 8.3% higher than the U.S. average (housing costs are 1.48× the national average). Adjusted for local prices, a median substitute teachers, short-term's $34,107 take-home pay has the buying power of $31,503 in a typical American city.
Rents: HUD Fair Market Rents, FY2026 (40th-percentile gross rent incl. utilities). Price levels: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.
Substitute Teachers, Short-Term jobs are less concentrated in Boston, MA than nationally (location quotient 0.60), so openings may be scarcer.
Best-paying cities for substitute teachers, short-term, adjusted for cost of living
Boston, MA ranks #30 of 39 metro areas once taxes and local prices are taken into account.
| # | Metro area | Median salary | Take-home | Real value* |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bakersfield, CA | $66,480 | $52,626 | $52,164 |
| 2 | San Jose, CA | $72,330 | $56,200 | $50,895 |
| 3 | Stockton, CA | $65,190 | $51,710 | $49,206 |
| 4 | Riverside, CA | $60,780 | $48,530 | $45,593 |
| 5 | Seattle, WA | $60,070 | $50,446 | $45,393 |
| 6 | Sacramento, CA | $59,780 | $47,800 | $44,811 |
| 7 | Portland, OR | $61,190 | $46,822 | $44,414 |
| 8 | Fresno, CA | $54,890 | $44,228 | $43,293 |
| 30 | Boston, MA | $42,080 | $34,107 | $31,503 |
*Take-home pay divided by the BEA price level, so every city is measured in U.S.-average dollars. See all 39 metros →
About the job: substitute teachers, short-term
Teach students on a short-term basis as a temporary replacement for a regular classroom teacher, typically using the regular teacher’s lesson plan.
- Typical education
- Bachelor's degree
- Work experience
- None required
- On-the-job training
- None
- Job outlook, 2025–35
- +2.0% (slower than average)
Source: BLS Standard Occupational Classification and Employment Projections, 2025–35.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a substitute teachers, short-term make in Boston, MA?
The median substitute teachers, short-term salary in the Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH metro area is $42,080 a year, or about $20.23 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $37,080 and $50,680.
What is a substitute teachers, short-term’s take-home pay in Boston, MA?
On the median $42,080 salary, a single filer living in Massachusetts takes home about $34,107 a year ($2,842 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and $1,884 in Massachusetts taxes in 2026.
Is Boston, MA a good place to work as a substitute teachers, short-term?
Pay here is 1% above the national median of $41,670. Local prices are 8.3% above the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $31,503 would in a typical U.S. city. Boston, MA ranks #30 of 39 metro areas for cost-of-living-adjusted pay in this job.
Can a substitute teachers, short-term afford rent in Boston, MA?
HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in Boston, MA is $2,276 a month ($2,762 for two bedrooms) — 80% of a median substitute teachers, short-term’s monthly take-home pay. Financial planners usually suggest keeping rent under about 30%.
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