Nursing Instructors and Teachers, Postsecondary Salary
In Columbia, MO, nursing instructors and teachers, postsecondaries earn $80,590 at the median. The range runs from $58K at the entry level to $125K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 89.44), which stretches that salary to about $90,105 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,160/month, or 22.8% of estimated take-home pay.
Where the paycheck goes
What $81K actually covers in Columbia, month by month
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Columbia’s Regional Price Parity (89.44). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
About nursing instructors and teachers, postsecondaries
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What this looks like in Columbia
Nursing instructors and teachers, postsecondary pay in Columbia tracks closely to the national median, $81K locally vs. $80K nationwide, a 0% difference. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,160/month, 22.4% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 89.44 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 11% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for nursing instructors and teachers, postsecondaries in metros near Columbia, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| St. Louis | $80K | $84K |
| Kansas City | $76K | $82K |
| Springfield | $67K | $76K |
| Cedar Rapids | $64K | $72K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Columbia, MO
Entry-level nursing instructors and teachers, postsecondaries (10th percentile) start around $58K. Mid-career wages sit at $81K. Top earners bring in $125K or more, a $66K spread from bottom to top.
Nursing Instructors and Teachers, Postsecondary pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Nursing Instructors and Teachers, Postsecondary salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hawaii | $130K | +61% | 1,890 |
| District of Columbia | $108K | +34% | 110 |
| Delaware | $98K | +22% | 240 |
| Nevada | $97K | +20% | 870 |
| Connecticut | $96K | +19% | 1,380 |
| Idaho | $91K | +13% | 430 |
| Alaska | $86K | +7% | N/A |
| Massachusetts | $85K | +6% | 2,280 |
| Texas | $85K | +6% | 6,830 |
| Wisconsin | $85K | +6% | 1,760 |
| Maryland | $84K | +5% | 840 |
| New York | $83K | +3% | 6,340 |
| Nebraska | $83K | +3% | 300 |
| Virginia | $83K | +3% | 1,670 |
| Colorado | $83K | +3% | 1,350 |
| Florida | $82K | +3% | 4,320 |
| Utah | $82K | +3% | 580 |
| California | $82K | +2% | 5,610 |
| Washington | $82K | +2% | 1,300 |
| Minnesota | $81K | +1% | 1,340 |
| North Dakota | $81K | +1% | 150 |
| North Carolina | $80K | +0% | 2,560 |
| Tennessee | $80K | -0% | 1,150 |
| Louisiana | $80K | -0% | 440 |
| Alabama | $80K | -1% | 1,460 |
| Maine | $80K | -1% | 420 |
| South Carolina | $80K | -1% | 1,150 |
| New Mexico | $79K | -1% | 320 |
| Illinois | $79K | -1% | 4,940 |
| Arizona | $79K | -2% | 1,930 |
| Michigan | $79K | -2% | 1,740 |
| Pennsylvania | $78K | -2% | 4,290 |
| Rhode Island | $78K | -2% | 260 |
| New Hampshire | $78K | -2% | 320 |
| Oregon | $78K | -3% | 450 |
| Montana | $78K | -3% | 240 |
| Georgia | $78K | -3% | 1,590 |
| Iowa | $77K | -4% | 770 |
| New Jersey | $77K | -4% | 2,000 |
| Ohio | $77K | -4% | 4,290 |
| Missouri | $76K | -5% | 1,040 |
| Indiana | $76K | -5% | 1,520 |
| Mississippi | $75K | -6% | 1,050 |
| Wyoming | $73K | -10% | 150 |
| Kentucky | $72K | -10% | 1,130 |
| Oklahoma | $68K | -15% | 640 |
| Vermont | $67K | -17% | N/A |
| South Dakota | $67K | -17% | 250 |
| Arkansas | $63K | -21% | 830 |
| Kansas | $63K | -22% | 470 |
| West Virginia | $62K | -22% | 400 |
Showing 1–10 of 51 (all 50 states + DC)
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Quick answers
The stuff people actually ask about this job
Can a nursing instructors and teachers, postsecondary afford a 2BR apartment alone in Columbia?
Yes — at the median salary of $81K, rent takes 22.4% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,160/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for nursing instructors and teachers, postsecondaries in Columbia?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new nursing instructors and teachers, postsecondaries typically earn — is $58K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,896/month. At HUD’s $1,160/month FMR, rent would take 30% of that take-home — manageable on an entry-level income.
Is nursing instructors and teachers, postsecondary a high-paying job in Columbia?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $81K locally vs. $80K nationally, a 0% difference.
How does Columbia compare to the national average for nursing instructors and teachers, postsecondaries?
Columbia pays $81K median vs. the U.S. average of $80K — that’s +0%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 89.44), the purchasing-power equivalent is $90K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do nursing instructors and teachers, postsecondaries make in Columbia, MO?
The median is $80,590 a year. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $58,100, and experienced nursing instructors and teachers, postsecondaries can clear $124,560. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $81K enough to live in Columbia?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,169/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,160/month, which eats 22.4% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a nursing instructors and teachers, postsecondary salary go in Columbia?
Columbia has a Regional Price Parity of 89.44 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median nursing instructors and teachers, postsecondary salary is worth about $90,105 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.