The nursing education sector is facing a significant demographic shift as evidenced by the increasing age of its faculty. Data from the AACN’s report on 2023-2024 Salaries of Instructional and Administrative Nursing Faculty reveals a concerning trend: the average age of doctorally prepared professors is now over 61 years, with associate professors averaging 55.6 years and assistant professors nearing 50. Master’s-prepared faculty also reflect this aging pattern, with professors averaging 55 years, associate professors 54.7, and assistant professors 47.5 years of age. This aging faculty demographic points to a looming crisis in nursing education.
This trend is not just a statistical anomaly; it foreshadows a substantial wave of retirements expected within the next decade. A pivotal article published in Nursing Outlook, titled “Retirements and Succession of Nursing Faculty in 2016-2025” by Drs. Di Fang and Karen Kesten, projected that approximately one-third of nursing faculty in baccalaureate and graduate programs would retire by 2025. This prediction underscores the urgent need for proactive measures to secure the future of nursing education through strategic faculty succession planning and recruitment of younger educators. It’s crucial for the nursing education community to act decisively to mitigate the impact of this impending exodus of experienced faculty and cultivate the next generation of nurse educators.
One of the significant factors exacerbating the shortage of nurse educators is the widening compensation gap between academia and clinical practice. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports the median salary for advanced practice registered nurses at $129,480 annually. In stark contrast, AACN data from March 2023 indicates that the median salary for master’s-prepared professors in nursing schools is considerably lower at $93,958. This financial disparity makes attracting and retaining qualified nurses in educator roles increasingly challenging, as many are drawn to the more lucrative opportunities available in clinical and private-sector settings. This economic reality is diverting both current and potential nurse educators away from academia, further depleting the already strained faculty pool.
Furthermore, the capacity of master’s and doctoral programs in nursing to replenish the educator pipeline is proving inadequate to meet the escalating demand. AACN’s April 2024 report highlighted enrollment declines in both master’s and PhD nursing programs. Master’s program enrollment saw a decrease of 0.9% (1,176 students) from 2022 to 2023, marking the third consecutive year of decline. PhD program enrollment also fell by 3.1% (137 students). Since 2013, PhD program enrollment has dropped by a concerning 17.5%, from 5,145 to 4,244 students in 2023. These enrollment trends suggest a shrinking pool of future nurse educators, compounding the existing shortage.
The situation is further complicated by the fact that numerous qualified applicants are turned away from graduate nursing programs each year. In 2023, AACN reported that 5,491 qualified applications to master’s programs and 4,461 to doctoral programs were rejected. The primary barriers to accepting these qualified candidates are shortages of faculty, preceptors, and clinical education sites. These resource limitations directly impede the expansion of the nurse educator workforce and the ability to adequately prepare future generations of nurses across all specialties, including critical areas like aged care. Programs such as an Aged Care Graduate Nurse Program 2016, which aimed to specialize nurses in geriatric care, rely heavily on a robust faculty base. The challenges highlighted—aging faculty, retirement waves, compensation disparities, and enrollment declines—collectively threaten the sustainability and growth of all nursing programs, including specialized initiatives designed to address specific healthcare needs within our aging population. Addressing these systemic issues is paramount to ensuring a strong and capable nursing workforce for the future.
