Nursing Instructors and Teachers, Postsecondary Salary
In California, nursing instructors and teachers, postsecondaries earn $81,960 at the median. The range runs from $48K at the entry level to $164K for experienced workers. Prices run high here (RPP 106.14), so that salary is closer to $77,219 in real purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $2,471/month, about 48% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across California. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $82K get you in California?
About nursing instructors and teachers, postsecondaries
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What this looks like in California
Nursing instructors and teachers, postsecondary pay in California tracks closely to the national median, $82K locally vs. $80K nationwide, a 2% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $2,471/month, which is 47.6% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost-of-living overall is 6% above the national average (BEA RPP 106.14), so groceries and services cost more too. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, California
Entry-level nursing instructors and teachers, postsecondaries (10th percentile) start around $48K. Mid-career wages sit at $82K. Top earners bring in $164K or more, a $117K spread from bottom to top.
Nursing Instructors and Teachers, Postsecondary salary by metro in California
11 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara | $150K | +84% | 140 |
| Fresno | $135K | +65% | 110 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad | $104K | +27% | 360 |
| Bakersfield-Delano | $98K | +20% | 70 |
| Visalia | $97K | +19% | 80 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom | $87K | +6% | 270 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont | $85K | +3% | 700 |
| Modesto | $81K | -1% | 50 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim | $80K | -3% | 2,350 |
| Santa Maria-Santa Barbara | $80K | -3% | 100 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario | $79K | -4% | 880 |
Showing 1–10 of 11 metros
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BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when California numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a nursing instructors and teachers, postsecondary afford a 2BR apartment alone in California?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $82K, rent takes 47.6% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $2,471/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,600/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for nursing instructors and teachers, postsecondaries in California?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new nursing instructors and teachers, postsecondaries typically earn — is $48K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,870/month. At HUD’s $2,471/month FMR, rent would take 86% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is nursing instructors and teachers, postsecondary a high-paying job in California?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $82K locally vs. $80K nationally, a 2% difference.
How does California compare to the national average for nursing instructors and teachers, postsecondaries?
California pays $82K median vs. the U.S. average of $80K — that’s +2%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 106.14), the purchasing-power equivalent is $77K — below the national median.
How much do nursing instructors and teachers, postsecondaries make in California?
The median is $81,960 a year. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $47,840, and experienced nursing instructors and teachers, postsecondaries can clear $164,450. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $82K enough to live in California?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,190/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $2,471/month, which eats 47.6% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.
How far does a nursing instructors and teachers, postsecondary salary go in California?
California has a Regional Price Parity of 106.14 (100 is the national average). Prices are above average here, so your dollar buys less than the same salary would in a cheaper metro. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median nursing instructors and teachers, postsecondary salary is worth about $77,219 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do nursing instructors and teachers, postsecondaries get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.