Nursing Instructors and Teachers, Postsecondary Salary
In Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC, nursing instructors and teachers, postsecondaries earn $68,220 at the median. The range runs from $51K at the entry level to $84K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 88.49), which stretches that salary to about $77,093 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,095/month, or 24% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $68K get you in Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton’s Regional Price Parity (88.49). 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 Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton
Pay for nursing instructors and teachers, postsecondary in Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton runs about 15% below the U.S. median of $80K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,095/month, 24.7% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 88.49 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 12% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Lower pay, lower costs, Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton can be a reasonable trade-off for nursing instructors and teachers, postsecondarys who value affordability over top-dollar markets.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for nursing instructors and teachers, postsecondaries in metros near Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Durham-Chapel Hill | $102K | $104K |
| Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia | $78K | $80K |
| Wilmington | $111K | $115K |
| Greensboro-High Point | $81K | $87K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC
Entry-level nursing instructors and teachers, postsecondaries (10th percentile) start around $51K. Mid-career wages sit at $68K. Top earners bring in $84K or more, a $32K 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)
Track nursing instructors and teachers, postsecondary salary changes
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Frequently asked questions
Can a nursing instructors and teachers, postsecondary afford a 2BR apartment alone in Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton?
Yes — at the median salary of $68K, rent takes 24.7% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,095/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for nursing instructors and teachers, postsecondaries in Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new nursing instructors and teachers, postsecondaries typically earn — is $51K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,071/month. At HUD’s $1,095/month FMR, rent would take 36% 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 Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton?
Local pay runs 15% below the national median — $68K here vs. $80K nationally. Cost of living is 12% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton compare to the national average for nursing instructors and teachers, postsecondaries?
Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton pays $68K median vs. the U.S. average of $80K — that’s -15%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 88.49), the purchasing-power equivalent is $77K — below the national median.
How much do nursing instructors and teachers, postsecondaries make in Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC?
The median is $68,220 a year. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $51,180, and experienced nursing instructors and teachers, postsecondaries can clear $83,650. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $68K enough to live in Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,442/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,095/month, which eats 24.7% 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 Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton?
Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton has a Regional Price Parity of 88.49 (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 $77,093 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.
