Nursing Instructors and Teachers
O*NET title: Nursing Instructors and Teachers, Postsecondary
Also called: Nursing Instructors, Postsecondary
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.
Also called: Adjunct Clinical Nursing Instructor, Adjunct Instructor, Adjunct Nursing Instructor, Advanced Nursing Professor, Assistant Professor, Associate Professor
Median pay
$80,250
per year, U.S.
Pay range (10th–90th)
$48,800 – $129,500
People employed
77,960
Holland code
SIA
Social · Investigative · Artistic
Updated October 2026 · Data: O*NET 31.0 and BLS OEWS May 2025 · How we match careers
Is this career right for you?
These are the things that stand out in this job compared with other U.S. jobs (O*NET 31.0 work context). Answer honestly.
- 1.Do you want to lead or coordinate other people’s work?
- 2.Do you enjoy serving customers or the public?
- 3.Are you OK working more than 40 hours a week?
- 4.Do you want the same hours every week?
The hard parts
- Tight deadlines are common
- Mistakes can have serious consequences
Nursing Instructors and Teachers pay by state
Highest-paying states
Annual median pay by state (50 states and DC with published data). Source: BLS OEWS May 2025.
What nursing instructors and teachers do
- 01Evaluate and grade students' class work, laboratory and clinic work, assignments, and papers.
- 02Supervise students' laboratory and clinical work.
- 03Initiate, facilitate, and moderate classroom discussions.
- 04Assess clinical education needs and patient and client teaching needs using a variety of methods.
- 05Compile, administer, and grade examinations, or assign this work to others.
- 06Prepare and deliver lectures to undergraduate or graduate students on topics such as pharmacology, mental health nursing, and community health care practices.
Skills that matter most
- Learning Strategies
- Speaking
- Reading Comprehension
- Active Listening
- Writing
- Critical Thinking
Knowledge
- Medicine and Dentistry
- Education and Training
- Psychology
- English Language
- Biology
Work styles that stand out
- Intellectual Curiosity
- Cooperation
- Achievement Orientation
- Social Orientation
- Self-Control
Education and first steps
Share of workers by required education, as reported to O*NET.
How people get started
- Usually needs a graduate degree (O*NET Job Zone 5).
- Related work experience: over 2 years, up to and including 4 years.
- On-the-job training: over 1 year, up to and including 2 years.
- A professional certification is often expected.
Most common answers from O*NET 31.0 Education, Training and Experience.
Interest fit (Holland code)
O*NET occupational interest scores, scale 1–7. Take the Free Career Test to compare with your own.
Career changes
Change from nursing instructors and teachers
- Clinical Nurse Specialists92% · group pay
- Advanced Practice Psychiatric Nurses91% · group pay
- Registered Nurses85% · +22%
- Acute Care Nurses84% · group pay
- Occupational Therapists84% · +25%
Change into nursing instructors and teachers
Jobs whose skills carry over best (skill match, their median pay).
- Health Education Specialists85% · $64,070
- Advanced Practice Psychiatric Nurses84% · $97,550
- Clinical Neuropsychologists82% · $110,840
- Clinical Nurse Specialists82% · $97,550
- Hospitalists82% · $265,930
Majors that lead here
- Nursing Education
- Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse
- Adult Health Nurse/Nursing
- Nurse Anesthetist
- Family Practice Nurse/Nursing
- Maternal/Child Health and Neonatal Nurse/Nursing
- Nurse Midwife/Nursing Midwifery
- Nursing Science
- Pediatric Nurse/Nursing
- Psychiatric/Mental Health Nurse/Nursing
- Public Health/Community Nurse/Nursing
- Perioperative/Operating Room and Surgical Nurse/Nursing
From the NCES CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 crosswalk.