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How to hire a clinical education specialist

Clinical education specialist hiring summary. Here are some key points about hiring clinical education specialists in the United States:

  • In the United States, the median cost per hire a clinical education specialist is $1,633.
  • It takes between 36 and 42 days to fill the average role in the US.
  • Human Resources use 15% of their expenses on recruitment on average.
  • On average, it takes around 12 weeks for a new clinical education specialist to become settled and show total productivity levels at work.

How to hire a clinical education specialist, step by step

To hire a clinical education specialist, consider the skills and experience you are looking for in a candidate, allocate a budget for the position, and post and promote the job opening to reach potential candidates. Follow these steps to hire a clinical education specialist:

Here's a step-by-step clinical education specialist hiring guide:

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

What does a clinical education specialist do?

A clinical education specialist is an individual who designs and administers continuing education programs for healthcare personnel to help them improve the delivery of patient care. Clinical education specialists are required to assess healthcare facilities to determine what type of education is needed and then design courses that will provide personnel with proper training and education. They must apply creative and innovative strategies in problem-solving to achieve the desired goals of the facility. Clinical education specialists must also maintain productive working relationships through mentoring and positive communication.

Learn more about the specifics of what a clinical education specialist does
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  1. Identify your hiring needs

    Before you start hiring a clinical education specialist, identify what type of worker you actually need. Certain positions might call for a full-time employee, while others can be done by a part-time worker or contractor.

    Determine employee vs contractor status
    Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

    Hiring the perfect clinical education specialist also involves considering the ideal background you'd like them to have. Depending on what industry or field they have experience in, they'll bring different skills to the job. It's also important to consider what levels of seniority and education the job requires and what kind of salary such a candidate would likely demand.

    This list presents clinical education specialist salaries for various positions.

    Type of Clinical Education SpecialistDescriptionHourly rate
    Clinical Education SpecialistRegistered nurses (RNs) provide and coordinate patient care, educate patients and the public about various health conditions, and provide advice and emotional support to patients and their family members.$27-46
    NurseNurses are medical professionals assigned to a specific department in the hospital and provide their trusted department services. Nurses are in charge of taking patients' medical histories, getting vital signs, preparing patients for checkups or procedures, explaining upcoming practices, answering any questions, and communicating any concerns to the assigned doctor... Show more$18-41
    Registered Nurse Case ManagerA registered nurse is responsible for providing medical services to patients, assisting doctors in hospitals, clinics, and other health centers. Registered nurses' duties include monitoring the condition of admitted patients, operating medical equipment, responding to patients' inquiries, assisting on physical exams and medications, keeping medical records, and observing strict hygienic standards... Show more$22-53
  2. Create an ideal candidate profile

    Common skills:
    • Clinical Education
    • Patients
    • Patient Care
    • Professional Development
    • BLS
    • Patient Outcomes
    • Clinical Practice
    • Educational Programs
    • Technical Support
    • Clinical Support
    • Clinical Training
    • Customer Relationships
    • Customer Satisfaction
    • Training Programs
    Check all skills
    Responsibilities:
    • Provide case management with physicians recommendations and assistance navigating insurance such as Medicare, Medicaid and manage care.
    • Educate patients regarding the different type of pumps, infusion sets, and self-administration of medications.
    • Provide one-on-one supervision and crisis intervention-acting as an advocate and liaison for patients and their case managers.
    • Support guide wire and balloon dilatation catheter projects, requiring similar activities associate with development of stent delivery systems.
    • Act as liaison between radiology and other departments relate to medical imaging and procedures.
    • Serve as an active member on the system documentation committee redesigning the documentation system to include rehabilitation specific information.
    More clinical education specialist duties
  3. Make a budget

    Including a salary range in your clinical education specialist job description is a great way to entice the best and brightest candidates. A clinical education specialist salary can vary based on several factors:
    • Location. For example, clinical education specialists' average salary in iowa is 49% less than in alaska.
    • Seniority. Entry-level clinical education specialists earn 40% less than senior-level clinical education specialists.
    • Certifications. A clinical education specialist with a few certifications under their belt will likely demand a higher salary.
    • Company. Working for a prestigious company or an exciting start-up can make a huge difference in a clinical education specialist's salary.

    Average clinical education specialist salary

    $75,695yearly

    $36.39 hourly rate

    Entry-level clinical education specialist salary
    $58,000 yearly salary
    Updated December 19, 2025

    Average clinical education specialist salary by state

    RankStateAvg. salaryHourly rate
    1California$109,648$53
    2Washington$101,665$49
    3Oregon$96,734$47
    4Pennsylvania$88,916$43
    5Maryland$86,465$42
    6New Jersey$85,966$41
    7Ohio$84,582$41
    8New York$84,301$41
    9Massachusetts$83,193$40
    10Michigan$79,281$38
    11Connecticut$77,434$37
    12Illinois$76,717$37
    13Arizona$75,506$36
    14Minnesota$72,905$35
    15Colorado$72,002$35
    16Tennessee$71,961$35
    17New Hampshire$71,638$34
    18North Carolina$69,723$34
    19Virginia$66,555$32
    20Missouri$66,253$32

    Average clinical education specialist salary by company

    RankCompanyAverage salaryHourly rateJob openings
    1Edwards Lifesciences$89,108$42.84107
    2University of Maryland Medical System$86,775$41.7266
    3Highmark$84,967$40.8532
    4Legacy Health$82,244$39.5429
    5Abbott$81,916$39.38286
    6Philips$81,753$39.3038
    7Catholic Medical Center$81,478$39.17
    8Nightingale Home Health Care$81,418$39.14
    9Rocky Mountain Tissue Bank$80,959$38.92
    10Glidewell$80,838$38.86
    11Legacy MedSearch - Medical Device Recruiters$80,713$38.80
    12Fresenius Medical Care Windsor, LLC$80,712$38.8056
    13Somatus$80,709$38.802
    14Res-Care Premier$80,520$38.7180
    15St. Joseph Healthcare$79,889$38.415
    16Merit Medical Systems$79,440$38.191
    17Antech Diagnostics$79,374$38.161
    18Applied Medical Resources$79,360$38.155
    19Siemens$79,129$38.04
    20Carteret Health Care$79,017$37.993
  4. Writing a clinical education specialist job description

    A job description for a clinical education specialist role includes a summary of the job's main responsibilities, required skills, and preferred background experience. Including a salary range can also go a long way in attracting more candidates to apply, and showing the first name of the hiring manager can also make applicants more comfortable. As an example, here's a clinical education specialist job description:

    Clinical education specialist job description example

    Our mission is clear. We bring to life a healing ministry through our compassionate care and exceptional service.

    At Mercy, we believe in careers that match the unique gifts of unique individuals – careers that not only make the most of your skills and talents, but also your heart. Join us and discover why Modern Healthcare Magazine named us in its “Top 100 Places to Work.”


    Overview
    The Clinical Educator assumes responsibility for all activities related to assessment, coordination, planning, implementation, and evaluation of educational and competency programs to patient care staff in department(s)/unit(s) of responsibility. Collaborates with Talent Development and Optimization and other content experts/educators to provide educational opportunities and improve staff competence. The Clinical Educator is a learning facilitator, change agent, mentor, leader, champion for scientific inquiry, advocate for NPD specialty and is a partner for practice transitions. Performs duties and responsibilities in a manner consistent with the mission, values, and service standards of Mercy Health.

    Qualifications
    Education: Preferred Bachelor of Science in Healthcare related field. Would need to be enrolled in accredited program within 6 months of starting role. Completion of program within 2 years of hire date.

    Licensure: Current State of Missouri RN license.
    Experience: 3 years of active bedside care delivery in the immediate past. Proven education experience.
    Certifications: Preferred to have or be progressing toward certification in a specialty of nursing related to the unit(s)/departments of responsibility. The expectation is to achieve certification within 3 years of accepting position. Clinical Educators are required to maintain certification in the highest level of life support required for their respective department; must obtain this certification within a year from hire.

    We Offer Great Benefits:


    Day-one comprehensive health, vision and dental coverage, PTO, tuition reimbursement and employer-matched retirement funds are just a few of the great benefits offered to eligible co-workers, including those working 48 hours or more per pay period!

    We’re bringing to life a healing ministry through compassionate care.


    At Mercy, our supportive community will be behind you every step of your day, especially the tough ones. You will have opportunities to pioneer new models of care and transform the health care experience through advanced technology and innovative procedures. We’re expanding to help our communities grow. Join us and be a part of it all.


    What Makes You a Good Match for Mercy?


    Compassion and professionalism go hand-in-hand with us. Having a positive outlook and a strong sense of advocacy is in perfect step with our mission and vision. We’re also collaborative and unafraid to do a little extra to deliver excellent care – that’s just part of our commitment. If that sounds like a good fit for you, we encourage you to apply.


    Mercy has determined this is a safety-sensitive position. The ability to work in a constant state of alertness and in a safe manner is an essential function of this job.

  5. Post your job

    There are various strategies that you can use to find the right clinical education specialist 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.
    Post your job online:
    • Post your clinical education specialist job on Zippia to find and attract quality clinical education specialist candidates.
    • Use niche websites such as healthcarejobsite, health jobs nationwide, hospitalcareers, medreps.com.
    • Post a job on free websites.
  6. Interview candidates

    Your first interview with clinical education specialist candidates should focus on their interest in the role and background experience. As the hiring process goes on, you can learn more about how they'd fit into the company culture in later rounds of interviews.

    Remember to include a few questions that allow candidates to expand on their strengths in their own words. Asking about their unique skills might reveal things you'd miss otherwise. At this point, good candidates can move on to 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 clinical education specialist

    Once you've selected the best clinical education specialist 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.

    It's equally important to follow up with applicants who don't get the job with an email letting them know that the position has been filled.

    To prepare for the new clinical education specialist 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 a clinical education specialist?

Recruiting clinical education specialists involves both the one-time costs of hiring and the ongoing costs of adding a new employee to your team. Your spending during the hiring process will mostly be on things like promoting the job on job boards, reviewing and interviewing candidates, and onboarding the new hire. Ongoing costs will obviously involve the employee's salary, but also may include things like benefits.

The median annual salary for clinical education specialists is $75,695 in the US. However, the cost of clinical education specialist hiring can vary a lot depending on location. Additionally, hiring a clinical education specialist for contract work or on a per-project basis typically costs between $27 and $46 an hour.

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