Nursing Instructors and Teachers, Postsecondary salary in the U.S.
Nursing Instructors and Teachers, Postsecondary in the U.S. earn a median of $80,250 a year, based on BLS data for 77,960 workers.
Pay ranges from $48,800 for the lowest-paid 10% to $129,500 for the top 10%. The average (mean) salary is $86,410, above the median because a few high earners pull it up.
Pay range for nursing instructors and teachers, postsecondary in the U.S.
| Pay level | Yearly |
|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $48,800 |
| 25th percentile | $63,510 |
| Median | $80,250 |
| 75th percentile | $101,090 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $129,500 |
| Average (mean) | $86,410 |
Half of nursing instructors and teachers, postsecondary earn more than the median and half earn less. Percentiles show the spread: 10% earn less than the 10th percentile, and 10% earn more than the 90th.
Median paycheck, before taxes
| Pay period | Amount |
|---|---|
| Monthly | $6,687.50 |
| Semi-monthly (24 a year) | $3,343.75 |
| Biweekly (26 a year) | $3,086.54 |
| Weekly | $1,543.27 |
BLS publishes only yearly pay for this job, because nursing instructors and teachers, postsecondary are usually paid a salary and may not work a full 2,080-hour year. Convert any amount with the hourly to salary converter.
Nursing Instructors and Teachers, Postsecondary salary by state
| State | Median salary | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Hawaii | $129,530 | 1,890 |
| District of Columbia | $107,770 | 110 |
| Delaware | $98,170 | 240 |
| Nevada | $96,500 | 870 |
| Connecticut | $95,500 | 1,380 |
| Idaho | $90,890 | 430 |
| Alaska | $85,650 | n/a |
| Massachusetts | $85,130 | 2,280 |
| Texas | $84,930 | 6,830 |
| Wisconsin | $84,700 | 1,760 |
| Maryland | $84,050 | 840 |
| New York | $82,950 | 6,340 |
| Nebraska | $82,720 | 300 |
| Virginia | $82,550 | 1,670 |
| Colorado | $82,530 | 1,350 |
| Florida | $82,410 | 4,320 |
| Utah | $82,320 | 580 |
| California | $81,960 | 5,610 |
| Washington | $81,630 | 1,300 |
| Minnesota | $81,280 | 1,340 |
| North Dakota | $80,710 | 150 |
| North Carolina | $80,400 | 2,560 |
| Tennessee | $80,050 | 1,150 |
| Louisiana | $79,960 | 440 |
| Alabama | $79,690 | 1,460 |
| Maine | $79,600 | 420 |
| South Carolina | $79,540 | 1,150 |
| New Mexico | $79,380 | 320 |
| Illinois | $79,150 | 4,940 |
| Arizona | $78,980 | 1,930 |
| Michigan | $78,870 | 1,740 |
| Pennsylvania | $78,460 | 4,290 |
| Rhode Island | $78,340 | 260 |
| New Hampshire | $78,310 | 320 |
| Oregon | $78,050 | 450 |
| Montana | $77,980 | 240 |
| Georgia | $77,720 | 1,590 |
| Iowa | $77,360 | 770 |
| New Jersey | $76,980 | 2,000 |
| Ohio | $76,700 | 4,290 |
| Missouri | $76,340 | 1,040 |
| Indiana | $76,080 | 1,520 |
| Mississippi | $75,060 | 1,050 |
| Wyoming | $72,590 | 150 |
| Kentucky | $71,920 | 1,130 |
| Oklahoma | $67,840 | 640 |
| Vermont | $66,660 | n/a |
| South Dakota | $66,630 | 250 |
| Arkansas | $63,090 | 830 |
| Kansas | $62,870 | 470 |
| West Virginia | $62,210 | 400 |
| Puerto Rico | $58,210 | 380 |
Best-paying metro areas for nursing instructors and teachers, postsecondary
| Metro area | Median salary | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Waco, TX | $206,810 | 60 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $150,400 | 140 |
| Fresno, CA | $135,080 | 110 |
| Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC | $111,820 | 260 |
| Amherst Town-Northampton, MA | $111,440 | 100 |
| Wilmington, NC | $110,620 | 220 |
| Ann Arbor, MI | $109,080 | 230 |
| Fargo, ND-MN | $106,380 | 70 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | $103,900 | 360 |
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | $103,010 | 1,580 |
| Durham-Chapel Hill, NC | $101,640 | n/a |
| Columbia, SC | $101,340 | 260 |
| Springfield, IL | $101,250 | 40 |
| Flagstaff, AZ | $101,160 | 50 |
| New Haven, CT | $100,170 | 360 |
Metro areas with the most nursing instructors and teachers, postsecondary
| Metro area | Workers | Median salary |
|---|---|---|
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | 5,290 | $92,050 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | 3,840 | $80,440 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | 2,350 | $79,680 |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | 2,050 | $81,040 |
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | 1,580 | $103,010 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | 1,560 | $83,550 |
| Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ | 1,420 | $71,740 |
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | 1,310 | $86,030 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | 1,180 | $98,970 |
| Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN | 1,010 | $67,520 |
| Columbus, OH | 880 | $79,040 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | 880 | $78,540 |
| Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI | 830 | $84,700 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | 790 | $83,950 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | 750 | $94,740 |
Related jobs in the U.S.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 estimates, occupation code 25-1072. Wages include base pay, tips, commissions and shift pay, but not overtime, bonuses or benefits, and exclude the self-employed.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a nursing instructors and teachers, postsecondary make in the U.S.?
The median salary for nursing instructors and teachers, postsecondary in the U.S. is $80,250 a year. Pay ranges from $48,800 for the lowest-paid 10% to $129,500 for the top 10%.
How much do the highest-paid nursing instructors and teachers, postsecondary make in the U.S.?
The top 10% of nursing instructors and teachers, postsecondary in the U.S. earn at least $129,500 a year. The top 25% earn $101,090 or more.
What is the starting pay for nursing instructors and teachers, postsecondary in the U.S.?
Entry-level pay (the 10th percentile) is about $48,800 a year, and a quarter of nursing instructors and teachers, postsecondary earn $63,510 or less.
How many nursing instructors and teachers, postsecondary work in the U.S.?
About 77,960 nursing instructors and teachers, postsecondary are employed in the U.S., not counting the self-employed.