Clinical educator (hospital) vs. Professor

llg, PhD, RN · Jul 20, 2016

I have done both and prefer to work for a hospital as my primary job and then teach an occasional classroom or online class for a local university to keep that option open for me.

It's hard to compare pay because it's like comparing apples and oranges -- and it depends on where you would fall on the salary scale of both institutions. For example, if you would be starting at the bottom of the Nursing Professional Development pay scale, you might make a little less at first (compared to 12 month faculty work, but not compared to a 9 or 10 month contract). However with experience and an MSN, you can reach the top of the hospital pay scale and exceed a school instructor or Assistant Professor salary -- maybe even an Associate Professor's salary. That's because few hospitals have more than 1 or 2 PhD's -- and an MSN plus experience is sufficient to get most of the best jobs. But for a university, there are lots of PhD's and they get the bigger salaries and plum teaching assignments. For a vocational school or community college, the pay scales and opportunities for promotion tend to be a little different.

So for salary ... you'll have to be specific in your comparisons. Where I live, at the top of the hospital educator pay scale, I make about the same as an Associate Professor at the local university. I like being able to choose when I take time off -- and hated the rigidity of the school schedule. I also prefer teaching people who are already nurses rather than students who have never been nurses. So Nursing Professional Development is a better fit for me. When I teach for my local university, I teach in the RN to BSN program, which is a good fit for me, too.

random_nurse12 · Jul 20, 2016

I will be honest and say money is my primary concern because I am the main income for my family. I also should add I work 4 days a week as a professor. Flexible hours.

Im having a difficult time nailing down what hospital educators make. I'm seeing 60-70K. Of course it's year round, so 60K won't cut it.

How horrible is it to interview primarily to figure out salary? Because that's what I'm considering.

How is your flexibility?

llg, PhD, RN · Jul 20, 2016

I make about $90,000 per year in my job working for a hospital in a city with an average cost of living. The range of pay for people in my department is from around $60,000 to $90,000 and an MSN is all that is required. I don't make extra because of my PhD -- but I am at the top of the payscale because of longevity in that level of position. I assume that the Director of my department (who has an MSN) makes more than me.

By picking up 1 or 2 mostly online courses at the local university per year, I make just under $100 K.

I hope that helps you.

My flexibility is terrific because I have worked at the same hospital for over 10 years and earn maximum vacation time (about 6 weeks per year + 6 holidays). I can schedule it whenever I want: I just have to arrange with my colleagues to cover any classes that I will miss -- and I need to be reasonable in terms of how much and how often I ask people to cover for me. I am expected to be at the hospital 40 hours per week, but I don't clock in and out ... and my boss doesn't care exactly when I come in and leave. I can leave for an important errand in the middle of the day and come back if I want to ... but expected to not be "taking 2 hour lunches outside the hospital" or anything like that on a regular basis. In other words, I am treated as a trusted professional who can regulate myself given flexibility -- but I am expected to act like a professional who is at work and available during the main hours of the work week (Monday through Friday, during the day). It's not as "loose" as faculty requirements for office time -- but then, I don't have to take any work home with me, either. I find that it is better for my mental health to work only at the office and not be taking work home much.

I don't see anything wrong with interviewing to find out what you might be qualified for ... and be worth to a hospital employer. Tell them you are interested in exploring other opportunities and hopeful that the job they have to offer is a good fit for your skills and needs. If it is not, you can politely decline their offer and keep your current job.

Don't forget to ask about the pay range when you interview -- and how quickly you might advance within it. You might find that your starting salary is a little lower than you would like ... but that in a few years, you could be making more than you are now. And it might be worth it to pick up a course or two as an adjunct to supplement your income for 2 or 3 years and/or bite the financial bullet now to get more later.

Lots of my colleagues adjunct a little to earn. With our flexible schedules, we find it pretty easy to teach an online course each semester on top of our hospital work. We don't all do it for the money, either. I do it to keep that career door open in case I want to work part time teaching as I ease into retirement in a few years.

Good luck. I hope you post how it goes.

Overtime Mom · Mar 7, 2018

Are you paid hourly or salaried???

allnurses Guide · Mar 7, 2018

According to the ANPD Salary Survey from 2017, NPD practitioners in a unit based nonsupervisory role resulted in the following:

Average annual earnings including wages, bonuses and overtime:

$40K-50K - 1.9%

$50-60K - 6.2%

$60-70K - 10.9%

$70-80K - 15.8%

$80-90K - 22.7%

$90-125K - 36.1%

$125-150K - 3.9%

Over $150K - 1.3%

Obviously your location, degree level, institution and many other factors will figure into what would be average for your area.

Overtime Mom · Mar 8, 2018

Thank you so much!