Prevailing Wage for Substitute Teachers, Short-Term
Prevailing wage for Substitute Teachers, Short-Term (SOC 25-3031) is set by DOL using regional occupational employment surveys. Whether your offer is for a Building Sub (Building Substitute) or a Child Development Sub Teacher (Child Development Substitute Teacher), DOL assigns four experience levels and the wage floor shifts significantly by city.
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Level 1 covers entry-level substitutes with limited classroom experience, typically recent graduates or those new to the field. These workers perform routine assignments under close supervision, following the regular teacher's lesson plan with minimal independent judgment.
Level 2 is the most common filing level for substitute teachers. It applies to workers with some classroom experience who handle routine assignments with general supervision, adapting lesson plans as needed and managing standard classroom situations independently.
Level 3 applies to experienced substitutes who regularly handle complex classroom situations, cover specialized subject areas, and work across multiple grade levels with minimal oversight. They may be called on for longer-term placements requiring curriculum continuity.
Level 4 covers fully competent substitutes with extensive experience, often managing multi-day or extended placements in specialized roles such as ESL, special education, or high school advanced courses. They require little to no supervision and may mentor newer subs.
Prevailing Wage for Substitute Teachers, Short-Term by OES area
Each shape is a DOL OES area, the unit prevailing wage is published for.
What’s an OES area?
The Department of Labor publishes prevailing wages for geographic zones called OES areas. Every U.S. county belongs to exactly one, and the wage floor applies across the whole area. A worker in Oakland gets the San Francisco metro wage, not a separate Oakland wage.
Top 10 cities · Level 1
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See which U.S. employers are actively hiring for Substitute Teachers, Short-Term and sponsoring H-1B, OPT, and green card visas at or above the prevailing wage.
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Watch for staffing agency versus direct-hire filings
Many substitute teachers are placed through staffing agencies rather than hired directly by school districts. Agencies file the LCA under their own FEIN, which means the prevailing wage determination reflects the agency's worksite address, not necessarily the school building where you work.
Flag low-paying metro offers before accepting
Substitute teacher prevailing wages vary more sharply by metro than most occupations. Markets like Knoxville and Jackson anchor at very low L1 floors, while California and New Jersey metros set significantly higher floors across all four levels. Verify the worksite city before comparing offers.
Expect Level 2 filings even for experienced substitutes
School districts and staffing agencies frequently file substitute teacher LCAs at Level 2 regardless of actual experience. If you have several years of classroom experience across multiple grade levels, confirm the employer's intended level before the LCA is certified.
Find employers who have sponsored substitute teachers before
Migrate Mate shows which school districts and staffing agencies have historical H-1B sponsorship records for substitute teacher roles, so you can target employers who have already demonstrated willingness to file for this occupation rather than starting from scratch.
Jobs for Substitute Teachers, Short-Term are hiring across the US. Find yours.
Find Jobs for this rolePrevailing Wage by Reported Job Title
DOL classifies these titles under SOC 25-3031.00 alongside Substitute Teachers, Short-Term, so the same four-tier wage schedule applies to each. Tap a title to see the full breakdown.
Building Sub (Building Substitute) Prevailing Wage
Building Sub (Building Substitute) Prevailing Wage
Building Sub (Building Substitute) positions fall under SOC 25-3031.00 (Substitute Teachers, Short-Term). DOL OFLC publishes one four-tier prevailing wage schedule for the entire classification; employers filing H-1B, E-3, or PERM petitions for this title use the levels below.
Building Sub Teacher (Building Substitute Teacher) Prevailing Wage
Building Sub Teacher (Building Substitute Teacher) Prevailing Wage
When a U.S. employer sponsors a Building Sub Teacher (Building Substitute Teacher) for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 25-3031.00 (Substitute Teachers, Short-Term). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.
Child Development Sub Teacher (Child Development Substitute Teacher) Prevailing Wage
Child Development Sub Teacher (Child Development Substitute Teacher) Prevailing Wage
Child Development Sub Teacher (Child Development Substitute Teacher) is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 25-3031.00 (Substitute Teachers, Short-Term). All roles in this SOC share the same prevailing wage tiers. The level an employer files at depends on what the role requires, not which title is used.
ESL Sub (English as a Second Language Substitute) Prevailing Wage
ESL Sub (English as a Second Language Substitute) Prevailing Wage
ESL Sub (English as a Second Language Substitute) positions fall under SOC 25-3031.00 (Substitute Teachers, Short-Term). DOL OFLC publishes one four-tier prevailing wage schedule for the entire classification; employers filing H-1B, E-3, or PERM petitions for this title use the levels below.
HS Sub Teacher (High School Substitute Teacher) Prevailing Wage
HS Sub Teacher (High School Substitute Teacher) Prevailing Wage
When a U.S. employer sponsors a HS Sub Teacher (High School Substitute Teacher) for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 25-3031.00 (Substitute Teachers, Short-Term). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.
Pre-School Sub Teacher (Pre-School Substitute Teacher) Prevailing Wage
Pre-School Sub Teacher (Pre-School Substitute Teacher) Prevailing Wage
Pre-School Sub Teacher (Pre-School Substitute Teacher) is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 25-3031.00 (Substitute Teachers, Short-Term). All roles in this SOC share the same prevailing wage tiers. The level an employer files at depends on what the role requires, not which title is used.
Short-Term Sub Teacher (Short-Term Substitute Teacher) Prevailing Wage
Short-Term Sub Teacher (Short-Term Substitute Teacher) Prevailing Wage
Short-Term Sub Teacher (Short-Term Substitute Teacher) positions fall under SOC 25-3031.00 (Substitute Teachers, Short-Term). DOL OFLC publishes one four-tier prevailing wage schedule for the entire classification; employers filing H-1B, E-3, or PERM petitions for this title use the levels below.
Sub (Substitute) Prevailing Wage
Sub (Substitute) Prevailing Wage
When a U.S. employer sponsors a Sub (Substitute) for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 25-3031.00 (Substitute Teachers, Short-Term). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.
Sub Teacher (Substitute Teacher) Prevailing Wage
Sub Teacher (Substitute Teacher) Prevailing Wage
Sub Teacher (Substitute Teacher) is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 25-3031.00 (Substitute Teachers, Short-Term). All roles in this SOC share the same prevailing wage tiers. The level an employer files at depends on what the role requires, not which title is used.
Frequently Asked Questions
How does DOL set the prevailing wage for Substitute Teachers, Short-Term?
DOL calculates prevailing wages using Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey data collected by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. For SOC 25-3031, DOL assigns four wage levels based on experience and complexity. Employers filing an LCA must pay at least the prevailing wage for the experience level they select at the specific worksite location.
What do the four wage levels mean and how do I identify which one applies to my offer?
Level 1 is entry-level with close supervision. Level 2 is qualified with general supervision and is the most common filing level for substitute teachers. Level 3 is experienced with minimal oversight, often covering specialized subjects or extended placements. Level 4 is fully competent for complex, long-term, or specialist assignments. The level should reflect your actual duties and experience, not just your title.
Why does the prevailing wage for substitute teachers vary so much city to city?
DOL draws wage data from regional Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics surveys, which capture local labor market conditions. A school district in San Francisco operates in a higher-cost labor market than one in rural Tennessee, so the OES data reflects those differences. The LCA must list the actual worksite address, and OFLC uses that location to pull the applicable metro-area wage, not a national average.
What happens if my sponsored job offer is below the prevailing wage?
An employer cannot certify an LCA if the offered wage is below the prevailing wage for the applicable level and location. OFLC will not certify a deficient LCA, and USCIS will not approve an H-1B petition without a certified LCA. The employer must either increase the offered wage to meet the floor or reclassify the position at a level whose prevailing wage the offered salary satisfies.
How do I find and verify the prevailing wage for a substitute teacher role at a specific U.S. location?
Use the OFLC Wage Search tool on the DOL website to look up SOC 25-3031 wages by metro area. Select the experience level that matches your duties and the county or metro where the school is located. You can also review O*NET for occupation details. Migrate Mate can help you identify which employers have sponsored substitute teacher roles in specific cities, so you can cross-reference historical filings with current openings.
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