National salary comparison — BLS OES 2024-2025 data
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Nurses earn a national median of $89,010/year vs Teachers at $63,680/year. Nurses earn 28% more nationally. The gap is $25,330 per year — or $2,111 per month.
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Nurse
$89,010
national median/year
$7,418/mo • $43/hr
VS
Teacher
$63,680
national median/year
$5,307/mo • $31/hr
Annual salary gap
$25,330
Nurses earn 28% more per year nationally. Over 30 years at 7% investment return that gap compounds to approximately $287,123.
Best states for Teachers
vs Nurses
Pennsylvania+$-7,200
Michigan+$-8,890
New York+$-10,080
Wyoming+$-10,140
Kentucky+$-11,090
Best states for Nurses
vs Teachers
California+$45,480
Hawaii+$42,140
Oregon+$30,380
Alaska+$29,340
Washington+$29,000
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Nurses earn more nationally. The median annual salary for Nurses is $89,010 versus $63,680 for Teachers — a difference of $25,330 per year or $2,111 per month.
The national median salary gap between Nurses and Teachers is $25,330 per year. Nurses earn 28% more. Over a 30-year career this difference, if invested at 7% annual return, compounds to approximately $287,123.
Based on BLS OES 2024-2025 data, California pays Nurses the highest median salary at $131,470 per year.
Based on BLS OES 2024-2025 data, New York pays Teachers the highest median salary at $89,240 per year.
Salary is one factor — Nurses earn more nationally. But career choice involves job satisfaction, work-life balance, education requirements, and job growth. Registered Nurses and Elementary and Middle School Teachers both have different educational paths, licensing requirements, and long-term growth projections. Use salary as a starting point, not the only factor.
Based on a standard 2,080-hour work year, Nurses earn approximately $43 per hour nationally and Teachers earn approximately $31 per hour. Actual hourly rates vary based on overtime, part-time work, and whether the role is salaried or hourly.
Methodology: Salary data from Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) 2024-2025. Figures represent median annual wages for wage and salary workers. Self-employed excluded. Hourly rates calculated at 2,080 hours per year. State salary figures from same BLS OES dataset. Updated annually.
