What you’ll learn in this article…
- BLS puts 2025 median pay for postsecondary nursing teachers at $80,250.
- Per AACN, doctoral-prepared assistant professors average $108,278 versus $87,772 for master's-prepared peers.
- Delaware leads all states, with a $98,170 median for nursing faculty.
Federal wage data for 2025 puts the median pay for postsecondary nursing teachers at about $80,250 a year, but that figure blends every rank, from clinical instructors to full professors, at community colleges and research universities alike. A nurse educator salary at the assistant professor rank depends on a narrower set of variables: degree level, contract length, institution type, and state.
The tension is plain. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports postsecondary nursing teachers as one group, not the assistant rank alone, so any assistant-professor range has to be assembled from rank-level surveys and nurse educator salary by state figures. Pay by rank, state, and degree, plus monthly and hourly conversions, is where a realistic range comes into focus.
Most hiring committees now expect a doctorate for tenure-track roles, and that expectation shapes the pay spread more than any other factor.
Assistant Professor of Nursing Salary at a Glance
The short answer
Federal wage data for 2025 puts the median pay for postsecondary nursing instructors and teachers at about $80,250 a year. The middle half of the profession earns roughly $63,510 to $101,090, and the average sits a little higher than the median at $86,410, which tells you a smaller group of high earners is pulling the top of the range upward. Nearly 78,000 people hold these jobs nationally.
With an MSN Nurse Educator Track and solid clinical experience, your first assistant professor appointment will usually land in the lower middle of that spread, especially on a nine-month contract at a community college or smaller private school.
Why that number is a proxy, not a rank-specific figure
The federal occupation code for nursing teachers does not separate academic ranks. It pools types of nurse educators, including clinical instructors, lecturers, assistant professors, associate professors, full professors and part-time adjuncts, into one bucket. Adjuncts and instructors drag the 25th percentile down; endowed full professors at research universities push the 75th percentile up. Assistant professor pay lives inside that range, but the published median is not an assistant professor median.
How nursing compares with other health faculty
Nursing faculty earn noticeably less than the broader health specialties teacher category, where the median is $107,310 and the middle half runs from $75,690 to $210,370. That category includes medical, dental and pharmacy school faculty, whose pay tracks the clinical earnings they give up. It is a useful reminder that nursing academia competes with bedside and advanced practice salaries, and does not always win on base pay alone, as the Nurse Educator vs. Nurse Practitioner & Other Roles comparison shows.
Where the numbers come from
Three sources circulate online and they rarely agree. Federal survey data reflects actual employer-reported wages across all ranks. Salary aggregators rely on self-reported figures, which skew toward whoever bothers to submit. Job postings show what schools are willing to advertise right now, which is often a range rather than an offer. The next section narrows the picture to the assistant rank specifically.
National Median Pay for Postsecondary Nursing Teachers
Use this figure as your national benchmark when you evaluate a faculty offer.
Nursing Faculty Salary by Academic Rank: Instructor to Full Professor
The rank-level figures below come from an AcademicJobs.com salary guide informed by AACN's 2024-2025 faculty salary survey. They climb from about $80,000 for instructors to $160,000 for full professors, vary by experience, location and department (including policy versus clinical roles), and do not state a contract length. Actual 2026 assistant professor postings span $70,815 to $110,000: Radford University's nine-month band ($76,000 to $82,000) versus its 12-month band ($95,000 to $110,000) shows how much appointment length alone moves pay, and Trinity Washington's non-tenure-track clinical role pays $80,000 to $85,000 on 12 months. Because the BLS median for postsecondary nursing teachers blends every rank, track, contract length and school type, it won't line up with any single row here, so confirm rank, track and appointment length before comparing an offer to it.
| Academic Rank | Typical Salary (Average or Median) | Typical Contract Length | Notes on Tenure or Clinical Track |
|---|---|---|---|
| Instructor | $80,000 per year | Not specified | Guide informed by AACN 2024-2025 survey; varies by experience, location and department |
| Assistant professor | $110,000 per year | Not specified | Guide informed by AACN 2024-2025 survey; varies by experience, location and department |
| Associate professor | $130,000 per year | Not specified | Guide informed by AACN 2024-2025 survey; varies by experience, location and department |
| Full professor | $160,000 per year | Not specified | Guide informed by AACN 2024-2025 survey; varies by experience, location and department |
| Assistant professor (Hunter-Bellevue School of Nursing posting) | $70,815 to $102,017 per year | N/A | N/A |
| Assistant professor (Radford University posting, 9-month) | $76,000 to $82,000 per year | 9 months | Track not specified in posting |
| Assistant professor (Radford University posting, 12-month) | $95,000 to $110,000 per year | 12 months | Track not specified in posting |
| Clinical assistant professor (Trinity Washington University posting) | $80,000 to $85,000 per year | 12 months | Full-time, non-tenure-track; teaches didactic and clinical instruction |
Nursing Professor Pay by State: Where Faculty Earn the Most (And Texas)
Delaware leads federal wage data for postsecondary nursing teachers with a median of $98,170, followed by Nevada ($96,500) and Connecticut ($95,500), according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics 2025 Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics. Texas employs 6,830 nursing faculty, more than any other state shown here, with a median of $84,930 and a mean of $96,030, which means a strong group of higher earners pulls the average well above the midpoint. Current assistant professor postings at Texas A&M University and the University of Houston base pay on qualifications and experience, so use the Texas percentiles below as your benchmark when you negotiate an offer.
| State | Nursing Faculty Employed | 25th Percentile | Median Annual Pay | 75th Percentile | Mean Annual Pay |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Delaware | 240 | $81,060 | $98,170 | $117,840 | $99,500 |
| Nevada | 870 | $75,940 | $96,500 | $101,270 | $89,750 |
| Connecticut | 1,380 | $79,550 | $95,500 | $100,170 | $94,470 |
| Idaho | 430 | $70,980 | $90,890 | $124,000 | $93,950 |
| Alaska | N/A | $84,690 | $85,650 | $105,350 | $97,020 |
| Massachusetts | 2,280 | $75,210 | $85,130 | $108,590 | $95,000 |
| Texas | 6,830 | $65,560 | $84,930 | $106,140 | $96,030 |
| Wisconsin | 1,760 | $76,960 | $84,700 | $100,330 | $87,000 |
| Maryland | 840 | $67,510 | $84,050 | $105,860 | $88,480 |
| New York | 6,340 | $63,270 | $82,950 | $106,520 | $91,290 |
| Nebraska | 300 | $67,910 | $82,720 | $98,470 | $89,010 |
| Virginia | 1,670 | $73,410 | $82,550 | $99,420 | $85,480 |
| Colorado | 1,350 | $65,820 | $82,530 | $104,660 | $86,560 |
| Florida | 4,320 | $63,580 | $82,410 | $96,720 | $83,110 |
| Utah | 580 | $61,650 | $82,320 | $95,990 | $79,910 |
| California | 5,610 | $62,530 | $81,960 | $116,460 | $96,830 |
| Washington | 1,300 | $69,340 | $81,630 | $104,300 | $92,500 |
| Minnesota | 1,340 | $73,330 | $81,280 | $101,170 | $87,310 |
| North Dakota | 150 | $67,140 | $80,710 | $106,380 | $85,640 |
| North Carolina | 2,560 | $74,000 | $80,400 | $100,210 | $85,230 |
| Tennessee | 1,150 | $65,480 | $80,050 | $98,160 | $82,240 |
| Louisiana | 440 | $65,510 | $79,960 | $100,240 | $87,790 |
| Alabama | 1,460 | $61,920 | $79,690 | $93,360 | $82,800 |
| Maine | 420 | $63,350 | $79,600 | $101,440 | $84,150 |
| South Carolina | 1,150 | $65,370 | $79,540 | $99,410 | $88,730 |
MSN vs. DNP vs. PhD: How Your Degree Changes Faculty Pay and Tenure Eligibility
According to the American Association of Colleges of Nursing's 2025 salary data, doctoral-prepared assistant professors average $108,278 versus $87,772 for master's-prepared assistant professors, a gap of about $20,500 that widens to roughly $50,800 at the full professor rank. AACN reports DNP and PhD faculty together as one doctoral-prepared group, so the pay figures below are the same for both doctorates; the real difference is the type of role and tenure track each one opens. If you want a tenure-track assistant professor title, plan for a doctorate. Some schools, such as Northeastern Illinois University, require an earned PhD, DNP or EdD plus at least 3 years of college or university teaching (or 5 years of clinical teaching) and 3 years of nursing practice.
| Highest Degree | Instructor Pay (2025) | Assistant Professor Pay (2025) | Associate Professor Pay (2025) | Full Professor Pay (2025) | Typical Faculty Roles | Tenure-Track Eligibility |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MSN (master's-prepared) | $87,587 | $87,772 | $93,437 | $104,520 | Academic nurse faculty and clinical nurse faculty; an MSN is typically the minimum for most teaching roles | Typically not sufficient for tenure-track appointments; doctoral preparation is usually required |
| DNP (doctoral-prepared) | $97,418 | $108,278 | $123,379 | $155,312 | Practice-focused and clinical teaching roles; entry-level tenure-track positions at some universities | May qualify for entry-level tenure-track positions, depending on the university |
| PhD (doctoral-prepared) | $97,418 | $108,278 | $123,379 | $155,312 | Entry-level assistant professor and research-oriented faculty roles | The typical candidate for entry-level tenure-track assistant professor positions |
Nine-Month vs. Twelve-Month Contracts: Monthly and Hourly Pay
A nine-month faculty nurse educator salary looks smaller than a twelve-month clinical paycheck, but the two are not measuring the same year of work. Converting them fairly takes a little care.
The Basic Conversion
Use round numbers. Say a 12-month contract pays $96,000. Divide by 12 for $8,000 a month. Divide by 2,080 hours (40 hours for 52 weeks) for about $46 an hour.
Now take a 9-month contract at $72,000. Divide by 9 for $8,000 per month of service, the same rate as the 12-month example. Divide by roughly 1,560 hours (40 hours for 39 weeks) for about $46 an hour. The pay is equal; only the length of the contract differs.
Why the Common Shortcut Misleads
Frequent nurse educator salary myths include dividing $72,000 by 12 ($6,000 a month) or by 2,080 hours (about $35 an hour). That understates the real rate by roughly a quarter. Academic-year contracts generally cover fall and spring service, and summer is ordinarily outside the contract unless separately assigned and paid. Some universities describe nine-month faculty as ordinarily on leave in summer.
Nine-month also does not always mean nine paychecks. The University of North Alabama pays equal installments over 12 months unless otherwise approved1, while the University of Alabama in Huntsville lets eligible non-grant faculty choose a 9- or 12-month payout2. Check your offer letter for the schedule.
Summer, Overload and Adjunct Pay
Summer teaching is extra, and the formula varies by institution:
- University of Houston-Clear Lake: 10% of base 9-month salary per teaching unit.3
- University of North Texas: 8.33% of 9-month salary for a 3-credit course, capped at three-ninths of base.4
- Georgia Tech: total summer pay capped at 33.33% of base.5
- Salt Lake Community College: 2.35% of annual pay per instructional unit, up to 10 units.6
On a $72,000 base, a 10% summer course adds $7,200. Overload during the academic year is usually negotiated and capped (UNT limits it to 10% of base per 3-credit course)7, and some schools pay only the adjunct rate.
Adjunct rates are institution-specific, and no typical per-course nursing figure is established. For one example, Lee College District's 2024-2025 schedule lists $2,450 for a 3-credit lecture course and $1,633.33 for a lab, with nursing clinical or lab supervision at $60 per contact hour.8 Treat these as one data point, not a national rate.
What the Median Works Out to per Month and per Hour
Converting the national median into monthly and hourly terms makes it easier to compare a faculty offer against your current clinical pay.
Related Articles
Beyond Base Salary: Community College, University and Online Program Compensation
Posted salaries hide as much as they reveal about the nurse educator pay gap. The same "assistant professor" title pays differently at a community college, a public university, a private university and an online program, and the gaps often shrink or reverse once you factor in workload and benefits.
How the Four Sectors Stack Up
Federal wage data for postsecondary nursing teachers points to roughly $81,900 at community colleges and around $86,900 at four-year colleges and universities, though those figures do not split public from private or isolate online faculty. Treat them as rough signposts, not precise rankings.
- Community colleges: Heavy pre-licensure teaching and clinical supervision, lighter research expectations, and tenure-track nursing faculty roles in some systems. Starting pay in one associate-degree survey clustered in the $50,000 to $75,000 range.
- Public universities: More structured rank ladders and research scholarship expectations, strong state retirement plans, and tenure eligibility that usually requires a doctorate.
- Private universities: Pay and workload vary widely; some endowed programs beat public peers, others trail. Tuition remission is often more generous.
- Online nurse educator programs: Frequently non-tenure or contract roles, flexible schedules, but fewer long-term benefits and less sabbatical access.
The Benefits You Can't See on a Job Posting
In one associate-degree faculty survey, 99% of respondents had health coverage, about 76% had employer retirement contributions, and roughly half had a pension option. These are worth real money. A pension or a strong employer match can add thousands in annual value that never appears in the base figure. Watch for:
- Tuition remission: Free or discounted courses for you and sometimes dependents, which matters if you're finishing a DNP or PhD.
- Sabbaticals: Common at universities, rare online, valuable for scholarship or re-credentialing.
- Summer income: A nine-month contract can become twelve months of pay through summer teaching, grants or clinical work.
Do the Effective-Hourly Math
Teaching load, clinical supervision hours and research expectations change what each dollar actually costs you. A community-college role with a high course load may pay less per hour worked than a university post with a lighter load and a research allotment. Clinical supervision, in particular, eats evenings and weekends that salary math often ignores.
The takeaway: compare total compensation, not base pay. A lower-base position with a pension, tuition remission and a manageable load can out-earn and outlast a higher-base role that burns you out by spring.
Licensure, Certification and Hiring Requirements for Nursing Faculty
What credentials do you actually need to be hired as nursing faculty? Start with an active, unencumbered RN license in the state where you teach or supervise clinicals. Everything else, from degrees to certifications, builds on that baseline.
Degree and Accreditor Minimums
Most programs hire graduate-prepared faculty. CCNE expects nurse faculty to hold a current RN or APRN license, and clinical faculty in master's, DNP, post-graduate APRN certificate and baccalaureate programs generally need a graduate degree.1 There is a narrow baccalaureate exception: a BSN-prepared clinician with significant clinical experience who is enrolled in graduate study (or otherwise qualified through graduate courses, CEUs or national certification) and overseen by graduate-prepared faculty.2 CCNE gives no numeric years for "significant clinical experience," and faculty must maintain clinical expertise.2 I could not confirm current ACEN wording, so do not assume it matches CCNE. Check ACEN's standards directly , including the ACEN vs CCNE differences , if you are targeting an ACEN-accredited program.
Clinical Experience Expectations
No single national minimum exists. A commonly reported threshold is at least one year of full-time RN experience before teaching clinical or specialty content, but employers, courses, states and accreditors differ.1 Practice in the specialty you will teach (pediatrics, med-surg, psych) tends to carry the most weight for both didactic and clinical roles.
NLN CNE and CNEcl Certifications
The National League for Nursing offers both credentials, and the CNE vs. CNEcl choice depends on your teaching role. They signal documented educator competence, which helps in hiring conversations, and neither is required by the accreditors above. Whether they raise pay depends on the institution, so ask about stipends or promotion criteria before you invest.
- CNE: Requires an unencumbered license plus a nursing graduate degree. The Certified Nurse Educator Certification Guide details the full requirements. Option A needs an education emphasis, a post-master's education certificate, or at least 9 graduate education credits. Option B covers a graduate degree in a non-education nursing role plus at least 2 years in an academic nursing program within the last 5 years.3
- CNEcl: Aimed at clinical teaching. Option A pairs a graduate degree focused on nursing education with 3 years of nursing practice. Option B requires a BSN or higher, 3 years of practice, and 2 years of academic nursing teaching within the last 5 years.4
Check Both Sources
Requirements vary by state board of nursing and by institution. Before you apply, confirm your state board's faculty rules and read the specific job posting, since the stricter standard governs.
Texas Nursing Faculty Licensing at a Glance
How Do You Get From Staff Nurse to Assistant Professor of Nursing?
Most nursing faculty careers follow the same ladder: build a clinical foundation first, then add the graduate credential that academic hiring committees require. Use the steps below to see where you are now and what each stage unlocks next.
Job Outlook and How to Raise Your Faculty Pay
A Workforce That Needs More Teachers
Nurse educator demand is strong. BLS counts 77,960 nursing instructors and teachers working in postsecondary roles nationwide, and it projects employment in this occupation to grow 17% from 2025 to 2035, adding about 16,500 jobs. That pace is well ahead of the 7% projected for postsecondary teachers overall and the 3% projected for all occupations.
The shortage is already visible on campuses. AACN's October 2025 survey of 863 nursing schools with baccalaureate or graduate programs (80.3% responding) found 1,588 unfilled full-time faculty positions, a national vacancy rate of 7.2%. Schools also reported needing 150 more faculty positions to meet student demand.
In 2025, nursing programs turned away 92,672 qualified applications, including 6,496 to master's programs and 10,359 to doctoral programs. AACN ties those turnaways to several capacity limits (clinical sites, preceptors, classroom space and budgets), but most responding schools named a nursing faculty shortage as a top reason. For you, that means leverage. A school with a faculty line it cannot fill has reasons to bargain.
Five Moves That Raise Your Faculty Pay
The pay spread is wide. BLS places the middle half of postsecondary nursing teachers between $63,510 and $101,090, with a median of $80,250. Where you land in that range depends on choices you control.
- Negotiate rank at hire: Ask whether your degree, clinical experience and any prior teaching qualify you for assistant professor rather than instructor or clinical lecturer. Rank sets your base pay and your raise path, so settle it before you sign.
- Clarify contract length: Confirm whether the offer is a nine-month or twelve-month appointment, and ask how summer teaching is paid. Compare competing offers on the same basis before deciding which one actually pays more.
- Earn the CNE: The National League for Nursing's Certified Nurse Educator credential signals teaching expertise to hiring committees and can strengthen your case in promotion reviews. Check the current eligibility rules before you set an exam date.
- Time your doctorate: A DNP or PhD opens tenure-track lines and higher ranks at many universities. Before you enroll on your own, ask prospective employers whether they offer tuition support for faculty, so you are not paying full cost for a degree they would help fund.
- Weigh the teaching load: A higher salary tied to heavy credit loads, clinical supervision and service duties can pay less per hour of real work than a modest offer with protected time for scholarship.
Where to Go Next
If you are still building credentials, start with the nurseeducator.com guides to nurse educator salary by state and MSN in nursing education programs. Then map the degree, certification and negotiation steps above onto your own timeline, so each move adds to your earning power rather than just your workload.
