Substitute Teachers, Short-Term Salary in San Diego, CA
Substitute Teachers, Short-Term in the San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA metro area earn a median $59,860 a year — 44% more than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $47,858 take-home, or $3,988 a month.
Take-home pay calculator
Pre-filled with the median substitute teachers, short-term salary in San Diego, CA. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.
- Federal income tax$5,003
- Social Security (6.2%)$3,711
- Medicare (1.45%)$868
- California income tax$1,641
- CA State Disability Insurance (SDI)$778
- Take-home pay$47,858
Marginal rate: 12% federal + 6.00% state
Got an offer somewhere else? Compare it with this one after taxes and rent →
Substitute Teachers, Short-Term pay by experience in San Diego, CA
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home / yr | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $38,990 | $18.75 | $32,453 | $2,704 |
| 25th percentile | $53,080 | $25.52 | $42,905 | $3,575 |
| Median (50th) | $59,860 | $28.78 | $47,858 | $3,988 |
| 75th percentile | $65,890 | $31.68 | $52,207 | $4,351 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $78,590 | $37.78 | $60,017 | $5,001 |
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, California resident, 2026 tax rules.
What $59,860 buys in San Diego, CA
Prices in San Diego, CA are 11.9% higher than the U.S. average (housing costs are 1.79× the national average). Adjusted for local prices, a median substitute teachers, short-term's $47,858 take-home pay has the buying power of $42,774 in a typical American city.
Rents: HUD Fair Market Rents, FY2026 (40th-percentile gross rent incl. utilities). Price levels: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.
San Diego, CA has 1.8× the national concentration of substitute teachers, short-term jobs — a strong local market for this occupation.
Best-paying cities for substitute teachers, short-term, adjusted for cost of living
San Diego, CA ranks #9 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 |
| 9 | San Diego, CA | $59,860 | $47,858 | $42,774 |
*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.
Substitute Teachers, Short-Term salaries elsewhere in California
- Bakersfield, CA — $66,480
- San Jose, CA — $72,330
- Stockton, CA — $65,190
- Riverside, CA — $60,780
- Sacramento, CA — $59,780
- Fresno, CA — $54,890
- San Francisco, CA — $60,790
- Los Angeles, CA — $57,210
Frequently asked questions
How much does a substitute teachers, short-term make in San Diego, CA?
The median substitute teachers, short-term salary in the San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA metro area is $59,860 a year, or about $28.78 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $53,080 and $65,890.
What is a substitute teachers, short-term’s take-home pay in San Diego, CA?
On the median $59,860 salary, a single filer living in California takes home about $47,858 a year ($3,988 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and $2,419 in California taxes in 2026.
Is San Diego, CA a good place to work as a substitute teachers, short-term?
Pay here is 44% above the national median of $41,670. Local prices are 11.9% above the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $42,774 would in a typical U.S. city. San Diego, CA ranks #9 of 39 metro areas for cost-of-living-adjusted pay in this job.
Can a substitute teachers, short-term afford rent in San Diego, CA?
HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in San Diego, CA is $2,459 a month ($3,001 for two bedrooms) — 62% of a median substitute teachers, short-term’s monthly take-home pay. Financial planners usually suggest keeping rent under about 30%.
Related jobs in San Diego, CA
- Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education — $102,810
- Postsecondary Teachers, All Other — $101,820
- Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education — $97,000
- Teachers and Instructors, All Other — $80,460
- Educational Instruction and Library Workers, All Other — $62,230
- Self-Enrichment Teacher — $48,640
- Tutor — $47,050
- Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondary — $46,440
- Teaching Assistants, Postsecondary — $45,120
- Preschool Teachers, Except Special Education — $44,940