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The Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates the need for nurse educators will grow 17% from 2024-2034, and reports the average annual salary at $87,090.*
Education is extremely important in healthcare on an ongoing basis. Your credentials and ability to educate the current and future generations of nurses will keep you very competitive in the job market.
At the very least you’ll need to become a licensed registered nurse (RN) with several years of work experience and a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN). Most of the time you’ll need a MSN in nursing education, especially for teaching at a university or college in an academic environment.
What degree you need depends on what you want to teach and where you teach it. Generally if you earn your master’s degree and earn your certificate as a Certified Nurse Educator, you’ll be qualified for a position as a clinical nurse educator.
You’ll need a great education, plenty of clinical experience, excellent communication skills, a passion for healthcare and a real desire to make a difference—and an eagerness to share your experiences with others. The best teachers are those who are truly passionate and pass that along to their students. A great teacher goes a lot further than the essentials.
Perhaps most important is a commitment to a life of learning. If you possess these crucial skills for a nurse educator, this might be the career you’re looking for.
Life as a clinical nurse educator can be unpredictable—between managing a department’s educational and staffing needs and supporting students on an individual basis, it can be challenging to stick to a routine. However, helping patients and nursing students alike is extremely rewarding.
Take it from a real teacher in nursing who offers us a glimpse into a day in the life of a nurse educator.
Nurse educators are qualified at the master’s or doctoral level and could work in teaching roles in both clinical and academic settings.
Academic educators teach and work with nursing students, and may design, implement and revise programs for students and practicing nurses. Clinical nurse educators are uniquely positioned in the hospital system to provide education to nursing staff and other healthcare professionals, as well as providing education for patients.
Learn more about what a nurse educator is and what they do.
Our online FNP program has 6 start dates per year, ensuring that you will have a start date coming up soon, but giving you enough time to get your personal affairs in order before jumping in. You can take the first step and apply now or contact an admissions advisor by calling 855-285-3809.
Yes! We’d love to have you. We have several campus locations and you’re welcome to come in for a tour if you’re nearby. The doors are always open to you for study time, to meet with financial aid counselors or meeting other Herzing students.
It’s a big decision for you and your family. One former Herzing University FNP student explains what you need to know before enrolling in an FNP program.
Licensure requirements for FNPs vary from state to state. Most require a current RN license and a master’s degree in nursing. Graduates from Herzing University’s FNP program are eligible to sit for one of the FNP certification exams. Two main bodies offer FNP certification:
You may choose which exam you’d like to take. After completing your master’s degree, you will need to get certified and obtain licensure in the state you wish to practice before opening your practice as an FNP.
One of the most important elements of the online MSN-FNP program is the clinical. At Herzing you’ll have a clinical coordinator who will serve as a resource to students, guiding and assisting with securing appropriate clinical sites.
Herzing has been partnering with clinical sites for decades, which affords students the best clinical settings due to our reputation of strong clinical presence in a wide range of facilities.
We pledge YOUR clinical placement!
With Herzing University you are never alone. Read our guide to finding preceptorship for our NP program options and get more information on who you can choose, what kinds of sites you can look for, and how we support your search.
