Are these teachers the norm, or just lucky?

The instructors at my nursing school( a community college in Chicago) told us that their annual salary is round 62,000 annually including summers. They have masters of course in tracks such as Leadership, or Education. To me, that seems like a decent salary considering the work conditions are great compared to a floor nurse. I envy them and especially because I have young kids, would love a job like that. My question is, from reading these threads, many are saying they barely make that much and say teaching doesn't pay the bills. Is this really so bad, and are the instructors at my school jut lucky? i want to pursue a MSN and so far the teaching track is most feasible for me in terms of cost, convenience , and time compared to say the CNS track, which is my preference. I was wondering if I got the MSN in teaching now could I go back later and get a post masters certificate as a CNS? I just cant do the CNS now and think Id rather teach in the meantime than be a floor nurse forever, but not if the pay sucks.

[haitianrn]

BUMP----Anybody have any input, opinions?

[traumaRUs, MSN, APRN]

I live in central IL and $62k doesn't go far in Chicago.

That's pretty poor wages for an MSN-prepared RN.

[June59]

Considering the years of schooling, $62,000 is not very good. I think you also need to look at the work that your instructors takes home, such as grading papers, preparing lectures & assignments. Also off campus faculty meetings with the nursing department as well as campus wide. It is definitely more than a 40 hour work week. Whereas, in the hospital, work begins when you punch in & ends when you punch out. Days off are just that.

[lkwashington]

I live in central IL and $62k doesn't go far in Chicago.

That's pretty poor wages for an MSN-prepared RN.

I disagree. It depends where you live and how you live.

[lkwashington]

Considering the years of schooling, $62,000 is not very good. I think you also need to look at the work that your instructors takes home, such as grading papers, preparing lectures & assignments. Also off campus faculty meetings with the nursing department as well as campus wide. It is definitely more than a 40 hour work week. Whereas, in the hospital, work begins when you punch in & ends when you punch out. Days off are just that.[/quote

It depends where the instructor works. It may vary.

[dorimar, BSN, RN]

I spend every night and every weekend at home working on my classes. The amoutn of time I spend actually in class is much less than preparation and grading. However, I have been told this time is not required.... So I guess it's my problem the hours i spend.

[dorimar, BSN, RN]

Also you have to consider years of experience..... I worked the bedside for 25 years in critical care and it is a cut in pay for me to leave the bedside and go to the classroom....

Just looking at contact hours alone I am making less than I can at the bedside. But when you add all the preparation and work at home it is almost like minimum wage...

[JBudd, MSN]

I do both, and as said above I don't have to take home any work from the ED. Teaching I have 27 assignments from each class to grade weekly, plus the papers and submissions.

My college (MSN) pay is literally 2/3 the hourly rate I get at the hospital (BSN job); adjunct faculty gets paid by the credit hour per class, not actual time spent.

As far as the CNS goes, we have a wound care specialist, but not really many positions for CNS nurses. Don't know what the job market is out there for them.

[jlcole45]

It really depends on what you love to do as a nurse. Yes the pay is lower but there are often other benefits such as state insurance and teachers retirement. And as you already mentioned better hours (unless you work in a program that does evening or weekend clinicals). That said, when you work a 9 or 10 month program you can work during the time off to earn extra money and keep up your own clinical skills.