Substitute Teachers, Short-Term Salary in Philadelphia, PA
Substitute Teachers, Short-Term in the Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD metro area earn a median $45,680 a year — 10% more than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $37,482 take-home, or $3,123 a month.
Take-home pay calculator
Pre-filled with the median substitute teachers, short-term salary in Philadelphia, PA. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.
- Federal income tax$3,302
- Social Security (6.2%)$2,832
- Medicare (1.45%)$662
- Pennsylvania income tax$1,402
- Take-home pay$37,482
Marginal rate: 12% federal + 3.07% state
Living in Philadelphia? City residents also pay Philadelphia’s Resident Wage Tax — about $1,708 a year on this salary — which lowers take-home pay to $35,773 ($2,981 a month). Choose “Philadelphia” under City income tax in the calculator. Suburban residents usually don’t pay it.
The Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD metro spans Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland. 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 Philadelphia, PA
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home / yr | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $33,800 | $16.25 | $28,301 | $2,358 |
| 25th percentile | $36,880 | $17.73 | $30,681 | $2,557 |
| Median (50th) | $45,680 | $21.96 | $37,482 | $3,123 |
| 75th percentile | $46,980 | $22.59 | $38,486 | $3,207 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $60,550 | $29.11 | $48,973 | $4,081 |
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, Pennsylvania resident, 2026 tax rules.
What $45,680 buys in Philadelphia, PA
Prices in Philadelphia, PA are 2.6% higher than the U.S. average (housing costs are 1.13× the national average). Adjusted for local prices, a median substitute teachers, short-term's $37,482 take-home pay has the buying power of $36,548 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 about as common in Philadelphia, PA as in the U.S. overall (location quotient 1.15).
Best-paying cities for substitute teachers, short-term, adjusted for cost of living
Philadelphia, PA ranks #17 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 |
| 17 | Philadelphia, PA | $45,680 | $37,482 | $36,548 |
*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 Philadelphia, PA?
The median substitute teachers, short-term salary in the Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD metro area is $45,680 a year, or about $21.96 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $36,880 and $46,980.
What is a substitute teachers, short-term’s take-home pay in Philadelphia, PA?
On the median $45,680 salary, a single filer living in Pennsylvania takes home about $37,482 a year ($3,123 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and $1,402 in Pennsylvania taxes in 2026.
Is Philadelphia, PA a good place to work as a substitute teachers, short-term?
Pay here is 10% above the national median of $41,670. Local prices are 2.6% above the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $36,548 would in a typical U.S. city. Philadelphia, PA ranks #17 of 39 metro areas for cost-of-living-adjusted pay in this job.
Can a substitute teachers, short-term afford rent in Philadelphia, PA?
HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in Philadelphia, PA is $1,520 a month ($1,810 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 Philadelphia, PA
- Health Specialties Teachers, Postsecondary — $108,150
- Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education — $80,560
- Special Education Teachers, Secondary School — $79,760
- Special Education Teachers, Middle School — $78,860
- Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education — $78,570
- Instructional Coordinator — $78,400
- Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education — $78,130
- Librarian and Media Collections Specialist — $77,330
- Special Education Teachers, Kindergarten and Elementary School — $74,290
- Self-Enrichment Teacher — $46,650
- Preschool Teachers, Except Special Education — $36,750
- Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondary — $36,080