They pay what???

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I always thought that eventually I might want to teach, so I jumped at the opportunity to teach a didactic course this summer at a local associate degree program despite low pay, so I could see if teaching was actually a good fit for me. The dean recently started talking to me about a full-time position that was coming open in the fall and wanted me to apply. My jaw about hit the floor when she mentioned what starting pay would be. I knew educator salaries were lower, especially than my NP pay, but the number she quoted was less than I made my very first year in nursing in rural North Carolina 7 years ago as a brand new ADN nurse.

I have been shocked at how much work it takes for a 3 credit course, probably spending about 25 hours a week on it. I think I am going to end up averaging about $2/hour by the time everything is said and done this summer, which was fine, because it was adjunct and I still have my regular job.

So now I really get the nursing faculty shortage. Despite the amount of work, I find teaching very rewarding and enjoyable, but I can't pay my student loans and help support my family like that! Crazy! How do you all manage, or is this just a local aberration?

The time wasn't right for me right now regardless, but I guess I just really didn't know the difference in compensation was that significant.

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Specializes in CNS, PMHNP, EMS, ER, Instructor.

"According to the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners, the average salary of a nurse practitioner, across settings and specialties, is $ $91,310. By contrast, AACN reported in March 2011 that master's prepared faculty earned an annual average salary of $72,028." http://nurse-practitioners.advanceweb.com and http://www.aacn.nche.edu/research-data

I currently work as an educator in a ADN program, where we only get paid for 40 hours/week but the average work week is around 62 hours (as is with many salaried/contract positions). My students graduate today - most are starting at a higher hourly wage than I receive, plus they get paid for every hour they work. My MS is in Nursing Education, but my director, who is a NP, makes only slightly more than I do, and the students will end-up with higher hourly wages than her as well.

It is often said that if you want to teach in nursing, you better do it for the love of teaching, because there is no way you are doing it for the money!

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Specializes in NICU, ICU, PICU, Academia.

Which is exactly why I plan to use my newly-earned MSN Ed for a staff development position. It is CRAZY how little adjuncts in particular are paid.

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That would put a damper on many people interested in teaching.

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Specializes in psych, addictions, hospice, education.

Keep in mind one of the benefits of teaching: summers, weekends, holidays, school breaks, evenings, and nights off (often). If you work just during the school year, 62 hours per week, and get $72,000 (most don't and for sure don't when they first start out), that means, assuming you work 36 weeks per year: $32 per hour for those 36 weeks.

Lots of educators maintain a per diem job during the school year so they can work during the summer as nurses in their specialty, or as NPs.

The 62 hours per week is a high estimate too, I think. Definitely you'll put in lots of hours each time you teach a new class, but after you've taught one awhile, it won't take as much time because you won't have to invent everything. Some weeks it will be quite high and some it won't...for an experienced teach, most weeks it won't be 62 hours per week, unless they can't say no to the other activities that are always asking for volunteers or strong-arming for "volunteers."

What I wrote above applies to full time teaching. Where I live fulltimers earn about 10 times as much per hour as adjunct instructors, and the adjuncts get no benefits...

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"According to the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners, the average salary of a nurse practitioner, across settings and specialties, is $ $91,310. By contrast, AACN reported in March 2011 that master's prepared faculty earned an annual average salary of $72,028." http://nurse-practitioners.advanceweb.com and http://www.aacn.nche.edu/research-data

I currently work as an educator in a ADN program, where we only get paid for 40 hours/week but the average work week is around 62 hours (as is with many salaried/contract positions). My students graduate today - most are starting at a higher hourly wage than I receive, plus they get paid for every hour they work. My MS is in Nursing Education, but my director, who is a NP, makes only slightly more than I do, and the students will end-up with higher hourly wages than her as well.

It is often said that if you want to teach in nursing, you better do it for the love of teaching, because there is no way you are doing it for the money!

I've worked three years as a nurse educator, have a Master's degree in Nurse Education and make nowhere near what you quoted above for educators. I have two jobs and am having a hard time making ends meet.

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where I live in Canada, 'most' (those who I have talked to) educators make a good 20$ bucks an hour more then the graduating nurse.

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Specializes in Trauma, Teaching.

As an adjunct, I make a full third less per "hour" than I do at the bedside, with my MSN in Ed. Same pay for MSN as BSN at bedside.

So, I live on my BSN job, and only do one day a week with my MSN job.

I don't get summers off for teaching, we have a year round schedule. The summer session is an accelerated course for those who have a Bach. in some other area, so only the 1st and 4th semester students are there (Level 2 and 3 faculty are off for the summer, as well as most of the CIs for all levels).

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Specializes in OR, Nursing Professional Development.

Hence the reason I intend to keep my current full time job as long as I am able to physically do it and teach on the side.

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Specializes in nursing education.

Yep/ I teach because I love it- not for the pay! We do a 9 month contract for 50k. If you opt to teach in the summer (which I do!)- you will do about 65k for the year total. Sad to say that must of my students who graduate will probably make more than I do with my MSN. Educator salaries need to cone up - if it my hubby didn't work full time we would not be able to make it.

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Specializes in Reproductive & Public Health.

I am trying to get my foot in the door as an assistant instructor at our local community college, and the wages range from 30-50/hour depending on the exact position. Granted, this is a course that is only offered 3 times a year, so it is probably really hard to get instructors, but I kind of thought that if this was what they were offering assistant instructors, then adjunct and tenure faculty must get paid at least the same amount. I currently make 30/hour as a bedside nurse, and I am a very new RN.

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So, since we are talking numbers, none of what you guys said sounded that terrible to me. My jaw hit the floor because the dean told me the starting pay would be around 42k, and that is 42k for a 12 month position, not a 9 month. I am a newish NP and don't make near what the average NP makes, but I would have to work so much on the side even to pay bills and things.

I wouldn't do it right now anyway, but 50k for a 9 month position or 70 ish for a 12 month position I might do because I genuinely like teaching, but this pay is absolutely absurd. Thanks for all the insight, sounds like this is a common problem, but doesn't sound like it is quite so bad in many other places as it happens to be at this college. I think 42k is absolutely atrocious pay for a Master's degree.

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