How Much Do Nursing Instructors Make?
Nursing instructor salaries depend on several factors, including experience, workplace, education level, and geographic location. Nursing instructors earn similar salaries to other nurses with equivalent experience and education. This guide will walk any prospective nursing instructor through the details of pay across all variables and offer advice on how to maximize earning potential in this field.
Just the Highlights: Nursing Instructor Salaries
Nursing instructors can earn the highest average annual salaries in these roles and locations:
Washington, D.C.
$111,130
Norwich, CT
$144,100
General Medical and Surgical Hospitals
$106,620
These numbers are averages, and when you combine factors, they can vary enormously. For example, a nursing instructor working in a New York City university may make $30,000 to $40,000 a year more than a nursing instructor who teaches in a rural community college in Alabama.
How Much Do Nursing Instructors Make?
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), nursing instructors make an average of $41.60 per hour. However, wages can vary depending on the situation.
Nursing instructor average annual salary
$86,530
Nursing instructor average hourly wage
$41.60
Some nursing instructors may be eligible for overtime and evening/weekend pay differentials. Certain employers may also offer sign-on bonuses.
Based on the details laid out in this guide, a nursing instructor’s salary can range from the lower average of $49,120 to an above average $130,320, according to the BLS.
Source: BLS
How Education Affects Nursing Instructor Salaries
Aspiring nursing instructors can reach this goal via a few different education paths. An Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN) offers a shorter option, typically finished in two years. To get a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN), students attend four years of nursing school. Some BSN programs offer an accelerated option, which can be finished in as little as a year, but requires a previous degree or several prerequisites.
When nurses graduate with an ADN and pass their National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX), they receive an RN designation, similar to a nurse who achieves a BSN. However, nursing instructors with a BSN will receive higher pay than those with an ADN, and some employers require their nurses to have a BSN degree.
Further education, like a Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) or a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP), can also raise a nursing instructor’s salary.
| Degree | Annual Average Salary |
| ADN | $75,000 |
| BSN | $92,000 |
| MSN | $124,680 |
| DNP | $225,000 |
Source: Nursing World
How Specialty Certification Affects Nursing Instructor Salaries
A nursing instructor with specialty certification can offer more value to their employer than a new nurse with no experience, and their pay will reflect that value. Once a nurse has some experience in their field, they can apply to test for certification in that specialty.
The National League for Nursing (NLN) offers three certifications:
The American Nurses Credentialing Center also offers a Nursing Professional Development Certification (NPD-BC). Any nursing certification proves expertise in that specialty and can result in a pay raise.
Location and Nursing Instructor Salaries
Salary offerings are often based partially on the cost of living in the area and the current demand for nursing instructors.
Top-Paying Nursing Instructor Salaries by State
The East and West coasts, Texas, and Florida pay nursing instructors the most, while northern Midwest states pay the least.
| State | Average Salary |
| New York | $102,980 |
| New Jersey | $101,540 |
| Nevada | $99,320 |
| Alaska | $98,870 |
| Hawaii | $97,990 |
| Connecticut | $97,050 |
| Delaware | $97,050 |
| California | $94,530 |
| Maryland | $88,610 |
| Alabama | $87,360 |
| New Hampshire | $87,260 |
| Massachusetts | $87,140 |
| Montana | $85,120 |
| Florida | $84,740 |
| Minnesota | $84,730 |
| Michigan | $84,440 |
| Colorado | $83,270 |
| North Dakota | $82,580 |
| Illinois | $81,720 |
| Arizona | $80,710 |
| Ohio | $80,430 |
| Idaho | $79,810 |
| Indiana | $79,620 |
| Kentucky | $79,370 |
| Maine | $79,240 |
| Louisiana | $78,780 |
| Nebraska | $78,220 |
| North Carolina | $76,970 |
| Missouri | $76,000 |
| Georgia | $75,490 |
| New Mexico | $72,850 |
| Kansas | $72,260 |
| Iowa | $71,690 |
| Mississippi | $68,620 |
| Arkansas | $66,920 |
Source: BLS
Top-Paying Nursing Instructor Salaries by City
Similar to other occupations around the country, nursing instructor salaries are higher in urban areas. For example, wages from all types of employment are higher in New York City than they are in a small rural town in Montana.
Cities have a higher population, a higher cost of living, and more demand for health services. Because of these factors, organizations in big cities can usually pay more than those in smaller communities.
| Metropolitan area | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage |
| Waco, TX | $48.37 | $100,610 |
| College Station-Bryan, TX | $44.73 | $93,030 |
| Peoria, IL | $42.37 | $88,130 |
| Abilene, TX | $41.32 | $85,950 |
| Mankato-North Mankato, MN | $39.68 | $82,530 |
| Cumberland, MD-WV | $38.73 | $80,560 |
| Fond du Lac, WI | $38.59 | $80,270 |
| Terre Haute, IN | $37.58 | $78,160 |
| Sioux City, IA-NE-SD | $34.95 | $72,690 |
| Pueblo, CO | $33.35 | $69,370 |
Source: BLS
Workplace Type and Nursing Instructor Salaries
Nursing instructors who work in large universities may earn higher salaries than those working in a smaller community setting. Nursing instructors can also make more money in the business world, consulting and serving as executives.
| Industry | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage |
| General Medical and Surgical Hospitals | $51.26 | $106,620 |
| Educational Support Services | $44.76 | $93,100 |
| Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools | $41.78 | $86,900 |
| Technical and Trade Schools | $41.14 | $85,580 |
| Junior Colleges | $39.38 | $81,900 |
Source: BLS
How Fast Can a Nursing Instructor’s Salary Grow?
A nursing instructor’s salary grows based on professional development and higher education and rises with each year of experience. Nursing instructors can pursue higher salaries through certification, advanced degrees, and employment at larger organizations or higher-paying locations.
How to Increase Your Earnings as a Nursing Instructor
Any nurse can improve their salary by taking certain steps toward elevating their professional status. The nursing field in the U.S. is on the rise, and the BLS reports an expected growth rate of 6% through 2032. We’ve laid out some simple tips below to supercharge any nursing career.
1. Get Certified
Professional certifications showcase expertise and elevate any candidate’s desirability for employers. A current employer may increase pay to keep a certified nursing instructor, and a prospective employer will likely choose a nursing instructor with certification over another without.
2. Earn an Advanced Degree
For nursing instructors with an ADN, many universities offer bridge programs to obtain a BSN. Nurses may also pursue higher degrees like an MSN or DNP for even higher salaries.
3. Change Your Workplace
Universities and some government positions pay nursing instructors the best, so any nursing instructor working outside that setting can try changing their workplace to earn higher pay.
Nursing Instructor Salaries FAQs
1. What role offers the highest pay for nursing instructors?
The highest-paid nursing instructors are those working in General Medical and Surgical Hospitals, who make an average of $106,620 a year, or $51.26 per hour.
2. What do nursing instructors make per hour?
Nursing instructors make an average of $41.60 an hour. This can increase or decrease based on experience, location, role, and education.
3. Which state and city pay nursing instructors the best?
According to the BLS, Washington, D.C. offers the highest pay for all nursing instructors at $53.43 per hour, or $111,130 a year. Norwich, CT, boasts the highest salaries at $69.28 per hour ($144,100 per year).
