Nurse educators teach and mentor nursing students in various stages of their careers. Although nurse educators may work for hospitals and long-term care facilities in nursing professional development, this guide focuses on nurse educators who work for educational institutions that offer various types of nursing programs.
What Does a Nurse Educator Do?
A nurse educator may have a wide range of responsibilities that are either directly or indirectly related to providing nursing education, including:
Teaching and mentoring students within classrooms, clinical settings, and online
Conducting student evaluations and “grading” performance
Developing and updating nursing education curricula
Conducting nursing research
Serving in leadership roles in various contexts
Remaining current on the ever-evolving healthcare industry
Maintaining clinical knowledge and skills related to best practices in patient care
Is There Demand for Nurse Educators?
Nurse educators are in great demand in this country, since the current shortage of nursing faculty is having a negative effect on the pipeline of new nurses, which has the potential to negatively impact patient care.
According to the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN), “Faculty shortages at nursing schools across the country are limiting student capacity at a time when the need for professional registered nurses continues to grow. Budget constraints, an aging faculty, and increasing job competition from clinical sites have contributed to this crisis.”
In an April 2022 announcement, AACN said that new data indicated that “student enrollment in entry-level baccalaureate nursing programs increased by 3.3% in 2021, despite concerns that the pandemic might discourage career seekers from entering the profession. Though this is welcome news, nursing schools did see enrollment declines in baccalaureate degree-completion programs and some graduate programs (master’s and PhD).”
Responding to the news, Dr. Deborah Trautman, AACN President and Chief Executive Officer, both celebrated and underscored the need to ensure steady growth in the number of new nurses.
“Throughout the pandemic, AACN has seen strong and increasing interest in baccalaureate programs among students looking to begin a new career in nursing,” Trautman said. “We applaud the nation’s schools of nursing for their successful efforts to expand student enrollment to better meet the demand for registered nurses (RNs) needed to provide care in all communities. …”
She also commented on the dip in enrollment in PhD nursing programs.
“Maintaining a robust pipeline of nursing students in research-focused doctoral programs is critical to the nursing profession and a priority for AACN,” said Trautman. “AACN will continue to convene stakeholders, advocate for more resources for PhD programs, and promote careers in nursing science and education to help address this concern.”
The statement also noted that many qualified candidates weren’t accepted to nursing programs due to a lack of resources—which included nurse educators.
“Though interest in baccalaureate and graduate nursing programs is strong, thousands of qualified students are turned away from four-year colleges and universities each year,” the statement said. “In 2021, a total of 91,938 qualified applications (not applicants) were not accepted at schools of nursing nationwide. Within this total, applications turned away included 76,140 from entry-level baccalaureate, 1,055 from RN-to-BSN, 9,574 from master’s, 4,952 from DNP, and 217 from PhD nursing programs. Given the persistent shortage of nurse faculty, AACN remains concerned that 14,743 applications were turned away from graduate programs, which may further limit the pool of potential nurse faculty. The primary barriers to accepting all qualified students at nursing schools continue to be insufficient clinical placement sites, faculty, preceptors, and classroom space, as well as budget cuts.”
How Much Does a Nurse Educator Make Per Year?
According to salary data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the median annual wage for post-secondary nursing instructors and teachers was $77,400 in May 2021—with half of nursing instructors earning more than that amount and half earning less. Wages of nursing instructors in the lowest 10 percent were $47,630. Wages of nurses in the highest 10 percent were $125,930.
The work setting also influences a nurse educator’s salary. The BLS reports the following annual mean wages for the following settings:
Colleges, universities, and professional schools: $83,340
Junior colleges: $75,960
General medical and surgical hospitals: $95,720
Technical and trade schools: $77,010
Educational support services:$80,410
The AACN notes that nurse educators typically make less than those who work in “clinical and private-sector settings.” According to AACN March 2022 data, “the average salary for master’s-prepared professors in schools of nursing is $87,325.”
The salary of a nurse educator is also influenced by factors such as education, experience, and geographical region of the country.
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, Nursing Instructors and Teachers, Post-Secondary, at https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes251072.htm (visited March 27, 2023).
How Do I Become a Nurse Educator?
The path to becoming a nurse educator depends upon the credentials involved. Nurse educators are registered nurses and—at a minimum—must attend an accredited nursing program that leads to a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN). They must also be licensed in the state in which they work. Licensure can be obtained by passing the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX-RN) and meeting any additional requirements of the state’s board of nursing. The National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN) offers a resource to determine state-based nursing licensure requirements.
Although nurse educators with a BSN may be able to teach in limited settings—such as technical schools—most nurse educators obtain an advanced degree, which is required to teach at colleges or universities. Possessing a Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) is typically required, and some programs may require a more advanced degree, such as a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Nursing or a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP).
“The number of DNP programs and enrolled students has steadily increased. DNP graduates are highly satisfied with their education.”
“Increases in the number of DNP programs and students have occurred in both BSN-to-DNP and MSN-to-DNP tracks. Since 2010, the majority of DNP students were enrolled in BSN-to-DNP tracks.”
“Racial/ethnic and gender diversity of DNP students continue to increase.”
“DNP graduates add unique value in key areas such as evidence-based practice, organizational change, quality improvement, and leadership.”
Also in 2022, the AACN published a new position statement titled The Research-Focused Doctoral Program in Nursing: Pathways to Excellence.
In the announcement, the AACN said that “Research-focused doctoral programs focus on the generation and application of nursing research. These programs prepare graduates to further the scholarship of the discipline by generating new knowledge. A hallmark of doctoral education is a highly individualized program of study that allows graduates to develop expertise in the core knowledge and methods of the discipline and expertise in a selected area of research; as well as to understand the importance of engagement in interdisciplinary collaboration. Currently, 149 research-focused doctorates (PhD, DNS, EdD) are offered at U.S. schools of nursing as well as seven dual PhD/DNP (Doctor of Nursing Practice) programs.”
The position statement provides an in-depth description of educational pathways to the PhD and career paths for graduates of these programs.
Additionally, in its fact sheet about the nursing faculty shortage, the AACN provides a list of strategies currently underway to address the shortage—including an array of programs and scholarships geared to providing financial assistance for students.
What Are the Benefits of Being a Nurse Educator?
Nurse educators can enjoy a variety of benefits—such as autonomy and the satisfaction of helping transform novice nursing students into skilled professionals. Perhaps most importantly, nurse educators play a critical role related to the future of the nursing profession and the healthcare industry overall.
As the AACN’s Trautman said, “Having a robust supply of nurses is essential to maintaining the health of the nation.”
Additional Resources About Becoming a Nurse Educator
To learn more about becoming a nurse educator, these additional resources may help:
NursingEducation strives to provide information that is up-to-date and unbiased. By engaging professionals from multiple healthcare perspectives, we ensure our content contains accurate information that helps our readers.
We have combined decades of experience teaching, publishing research, and working with patients in all fields of medicine to create accurate and straightforward online education. Once written, each article undergoes a rigorous peer-review process to bring you the highest quality, most comprehensive content possible.
Our writers receive feedback from reviewers to clarify content, prevent misleading statements, and identify areas that would benefit from more information. Our subject matter experts and reviewers generally work full-time in their professions and work for NursingEducation part-time.
