Nursing Instructors and Teachers, Postsecondary Salaries by State
Mean and median pay, wage percentiles, employment, and top-paying metro areas for nursing instructors and teachers, postsecondarys across the U.S. Source: BLS OEWS May 2025 (data.bls.gov OEWS tool /OESServices/combo/table, all-occupation crawl by area).
National mean salary $86,410 ≈ $42/hr
National median salary $80,250
Total employment 77,960 nationwide
Job Outlook, 2024–2034
Source: BLS Employment Projections 2024-2034.
Projected growth +16.8%
Much faster than average
Annual openings 8,600 per year (avg)
Employment 2024→2034 91,600 → 106,900 (+15,300)
Typical entry education Doctoral or professional degree
Salary Map
Brighter tiles = higher average pay; dashed tiles have no data. Click a state for details.
💰 Top 5 Highest-Paying States
- Hawaii$125,620
- District of Columbia$109,610
- Delaware$99,500
- Alaska$97,020
- California$96,830
📉 5 Lowest-Paying States
- West Virginia$67,250
- Arkansas$67,790
- Kansas$69,990
- Oklahoma$70,440
- Wyoming$71,940
State Rankings
| # | State | Mean | Median | Hourly | vs. U.S. | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hawaii | $125,620 | $129,530 | $60 | +45.4% | 1,890 |
| 2 | District of Columbia | $109,610 | $107,770 | $53 | +26.8% | 110 |
| 3 | Delaware | $99,500 | $98,170 | $48 | +15.1% | 240 |
| 4 | Alaska | $97,020 | $85,650 | $47 | +12.3% | — |
| 5 | California | $96,830 | $81,960 | $47 | +12.1% | 5,610 |
| 6 | Texas | $96,030 | $84,930 | $46 | +11.1% | 6,830 |
| 7 | Massachusetts | $95,000 | $85,130 | $46 | +9.9% | 2,280 |
| 8 | Connecticut | $94,470 | $95,500 | $45 | +9.3% | 1,380 |
| 9 | Idaho | $93,950 | $90,890 | $45 | +8.7% | 430 |
| 10 | Washington | $92,500 | $81,630 | $44 | +7% | 1,300 |
| 11 | New York | $91,290 | $82,950 | $44 | +5.6% | 6,340 |
| 12 | Nevada | $89,750 | $96,500 | $43 | +3.9% | 870 |
| 13 | Nebraska | $89,010 | $82,720 | $43 | +3% | 300 |
| 14 | South Carolina | $88,730 | $79,540 | $43 | +2.7% | 1,150 |
| 15 | Maryland | $88,480 | $84,050 | $43 | +2.4% | 840 |
| 16 | Louisiana | $87,790 | $79,960 | $42 | +1.6% | 440 |
| 17 | Minnesota | $87,310 | $81,280 | $42 | +1% | 1,340 |
| 18 | Wisconsin | $87,000 | $84,700 | $42 | +0.7% | 1,760 |
| 19 | Colorado | $86,560 | $82,530 | $42 | +0.2% | 1,350 |
| 20 | North Dakota | $85,640 | $80,710 | $41 | -0.9% | 150 |
| 21 | Virginia | $85,480 | $82,550 | $41 | -1.1% | 1,670 |
| 22 | North Carolina | $85,230 | $80,400 | $41 | -1.4% | 2,560 |
| 23 | Arizona | $84,560 | $78,980 | $41 | -2.1% | 1,930 |
| 24 | Oregon | $84,450 | $78,050 | $41 | -2.3% | 450 |
| 25 | Maine | $84,150 | $79,600 | $40 | -2.6% | 420 |
| 26 | New Jersey | $83,650 | $76,980 | $40 | -3.2% | 2,000 |
| 27 | Florida | $83,110 | $82,410 | $40 | -3.8% | 4,320 |
| 28 | Alabama | $82,800 | $79,690 | $40 | -4.2% | 1,460 |
| 29 | Tennessee | $82,240 | $80,050 | $40 | -4.8% | 1,150 |
| 30 | New Hampshire | $81,420 | $78,310 | $39 | -5.8% | 320 |
| 31 | Michigan | $81,190 | $78,870 | $39 | -6% | 1,740 |
| 32 | Rhode Island | $81,060 | $78,340 | $39 | -6.2% | 260 |
| 33 | Missouri | $80,930 | $76,340 | $39 | -6.3% | 1,040 |
| 34 | Pennsylvania | $80,100 | $78,460 | $39 | -7.3% | 4,290 |
| 35 | Utah | $79,910 | $82,320 | $38 | -7.5% | 580 |
| 36 | Indiana | $78,950 | $76,080 | $38 | -8.6% | 1,520 |
| 37 | Mississippi | $78,460 | $75,060 | $38 | -9.2% | 1,050 |
| 38 | Georgia | $78,320 | $77,720 | $38 | -9.4% | 1,590 |
| 39 | Illinois | $78,320 | $79,150 | $38 | -9.4% | 4,940 |
| 40 | Iowa | $78,050 | $77,360 | $38 | -9.7% | 770 |
| 41 | Montana | $76,960 | $77,980 | $37 | -10.9% | 240 |
| 42 | Vermont | $76,960 | $66,660 | $37 | -10.9% | — |
| 43 | Kentucky | $76,560 | $71,920 | $37 | -11.4% | 1,130 |
| 44 | New Mexico | $75,960 | $79,380 | $37 | -12.1% | 320 |
| 45 | South Dakota | $74,120 | $66,630 | $36 | -14.2% | 250 |
| 46 | Ohio | $73,110 | $76,700 | $35 | -15.4% | 4,290 |
| 47 | Wyoming | $71,940 | $72,590 | $35 | -16.7% | 150 |
| 48 | Oklahoma | $70,440 | $67,840 | $34 | -18.5% | 640 |
| 49 | Kansas | $69,990 | $62,870 | $34 | -19% | 470 |
| 50 | Arkansas | $67,790 | $63,090 | $33 | -21.5% | 830 |
| 51 | West Virginia | $67,250 | $62,210 | $32 | -22.2% | 400 |
Top-Paying Metro Areas
Highest median pay among 253 metro areas.
| # | Metro area | Median | Mean | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Waco, TX | $206,810 | $163,530 | 60 |
| 2 | San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $150,400 | $152,790 | 140 |
| 3 | Fresno, CA | $135,080 | $114,000 | 110 |
| 4 | Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC | $111,820 | $105,490 | 260 |
| 5 | Amherst Town-Northampton, MA | $111,440 | $105,660 | 100 |
| 6 | Wilmington, NC | $110,620 | $101,050 | 220 |
| 7 | Ann Arbor, MI | $109,080 | $113,680 | 230 |
| 8 | Fargo, ND-MN | $106,380 | $95,880 | 70 |
| 9 | San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | $103,900 | $116,370 | 360 |
| 10 | Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | $103,010 | $111,820 | 1,580 |
Pay by Industry
Highest-paying industries employing nursing instructors and teachers, postsecondarys (BLS OEWS, by median).
| # | Industry | Median | Mean | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Specialty (except Psychiatric and Substance Abuse) Hospitals | $134,170 | $120,380 | 100 |
| 2 | Offices of Physicians | $126,840 | $130,430 | — |
| 3 | Hospitals, Local Government Owned | $124,860 | $125,990 | 420 |
| 4 | General Medical and Surgical Hospitals, Local Government Owned | $124,860 | $125,990 | 420 |
| 5 | Hospitals | $107,190 | $115,340 | 2,710 |
| 6 | Sector 62 - Health Care and Social Assistance | $107,190 | $114,710 | 2,940 |
| 7 | General Medical and Surgical Hospitals | $106,360 | $115,270 | 2,580 |
| 8 | Local Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) | $104,970 | $103,920 | 30 |
| 9 | General Medical and Surgical Hospitals, Privately Owned | $104,310 | $113,730 | 1,920 |
| 10 | Hospitals, Privately Owned | $104,090 | $113,690 | 2,000 |
| 11 | Ambulatory Health Care Services | $102,860 | $93,500 | 140 |
| 12 | Hospitals, State Government Owned | $102,530 | $111,200 | 290 |
Frequently Asked Questions
How much do nursing instructors and teachers, postsecondary make in the U.S.?
The median nursing instructors and teachers, postsecondary salary in the United States is $80,250 per year (mean $86,410), and about 80% earn between $48,800 and $129,500.
How much do nursing instructors and teachers, postsecondary make per hour?
Roughly $42 per hour, based on a mean annual wage of $86,410 and 2,080 work hours per year.
Which state pays nursing instructors and teachers, postsecondary the most?
Hawaii has the highest average pay for nursing instructors and teachers, postsecondary at $125,620 per year (median $129,530).
What is the job outlook for nursing instructors and teachers, postsecondary?
Employment is projected to change +16.8% from 2024 to 2034 (Much faster than average), with about 8,600 openings per year.
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