Elementary vs. High School Substitute Teaching: Which Pays Better? (The Honest Comparison)
Ask any substitute teacher which they prefer - elementary or high school - and you'll start a debate.
But forget preferences for a moment. Let's talk money, stress, and opportunities.
The Pay Reality
Surprising truth: Most districts pay the same daily rate regardless of grade level.
You'll earn the same whether you:
- Manage 25 kindergarteners all day
- Teach 5 periods of high school math
- Handle middle school gym class
However: The opportunity for higher income differs significantly.
Where Elementary Wins
More consistent work:
Elementary positions tend to be easier to secure because there are simply more elementary schools than high schools in most districts.
More direct requests:
Elementary teachers build relationships faster with subs. If you're good with their class, they request you directly.
More long-term assignments:
Maternity leave, extended medical leave - these happen more frequently in elementary than high school.
Simpler job hunting:
"Elementary full-day" is easier to filter for than hunting for specific high school subjects you're qualified for.
Where High School Wins
Specialized subjects = less competition:
If you can teach AP Physics, you're competing against 5 subs instead of 50.
Potential for higher rates:
Some districts pay more for specialized subjects (rare but exists).
Easier classroom management (sometimes):
High schoolers can work independently. You can actually sit down occasionally.
More interesting content:
If you love the subject matter, high school keeps you engaged.
The Real Income Difference
Not the daily rate - it's the consistency.
Elementary sub averaging 15 days/month:
15 days × $120 = $1,800/month
High school sub averaging 12 days/month (because you're only qualified for certain subjects):
12 days × $120 = $1,440/month
Over a school year: $3,240 difference
The catch: If you're certified in a high-demand subject (science, math, special ed), you might work more consistently than elementary subs.
Stress and Difficulty Comparison
Elementary is harder for:
- Classroom management (28 six-year-olds is controlled chaos)
- Energy required (constant movement, noise, questions)
- Bathroom duty
- Recess and lunch monitoring
- Getting home with marker stains and glitter everywhere
High school is harder for:
- Content knowledge (students will know if you're faking it)
- Attitude and disrespect
- Cell phone battles
- Longer periods (90-minute blocks)
- Apathy (students who don't care)
Middle school is harder for: Everything. It's elementary classroom management with high school attitude.
Subject Specialization Value
If you have expertise in:
- STEM subjects: High school can be lucrative
- Special Education: Huge demand, both elementary and secondary
- World Languages: High school, very specialized
- Elementary: No specialization needed (pro and con)
Career tip: Getting certified in a shortage area increases your income potential significantly.
The Schedule Factor
Elementary:
- Earlier start times (7:30-8:00 AM usually)
- Earlier end times (2:30-3:30 PM usually)
- Might include before/after school duty
High School:
- Later start times (8:00-8:30 AM usually)
- Later end times (3:00-4:00 PM usually)
- Longer class periods
Your preference depends on: Are you a morning person? Do you have afternoon commitments?
Job Availability Throughout the Year
Elementary:
- Steady demand all year
- Spike in fall (cold/flu season)
- Spike in spring (testing season)
High School:
- Quieter in fall
- Busy during exam periods
- Very quiet during final exam weeks (students gone)
Strategic play: Register for both levels, work elementary when high school is slow.
The Technology Advantage
Here's what actually impacts your income: How fast you can accept jobs.
Whether elementary or high school, the best positions fill within minutes.
The limitation with Frontline:
You have to know what you're looking for, search for it, and hope it's still available.
The smarter approach:
Define your preferences (grade level, subject, schedule), get instant notifications when matches appear, accept immediately.
Example filters in Sub Hero:
- Elementary: "Grades K-3, Full day, Within 15 miles"
- High School: "Science or Math, Any grade, 8:00 AM or later start"
- Both: "Multi-day assignments, Any subject"
Result: You only see and accept jobs that match your strategy.
The Income Maximization Play
If maximizing income is your goal:
Best strategy:
1. Register for both elementary and high school
2. Get certified in a shortage subject
3. Set smart filters for both
4. Use instant notifications (Sub Hero)
5. Accept the first good job that posts each day
6. Build relationships at 5-10 schools across both levels
This gives you:
- Maximum opportunities
- Less competition
- Consistent work
- Higher leverage
Make Your Choice Work
Whether you choose elementary, high school, or both - the key to higher income is efficiency.
Stop manually hunting through jobs.
Sub Hero monitors Frontline for you:
- Filter by grade level, subject, schedule
- Push notifications for matching jobs
- One-click acceptance
- Works with both elementary and high school
Learn more: app.getsubhero.com
Plans start at $6.99/month. Land one extra job per month and it pays for itself.