A master's in nursing education online can open the door to a rewarding career as a nursing instructor. If you enjoy sharing your medical expertise and keeping up with the best practices in your field, this career may appeal to you. Pursuing your degree online allows you to balance work, family, and other responsibilities. Nursing instructors also benefit from plentiful job opportunities and excellent salaries. Professionals work primarily in nursing schools and colleges where they teach nursing students and supervise clinical practicums. Some nursing educators work in other settings, such as hospitals, military installations, or corporations, commanding greater salaries than those working in higher education.
While experienced nursing instructors earn an average salary of about $75,000 nationwide, nursing instructors earn mean wages closer to $100,000 in many parts of the United States, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). A high salary is more common in metropolitan areas, such as District of Columbia, Philadelphia, New York, and San Francisco. The states that employ the most nursing instructors, and pay the highest salaries, include New York and California.
State | Employment | Annual Mean Wage |
---|---|---|
New York | 4,190 | $97,080 |
Connecticut | 860 | $95,170 |
California | 3,870 | $94,670 |
New Jersey | 2,220 | $$90,830 |
United States | 55,580 | $77,360 |
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics
Source: PayScale
Hard-working, compassionate healthcare professionals possess training and experience in both nursing and education. Nursing educators teach and inspire the next generation of nurses. Some possess specialties within nursing education, such as pediatrics, labor and delivery, or emergency medicine. Most nursing instructors work in colleges, universities, and nursing schools. Some work in hospital settings and others in institutions where nurses give or receive training, such as community organizations or the military.
Annual Median Salary: $45,360
Projected Growth Rate: 16%
Often nurses, health educators work in hospitals and other healthcare or community settings to educate the public about health-related issues. An advanced degree in nursing education can prepare you to oversee the health education or data collection programs of a hospital, healthcare provider, corporation, or insurance company.
Annual Median Salary: $71,260
Projected Growth Rate: 15%
Nursing instructors teach nursing courses and supervise clinical hours for nursing students, both online and on campus. These postsecondary teachers work primarily in community colleges, university nursing schools, and hospitals. Employers require an advanced degree for nursing instructors, such as a master's in nursing education online.
Annual Median Salary: $84,599
Projected Growth Rate: N/A
Nursing instructors with doctoral degrees working at a college or university may qualify to serve as a department chair. They hold department meetings and advocate for departmental priorities to university administration.
While master's in nursing education online programs vary by school in the specific courses offered, most provide similar foundation courses designed for all advanced practice nurses, followed by courses in the nursing education track. Foundation courses include healthcare policy, health assessment, and pathophysiology. Education courses cover curriculum design, teaching strategies, and assessment.
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