Guide 23 · Article
Substitute Teacher Pay in Texas (2026): Daily Rates by District
En español: En Texas, los maestros sustitutos cobran POR DÍA, no por hora, y cada distrito fija su propia tarifa. En los distritos más grandes, un sustituto con título gana $110–$145/día, uno certificado $120–$160/día, y los puestos de largo plazo llegan a $195/día. Houston es la excepción: paga por hora ($19–$21/h). Tabla completa con las tarifas oficiales de cada distrito, la diferencia entre contratación directa y por agencia (Kelly, ESS, Swing) y los pasos para empezar.
Quick Answer: Texas substitute teachers are paid per day, not per hour — and each school district sets its own rate; there is no single statewide sub salary. In the largest districts for 2025-26 / 2026-27, a substitute with a degree typically earns $110–$145 per day, a certified substitute $120–$160 per day, and long-term assignments can reach $170–$195 per day. The one big exception is Houston ISD, which pays hourly ($19–$21/hr). Every rate in the table below comes from the district's own published schedule — click a district name to check its source page, because districts reset these rates almost every year.
Ask a room of Texas subs what they earn and you will get fifteen different answers — because there are thousands of districts and every one of them publishes its own pay schedule, usually as a PDF buried three clicks deep on an HR page. That is why the internet is full of people hunting individual district PDFs and asking strangers on Reddit what the rate is. So we went to the source: each district's own substitute pay page or compensation plan. Here is what the biggest districts in Texas actually pay.
The rates, district by district
Base full-day rates for a classroom teacher substitute, from each district's own published schedule (2025-26 or 2026-27 where the district prints a school year; otherwise the schedule currently posted, checked October 2026). Half-day assignments usually pay roughly half.
| District | Non-degreed | Degree / 60+ credits | Certified | Long-term |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dallas ISD | No HS-only teacher rate | $110 (60+ hrs) · $115 (degree) | $120 | Not published |
| Houston ISD (2026-27) | $19/hr | $20/hr | $20/hr | $21/hr (from day 11) |
| Austin ISD (2026-27) | $125 | $145 | $155 | +$20/day (day 20+) |
| Fort Worth ISD (2026-27) | $115 (elementary only) | $125 (60 hrs) · $135 (degree) | $140 | $150 (from day 11) |
| San Antonio ISD (2025-26) | $120 elem · $130 sec | $130 elem · $140 sec | $140 elem · $150 sec | +$10/day (day 20+) |
| Cypress-Fairbanks ISD | $102 | $110 | $110 (same tier) | $35/day (10–24 days) · $70/day (25+ days)* |
| Katy ISD | 60+ hrs required | $105 (60+ hrs) · $115 (degree) | $120 | $170 (degree) · $195 (certified) |
| Northside ISD (2026-27) | 90+ hrs required | $110 (90+ hrs) · $120 (degree) | $130 | $130–$160 by tier |
| Aldine ISD | Check district site | Check district site | Check district site | Check district site |
| Arlington ISD (2026-27) | $120 | $130 | $145 | $175 (certified, in-subject) |
| Plano ISD | $120 | No separate tier | $130 | Not published |
| El Paso ISD (2026-27) | $110 (30 hrs required) | $125 | $160 | $180 · $200 (Special Ed) |
| Lubbock ISD | 60+ hrs required | $72 (60 hrs) · $82.50 (degree) | $103 | $82 · $92.50 · $113 by tier |
| Garland ISD (2026-27) | No HS-only teacher rate | $110 (48 hrs / degree) | $125 | $145 · $160 (from day 11) |
| Irving ISD (2026-27) | $116 | $121 | $127 | Negotiated, up to $187 |
How to read this table: rates shown are the standard full-day rate. Where a district splits pay by weekday (San Antonio, Garland, Irving, Lubbock and others), the table shows the midweek rate — Mondays and Fridays typically pay about $10 more, because those are the days districts are most desperate for subs. Several districts also raise the rate after 10–20 consecutive days in the same assignment, which is what the long-term column reflects. *Cy-Fair lists its long-term amounts exactly as shown on its rates page for degreed subs. Aldine ISD publicly posts only an older (2024-25) pay scale, so rather than guess, we list no number for Aldine — check the district site or call its substitute office for the current rate.
The Dallas “$88 a day” myth
One figure gets repeated everywhere, including in older versions of guides like this one: “Dallas ISD pays $88 a day.” Open Dallas ISD's own pay-rates page and you will find $88 — but it is the rate for teacher assistant, office manager and clerk substitutes, not classroom teachers. A Dallas teacher substitute starts at $110/day (60+ college credits), rising to $115 with a bachelor's degree and $120 if certified. If a number looks suspiciously low for a big-city district, check which job it actually belongs to before you repeat it.
Direct hire vs. agency: Kelly Education, ESS and Swing Education
Not every Texas sub is on a district payroll. Districts handle substitute staffing two ways:
- Direct hire. You apply to the district, the district employs you, and you are paid the district's published rate from the table above. Most of the large districts listed here hire this way.
- Staffing agency. Some districts outsource substitutes to an agency — Kelly Education and ESS are the two biggest names in school staffing, and Swing Education runs a marketplace-style platform in some areas. You apply once to the agency, complete its screening, and get placed in partner schools.
Which is better? Direct hire usually means the district's full published rate and a direct line to its HR office. Agency work can mean faster onboarding and one application covering several districts or charter networks — but the agency sets your pay, and it may not match what the same district pays its own direct-hire subs. Either way, you still pass the same Texas fingerprint background check, and the district or agency should be able to tell you the exact daily rate before your first assignment. If they won't put the rate in writing, that is your answer about working there.
How to become a substitute teacher in Texas
Texas does not issue a state substitute license — districts hire subs directly and set their own minimums. The path is the same almost everywhere:
- Meet the education minimum. A high school diploma or GED is the floor statewide, but read the table: many large districts require 60+ college credit hours for classroom assignments (Dallas, Katy, Lubbock), Northside ISD requires 90+ hours, and El Paso requires 30. A bachelor's degree — and especially a Texas teaching certificate — moves you into the higher pay tiers everywhere.
- Apply on the district's website. Every district above runs its own application through its careers or HR page. Some districts route applications through an agency instead (Kelly Education or ESS) — the district's substitute page will say so.
- Pass the fingerprint background check. Texas requires fingerprint-based state and federal background checks for school employees, substitutes included. The district will tell you how to book the fingerprint appointment; expect a modest fee.
- Complete orientation or training. Most districts run a short orientation (sometimes online) covering classroom management, safety and their absence system before your first assignment.
- Pick your days. Once cleared, you accept assignments through the district's absence system — often the night before or early morning. Mondays and Fridays are the easiest days to get booked, and in several districts they pay about $10 more.
FAQ
Q: How much do substitute teachers get paid per day in Texas?
A: It depends on the district and your credentials. In the largest Texas districts for 2025-26 / 2026-27, degreed substitutes typically earn $110–$145 per day, certified substitutes $120–$160 per day, and long-term assignments up to $195 per day. Lubbock ISD is the low end ($72/day at 60+ college hours, $103 certified); Houston ISD is the exception that pays hourly ($19–$21/hr). Rates change yearly — check your district's own schedule.
Q: Do you need a degree to be a substitute teacher in Texas?
A: Texas state law does not require a degree or a teaching certificate for substitute teaching — each district sets its own minimum. Many large districts require 60+ college credit hours for classroom assignments (Dallas, Katy, Lubbock), Northside ISD requires 90+ hours, and a few, like Plano ISD and Fort Worth ISD (elementary), accept a high school diploma or GED. A degree or Texas certification always pays more.
Q: Are substitute teachers in Texas paid per day or per hour?
A: Per day, in almost every district. The exception is Houston ISD, whose 2026-27 compensation plan pays substitutes hourly: $19/hr non-degreed, $20/hr degreed or certified, and $21/hr for long-term assignments.
Q: How do I become a substitute teacher in Texas?
A: Apply on the district's own careers page. You will need a high school diploma or GED at minimum (many districts want 60+ college hours for teaching assignments), a fingerprint-based background check, and the district's orientation or training. No state teaching certificate is required for regular substitute work, but certified subs are paid more.
By Sadiq Khan
Go deeper: compare sub pay with other flexible work in Side Hustles, or run your own numbers in the Side Hustle Income Calculator.