All careers › Nursing Instructors and Teachers, Postsecondary
Nursing professor: pay, job outlook and how to become one
- $48,800lowest 10% earn less
- $63,51025th percentile
- $80,250median
- $101,09075th percentile
- $129,500top 10% earn more
A nursing professor, which BLS calls a postsecondary nursing instructor or teacher, had a median pay of $80,250 a year in May 2025[1]. Jobs are projected to grow much faster than the average for all occupations, at 17.1% over ten years[2][3].
- Job growth, 2025–35
- +17.1%[2]
- Openings per year
- 8,500[6]
- Typical entry education
- Doctoral or professional degree[7]
How much do nursing professors make?
In May 2025, the median pay for Nursing Instructors and Teachers, Postsecondary was $80,250 a year[1]. That means half of the workers made more than this and half made less. The average was $86,410[8]. For comparison, the median for all occupations was $50,980[5].
The range is wide. BLS publishes percentile wages, which are boundaries and not a starting salary[9]. The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $48,800, and the lowest-paid 25% earned less than $63,510[4]. At the top, the 75th percentile was $101,090 and the 90th percentile was $129,500[4].
BLS publishes only annual wages for this job, not hourly wages. BLS explains that many of these teachers put in under a full 2,080-hour year yet are paid a yearly amount[10].
These figures come from OEWS, which covers wage and salary workers. It leaves out the self-employed and does not count nonproduction bonuses or what employers spend on benefits like health insurance[11]. About 77,960 people held these jobs in May 2025[12].
Pay by state and city
Hawaii had the highest state median at $129,530, based on 1,890 jobs[13]. The District of Columbia was next at $107,770, then Delaware at $98,170, Nevada at $96,500 and Connecticut at $95,500[13].
Texas had the most jobs, with 6,830[14]. New York (6,340), California (5,610), Illinois (4,940) and Florida (4,320) followed[14]. Their medians were $84,930 in Texas, $82,950 in New York, $81,960 in California, $79,150 in Illinois and $82,410 in Florida[13].
Among metro areas with at least 100 jobs, San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA had the highest median at $150,400[15]. Fresno, CA ($135,080) and Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC ($111,820) came next[15].
The metro area with the most jobs was New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ, with 5,290 jobs and a median of $92,050[16]. Chicago had 3,840 jobs and a median of $80,440[16].
Show median pay in 50 states and DC
| State | Median per year | Jobs |
|---|---|---|
| Hawaii[13] | $129,530 | 1,890 |
| District of Columbia | $107,770 | 110 |
| Delaware | $98,170 | 240 |
| Nevada | $96,500 | 870 |
| Connecticut | $95,500 | 1,380 |
| Idaho | $90,890 | 430 |
| Alaska | $85,650 | n/a |
| Massachusetts | $85,130 | 2,280 |
| Texas | $84,930 | 6,830 |
| Wisconsin | $84,700 | 1,760 |
| Maryland | $84,050 | 840 |
| New York | $82,950 | 6,340 |
| Nebraska | $82,720 | 300 |
| Virginia | $82,550 | 1,670 |
| Colorado | $82,530 | 1,350 |
| Florida | $82,410 | 4,320 |
| Utah | $82,320 | 580 |
| California | $81,960 | 5,610 |
| Washington | $81,630 | 1,300 |
| Minnesota | $81,280 | 1,340 |
| North Dakota | $80,710 | 150 |
| North Carolina | $80,400 | 2,560 |
| Tennessee | $80,050 | 1,150 |
| Louisiana | $79,960 | 440 |
| Alabama | $79,690 | 1,460 |
| Maine | $79,600 | 420 |
| South Carolina | $79,540 | 1,150 |
| New Mexico | $79,380 | 320 |
| Illinois | $79,150 | 4,940 |
| Arizona | $78,980 | 1,930 |
| Michigan | $78,870 | 1,740 |
| Pennsylvania | $78,460 | 4,290 |
| Rhode Island | $78,340 | 260 |
| New Hampshire | $78,310 | 320 |
| Oregon | $78,050 | 450 |
| Montana | $77,980 | 240 |
| Georgia | $77,720 | 1,590 |
| Iowa | $77,360 | 770 |
| New Jersey | $76,980 | 2,000 |
| Ohio | $76,700 | 4,290 |
| Missouri | $76,340 | 1,040 |
| Indiana | $76,080 | 1,520 |
| Mississippi | $75,060 | 1,050 |
| Wyoming | $72,590 | 150 |
| Kentucky | $71,920 | 1,130 |
| Oklahoma | $67,840 | 640 |
| Vermont | $66,660 | n/a |
| South Dakota | $66,630 | 250 |
| Arkansas | $63,090 | 830 |
| Kansas | $62,870 | 470 |
| West Virginia | $62,210 | 400 |
How to become a nursing professor
BLS lists a doctoral or professional degree as the typical education for entry[7]. It also lists less than 5 years of work experience in a related occupation and no typical on-the-job training[7].
- First: earn the education. In an O*NET survey of 33 workers, 50% said a master's degree is required and 36% said a doctoral degree[17]. Because the survey is small, treat these shares as a rough picture only.
- Next: build related experience. The BLS handbook profile for the wider group says hands-on work experience is especially important in health specialties[18].
- Then: check credentials. The same profile says teachers who prepare students for a licensed field may need that same license, such as a nursing license for nursing teachers[19].
The training details here come from a handbook profile that covers a wider group of postsecondary teachers, not only nursing[20]. That profile says a master's degree may be enough at some community colleges, and that some institutions prefer a Ph.D.[21][22].
Doctoral programs usually take several years to complete[23]. Teachers with a doctorate often seek tenure, which may take up to 7 years of moving through the ranks of assistant professor, associate professor and professor[24].
What nursing professors do
O*NET describes the work as demonstrating and teaching patient care to nursing students in classrooms and clinical units. It includes people who mostly teach and people who split time between teaching and research[25]. Typical tasks include:
- Grading class work, lab and clinic work, assignments and papers[26].
- Supervising students in the lab and in clinical settings[26].
- Leading and guiding classroom discussions[26].
- Giving lectures to undergraduate or graduate students on subjects such as pharmacology and mental health nursing[26].
- Writing exams and course materials such as syllabi and handouts[26].
- Showing patient care in hospital clinical units[26].
- Reading current literature and attending conferences to keep up with the field[26].
- Planning and revising courses and teaching methods[26].
Job titles that workers reported include Clinical Nursing Instructor, Nurse Educator, Nursing Instructor and Assistant Professor[27].
Where they work
In the wider postsecondary teacher group, the largest employer group was colleges, universities and professional schools (state), at 41%[28].
Most postsecondary teachers in that group work full time, though part-time work is common[29]. Courses are generally held during the day, with some evening or weekend classes[30]. Schedules are generally flexible. Full-time teachers usually need to be on campus to teach and hold office hours, but otherwise set their own schedules[31].
The handbook also notes that balancing teaching with research and publishing can be stressful, especially for beginning teachers seeking advancement[32].
Job outlook
BLS projects growth of 17.1% between 2025 and 2035, taking employment from about 96,100 to 112,600 jobs, a gain of 16,500[2]. For all occupations combined, the projected growth is 3.5%[3]. These projection counts include self-employed workers, so they differ from the OEWS job count above[2].
About 8,500 openings are projected each year, on average[6]. Openings come from new jobs and also from workers who retire or move to other occupations[6]. Each year, 3.5% of workers leave the labor force and 3% move to a different occupation[33].
BLS lists rising demand for nursing degrees as the factor behind the growth[34].
Is it a good fit?
The pay is above the all-occupations median, with a median of $80,250 against $50,980[1][5]. Growth is projected at 17.1%, which is well above the 3.5% rate for all occupations[2][3]. The entry path is long, since BLS lists a doctoral or professional degree as the typical education[7]. The facts also point to some related work experience[7]. Pay varies by place, from a state median of $62,210 in West Virginia to $129,530 in Hawaii[13]. Readers weighing the job may want to compare that training path with the pay and demand figures above.
Frequently asked questions
- How much does a nursing professor make?
- The median pay was $80,250 a year in May 2025, and the average was $86,410[1][8]. BLS publishes only annual wages for this job[10].
- What degree do you need to be a nursing professor?
- BLS lists a doctoral or professional degree as the typical entry education[7]. In an O*NET survey of 33 workers, 50% said a master's degree is required and 36% said a doctoral degree[17].
- Is nursing professor a growing job?
- BLS expects 17.1% growth by 2035, compared with 3.5% for all occupations[2][3]. About 8,500 openings a year are projected[6].
- What is the highest paying state for nursing professors?
- Hawaii had the highest median at $129,530 in May 2025, followed by the District of Columbia at $107,770[13].
Facts and sources
- BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median wage for Nursing Instructors and Teachers, Postsecondary in the US was $80,250 per year. Half of workers earned more and half earned less. BLS OEWS, May 2025
- BLS Employment Projections: employment of Nursing Instructors and Teachers, Postsecondary is projected to grow 17.1% from 2025 to 2035, from about 96,100 to 112,600 jobs (a change of +16,500). These counts include self-employed workers. BLS Employment Projections
- BLS Employment Projections: employment in all occupations is projected to grow 3.5% from 2025 to 2035. BLS Employment Projections
- BLS OEWS, May 2025, annual wage percentiles for Nursing Instructors and Teachers, Postsecondary: 10th percentile $48,800, 25th percentile $63,510, 75th percentile $101,090, 90th percentile $129,500. The 10th percentile means 10% of workers earned less. BLS OEWS, May 2025
- BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for all occupations in the US was $50,980. BLS OEWS, May 2025
- BLS Employment Projections: about 8,500 openings for Nursing Instructors and Teachers, Postsecondary are projected each year, on average, from 2025 to 2035. Openings include jobs that open when workers retire or move to other occupations, not only new jobs. BLS Employment Projections
- BLS Employment Projections, typical path into Nursing Instructors and Teachers, Postsecondary: education needed for entry: Doctoral or professional degree; work experience in a related occupation: Less than 5 years; typical on-the-job training: None. BLS Employment Projections
- BLS OEWS, May 2025: the mean (average) wage for Nursing Instructors and Teachers, Postsecondary was $86,410 per year. BLS OEWS, May 2025
- BLS OEWS FAQ: a percentile wage is a boundary. The median (50th percentile) separates the highest-paid 50% from the lowest-paid 50% of workers in the occupation. OEWS publishes percentile wages, not a starting salary. BLS OEWS, May 2025
- BLS publishes only annual wages for Nursing Instructors and Teachers, Postsecondary, not hourly wages, because many work fewer than 2,080 hours a year but are paid yearly. BLS OEWS, May 2025
- BLS OEWS FAQ: OEWS covers part-time and full-time workers paid a wage or salary. It does not cover the self-employed, owners and partners in unincorporated firms, household workers or unpaid family workers. OEWS wages do not include nonproduction bonuses or employer costs of benefits such as health insurance or retirement contributions. BLS OEWS, May 2025
- BLS OEWS, May 2025: about 77,960 people were employed as Nursing Instructors and Teachers, Postsecondary in the US (wage and salary jobs, not counting self-employed workers). BLS OEWS, May 2025
- Median annual wage for Nursing Instructors and Teachers, Postsecondary in every state with published data, May 2025 (table on this page). BLS OEWS, May 2025
- BLS OEWS, May 2025, states with the most Nursing Instructors and Teachers, Postsecondary jobs: Texas 6,830; New York 6,340; California 5,610; Illinois 4,940; Florida 4,320. BLS OEWS, May 2025
- BLS OEWS, May 2025, metro areas with the highest median annual wage for Nursing Instructors and Teachers, Postsecondary (areas with at least 100 jobs): San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA $150,400; Fresno, CA $135,080; Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC $111,820; Amherst Town-Northampton, MA $111,440; Wilmington, NC $110,620; Ann Arbor, MI $109,080; San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA $103,900; Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX $103,010. BLS OEWS, May 2025
- BLS OEWS, May 2025, metro areas with the most Nursing Instructors and Teachers, Postsecondary jobs: New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ 5,290 (median $92,050); Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN 3,840 (median $80,440); Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA 2,350 (median $79,680); Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD 2,050 (median $81,040); Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX 1,580 (median $103,010); Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH 1,560 (median $83,550). BLS OEWS, May 2025
- O*NET 25-1072.00 survey of workers (33 respondents), education level they say is required: Master's Degree 50%, Doctoral Degree 36%, Post-Doctoral Training 7%, Bachelor's Degree 5% (levels under 5% not listed). O*NET OnLine
- Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Work Experience in a Related Occupation. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
- Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Licenses, Certifications, and Registrations. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
- The BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook profile "Postsecondary Teachers" covers Nursing Instructors and Teachers, Postsecondary together with other related occupations, so its text describes the wider group. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
- Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
- Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Education. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
- Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Education. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
- Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Advancement. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
- O*NET description of Nursing Instructors and Teachers, Postsecondary. O*NET OnLine
- O*NET task list for Nursing Instructors and Teachers, Postsecondary. O*NET OnLine
- O*NET 25-1072.00 sample job titles reported by workers: Assistant Professor, Associate Professor, Clinical Nursing Instructor, Faculty Member, Instructor, Lecturer, Nurse Educator, Nursing Instructor. O*NET OnLine
- BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, largest employers of postsecondary teachers in 2025: Colleges, universities, and professional schools; state 41%. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
- Occupational Outlook Handbook, Work Environment: Work Schedules. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
- Occupational Outlook Handbook, Work Environment: Work Schedules. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
- Occupational Outlook Handbook, Work Environment: Work Schedules. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
- Occupational Outlook Handbook, Work Environment. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
- BLS Employment Projections, 2025-35 annual average for Nursing Instructors and Teachers, Postsecondary: 3.5% of workers leave the labor force each year and 3% move to a different occupation. BLS Employment Projections
- BLS Employment Projections, factor affecting employment of Nursing Instructors and Teachers, Postsecondary: Demand change - share increases as demand for nursing degrees is expected to increase. BLS Employment Projections
- Related occupations (O*NET) with BLS pay, growth and entry education. O*NET OnLine
This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. CareerFacts has modified all or some of this information. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.