How to hire an instructor

How to hire an instructor, step by step

Here's a step-by-step 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 instructor job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new instructor
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does an instructor do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   First, determine the employments status of the instructor you need to hire. Certain instructor roles might require a full-time employee, whereas others can be done by part-time workers or contractors.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

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

   Yes

   No

   An instructor's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, 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.

   Here's a comparison of instructor salaries for various roles:

   Type of Instructor	Description	Hourly rate
   Instructor	An Instructor works with individuals through providing them support and instruction. They initiate various program goals and team objectives and solve problems... Show more	$14-45
   Learning Center Instructor	Learning center instructors' primary goal is to give direct mediation instruction for recognized students. They cooperate with staff members on suitable student placement for constructive learning... Show more	$10-24
   Adjunct English Instructor	An Adjunct English Instructor prepares and distributes a departmental syllabus that informs students about course requirements, testing assignments, and other pertinent information. They maintain necessary records about student performance and submit reports in a timely manner.	$16-42

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Customer Service
   • CPR
   • Course Curriculum
   • Professional Development
   • Classroom Management
   • Student Learning
   • Learning Environment
   • Mathematics
   • Classroom Environment
   • Course Content
   • Teaching Methodologies
   • PowerPoint
   • Ethics
   • C++

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Discipline kids when necessary, and manage lifeguarding duties during swimming portions of the camp.
   • Own and manage a small business as a CPR and first aid instructor and consultant for diverse clients.
   • Instruct all areas of massage therapy program including anatomy, physiology, pathology, contraindications and ethics.
   • Teach a broad range of ESL classes, such as pronunciation, grammar, and conversation classes.
   • Develop curricula for college-level philosophy and ethics courses with clear expectations and objectives in mind.
   • Plan and provide human anatomy and physiology course instruction and laboratory activities for students in the nursing program.

   More instructor duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your instructor job description is a great way to entice the best and brightest candidates. An instructor salary can vary based on several factors:

   • Location. For example, instructors' average salary in south dakota is 43% less than in connecticut.
   • Seniority. Entry-level instructors earn 68% less than senior-level instructors.
   • Certifications. An instructor 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 an instructor's salary.

   Average instructor salary

   $53,426yearly

   $25.69 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level instructor salary

   $30,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 5, 2025

   Average instructor salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	New York	$73,515	$35
   2	Massachusetts	$73,463	$35
   3	Pennsylvania	$70,994	$34
   4	District of Columbia	$69,655	$33
   5	Maryland	$69,274	$33
   6	Hawaii	$62,679	$30
   7	California	$62,544	$30
   8	Wisconsin	$59,014	$28
   9	Michigan	$58,923	$28
   10	Missouri	$58,630	$28
   11	Ohio	$58,455	$28
   12	Virginia	$57,824	$28
   13	North Carolina	$57,313	$28
   14	Washington	$56,364	$27
   15	Maine	$55,960	$27
   16	Oregon	$55,474	$27
   17	Texas	$52,846	$25
   18	Utah	$52,833	$25
   19	Minnesota	$52,027	$25
   20	Alabama	$51,529	$25

   Average instructor salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Kern Community College District	$130,609	$62.79	16
   2	Pace University	$127,066	$61.09	7
   3	Glendale Unified School District	$118,001	$56.73
   4	St. Joseph's Health	$116,787	$56.15	1
   5	Northwest Lineman College	$115,777	$55.66	6
   6	Mission Regional Medical Center	$110,103	$52.93	1
   7	Creighton University	$107,187	$51.53
   8	Tulane University	$105,324	$50.64	112
   9	Northwestern Medical Center	$104,854	$50.41
   10	Howard University	$103,941	$49.97
   11	Southwest General	$102,946	$49.49	1
   12	Loma Linda University Health	$101,062	$48.59	14
   13	New York University	$97,463	$46.86	25
   14	Yeshiva University	$97,056	$46.66	4
   15	Strategic Education	$97,015	$46.64	19
   16	Workday	$96,991	$46.63
   17	School of Visual Concepts	$96,472	$46.38
   18	Columbia University in the City of New York	$94,849	$45.60	76
   19	SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University	$94,712	$45.53	54
   20	Rutgers University	$94,506	$45.44	432

4. Writing an instructor job description

   An 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. To help get you started, here's an example of an instructor job description:

   Instructor job description example

   Under the direction of the AHA Coordinator, the ACLS/PALS instructor teaches identified curriculum for ACLS and PALS programs per American Heart Association guidelines. They are required to teach to adult learners, utilizing the skills and techniques of the American Heart Association. They are a part of a team of educators that may be called upon to teach in areas of their expertise including code carts, CAT calls and other advanced life support skills. Instructors are required to maintained quality standards and able to assess the content and delivery of the course curriculum.
   
   The person in this position works under general supervision. They are responsible for various shifts and may also be required to remain on campus immediately before, during, and after severe weather and/or disasters.
   
   Baptist Health Care is a not-for-profit health care system committed to improving the quality of life for people and communities in northwest Florida and south Alabama. The organization is a proud a member of the Mayo Clinic Care Network and includes three hospitals, four medical parks, Andrews Institute for Orthopaedic & Sports Medicine, and an extensive primary and specialty care provider network. With more than 4,000 team members, Baptist Health Care is one of the largest non-governmental employers in northwest Florida. "Competent in effective delivery of practical knowledge in community health care in a variety of settings - classroom, work-site, telecommunication/distance learning. Teaches in an interactive manner. Implements adult learning strategies. Displays initiative and adherence to BHC's core values in recruiting, organizing, conducting and record keeping. Communicates well with a variety of community/client populations. Maintains current knowledge/certification/licensure. Pursues professional growth and development.Assist in other duties as assigned to support the operational needs of the department and organization. May be required to remain on campus immediately before, during, and after severe weather and/or disasters."
   + Associates of Nursing Degree or Graduate of a Paramedic Program required
   
   + Experience in health care delivery
   
   + First Aid experience preferred
   
   + ACLS Instructor certification for the Healthcare Worker required
   
   + PALS Instructor certification for the Healthcare Worker required
   
   + Florida RN license or Paramedic license is required
   
   + Demonstrates a commitment to service, organization values and professionalism through appropriate conduct and demeanor at all times
   
   + Demonstrates exceptional customer service and interacts effectively with physicians, patients, residents, visitors, staff and the broader health care community

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   There are various strategies that you can use to find the right 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.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your instructor job on Zippia to find and attract quality instructor candidates.
   • Use niche websites such as k12jobspot, learn4good, serious teachers, teachingjobs.com.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   Your first interview with instructor 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.

   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 instructor

   Once you've decided on a perfect instructor candidate, it's time to write an offer letter. In addition to salary, it should include benefits and perks available to the employee. Qualified candidates may be considered for other positions, so make sure your offer is competitive. Candidates may wish to negotiate. Once you've settled on the details, formalize your agreement with a contract.

   It's also important to follow up with applicants who do not get the job with an email letting them know that the position is filled.

   After that, you can create an onboarding schedule for a new instructor. Human Resources and the hiring manager should complete Employee Action Forms. Human Resources should also ensure that onboarding paperwork is completed, including I-9s, benefits enrollment, federal and state tax forms, etc., and that new employee files are created.

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 instructor?