Nursing professor vs practical nursing instructor

The differences between nursing professors and practical nursing instructors can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 2-4 years to become both a nursing professor and a practical nursing instructor. Additionally, a practical nursing instructor has an average salary of $79,190, which is higher than the $74,506 average annual salary of a nursing professor.

The top three skills for a nursing professor include BSN, student learning and med/surg. The most important skills for a practical nursing instructor are patient care, pediatrics, and course content.

Nursing professor vs practical nursing instructor overview

	Nursing Professor	Practical Nursing Instructor
Yearly salary	$74,506	$79,190
Hourly rate	$35.82	$38.07
Growth rate	12%	12%
Number of jobs	54,168	93,630
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 39%	Bachelor's Degree, 51%
Average age	46	46
Years of experience	4	4

Nursing professor vs practical nursing instructor salary

Nursing professors and practical nursing instructors have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Nursing Professor	Practical Nursing Instructor
Average salary	$74,506	$79,190
Salary range	Between $41,000 And $135,000	Between $45,000 And $137,000
Highest paying City	-	-
Highest paying state	-	-
Best paying company	-	-
Best paying industry	-	-

Differences between nursing professor and practical nursing instructor education

There are a few differences between a nursing professor and a practical nursing instructor in terms of educational background:

	Nursing Professor	Practical Nursing Instructor
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 39%	Bachelor's Degree, 51%
Most common major	Nursing	Nursing
Most common college	Duke University	Duke University

Nursing professor vs practical nursing instructor demographics

Here are the differences between nursing professors' and practical nursing instructors' demographics:

	Nursing Professor	Practical Nursing Instructor
Average age	46	46
Gender ratio	Male, 15.2% Female, 84.8%	Male, 12.2% Female, 87.8%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 7.2% Unknown, 4.9% Hispanic or Latino, 10.2% Asian, 11.3% White, 66.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3%	Black or African American, 7.2% Unknown, 4.9% Hispanic or Latino, 10.2% Asian, 11.3% White, 66.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3%
LGBT Percentage	16%	16%

Differences between nursing professor and practical nursing instructor duties and responsibilities

Nursing professor example responsibilities.

Implement and evaluate nursing curriculum with an appreciation for diversity, cultural awareness, ethics, integrity, and professional judgment.
Assemble and use equipment, such as catheters, tracheotomy tubes, or oxygen suppliers.

Practical nursing instructor example responsibilities.

Cover the fundamental concepts of chemistry and biology including cell biology, metabolism, microbiology, genetics, evolution and histology.
Develop narrate PowerPoint presentations for simulation debriefing to assess students ability to effectively communicate with other team members using ISBARR.

Nursing professor vs practical nursing instructor skills

Common nursing professor skills

BSN, 10%
Student Learning, 9%
Med/Surg, 8%
Mental Health, 6%
DNP, 6%
MSN, 5%

Common practical nursing instructor skills

Patient Care, 29%
Pediatrics, 11%
Course Content, 9%
Clinical Sites, 6%
Professional Development, 6%
Clinical Practice, 4%

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Nursing Professor vs Practical Nursing Instructor

Updated January 8, 2025

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