Nursing Instructors and Teachers, Postsecondary Salary in the United States
The median annual wage for nursing instructors and teachers, postsecondary in the U.S. is $80,250, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program, May 2025 estimates.
- Median annual wage
- $80,250
- Mean annual wage
- $86,410
- Median hourly wage
- —
- Employment
- 77,960
77,960 employed
Wage percentiles
| Percentile | Annual wage | Hourly wage |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $48,800 | — |
| 25th percentile | $63,510 | — |
| Median (50th) | $80,250 | — |
| 75th percentile | $101,090 | — |
| 90th percentile | $129,500 | — |
Highest-paying states for nursing instructors and teachers, postsecondary
| State | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|
| Hawaii | $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 | — |
| Massachusetts | $85,130 | 2,280 |
| Texas | $84,930 | 6,830 |
| Wisconsin | $84,700 | 1,760 |
Lowest-paying states
- West Virginia: $62,210 median annual wage
- Kansas: $62,870 median annual wage
- Arkansas: $63,090 median annual wage
- South Dakota: $66,630 median annual wage
- Vermont: $66,660 median annual wage
About this occupation
Demonstrate and teach patient care in classroom and clinical units to nursing students. Includes both teachers primarily engaged in teaching and those who do a combination of teaching and research.
Typical tasks
- Plan, evaluate, and revise curricula, course content, course materials, and methods of instruction.
- Prepare course materials, such as syllabi, homework assignments, and handouts.
- Keep abreast of developments in the field by reading current literature, talking with colleagues, and participating in professional conferences.
- Coordinate training programs with area universities, clinics, hospitals, health agencies, or vocational schools.
- Initiate, facilitate, and moderate classroom discussions.
- Prepare and deliver lectures to undergraduate or graduate students on topics such as pharmacology, mental health nursing, and community health care practices.
Education of the current workforce — typical entry: Doctoral or professional degree
| Education level | Share of workers |
|---|---|
| Less than high school diploma | 0.6% |
| High school diploma or equivalent | 1.7% |
| Some college, no degree | 2.0% |
| Associate's degree | 1.5% |
| Bachelor's degree | 15.1% |
| Master's degree | 30.6% |
| Doctoral or professional degree | 48.5% |
Occupation profile data from CareerOneStop, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor.
Related occupations
- Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondary$36,780
- Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education$63,970
- Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education$72,040
- Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education$64,370
- Substitute Teachers, Short-Term$41,670
- Preschool Teachers, Except Special Education$38,140
- Self-Enrichment Teachers$46,800
- Special Education Teachers, Kindergarten and Elementary School$65,120
About this data
- Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics — data period May 2025, retrieved August 13, 2026.
- Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics — data period May 2025, retrieved August 13, 2026.
- CareerOneStop Occupation Profiles — data period 2026-08, retrieved August 14, 2026.
Figures are shown exactly as published by the source or derived by the documented formulas on our methodology page. Where a source suppresses an estimate, we show “—” rather than a substitute value.