177 metro areas

Nursing Instructor and Teacher, Postsecondary Salary by City (2026)

Nursing instructors and teachers earn the most in Waco, TX, an average of $163,530 a year, against $86,410 nationally. After local prices, pay goes furthest in Waco, TX ($176,690 in national-average dollars). Every metro area with its own BLS estimate is ranked below.

US average (mean): $86,410BLS OEWS, May 2025
Highest-paying city: $163,530Waco, TX
Best after cost of living: $176,690Waco, TX
Metro areas: 177With their own estimate

Top cities

Highest-paying cities for nursing instructors and teachers

Mean annual wage

Top 10 metro areas

Waco, TX$163,530
San Jose, CA$152,790
Killeen, TX$125,240
Columbia, SC$123,350
San Diego, CA$116,370
Fresno, CA$114,000
Ann Arbor, MI$113,680
Houston, TX$111,820
Springfield, IL$106,770
New Haven, CT$106,480

Top 10 metro areas by mean wage for nursing instructors and teachers
Item	Value
Waco, TX	$163,530
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA	$152,790
Killeen-Temple, TX	$125,240
Columbia, SC	$123,350
San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA	$116,370
Fresno, CA	$114,000
Ann Arbor, MI	$113,680
Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX	$111,820
Springfield, IL	$106,770
New Haven, CT	$106,480

Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025

At national-average prices

Mean wage ÷ BEA price level

Waco, TX$163,530 nominal$176,690
San Jose, CA$152,790 nominal$138,370
Killeen, TX$125,240 nominal$137,430
Columbia, SC$123,350 nominal$131,700
Greenville, NC$103,440 nominal$117,010
Springfield, IL$106,770 nominal$115,120
Augusta, GA-SC$105,490 nominal$114,780
Houston, TX$111,820 nominal$113,370
Brownsville, TX$96,980 nominal$112,800
Ann Arbor, MI$113,680 nominal$112,690

Top 10 metro areas by price-adjusted mean wage for nursing instructors and teachers
Item	Value
Waco, TX	$176,690
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA	$138,370
Killeen-Temple, TX	$137,430
Columbia, SC	$131,700
Greenville, NC	$117,010
Springfield, IL	$115,120
Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC	$114,780
Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX	$113,370
Brownsville-Harlingen, TX	$112,800
Ann Arbor, MI	$112,690

Source: BLS OEWS 2025 · BEA RPP 2024

Every city

Nursing Instructor and Teacher, Postsecondary salary in every metro area

Mean annual wage, with the Department of Labor's entry (Level I) and experienced (Level IV) prevailing-wage benchmarks for the same metro, and the mean at national-average prices. Sorted by mean pay.

Nursing Instructor and Teacher, Postsecondary pay in every metro area with a BLS estimate
#	Metro area	Mean	Entry (Level I)	Experienced (Level IV)	At US prices
1	Waco, TX	$163,530	$83,450	$202,970	$176,690
2	San Jose, CA	$152,790	$102,290	$177,660	$138,370
3	Killeen, TX	$125,240	$71,140	$151,890	$137,430
4	Columbia, SC	$123,350	$71,770	$148,750	$131,700
5	San Diego, CA	$116,370	$66,820	$140,770	$104,010
6	Fresno, CA	$114,000	$72,710	$134,340	$111,590
7	Ann Arbor, MI	$113,680	$65,740	$137,290	$112,690
8	Houston, TX	$111,820	$63,300	$135,710	$113,370
9	Springfield, IL	$106,770	$72,060	$123,870	$115,120
10	New Haven, CT	$106,480	$80,820	$119,120	$101,840
11	Dallas, TX	$105,690	$64,470	$126,000	$102,520
12	Amherst Town, MA	$105,660	$75,750	$120,390	$105,400
13	Augusta, GA-SC	$105,490	$84,770	$115,700	$114,780
14	Binghamton, NY	$103,690	$63,090	$123,690	$111,660
15	Greenville, NC	$103,440	$81,910	$114,040	$117,010
16	Bakersfield, CA	$102,320	$66,300	$120,060	$101,420
17	Wilmington, NC	$101,050	$70,620	$116,040	$104,800
18	Norwich, CT	$100,080	$76,120	$111,880	$99,640
19	Seattle, WA	$99,370	$64,170	$116,710	$89,420
20	Coeur d'Alene, ID	$98,020	$46,570	$123,360	$99,720
21	Reno, NV	$97,450	$79,760	$106,150	$96,470
22	Sacramento, CA	$97,280	$55,070	$118,070	$91,200
23	Visalia, CA	$96,990	$66,510	$112,010	$97,160
24	Brownsville, TX	$96,980	$58,390	$115,990	$112,800
25	Durham, NC	$96,900	$68,880	$110,700	$99,310
26	Riverside, CA	$96,180	$52,240	$117,820	$90,360
27	San Francisco, CA	$95,980	$56,080	$115,630	$83,020
28	Fargo, ND-MN	$95,880	$69,950	$108,650	$105,510
29	Eau Claire, WI	$95,700	$78,910	$103,980	$103,130
30	Bellingham, WA	$95,640	$71,590	$107,490	$92,550
31	Flagstaff, AZ	$95,380	$74,990	$105,420	$95,070
32	New York, NY-NJ	$95,360	$58,150	$113,690	$84,720
33	Waterbury, CT	$95,310	$71,440	$107,070	$95,520
34	Worcester, MA	$95,230	$68,480	$108,410	$92,890
35	Anchorage, AK	$94,850	$78,160	$103,070	$89,970
36	Lafayette, LA	$94,550	$64,260	$109,460	$108,420
37	Boston, MA-NH	$94,500	$62,890	$110,070	$87,290
38	Hartford, CT	$94,090	$64,840	$108,500	$91,580
39	Washington, DC-VA-MD-WV	$94,070	$61,880	$109,930	$86,390
40	Boise City, ID	$93,170	$57,200	$110,880	$94,690
41	Sherman, TX	$92,700	$62,220	$107,700	$98,860
42	Odessa, TX	$92,670	$58,240	$109,620	$98,690
43	Denver, CO	$92,380	$56,070	$110,260	$87,330
44	Winston, NC	$92,150	$78,370	$98,950	$100,120
45	Charleston, SC	$92,080	$59,300	$108,230	$91,200
46	Madison, WI	$91,260	$59,550	$106,880	$93,800
47	Buffalo, NY	$90,800	$50,010	$110,900	$94,740
48	Knoxville, TN	$90,740	$69,200	$101,340	$98,020
49	Baltimore, MD	$90,630	$57,010	$107,190	$86,740
50	Minneapolis, MN-WI	$90,510	$66,650	$102,260	$86,350
51	Austin, TX	$89,840	$58,360	$105,350	$91,610
52	Providence, RI-MA	$89,500	$59,950	$104,060	$87,940
53	College Station, TX	$89,260	$60,810	$103,270	$98,140
54	Detroit, MI	$89,260	$52,580	$107,320	$88,990
55	Los Angeles, CA	$89,150	$53,560	$106,670	$78,500
56	Jackson, MS	$88,670	$61,700	$101,960	$99,580
57	Portland, OR-WA	$88,510	$51,150	$106,910	$83,960
58	Las Vegas, NV	$88,440	$59,230	$102,820	$88,250
59	Portland, ME	$88,320	$63,370	$100,610	$86,710
60	Omaha, NE-IA	$88,250	$67,930	$98,260	$96,020
61	Columbia, MO	$88,080	$63,850	$100,010	$98,480
62	Fort Collins, CO	$87,760	$63,960	$99,480	$86,780
63	Greensboro, NC	$87,630	$68,800	$96,900	$94,360
64	St. Cloud, MN	$87,100	$63,070	$98,930	$99,390
65	Deltona, FL	$86,990	$62,420	$99,100	$87,540
66	Miami, FL	$86,860	$59,640	$100,270	$76,090
67	Mobile, AL	$86,640	$73,960	$92,890	$98,350
68	Mankato, MN	$86,250	$49,570	$104,310	$94,830
69	Bangor, ME	$86,090	$57,620	$100,110	$89,210
70	Lansing, MI	$85,770	$50,490	$103,150	$90,290
71	North Port, FL	$85,600	$57,670	$99,360	$83,580
72	Nashville, TN	$85,520	$65,410	$95,420	$88,770
73	Milwaukee, WI	$85,440	$56,370	$99,750	$88,140
74	Colorado Springs, CO	$85,260	$55,700	$99,820	$84,660
75	Richmond, VA	$85,040	$60,240	$97,250	$86,900
76	Salt Lake City, UT	$84,890	$55,900	$99,170	$84,160
77	Tampa, FL	$84,780	$58,840	$97,560	$84,030
78	Burlington, VT	$84,650	$55,400	$99,060	$83,850
79	Trenton, NJ	$84,480	$48,620	$102,150	$81,880
80	Phoenix, AZ	$84,330	$57,300	$97,640	$81,620
81	Kenosha, WI	$84,200	$53,960	$99,090	$83,270
82	Syracuse, NY	$84,200	$62,170	$95,050	$87,940
83	Lakeland, FL	$83,820	$61,760	$94,680	$86,290
84	Daphne, AL	$83,730	$78,070	$86,520	$88,430
85	Philadelphia, PA-NJ-DE-MD	$83,690	$51,540	$99,520	$81,610
86	Bridgeport, CT	$83,000	$56,190	$96,210	$77,670
87	New Orleans, LA	$82,910	$52,920	$97,690	$89,540
88	Asheville, NC	$82,780	$61,950	$93,040	$85,780
89	Memphis, TN-MS-AR	$82,300	$57,200	$94,650	$89,280
90	Terre Haute, IN	$82,300	$51,970	$97,240	$93,740
91	Duluth, MN-WI	$82,170	$62,630	$91,800	$92,570
92	Springfield, MA	$81,970	$59,170	$93,200	$85,330
93	Lubbock, TX	$81,920	$62,330	$91,570	$89,710
94	St. Louis, MO-IL	$81,690	$50,870	$96,870	$85,910
95	Kansas City, MO-KS	$81,230	$50,870	$96,180	$87,780
96	Santa Maria, CA	$81,160	$52,390	$95,340	$74,600
97	Greeley, CO	$81,070	$41,650	$100,480	$80,930
98	Rochester, NY	$81,000	$53,420	$94,580	$83,480
99	Indianapolis, IN	$80,960	$51,080	$95,670	$84,600
100	Cape Coral, FL	$80,810	$57,920	$92,090	$78,960
101	Allentown, PA-NJ	$80,350	$52,180	$94,230	$80,380
102	Virginia Beach, VA-NC	$80,310	$56,860	$91,870	$82,000
103	Manchester, NH	$80,240	$64,500	$87,990	$75,940
104	Evansville, IN	$80,110	$53,730	$93,100	$87,530
105	Chicago, IL-IN	$79,920	$52,950	$93,200	$77,150
106	Arecibo, PR	$79,890	$46,300	$96,440	N/A
107	McAllen, TX	$79,800	$52,810	$93,090	$92,900
108	Modesto, CA	$79,780	$49,500	$94,700	$76,630
109	Little Rock, AR	$79,270	$57,810	$89,840	$88,700
110	Jonesboro, AR	$78,940	$57,940	$89,280	$91,920
111	La Crosse, WI-MN	$78,920	$63,190	$86,670	$86,000
112	Greenville, SC	$78,910	$64,620	$85,950	$84,610
113	Scranton, PA	$78,830	$48,930	$93,560	$84,260
114	Winchester, VA-WV	$78,740	$55,470	$90,210	$81,640
115	Texarkana, TX-AR	$78,630	$61,560	$87,030	$93,590
116	Jacksonville, FL	$78,540	$56,220	$89,540	$78,950
117	Lincoln, NE	$78,430	$54,620	$90,160	$85,640
118	South Bend, IN-MI	$78,430	$56,400	$89,290	$84,460
119	Cheyenne, WY	$78,110	$49,260	$92,320	$80,950
120	Tulsa, OK	$77,830	$61,040	$86,090	$87,240
121	Amarillo, TX	$77,670	$47,800	$92,390	$84,590
122	Ogden, UT	$77,500	$44,600	$93,700	$77,230
123	Rockford, IL	$77,450	$56,800	$87,620	$84,040
124	Atlanta, GA	$77,130	$49,500	$90,740	$77,090
125	Spokane, WA	$77,110	$57,690	$86,680	$76,840
126	Charlotte, NC-SC	$77,080	$45,390	$92,700	$79,180
127	Provo, UT	$76,810	$51,340	$89,350	$78,190
128	Orlando, FL	$76,740	$49,980	$89,920	$75,670
129	Columbus, OH	$76,690	$42,380	$93,600	$80,330
130	Pittsburgh, PA	$76,290	$51,380	$88,560	$80,580
131	Bloomington, IL	$75,530	$54,740	$85,770	$80,750
132	Sioux City, IA-NE-SD	$75,340	$65,160	$80,350	$87,140
133	Toledo, OH	$75,330	$48,780	$88,410	$82,370
134	Raleigh, NC	$75,260	$54,050	$85,710	$76,670
135	Albany, NY	$74,940	$46,610	$88,900	$75,270
136	Hagerstown, MD-WV	$74,810	$50,030	$87,010	$79,440
137	Muncie, IN	$74,630	$55,150	$84,220	$84,660
138	Port St. Lucie, FL	$74,590	$53,040	$85,210	$74,420
139	Des Moines, IA	$74,480	$56,470	$83,360	$81,220
140	Erie, PA	$74,290	$50,300	$86,100	$81,680
141	Harrisburg, PA	$74,270	$49,680	$86,380	$75,290
142	Tyler, TX	$74,190	$53,250	$84,500	$80,500
143	Lancaster, PA	$74,100	$50,350	$85,800	$75,410
144	Chattanooga, TN-GA	$73,780	$53,110	$83,950	$80,670
145	Dayton, OH	$73,770	$48,420	$86,260	$79,580
146	Mayaguez, PR	$73,640	$47,870	$86,320	N/A
147	Charleston, WV	$73,490	$53,740	$83,220	$82,840
148	Akron, OH	$73,070	$48,720	$85,070	$78,260
149	Kiryas Joel, NY	$72,850	$42,950	$87,580	$66,580
150	Fort Wayne, IN	$72,700	$56,520	$80,670	$78,530
151	Montgomery, AL	$72,680	$58,520	$79,650	$81,040
152	Florence, SC	$72,500	$60,160	$78,580	$83,550
153	Gulfport, MS	$71,650	$59,030	$77,870	$79,610
154	Wheeling, WV-OH	$71,520	$53,420	$80,440	$80,980
155	Springfield, MO	$71,230	$49,870	$81,740	$80,410
156	Waterloo, IA	$71,090	$50,370	$81,300	$81,660
157	Hickory, NC	$70,250	$56,950	$76,800	$79,390
158	Huntington, WV-KY-OH	$69,960	$50,850	$79,370	$79,120
159	El Paso, TX	$69,910	$50,350	$79,550	$77,750
160	Grand Rapids, MI	$69,710	$45,020	$81,870	$72,960
161	Laredo, TX	$69,600	$37,210	$85,550	$80,040
162	Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN	$68,910	$32,220	$86,980	$72,260
163	Cleveland, OH	$68,880	$37,240	$84,460	$73,340
164	Davenport, IA-IL	$68,560	$49,050	$78,160	$76,970
165	San Juan, PR	$67,850	$45,320	$78,950	N/A
166	Johnstown, PA	$66,540	$47,940	$75,700	$77,440
167	Albuquerque, NM	$65,860	$41,870	$77,680	$68,930
168	Oklahoma City, OK	$65,670	$47,910	$74,410	$72,640
169	Kingsport, TN-VA	$65,170	$50,310	$72,490	$75,390
170	Cedar Rapids, IA	$65,100	$48,260	$73,400	$73,180
171	Canton, OH	$64,850	$51,250	$71,550	$72,530
172	Valdosta, GA	$63,900	$33,800	$78,720	$72,390
173	Flint, MI	$63,480	$41,000	$74,560	$68,230
174	Fayetteville, AR	$60,910	$48,700	$66,920	$66,680
175	Wichita, KS	$60,900	$48,640	$66,940	$68,470
176	Auburn, AL	$57,270	$39,060	$66,240	$65,130
177	Ponce, PR	$53,200	$45,920	$56,790	N/A

More on nursing instructors and teachers

Nursing Instructor and Teacher, Postsecondary career profile Nursing Instructor and Teacher, Postsecondary salary by state Cost of living calculator

Method

About these numbers

Mean wages are BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) May 2025 estimates for each metropolitan statistical area, as published in the Department of Labor’s 2026–27 OFLC prevailing-wage file. Only metros with their own BLS estimate are listed.
Entry (Level I) and experienced (Level IV) are the Department of Labor’s prevailing-wage levels for the occupation in that metro, used for employer visa filings. They are benchmarks from the same OEWS survey, not percentiles.
OEWS top-codes wages at $115 an hour ($239,200 a year); top-coded means are shown as "$239,200+" and left out of rankings.
At US prices divides the mean by the metro’s BEA Regional Price Parity (2024) over 100, a NueCareer calculation.

Questions

Nursing Instructor and Teacher, Postsecondary salary by city: FAQ

Which city pays nursing instructors and teachers the most?

Waco, TX, where the average (mean) wage is $163,530 a year, followed by San Jose, CA ($152,790), Killeen, TX ($125,240), Columbia, SC ($123,350). The national mean is $86,410 (BLS OEWS, May 2025).

Where do nursing instructors and teachers earn the most after cost of living?

Divided by each metro's BEA price level, pay goes furthest in Waco, TX ($176,690 at national prices, $163,530 nominal), San Jose, CA ($138,370 at national prices, $152,790 nominal), Killeen, TX ($137,430 at national prices, $125,240 nominal).

How much do nursing instructors and teachers make in the biggest cities?

New York, NY-NJ: $95,360; Los Angeles, CA: $89,150; Chicago, IL-IN: $79,920; Dallas, TX: $105,690; Houston, TX: $111,820 (mean annual wage, BLS OEWS May 2025).

Where do nursing instructors and teachers earn the least?

Of the 177 metro areas with their own estimate, Ponce, PR has the lowest mean wage, $53,200.