Is an MSN worth the money?

Specialties Educators

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Specializes in Labor and Delivery, Homecare.

My sister (twin) and I have been RNs for 8 years. I specialized in L&D and she specialized in NICU. We love our jobs, but we both enjoy teaching as well.

We want to go back for our Master's. The $$ is what is stopping us. We both have two children and both work full-time jobs.

Is an MSN worth it? I thought it would be nice teaching clinicals, but what else can you do with the degree? And curious, what do educators make per hour?

Thank you so much for your time.

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Specializes in Case mgmt., rehab, (CRRN), LTC & psych.
And curious, what do educators make per hour?

If you are seeking a monetary return on investment for earning the MSN with a specialization in nursing education, you might be looking in the wrong direction. Nursing instructors who teach clinical practicum are some of the lowest paid nurses in the profession.

Generally speaking, nursing education does not pay that well, especially at the collegiate or university level. In the area where I live, an adjunct clinical nursing professor earns about $3,000 per class per semester at most junior colleges and state universities. An associate nursing professor with an MSN will earn in the $60,000 range annually at local community colleges.

The investor-owned schools with nursing programs in my area (Concorde, Everest, Fortis, etc) pay in the $30/hourly range for adjunct instructors, and in the $50,000 to $60,000 range yearly for full professors.

In essence, nursing education is a labor of love for those who pursue it. If you are simply looking to earn more money, you may be sorely disappointed if you earn the MSN degree and specialize in nursing education. Actually, you might earn less than you currently earn.

I thought it would be nice teaching clinicals, but what else can you do with the degree?
You can be a staff development coordinator, nursing professional development specialist, hospital nurse educator, or unit educator. You could also pursue a niche such as diabetes education, post-CVA education, or cardiac rehabilitation.
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Specializes in OR, Nursing Professional Development.

I completed my MSN with a concentration in education in preparation for the future. There is no way I can live on an educator salary in my area as it will be a $30,000/year pay cut. However, I am currently looking for adjunct teaching positions in order to utilize my degree, stay current, and earn some extra money. My goal for the future is to save up like crazy, and when I am no longer able to handle the physical aspects of bedside nursing transition into either a staff development role or academic role- currently leaning toward staff development as a full time position.

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Whether it's "worth it" is a v. personal decision. "Worth it" strictly in terms of $$$? Depends on what MSN you pursue. Lots of advanced practice nurses do quite well (although IIRC from another of the OP's threads, she and her sister are not interested in an advanced practice role). Teaching? I've been in and out of nursing academia over the years, and have never met a nurse (including myself) who was teaching nursing who couldn't have made more money in clinical practice. As Commuter noted, nurse educators are in education because they really want to teach, not for the money. However, there are many other considerations besides salary.

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There are programs that are very reasonably priced-like -where I am pursuing my MSN in Leadership and Management. It's worth it if you are sick of bedside nursing, rotating shifts and working holidays and weekends. That is the tradeoff with teaching; less pay but much better hours. I am a nurse manager currently. I love my job, love that it's M-F however I still get calls on the weekend and at night since the unit I oversee is a 24 hour operation. You can end up putting in long hours in my position, but the pay is better than an educator. My job is much more stressful however than an educator since I get squeezed from both ends (senior leadership and staff). So far it's the hardest job I have ever loved. I don't know if I will be doing this forever though. The pay cut may be worth going into education if the trade-off is less stress and summers off.

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Specializes in EDUCATION;HOMECARE;MATERNAL-CHILD; PSYCH.

MSN in nursing is not just for teaching. MSN puts you in a different level in Nursing. The knowledge and expertise you will gain is desperately needed in Nursing.

As for salary, it depends on where you practice. In academia, the money is not that much, but you will get time off whenever the students are off. In hospitals, you will get great compensation, but your time belongs to the hospital.

My suggestion is to GO FOR IT. Do not look back. You will not regret it. It is a great investment for you and for the nursing profession.

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