The iron 2p and carbon 1s near-edge X-ray absorption fine structure (NEXAFS) spectra of substituted ferrocene compounds (Fe(Cp-(CH3)(5))(2), Fe(Cp)(Cp-COOH), Fe(Cp-COOH)(2), and Fe(Cp-COCH3)(2)) are reported and are interpreted with the aid of extended Huckel molecular orbital (EHMO) theory and density functional theory (DFT). Significant substituent effects are observed in both the Fe 2p and C 1s NEXAFS spectra. These effects can be related to the electron donating/withdrawing properties of the cyclopentadienyl ligands and their substituents as well as the presence of pi* conjugation between the cyclopentadienyl ligand and unsaturated substituents.