Nursing Instructors and Teachers, Postsecondary Salary: $79,940 Median Pay (2026 stats)
Executive Summary
About 74,250 nursing instructors and teachers, postsecondary work nationally, and $79,940 is the BLS national median annual wage. Projections imply about 9.1% annual growth; much hiring sits in educational services.
Nursing Instructors and Teachers, Postsecondary: what the data shows
Common questions about nursing instructors and teachers, postsecondary careers, answered from BLS OEWS and O*NET in this repository.
What is a nursing instructors and teachers, postsecondary?
Nursing Instructors and Teachers, Postsecondary is tracked by the Bureau of Labor Statistics under SOC 25-1072.
U.S. employment in our OEWS extract is about 74,250 workers.
What does a nursing instructors and teachers, postsecondary do?
O*NET work activities rated highest for this occupation include Training and Teaching Others, Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge, Getting Information, Assisting and Caring for Others, Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships, Working with Computers, and related tasks. See Work Activities for the full list.
How much does a nursing instructors and teachers, postsecondary make?
BLS national median annual wage: $79,940 (May 2024 in our extract).
Mean annual wage in our occupational extract: $104,536 — higher than the median, which often reflects top earners in the distribution.
Wage percentiles below are from the California OEWS extract (not national unless noted).
| Wage percentile | Annual wage |
|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $52,057 |
| 25th percentile | $67,290 |
| Median (50th) | $101,701 |
| 75th percentile | $127,668 |
| 90th percentile | $163,578 |
What skills do you need?
O*NET ratings for this occupation emphasize skills such as Instructing, Speaking, Learning Strategies, Writing, Reading Comprehension, Active Listening, and knowledge areas including Medicine and Dentistry, Education and Training, Psychology, English Language. See Education & Skills for detail.
Is nursing instructors and teachers, postsecondary in demand?
Historical employment trend in our series implies about 9.1% annual growth (compound rate in the extract).
Five-year projected employment change: 54.4%.
Ten-year projected employment change: 138.4%.
Current U.S. headcount: 74,250.
We report federal series only—compare wages, growth, and openings against your target market.
Where do nursing instructors and teachers, postsecondarys work?
Top industries by employment share in our OEWS industry extract:
| Industry | Employment | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Educational Services | 141,660 | 25.4% |
| Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools | 97,600 | 17.5% |
| Cross-industry | 74,250 | 13.3% |
| Educational Services | 70,830 | 12.7% |
| Federal, State, and Local Government, including State and Local Government Schools and Hospitals and the U.S. Postal Service (OEWS Designation) | 38,700 | 7.0% |
| Junior Colleges | 37,680 | 6.8% |
See Industry for charts.
What degrees lead to this career?
Common majors for Nursing Instructors and Teachers, Postsecondary in O*NET:
See Related degrees.
What careers are related?
Other occupations linked through shared degree pathways in our mapping:
| Occupation | U.S. employment | Median wage |
|---|---|---|
| Medical Assistants | 793,460 | $44,200 |
| Physician Assistants | 155,540 | $133,260 |
| Nurse Practitioners | 307,390 | $129,210 |
| Pharmacy Technicians | 487,920 | $43,460 |
| Registered Nurses | 3,282,010 | $93,600 |
| Dental Hygienists | 200,000 | — |
| Occupational Therapists | 152,280 | $98,340 |
Employment
Employment and salary information for the Nursing Instructors and Teachers, Postsecondary workforce.
Employment Over Time
74,250 U.S. workforce (OEWS)
California employment for Nursing Instructors and Teachers, Postsecondary grew from 5,490 in 2009 to 22,040 in 2025 (301.5%).
Historical employment for Nursing Instructors and Teachers, Postsecondary from the California OEWS series, 2009–2025. The U.S. workforce figure is national and is not the endpoint of this line.
Yearly Wage Ranking
$79,940 Median pay (BLS national)
Nursing Instructors and Teachers, Postsecondary earn $79,940 as the BLS national median annual wage.
Wage ranking compared to other occupations.
Wage Distribution
This chart shows the distribution of average salaries by income buckets for Nursing Instructors and Teachers, Postsecondary.
Salary distribution for Nursing Instructors and Teachers, Postsecondary.
Employment Growth Projections
9.1% Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR)
34,028 Projected Employment (5 years)
Projected growth: 54.4%
52,539 Projected Employment (10 years)
Projected growth: 138.4%
This occupation is projected to grow at 9.1% annually, indicating strong future demand.
Historical employment trends and future projections for Nursing Instructors and Teachers, Postsecondary.
Industry
Information on the industries that employ Nursing Instructors and Teachers, Postsecondary and on wages for those in the field.
Occupations by Industries
This graphic shows the share of Nursing Instructors and Teachers, Postsecondary employed by various industries.
Industry distribution for Nursing Instructors and Teachers, Postsecondary.
Wage Trends by Industry
7.8% Average Annual Wage Growth Rate
Historical wage growth trends by industry for Nursing Instructors and Teachers, Postsecondary.
Geographic Distribution
Employment and wage information by geographic location for Nursing Instructors and Teachers, Postsecondary.
State employment and wages are from the U.S. BLS OEWS May 2024 state extract. Metropolitan areas use the national MSA file when available.
Top States by Employment
Top States by Employment:
- CA: 6,120 employees, $101,770 avg wage
- TX: 5,940 employees, $104,640 avg wage
- NY: 5,380 employees, $99,170 avg wage
- FL: 4,990 employees, $88,970 avg wage
- PA: 4,860 employees, $82,980 avg wage
- OH: 4,260 employees, $74,930 avg wage
- MA: 2,860 employees, $90,830 avg wage
- IL: 2,450 employees, $83,400 avg wage
- NC: 2,360 employees, $82,550 avg wage
- VA: 1,950 employees, $80,180 avg wage
Top 10 states by employment for Nursing Instructors and Teachers, Postsecondary.
Top Metropolitan Areas
Top Metropolitan Areas:
- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ: 4,050 employees, $112,750 avg wage
- Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA: 2,530 employees, $93,260 avg wage
- Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD: 2,230 employees, $86,560 avg wage
- Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH: 2,160 employees, $91,210 avg wage
- Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN: 1,600 employees, $86,310 avg wage
- Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL: 1,510 employees, $92,570 avg wage
- Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX: 1,510 employees, $115,090 avg wage
- Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ: 1,490 employees, $74,110 avg wage
- Pittsburgh, PA: 1,490 employees, $79,090 avg wage
- Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX: 1,250 employees, $107,210 avg wage
Top 10 metropolitan statistical areas by employment for Nursing Instructors and Teachers, Postsecondary.
Diversity
Demographic information on Nursing Instructors and Teachers, Postsecondary in the US.
Gender and Age
The U.S. workforce for Nursing Instructors and Teachers, Postsecondary is about 74,250 people in our OEWS extract.
Gender and age distribution for Nursing Instructors and Teachers, Postsecondary.
Races
Racial and ethnic shares when present in the career dataset. If the chart area shows a notice instead, occupational race/ethnicity fields are not yet populated for this extract.
Race and ethnicity distribution for Nursing Instructors and Teachers, Postsecondary.
Education & Skills
Data on higher education choices and required skills for Nursing Instructors and Teachers, Postsecondary.
Majors
The most common majors achieved by Nursing Instructors and Teachers, Postsecondary in 2023 were Health Sciences, Biology, Registered Nursing.
Common majors for Nursing Instructors and Teachers, Postsecondary.
Education Levels
The main educational levels achieved by Nursing Instructors and Teachers, Postsecondary workers.
Education level distribution for Nursing Instructors and Teachers, Postsecondary.
Skills
Nursing Instructors and Teachers, Postsecondary need many skills, but most especially Instructing, Speaking, Learning Strategies, Writing, Reading Comprehension.
Required skills for Nursing Instructors and Teachers, Postsecondary.
Knowledge & Abilities
Knowledge areas and abilities required for Nursing Instructors and Teachers, Postsecondary.
Knowledge Areas
The most important knowledge areas for Nursing Instructors and Teachers, Postsecondary include Medicine and Dentistry, Education and Training, Psychology, English Language, Biology.
Knowledge areas required for Nursing Instructors and Teachers, Postsecondary.
Abilities
Key abilities needed for Nursing Instructors and Teachers, Postsecondary include Oral Expression, Written Comprehension, Oral Comprehension, Written Expression, Speech Clarity.
Required abilities for Nursing Instructors and Teachers, Postsecondary.
Work Activities
Common work activities performed by Nursing Instructors and Teachers, Postsecondary.
Daily Activities
Nursing Instructors and Teachers, Postsecondary spend their time on activities such as Training and Teaching Others, Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge, Getting Information, Assisting and Caring for Others, Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships.
Most important work activities for Nursing Instructors and Teachers, Postsecondary.
About
Nursing Instructors and Teachers, Postsecondary
Nursing Instructors and Teachers, Postsecondary earn $79,940 as the BLS national median annual wage.
SOC Code
25-1072 - Nursing Instructors and Teachers, Postsecondary
Insights and Analysis
High earnings profile: Nursing Instructors and Teachers, Postsecondary reports an average salary of $104,536, placing it among stronger-paying occupations.
Labor market presence: The current workforce is approximately 74,250 workers, indicating sustained demand.
Forward outlook: Projected annual growth is 9.1%, which should inform long-term career planning.
Data Sources
This page uses data from the following sources:
- College Scorecard - U.S. Department of Education
- Institutional characteristics, costs, completion rates, and earnings data
- Data years: 2015-2024
- Source: collegescorecard.ed.gov
- Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS)
- Employment and wage data by occupation
- Latest data: May 2024
- Source: bls.gov/oes
- O*NET Online - U.S. Department of Labor
- Occupational skills, knowledge, abilities, and work activities
- Database version: 28.0 (August 2023)
- Source: onetcenter.org
- IPEDS (Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System) - National Center for Education Statistics
- Institutional data, completions, enrollment, and financial aid
- Data years: 2015-2024
- Source: nces.ed.gov/ipeds
- Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS)
- Demographic and workforce data
- Latest data: 2023 ACS 5-Year Estimates
- Source: census.gov/acs
Data Processing: All data has been processed, cleaned, and aggregated for presentation. Where specific data points are unavailable, estimates are based on available data and clearly marked.
Last Updated: Data reflects the most recent available information as of January 2025.
Methodology
Data for this profile is sourced from the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS), and O*NET Online.
All wage figures represent annual averages and may vary by location, industry, and experience level.