How to hire an associate instructor

How to hire an associate instructor, step by step

Here's a step-by-step associate instructor hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write an associate instructor job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new associate instructor
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does an associate instructor do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you post your associate instructor job, you should take the time to determine what type of worker your business needs. While certain jobs definitely require a full-time employee, it's sometimes better to find an associate instructor for hire on a part-time basis or as a contractor.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   An associate instructor's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, associate instructors from different industries or fields will have radically different experiences and will bring different viewpoints to the role. You also need to consider the candidate's previous level of experience to make sure they'll be comfortable with the job's level of seniority.

   The following list breaks down different types of associate instructors and their corresponding salaries.

   Type of Associate Instructor	Description	Hourly rate
   Associate Instructor	Postsecondary teachers instruct students in a wide variety of academic and career and technical subjects beyond the high school level. They also conduct research and publish scholarly papers and books.	$15-37
   Teaching Fellow	An individual who works at an institution to foster the students' academic strive is known as a teaching fellow. They are known as a self-motivated and education-based counselor... Show more	$12-35
   Instructor Of Spanish	A Spanish Instructor specializes in teaching the Spanish language in a classroom or one-on-one setting. Their responsibilities typically include preparing lesson plans according to the students' needs and capacity, researching and creating learning materials, facilitating discussions, conducting quizzes and examinations, organizing activities to enhance their language skills, grading the students' performances, and assisting students as necessary... Show more	$18-36

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Classroom Management
   • Student Performance
   • Professional Development
   • Syllabus
   • Instructional Materials
   • Mathematics
   • Course Content
   • Course Curriculum
   • Curriculum Development
   • Chemistry
   • Lab Sessions
   • Literature
   • Student Learning
   • CPR

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Lead undergraduate course in entrepreneurship and business case development.
   • Assist classmates with developing positive study habits and strategies for managing classroom material.
   • Form course content by outlining class objectives and expectations through syllabus and grading rubric.
   • Lecture undergraduate courses in mathematics.
   • Design course syllabus and select readings for undergraduate course.
   • Prepare teacher-trainers in high school level science and mathematics.

   More associate instructor duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in the associate instructor job description is a good way to get more applicants. An associate instructor salary can be affected by several factors, such as the location of the job, the level of experience, education, certifications, and the employer's prestige.

   For example, the average salary for an associate instructor in Kentucky may be lower than in California, and an entry-level engineer typically earns less than a senior-level associate instructor. Additionally, an associate instructor with lots of experience in the field may command a higher salary as a result.

   Average associate instructor salary

   $50,999yearly

   $24.52 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level associate instructor salary

   $32,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 19, 2025

   Average associate instructor salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	California	$65,683	$32
   2	Mississippi	$55,511	$27
   3	New York	$50,295	$24
   4	Alaska	$49,979	$24
   5	New Mexico	$47,401	$23
   6	District of Columbia	$46,271	$22
   7	Arizona	$45,984	$22
   8	Utah	$44,926	$22
   9	Texas	$44,745	$22
   10	Illinois	$44,081	$21
   11	Pennsylvania	$43,944	$21
   12	Massachusetts	$43,747	$21
   13	Florida	$42,406	$20
   14	Virginia	$41,767	$20
   15	Connecticut	$41,674	$20
   16	Minnesota	$41,475	$20
   17	Tennessee	$41,330	$20
   18	Nebraska	$40,696	$20
   19	Colorado	$39,751	$19
   20	Oklahoma	$39,292	$19

   Average associate instructor salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Columbia University in the City of New York	$78,943	$37.95	38
   2	The University of Chicago	$72,849	$35.02	4
   3	Cornell University	$67,237	$32.33	9
   4	Research Foundation of The City University of New York	$57,977	$27.87
   5	Boston Children's Hospital	$57,791	$27.78
   6	Ross Institute	$57,066	$27.44	60
   7	University of Arizona Foundation	$55,767	$26.81	30
   8	BigCommerce	$55,689	$26.77
   9	State University of New York College at Cortland	$55,480	$26.67	8
   10	Buena Vista University	$55,069	$26.48
   11	New York State Restaurant Association	$54,641	$26.27
   12	Middlebury College	$54,475	$26.19	12
   13	Colorado Christian University	$54,292	$26.10
   14	Applied Medical Resources	$54,117	$26.02
   15	The Suzuki School	$53,109	$25.53
   16	Beaufort County Community College	$52,756	$25.36	6
   17	UTRGV - The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley	$52,740	$25.36	8
   18	KPMG LLP	$52,617	$25.30
   19	Udacity	$52,608	$25.29
   20	Tarrant County College	$52,110	$25.05

4. Writing an associate instructor job description

   An associate instructor job description should include a summary of the role, required skills, and a list of responsibilities. It's also good to include a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager. Below, you can find an example of an associate instructor job description:

   Associate instructor job description example

   The Associate Nursing Instructional Personnel (ANIP) works under the direct supervision of the Standing Nursing Faculty in assisting students in laboratory/simulation and/or clinical settings and environments to meet specific student learning outcomes. The ANIP is responsible for instruction, and communication of student performance to the lead course faculty. The role of the ANIP is to assist students in applying knowledge and competencies to care for patients/clients. The ANIP is physically present and immediately accessible to students in the simulation or clinical setting. The ratio of ANIP to student shall not be more than 1:10.

   The ANIP, employed by the university on a course-by course basis, is without benefits or rank. The ANIP is expected to follow guidelines outlined in the Simulation Manual and Clinical Manual and attend Nursing Forum. ANIP employees are non-exempt and are paid hourly.

   About CCU

   Colorado Christian University is the premier interdenominational Christian university in Colorado and the Rocky Mountain region, delivering world class education to thousands of students. The fully accredited, nonprofit University is located in Lakewood, Colorado, a suburb of Denver.

   Colorado Christian University was founded in 1914 on two principles - grace and truth. CCU's scriptural foundation comes from John 1:17: For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. (ESV)

   CCU's mission is Christ-centered higher education transforming students to impact the world with grace and truth.

   A leader in higher education, the University has been consistently ranked in the top 2 percent of colleges and universities nationwide for its core curriculum by the American Council of Trustees and Alumni. CCU has had nine consecutive years of enrollment growth and has been named one of the five fastest-growing master's granting universities by The Chronicle of Higher Education .

   CCU offers more than 200 degree program options for traditional and adult students through its College of Undergraduate Studies and College of Adult and Graduate Studies. More than 9,000 students attend the University on the main campus, in regional centers throughout Colorado, and online.

   Scripture states all Christians are called to serve Christ and to minister to others. Because Christians are individuals with different gifts and callings, we serve Christ in a variety of ministry vocations. CCU invites you to explore how you may use your calling and gifts at the University.
   
   

   What is most appealing about working at CCU?

   1. Faith friendly: CCU's culture is unique to higher education. Where else can you pursue academic excellence yet read the Holy Bible, pray with teammates and students at work, and work to impact our culture in support of Christian values?
   2. Convictionally Christian: As a university, we have an enduring commitment to Christ, his kingdom and the truth of God's Word.
   3. Live out your calling: We are a traditional evangelical university where you can invest your God-given talents and abilities alongside coworkers and teammates, while having a profound influence on students as they deepen their relationship with Jesus Christ.
   4. Equip students for kingdom work: You can be a part of helping students discover their callings and preparing them for positions of significant leadership in the church, business, government, education, and other professions, as a key part of our University's Strategic Priorities .

   We're looking for candidates who have:

   1. An active unencumbered license to practice as a Registered Nurse in Colorado
   2. A minimum of a bachelor's degree in Nursing from a Nursing Education Program with national nursing accreditation.
   3. For ANIP in a clinical simulation or other simulated patient care environment and accountable for meeting ANIP responsibilities under supervision of standing nursing faculty:
      1. A minimum of one (1) year of clinical experience relevant to the area (s) of responsibility.
   4. For ANIP in an actual patient/client environment and accountable to ANIP responsibilities under supervision of standing nursing faculty:
      1. A minimum of two (2) years of full-time or equivalent, professional nursing practice
      2. A minimum of one (1) year of clinical experience relevant to the area (s) of responsibility.

   Key Job Duties

   1. Follows the program's mission, goals and curriculum.
   2. Under the supervision of standing nursing faculty, in the simulation and/or clinical setting:
      1. Instruct students in nursing care and patient safety, skill and competency development, critical thinking and clinical reasoning, and organization and priority setting.
      2. Provide feedback on student achievement of course learning outcomes.
   3. Attends orientation provided by the standing nursing faculty and participate in weekly communication throughout the course.
   4. Integrates biblical principles and concepts into simulation and/or clinical practice experiences.
   5. Maintain nursing competence in the area of specialty.
   6. Participates in CCU Nursing professional development activities that expand expertise in teaching and maintenance of nursing competence.
   7. Demonstrates effective organizational, problem-solving and decision-making skills.

   Nature of Work Environment

   While performing the duties of this job, you may be required to walk; stand; sit; reach with hands and arms; balance; stoop; speak with clarity, have appropriate vision and hearing capabilities. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 50 pounds. Working irregular hours including evenings and weekends is expected. Simulation and/or clinical experiences require ability to function effectively for 12 hour shifts in the Simulation Center or patient care environment. ANIP pay is $176 per session for skills & simulation, and $528 per clinical shift.

   Spiritual Requirements

   1. Committed follower of Jesus Christ, who believes there is no salvation apart from faith in his atonement on the cross, by grace alone becoming "born again" thus beginning a personal relationship with Christ, the Son of God.
   2. Able to effectively communicate personal faith and apply biblical principles and convictions in the workplace. Must have a strong sense of calling to the ministry of Colorado Christian University.
   3. Regularly attend and be engaged in meaningful involvement in a Bible-believing evangelical local church. Knowledgeable about the Word of God and passionate about Christian education.
   4. Must be a traditional evangelical Christian whose lifestyle is in consonance with sound Christian principles, is compatible with CCU's Statement of Faith, and is in agreement with the Strategic Priorities promulgated by the University.

   Review of applications will continue until the position is filled. Colorado Christian University does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, ethnicity, ancestry, sex, age, physical or mental disability, military or veteran status. CCU is committed to an environment free from discrimination and harassment and calls on every member of the university community to be vigilant in deterring and reporting all violations. CCU does reserve the right to exercise preference on the basis of religion in all of its employment practices. All employees who work at CCU must demonstrate a spiritual testimony consistent with our evangelical mission and follow our lifestyle expectations.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   There are various strategies that you can use to find the right associate instructor for your business:

   • Consider promoting from within or recruiting from your existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals from friends, family members, and current employees.
   • Attend job fairs at local colleges to find candidates who meet your education requirements.
   • Use social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to reach potential job candidates.

   To find associate instructor candidates, you can consider the following options:

   • Post your job opening on Zippia or other job search websites.
   • Use niche websites that focus on engineering and technology jobs, such as k12jobspot, learn4good, serious teachers, teachingjobs.com.
   • Post your job on free job posting websites.

6. Interview candidates

   During your first interview to recruit associate instructors, engage with candidates to learn about their interest in the role and experience in the field. During the following interview, you'll be able to go into more detail about the company, the position, and the responsibilities.

   You should also ask about candidates' unique skills and talents to see if they match the ideal candidate profile you developed earlier. Candidates good enough for the next step can complete the technical interview.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new associate instructor

   Once you've selected the best associate instructor candidate for the job, it's time to write an offer letter. In addition to salary, this letter should include details about the benefits and perks you offer the candidate. Ensuring that your offer is competitive is essential, as qualified candidates may be considering other job opportunities. The candidate may wish to negotiate the terms of the offer, and you should be open to discussion. After you reach an agreement, the final step is formalizing the agreement with a contract.

   You should also follow up with applicants who don't get the job with an email letting them know that you've filled the position.

   To prepare for the new associate instructor first day, you should share an onboarding schedule with them that covers their first period on the job. You should also quickly complete any necessary paperwork, such as employee action forms and onboarding documents like I-9, benefits enrollment, and federal and state tax forms. Finally, Human Resources must ensure a new employee file is created for internal record keeping.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

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How much does it cost to hire an associate instructor?