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Cpr instructor education requirements

Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read

There are several educational requirements to become a cpr instructor. Cpr instructors usually study nursing, business, or medical technician. 49% of cpr instructors hold a bachelor's degree, and 27% hold an associate degree. We analyzed 1,462 real cpr instructor resumes to see exactly what cpr instructor education sections show.

The most common colleges for cpr instructors are the University of Phoenix and the University of Phoenix.

There are also many online cpr instructor courses to help get the education required to be a cpr instructor.

There are certain cpr instructor certifications that you should consider. These cpr instructor certifications include Instructor and CPR (CPR).

What education do you need to become a cpr instructor?

What degree do you need to be a cpr instructor?

The most common degree for cpr instructors is bachelor's degree, with 49% of cpr instructors earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are associate degree degree at 27% and associate degree degree at 9%.
  • Bachelor's, 49%
  • Associate, 27%
  • Master's, 9%
  • Diploma, 5%
  • Other Degrees, 10%

What should I major in to become a cpr instructor?

You should major in nursing to become a cpr instructor. 31% of cpr instructors major in nursing. Other common majors for a cpr instructor include business and medical technician.

Most common colleges for cpr instructors

Cpr instructors often get their degrees at University of Phoenix, Ashford University, and San Francisco State University. Here are the most common colleges for cpr instructors in the US based on their resumes.
Cpr instructor common collegePercentages
University of Phoenix16.36%
Ashford University7.27%
San Francisco State University7.27%
University of Iowa5.45%
Cornell University5.45%

Best majors for cpr instructors

RankMajorPercentages
1Nursing31.4%
2Business9.9%
3Medical Technician9.3%
4Psychology6.5%
5Biology5.5%

Best colleges for cpr instructors

The best colleges for cpr instructors are Northwestern University, University of Southern California, and New York University.

A cpr instructor with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for cpr instructors. We based this list on several metrics: admissions rate, retention rate, mean earnings of graduates, the ratio of working vs. non-working students ten years after admission, the average cost of attendance, and median debt for graduates who become cpr instructors.

1. University of Southern California

Los Angeles, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$56,225

Enrollment

19,548

2. San Diego State University

San Diego, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$7,488

Enrollment

30,018

3. SUNY Stony Brook

Stony Brook, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$9,625

Enrollment

17,407

4. New York University

New York, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$51,828

Enrollment

26,339

5. University of Minnesota - Twin Cities

Minneapolis, MN • Private

In-state tuition

$14,760

Enrollment

31,451

6. Duke University

Durham, NC • Private

In-state tuition

$55,695

Enrollment

6,596

7. Howard University

Washington, DC • Private

In-state tuition

$26,756

Enrollment

6,166

8. SUNY at Buffalo

Buffalo, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$10,099

Enrollment

21,404

9. Western Carolina University

Cullowhee, NC • Private

In-state tuition

$3,926

Enrollment

9,835

10. University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, PA • Private

In-state tuition

$55,584

Enrollment

10,764

20 best online courses for cpr instructors

Advertising disclosure

1. Medical Emergencies: CPR, Toxicology, and Wilderness

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In this course, you will develop the knowledge and skills to assess and stabilize certain types of patients for transport. By the end of this course, you will be able to: (1) Identify the signs and symptoms associated with a patient in shock, to describe the major categories of shock, to assess a patient with signs of shock and formulate a plan for treatment to stabilize the patient for transport, (2) Identify a patient in cardiac arrest and to describe the components of high performance CPR...

2. Medical Emergencies: Airway, Breathing, and Circulation

coursera

In this course, you will develop the knowledge and skills to assess and stabilize certain types of patients for transport. By the end of this course, you will be able to: 1) assess a basic medical patient 2) describe general pharmacologic principles and the skills associated with medication administration, 3) explain airway physiology, the assessment of the airway and available interventions for airway management, 4) identify, assess and formulate a plan to stabilize a patient with a...

3. First Aid & CPR - An in Depth Guide to CPR, AED and Choking

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4.8
(452)

Learn the most important first aid fundamentals to keep your loved ones safe. A practical first aid course for anyone...

4. ACLS & PALS

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4.8
(469)

Advanced Cardiac Life Support and Pediatric Advanced Life Support...

5. Emergency Care: Pregnancy, Infants, and Children

coursera

Welcome to the final course of lectures in your quest to master EMT basics. In this course, we will cover some of the highest-stress patient populations: pregnant patients and kids, also known as pediatrics. To wrap up your EMT knowledge we will end this course with information about hazmat situations, extricating patients from tight spots and finally how you write a note about your patient care. You will learn to ensure it communicates what your assessment of the patient was, what...

6. Trauma Emergencies and Care

coursera

Welcome to Trauma Emergencies and Care. In this course, you will learn about some of the mechanics and physics of trauma on the human body, and how this can cause injury. You will continue to expand your new vocabulary with medical terminology, and learn how to describe the different injuries you may see. You will also learn about the trauma system itself- and when it is important to transport patients to a trauma center. Then we will dive into specific injuries based on what part of the body...

7. First Aid Masterclass: A Complete Guide to First Aid

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4.7
(610)

The Complete Guide to First Aid and Emergency Medicine: Learn CPR, Heimlich, How to Stop Bleedings, Baby Care & More!...

8. Customer Service, Customer Support, And Customer Experience

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4.6
(2,666)

Customer service, customer support, and customer experience training. Loyal clients through world-class customer service...

9. Health After Cancer: Cancer Survivorship for Primary Care

coursera

This course presents basic principles of cancer survivorship to primary-care physicians. Developed by a team of experts in caring for cancer survivors, and narrated by a primary-care physician, this course provides practical tips and tools that can be easily integrated into medical practice. You will learn about the complex physical and psychosocial needs and concerns of the growing number of cancer survivors, along with the key role that primary care physicians have in guiding these patients...

10. Prepare for the EMT Certification Test

coursera

Welcome to your final course in Become and EMT! Prepare for the National Registry exam. The title for this course is a little bit misleading. We do hope that at the completion of this course that you feel more prepared to take the skills portion as well as the written portion of the national registry exam. More than anything else, however, our greatest hope is that we have given you the knowledge and tools to provide high quality patient care once you are certified as an EMT or once you achieve...

11. ICD 10 & 11 Medical Coding and Billing

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4.4
(767)

Preparation for Medical Coding Certification Exam...

12. Customer Service & Support For Customer Service Executives

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4.5
(941)

Learn Customer Service Skills & Provide Excellent Customer Support, Customer Experience & How To Manage Upset Customers...

13. Value-Based Care: Managing Processes to Improve Outcomes

coursera

COURSE 3 of 7. This course is designed to introduce you to critical office-based processes that a value-based practice must manage in the drive towards improved patient outcomes. In Module 2, we’ll focus on office-based and clinical patient-based supporting functions. At every level in healthcare, guidelines, processes, and functions exist to improve outcomes, and following a consistent process will return the best effect. Refine your understanding of value and learn strategies to provide real...

14. Traditional herbal medicine in supportive cancer care: From alternative to integrative

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Please join us for an exciting and innovative journey, examining one of the most important and often overlooked aspects of the oncology setting: Traditional Herbal Medicine in Supportive Cancer Care. This course is presented with short lectures offering a wide range of issues related to the principles and practice of herbal medicine in cancer care. The course includes interviews with leading world experts from the field of Integrative Oncology, from the U.S. and Canada, as well as Europe, the...

15. AMCI Introduction to Medical Coding (I2MC) Course

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4.6
(444)

Introduction to Medical Coding (I2MC) Course...

16. Emergency Life Support First Aid Training

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4.7
(2,132)

Learn important life saving first aid. Treatment of major illness and injuries...

17. Prehospital care of acute stroke and patient selection for endovascular treatment using the RACE scale

coursera

Acute stroke is a time-dependent medical emergency. In acute ischemic stroke, the first objective is to restore brain flow using sistemic thrombolytic treatment and, in patients with large vessel occlusion, by endovascular treatment. In hemorrhagic stroke there are also specific treatments that can improve the clinical outcome. The sooner the initiation of all these therapies the higher the clinical benefit. Thus, the organization of Stroke Code systems coordinated between emergency medical...

18. Health for All Through Primary Health Care

coursera

This course explores why primary health care is central for achieving Health for All. It provides examples of how primary health care has been instrumental in approaching this goal in selected populations and how the principles of primary health care can guide future policies and actions. Two of the most inspiring, least understood, and most often derided terms in global health discourse are “Health for All” and “Primary Health Care.” In this course, we will explore these terms in the context...

19. Addiction Treatment: Clinical Skills for Healthcare Providers

coursera

This course is designed with a singular goal: to improve the care you provide to your patients with substance use disorders. By delving into a model case performed by actors, seven Yale instructors from various fields provide techniques to screen your patients for substance use disorder risk, diagnose patients to gauge the severity of their use, directly manage treatment plans, refer out to treatment services, and navigate the various conditions that may limit your patient’s access to treatment...

20. Operations and Patient Safety for Healthcare IT Staff

coursera

Now that you've been introduced to the world of Health IT and the important role played by electronic health records (EHRs), we'll focus on other technologies that play a role in maintaining ongoing operations in healthcare. Telemedicine, patient portals, barcode scanners, printers, and medical devices are just some of the technologies that impact providers and patients. As an IT support specialist, you’ll be asked to troubleshoot issues with a wide variety of tools. You'll see a scenario with...

Top 10 most affordable universities for cpr instructors

The most affordable schools for cpr instructors are SUNY Farmingdale, university of florida, and california state university - bakersfield.

If the best universities for cpr instructors are out of your price range, check out these affordable schools. After factoring in in-state tuition and fees, the average cost of attendance, admissions rate, average net price, and mean earnings after six years, we found that these are the most affordable schools for cpr instructors.

1. SUNY Farmingdale

Farmingdale, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$8,306

Cost of attendance

16,091

2. University of Florida

Gainesville, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,381

Cost of attendance

21,034

3. California State University - Bakersfield

Bakersfield, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$7,309

Cost of attendance

16,714

4. Brigham Young University

Provo, UT • Private

In-state tuition

$5,620

Cost of attendance

18,136

5. California State University - Long Beach

Long Beach, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,798

Cost of attendance

18,306

6. University of Puerto Rico - Mayaguez

Mayaguez, PR • Private

In-state tuition

$4,094

Cost of attendance

14,302

7. Florida International University

Miami, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,556

Cost of attendance

19,434

8. Florida State University

Tallahassee, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$5,656

Cost of attendance

21,623

9. Minot State University

Minot, ND • Private

In-state tuition

$7,064

Cost of attendance

15,576

10. California State University - Fullerton

Fullerton, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,886

Cost of attendance

17,645

Top 10 hardest universities to get into for cpr instructors

The hardest universities for cpr instructors to get into are Northwestern University, University of Southern California, and New York University.

Some great schools for cpr instructors are hard to get into, but they also set your career up for greater success. The list below shows the most challenging universities to get into for cpr instructors based on an institution's admissions rates, average SAT scores accepted, median ACT scores accepted, and mean earnings of students six years after admission.

1. Northwestern University

Evanston, IL • Private

Admissions rate

8%

SAT average

1,508

2. University of Southern California

Los Angeles, CA • Private

Admissions rate

13%

SAT average

1,445

3. New York University

New York, NY • Private

Admissions rate

20%

SAT average

1,419

4. Vanderbilt University

Nashville, TN • Private

Admissions rate

10%

SAT average

1,514

5. Yale University

New Haven, CT • Private

Admissions rate

6%

SAT average

1,517

6. George Washington University, The

Washington, DC • Private

Admissions rate

42%

SAT average

1,380

7. Duke University

Durham, NC • Private

Admissions rate

9%

SAT average

1,516

8. Boston University

Boston, MA • Private

Admissions rate

22%

SAT average

1,420

9. Northeastern University

Boston, MA • Private

Admissions rate

19%

SAT average

1,466

10. University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, PA • Private

Admissions rate

8%

SAT average

1,492

Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for cpr instructors

The easiest schools for cpr instructors to get into are D'Youville College, gwynedd mercy university, and barry university.

Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a cpr instructor without much hassle, check out the list of schools where you will be accepted in no time. We compiled admissions rates, average SAT scores, average ACT scores, and average salary of students six years after graduation to uncover which were the easiest schools to get into for cpr instructors.

1. D'Youville College

Buffalo, NY • Private

Admissions rate

100%

SAT average

1,072

2. Gwynedd Mercy University

Gwynedd Valley, PA • Private

Admissions rate

92%

SAT average

1,031

3. Barry University

Miami, FL • Private

Admissions rate

91%

SAT average

1,006

4. Oklahoma Wesleyan University

Bartlesville, OK • Private

Admissions rate

68%

SAT average

964

5. AdventHealth University

Orlando, FL • Private

Admissions rate

87%

SAT average

1,016

6. La Roche College

Pittsburgh, PA • Private

Admissions rate

99%

SAT average

1,008

7. Presentation College

Aberdeen, SD • Private

Admissions rate

97%

SAT average

1,050

8. Notre Dame College

Cleveland, OH • Private

Admissions rate

90%

SAT average

994

9. Saint Joseph's College of Maine

Standish, ME • Private

Admissions rate

84%

SAT average

1,069

10. Holy Family University

Philadelphia, PA • Private

Admissions rate

72%

SAT average

1,017

Average cpr instructor salary by education level

According to our data, cpr instructors with a Doctorate degree earn the highest average salary, at $79,023 annually. Cpr instructors with a Master's degree earn an average annual salary of $62,874.
Cpr instructor education levelCpr instructor salary
Master's Degree$62,874
Doctorate Degree$79,023

Cpr instructor education FAQs

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Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

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