CAREER GUIDE M.S. Nursing—Education

A career in nursing is a journey of constant discovery. Rapid advancements in the field of healthcare mean those in charge of administering care must continually advance their knowledge and skills to keep pace with evolving technologies, medical discoveries, and treatment protocols. If you are a registered nurse (RN) with an inquisitive mind, the desire to teach, and a commitment to your career, you might be a likely candidate to become a nurse educator.

Many people think of a nurse as someone who takes care of patients in hospitals and doctors’ offices. While that is true, the field of nursing reaches far beyond the facilities where patient care is administered. Nurse education is a crucial area of healthcare, an industry experiencing dramatic growth. In fact, healthcare is expected to add more jobs than any other sector through 2024, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

So where will the next great generation of nurses come from? Take a look in the mirror, and maybe you’ll see a professional mentor and nurse educator, ready to inspire others to follow in your footsteps and discover a career filled with challenge, opportunity, satisfaction, and reward. Think about elevating your nursing credentials from RN to MSN. With the right education and training, you can acquire the knowledge and skills necessary to design, implement, and manage nursing programs as well as effectively teach nursing courses.

Across a wide range of industries, demand for nurse educators remains robust. Skilled nursing professionals with the credentials to teach are needed not only in colleges, universities, and professional schools but also in general medical and surgical hospitals. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the need for nursing instructors and teachers is expected to increase by 35% by 2022, much faster than the average for all occupations. Furthermore, the National League for Nursing anticipates 10,200 current faculty members will retire during the same timeframe, further increasing the demand for qualified professionals to fill this critical need.

A nationwide shortage of nurse educators means rising salaries for qualified candidates. According to the BLS, nursing instructors and teachers earned an average wage of $77,360 in 2017, with 10% earning in excess of $124,000. Your nurse educator salary can also be affected by where you live and the level of education you have achieved. Generally speaking, the more you know, the further you can go, so start by earning an RN to MSN designed to prepare you to make the most out of your career goals.