Nursing Curriculum Developer Job Description and Salary
Written by:
University of Tulsa
• Jul 13, 2026
Nursing education programs maintain cutting-edge curricula through professional curriculum design, development, and improvement. Nursing curriculum developers work closely with nursing programs to review curricula and provide professional feedback. If you’re interested in this career, review potential salary expectations and the education required to qualify.
What’s the Nursing Curriculum Developer Job Description?
College curricula in any discipline must expand and improve to reflect changes and innovations in their fields. This is particularly true of nursing, where ongoing advancements in health care need to be studied and understood by newly trained nurse professionals. The role of a nursing curriculum developer is to monitor these industry changes and make the recommended improvements to curricula. Some curriculum developers also design curricula and source materials for new nursing programs.
Developers often work closely with nursing instructors to create quality nursing education programs, but there are key distinctions between the roles. While instructors deliver lessons, curriculum developers can assist in identifying learning objectives, teaching methodologies, and new technology options.
Key Responsibilities
As part of their overall goal of assessing and improving curricula, developers may assume some of the following daily tasks.
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Monitoring current teaching practice
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Providing feedback to faculty to promote ongoing improvements in teaching skills
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Researching curricula improvement options
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Assessing existing curriculum and nursing programs
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Recommending new methods, lessons, and modes of instruction
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Defining competencies and outcomes of nursing programs
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Collaborating with instructors to design curricula for nursing programs
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Training faculty members on the latest teaching technologies related to nursing instruction
The specific responsibilities of a nursing curriculum developer depend in part on the size of the program and the nature of the role. Some universities employ a team of developers to create and improve upon established curricula. Others work with a single curriculum developer, sometimes as part of a short-term contract, to assess standards and recommend improvements.
Workplace Environment
Curriculum developers typically work in educational institutions, observing classrooms and conducting research in office settings. Developers may observe nursing instructors and students in clinical health care settings.
What Is the Difference Between a Nursing Educator and a Curriculum Developer?
While there’s some overlap between nursing educators and curriculum developers, they’re distinct roles. Curriculum developers focus on devising the pedagogical strategies to train nursing students so that they can pass nursing exams and gain the necessary knowledge to work in the field. They develop lesson plans, set learning standards, and establish testing metrics.
Nurse educators deliver instruction to students based on developers’ curricula. They help students through coursework — which combines classroom instruction and clinical practice in controlled environments — review performance, administer and grade tests, and mentor student nurses.
These roles work together to help students develop into successful practicing nurses.
Is Nursing Curriculum Development a Good Career for MSN Graduates?
The ongoing nursing shortage is exacerbated by a lack of nurse educators and curriculum developers working in academia. In 2024, nursing programs were forced to turn away more than 80,000 applications due to a shortage of educators and curriculum developers, according to the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN).
Choosing curriculum development as a profession means supporting new nurses, shaping how and what they’ll be taught, and helping mitigate the nursing shortage.
Salary Expectations for Nursing Curriculum Developers
According to the compensation website Payscale, the median annual wage for curriculum developers was approximately $76,200 as of February 2026. Prospective curriculum developers should review job descriptions for more information, as salary expectations can vary based on location, years of experience, and scope of duties.
For example, Payscale found the lowest 10% of curriculum developer earners made about $52,000 annually, while the top 10% earned more than $101,000.
Steps to Become a Nursing Curriculum Developer
Developing curricula for nursing programs requires professional experience in the nursing field, adult education, and learning technologies. If you want to become a curriculum developer, take the following steps to prepare for this career.
1. Meet Education Requirements
Most nursing curriculum developer job descriptions require professionals to have at least a master’s degree in nursing or a relevant field.
In addition to a graduate degree, nursing curriculum developers need an active nursing license, which requires passing the National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN). You’ll first need to follow the steps to become an APRN or RN to gain the on-the-job clinical experience required to become a nursing curriculum developer.
2. Gain Work Experience
Curriculum developers need to have an in-depth understanding of the nursing field before identifying learning objectives and teaching best practices. Because of this, most positions typically require five years or more of nursing clinical experience.
3. Cultivate Relevant Skills and Traits
A successful career as a nursing curriculum developer relies on many technical and interpersonal skills. Here are a few key skills you should develop to fulfill the responsibilities of your position.
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Nursing knowledge. Understanding the daily duties of nursing staff to create these instructional goals.
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Interpersonal communication. Communicating and collaborating with nursing students, instructors, and other curriculum professionals.
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Technical writing. Drafting curriculum changes and new learning objectives with technical writing expertise.
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Detail-oriented planning. Analyzing existing educational methodologies and recommending action-oriented changes takes a commitment to detail and careful planning.
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Teaching knowledge. Experience as a nursing instructor can make curriculum developers more effective.
Learn More About Curriculum Development in Nursing
Explore the nursing curriculum developer job description and requirements today to see if this career fits your goals. If you’re ready to prepare for a rewarding career as a curriculum developer in nursing, consider enrolling in The University of Tulsa’s online Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) program.
Our online program not only prepares you for leadership opportunities but also equips you with the tools for curriculum development, assessment, and evaluation.
Reach out today to learn more about the application process and find out how the Education and Elevation specialty track can help you toward a career in curriculum development.
Recommended Readings
Change Theory in Nursing: How It’s Evolving the Profession
A Nurse Educator’s Role in the Future of Nursing
The Most Important Leadership Skills for Nurses
Sources:
American Association of Colleges of Nursing, Curriculum Guidelines
American Association of Colleges of Nursing, Nursing Shortage Fact Sheet
American Nurses Association, Shaping Future Healthcare: The Path to Becoming a Nurse Educator
Payscale, Average Curriculum Developer Salary
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Nursing Instructors and Teachers, Postsecondary
Wolters Kluwer, Benefits of a Concept-Based Curriculum in Nursing Education
