Jobs Similar to Nursing Instructors and Teachers
Also called: Nursing Instructors, Postsecondary
The careers below use the most similar skills, knowledge and work activities to nursing instructors and teachers, according to O*NET 31.0. The closest are Health Specialties Teachers, Recreation and Fitness Studies Teachers and Nurse Midwives.
Nursing Instructors and Teachers: $80,250 median pay · usual preparation: Graduate degree.
Updated October 2026 · Data: O*NET 31.0 and BLS OEWS May 2025 · How we match careers
The 20 most similar careers
| # | Career | Similarity | Median pay (vs. Nursing Instructors and Teachers) | Usual preparation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Health Specialties Teachers, PostsecondarySame group | 84% | $107,310+34% | Graduate degree |
| 2 | Recreation and Fitness Studies Teachers, PostsecondarySame group | 84% | $77,270−4% | Graduate degree |
| 3 | Nurse Midwives | 84% | $134,040+67% | Graduate degree |
| 4 | Occupational Therapists | 84% | $100,330+25% | Graduate degree |
| 5 | Advanced Practice Psychiatric Nurses | 84% | $97,550Broader BLS group · not compared | Graduate degree |
| 6 | Psychology Teachers, PostsecondarySame group | 84% | $80,3400% | Graduate degree |
| 7 | Special Education Teachers, Secondary School | 82% | $74,260−7% | Bachelor's degree |
| 8 | Psychiatrists | 82% | $281,870+251% | Graduate degree |
| 9 | Family and Consumer Sciences Teachers, PostsecondarySame group | 82% | $75,870−5% | Graduate degree |
| 10 | Clinical Nurse Specialists | 82% | $97,550Broader BLS group · not compared | Graduate degree |
| 11 | Nurse Practitioners | 82% | $132,300+65% | Graduate degree |
| 12 | Speech-Language Pathologists | 82% | $97,870+22% | Graduate degree |
| 13 | Neuropsychologists | 82% | $110,840Broader BLS group · not compared | Graduate degree |
| 14 | Hospitalists | 82% | $265,930Broader BLS group · not compared | Graduate degree |
| 15 | Clinical Neuropsychologists | 82% | $110,840Broader BLS group · not compared | Graduate degree |
| 16 | Physician Assistants | 81% | $135,880+69% | Graduate degree |
| 17 | Social Work Teachers, PostsecondarySame group | 81% | $77,570−3% | Graduate degree |
| 18 | Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Physicians | 81% | $265,930Broader BLS group · not compared | Graduate degree |
| 19 | Midwives | 81% | $65,790Broader BLS group · not compared | Graduate degree |
| 20 | Dietitians and Nutritionists | 81% | $76,400−5% | Graduate degree |
- 1Health Specialties Teachers, Postsecondary
84% similar · $107,310 (+34%) · Graduate degree · Same group
- 2Recreation and Fitness Studies Teachers, Postsecondary
84% similar · $77,270 (−4%) · Graduate degree · Same group
- 3Nurse Midwives
84% similar · $134,040 (+67%) · Graduate degree
- 4Occupational Therapists
84% similar · $100,330 (+25%) · Graduate degree
- 5Advanced Practice Psychiatric Nurses
84% similar · $97,550 (broader group) · Graduate degree
- 6Psychology Teachers, Postsecondary
84% similar · $80,340 (0%) · Graduate degree · Same group
- 7Special Education Teachers, Secondary School
82% similar · $74,260 (−7%) · Bachelor's degree
- 8Psychiatrists
82% similar · $281,870 (+251%) · Graduate degree
- 9Family and Consumer Sciences Teachers, Postsecondary
82% similar · $75,870 (−5%) · Graduate degree · Same group
- 10Clinical Nurse Specialists
82% similar · $97,550 (broader group) · Graduate degree
- 11Nurse Practitioners
82% similar · $132,300 (+65%) · Graduate degree
- 12Speech-Language Pathologists
82% similar · $97,870 (+22%) · Graduate degree
- 13Neuropsychologists
82% similar · $110,840 (broader group) · Graduate degree
- 14Hospitalists
82% similar · $265,930 (broader group) · Graduate degree
- 15Clinical Neuropsychologists
82% similar · $110,840 (broader group) · Graduate degree
- 16Physician Assistants
81% similar · $135,880 (+69%) · Graduate degree
- 17Social Work Teachers, Postsecondary
81% similar · $77,570 (−3%) · Graduate degree · Same group
- 18Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Physicians
81% similar · $265,930 (broader group) · Graduate degree
- 19Midwives
81% similar · $65,790 (broader group) · Graduate degree
- 20Dietitians and Nutritionists
81% similar · $76,400 (−5%) · Graduate degree
Similarity: weighted correlation of O*NET 31.0 transferable skills (35%), knowledge (25%), work activities (15%) and interests (15%). Pay and schooling do not change it. Pay change compares BLS May 2025 national medians; careers with only a broader BLS group wage are not compared. “Same group”: the same BLS occupation group (SOC minor group). Methodology
Similar jobs that pay more
Only careers that usually need no more preparation than nursing instructors and teachers.
- Psychiatrists82% similar · $281,870 (+251%)
- Physician Assistants81% similar · $135,880 (+69%)
- Nurse Midwives84% similar · $134,040 (+67%)
- Nurse Practitioners82% similar · $132,300 (+65%)
- Health Specialties Teachers, Postsecondary84% similar · $107,310 (+34%)
- Occupational Therapists84% similar · $100,330 (+25%)
Similar jobs that need less preparation
Thinking of a career change?
Similar is not the same as a good next step. Our career-change list for nursing instructors and teachers also weighs pay drops and extra schooling, and puts jobs outside the field first.
Jobs that can lead here
Careers where nursing instructors and teachers is one of the best career-change matches (match score in brackets).
- Health Education Specialists (85)
- Advanced Practice Psychiatric Nurses (84)
- Clinical Neuropsychologists (82)
- Clinical Nurse Specialists (82)
- Hospitalists (82)
- Neuropsychologists (82)
- Dietitians and Nutritionists (81)
- Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers (81)
- Midwives (81)
- Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Physicians (81)
Questions about jobs like nursing instructors and teachers
What jobs are most similar to nursing instructors and teachers?
By O*NET 31.0 data, the closest are Health Specialties Teachers (84% similar), Recreation and Fitness Studies Teachers (84% similar), Nurse Midwives (84% similar), Occupational Therapists (84% similar) and Advanced Practice Psychiatric Nurses (84% similar).
Which jobs like nursing instructors and teachers pay more?
Among the 20 most similar careers, Psychiatrists ($281,870, +251%; usually a graduate degree), Physician Assistants ($135,880, +69%; usually a graduate degree) and Nurse Midwives ($134,040, +67%; usually a graduate degree) have the highest BLS median pay compared with nursing instructors and teachers ($80,250). Without more preparation than nursing instructors and teachers usually need: Psychiatrists, Physician Assistants and Nurse Midwives.
How is the similarity percentage worked out?
We compare how important each transferable skill, knowledge area, work activity and interest area is in both jobs (O*NET 31.0 ratings) with a weighted correlation. 100% would mean the same profile. Unlike our career-change matches, pay and extra schooling do not lower the similarity on this page.