Substitute Teachers, Short-Term Salary in Memphis, TN
Substitute Teachers, Short-Term in the Memphis, TN-MS-AR metro area earn a median $31,930 a year — 23% less than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $27,836 take-home, or $2,320 a month.
Take-home pay calculator
Pre-filled with the median substitute teachers, short-term salary in Memphis, TN. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.
- Federal income tax$1,652
- Social Security (6.2%)$1,980
- Medicare (1.45%)$463
- Tennessee income tax$0
- Take-home pay$27,836
Marginal rate: 12% federal + 0.00% state
The Memphis, TN-MS-AR metro spans Tennessee, Mississippi, Arkansas. Pick the state you live in — state income tax follows your residence.
Substitute Teachers, Short-Term pay by experience in Memphis, TN
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home / yr | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $23,100 | $11.11 | $20,633 | $1,719 |
| 25th percentile | $26,640 | $12.81 | $23,548 | $1,962 |
| Median (50th) | $31,930 | $15.35 | $27,836 | $2,320 |
| 75th percentile | $33,630 | $16.17 | $29,202 | $2,433 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $41,960 | $20.17 | $35,895 | $2,991 |
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, Tennessee resident, 2026 tax rules.
What $31,930 buys in Memphis, TN
Prices in Memphis, TN are 7.8% lower than the U.S. average (housing costs are 20% below the national average). Adjusted for local prices, a median substitute teachers, short-term's $27,836 take-home pay has the buying power of $30,198 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 Memphis, TN than nationally (location quotient 0.62), so openings may be scarcer.
Best-paying cities for substitute teachers, short-term, adjusted for cost of living
Memphis, TN ranks #121 of 151 metro areas once taxes and local prices are taken into account.
| # | Metro area | Median salary | Take-home | Real value* |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Beckley, WV | $58,250 | $47,097 | $53,296 |
| 2 | Bakersfield, CA | $66,480 | $52,626 | $52,164 |
| 3 | San Jose, CA | $72,330 | $56,200 | $50,895 |
| 4 | Merced, CA | $60,770 | $48,523 | $49,375 |
| 5 | Stockton, CA | $65,190 | $51,710 | $49,206 |
| 6 | Modesto, CA | $63,440 | $50,466 | $48,475 |
| 7 | Vallejo, CA | $66,000 | $52,285 | $48,198 |
| 8 | Chico, CA | $61,030 | $48,713 | $48,137 |
| 121 | Memphis, TN | $31,930 | $27,836 | $30,198 |
*Take-home pay divided by the BEA price level, so every city is measured in U.S.-average dollars. See all 151 metros →
Substitute Teachers, Short-Term salaries elsewhere in Tennessee
- Clarksville, TN — $34,280
- Nashville, TN — $30,820
Frequently asked questions
How much does a substitute teachers, short-term make in Memphis, TN?
The median substitute teachers, short-term salary in the Memphis, TN-MS-AR metro area is $31,930 a year, or about $15.35 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $26,640 and $33,630.
What is a substitute teachers, short-term’s take-home pay in Memphis, TN?
On the median $31,930 salary, a single filer living in Tennessee takes home about $27,836 a year ($2,320 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare in 2026.
Is Memphis, TN a good place to work as a substitute teachers, short-term?
Pay here is 23% below the national median of $41,670. Local prices are 7.8% below the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $30,198 would in a typical U.S. city. Memphis, TN ranks #121 of 151 metro areas for cost-of-living-adjusted pay in this job.
Can a substitute teachers, short-term afford rent in Memphis, TN?
HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in Memphis, TN is $1,137 a month ($1,263 for two bedrooms) — 49% of a median substitute teachers, short-term’s monthly take-home pay. Financial planners usually suggest keeping rent under about 30%.
Related jobs in Memphis, TN
- Health Specialties Teachers, Postsecondary — $128,860
- Instructional Coordinator — $73,110
- Career/Technical Education Teachers, Secondary School — $65,500
- Educational Instruction and Library Workers, All Other — $65,420
- Special Education Teachers, Kindergarten and Elementary School — $64,640
- Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education — $62,230
- Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education — $61,510
- Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education — $58,380
- Tutor — $49,640
- Preschool Teachers, Except Special Education — $36,250
- Self-Enrichment Teacher — $35,180
- Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondary — $29,330