clinical instructor versus didactic instructor pay

Specialties Educators

Published

Specializes in Burn ICU.

Hi there,

The nurses on my unit were discussing the current nursing world issues and one that came up was the shortage of nurses. I know a lot of that has to do with limited number of spots in nursing schools due to limited number of nursing faculty.

We are wondering what the average pay is for a clinical instructor for nursing students is (the ones who are at the hospital watching over the students) and a didactic instructor (the ones who teach the courses in nursing school) just to understand why things are the way they are right now.

Thank you for your help!

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Didactic faculty make less money than the clinical (which are usually adjuncts without benefits) Didactic requires you to have PhD, clinical educators have to have MSN or be in an MSN program.

Faculty make the same rate as a brand new nurse on a unit. Doesn't pay well=nurse faculty shortage.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Med/Surg, Academics.
Didactic faculty make less money than the clinical (which are usually adjuncts without benefits) Didactic requires you to have PhD, clinical educators have to have MSN or be in an MSN program.

Faculty make the same rate as a brand new nurse on a unit. Doesn't pay well=nurse faculty shortage.

Where did you get that information? The only thing required is that you have a master's degree and be a registered nurse to teach in a pre-licensure program, and you must have a terminal degree to teach at a higher level. If a PhD was required of every didactic instructor, there would be damn few nursing schools out there. A PhD is not required for teaching, but many research-intensive schools want their instructors to have it or at least commit to getting it. More and more often, they are accepting DNPs and even EdDs.

As for pay, I think I'm probably paid quite well as a first-time nursing instructor, based on average salaries I've seen so far. At my school, adjuncts are paid based on the number of semester hours assigned to their clinical rotation at a flat rate per SH.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

I'm adjunct and make 55 an hour. I have a BSN.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

As an advanced practice clinical instructor, I get exactly 0 dollars, but I do get the privilege of ensuring that the individuals that replace me are as competent as I am.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Nursing Professional Development.
As an advanced practice clinical instructor, I get exactly 0 dollars, but I do get the privilege of ensuring that the individuals that replace me are as competent as I am.

The sad thing is ... that I believe you. I think it is something nursing should be ashamed of. Undergraduate faculty and preceptors get paid. A lot of people who teach and precept advanced students are asked to donate their time for no compensation whatsoever. Schools that do that should be ashamed of themselves.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in CVICU, MICU, Burn ICU.

As nurses, we are expected to teach/precept undergrad nursing students for no compensation or preceptor fee. But I know this is different from APN precepting -- in that a vast majority of clinical skills are actually taught (or not taught) by the unpaid preceptors who are willing to do it. There is probably very little if any clinical oversight from university faculty in many APN programs (whereas there ARE clinical instructors for undergrad). I agree, no bueno.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
The sad thing is ... that I believe you. I think it is something nursing should be ashamed of. Undergraduate faculty and preceptors get paid. A lot of people who teach and precept advanced students are asked to donate their time for no compensation whatsoever. Schools that do that should be ashamed of themselves.

That's the difference between advanced practice and nursing. There is a greater degree of professionalism where a sense of obligation rather than a carrot on a stick is enough to want to advance the specialty. It's a pay it forward thing. That and I have 7 figures in my 401k and earn a comfortable 6 figures. There isn't a program that could afford to pay me what I could make picking up work on the side instead and I wouldn't notice what they could afford.

I really don't mind, and I'm a better practitioner for it.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

I have a BSN and am a clinical instructor at an LPN school. They were impressed with my nursing home experience since that is where the clinical are held. Most schools in my area require a MSN for employment. I make more per hour than I did at the nursing home but less over all. I have several weeks off in between quarters. I don't have any benefits. I think the didactic instructors make the same or very little more. Not sure what benefits they have.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

At our community college didactic makes about 25 to 30 hr while clinical instructors make 41 per hr.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Any chance you would share with us what your salary is? I'm very interested in education but really on the fence in regard to salary, but then again that's only based on what I've heard around.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Med/Surg, Academics.
Any chance you would share with us what your salary is? I'm very interested in education but really on the fence in regard to salary, but then again that's only based on what I've heard around.

You can get a general idea by searching your state's database of higher education or state employees. In my state, you can look up everyone in public universities. I just randomly chose Iowa and Texas...you can look up salaries for individuals in those states too. Titles, departments, and positions are usually also noted.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Add a Comment