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$33.5K

$81.6K

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How much do nursing professional development specialist jobs pay per year?

As of Aug 28, 2026, the average yearly pay for nursing professional development specialist in the United States is $81,632.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $51,500.00 and $99,000.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What is a nursing professional development specialist?

A Nursing Professional Development Specialist (NPDS) is a registered nurse who focuses on enhancing the professional growth and education of nursing staff. They develop, implement, and evaluate training programs, onboarding processes, and competency assessments to ensure nurses provide high-quality patient care. NPDS professionals collaborate with healthcare leaders, mentor staff, and integrate evidence-based practices to improve nursing performance. Their role is essential in fostering continuous learning and professional excellence within healthcare organizations.

What does a nursing professional development specialist do?

A typical day for a Nursing Professional Development Specialist involves planning and delivering educational programs, onboarding new nursing staff, and assessing ongoing learning needs within the organization. You may facilitate workshops, lead simulation sessions, develop curriculum, and collaborate closely with clinical educators, nurse managers, and frontline staff. The role also includes evaluating program effectiveness, staying updated on best practices, and ensuring regulatory compliance. Your efforts directly enhance nursing competency and patient care throughout the healthcare facility.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a nursing professional development specialist?

To excel as a Nursing Professional Development Specialist, you need a strong background in nursing practice, adult education principles, and clinical teaching, typically supported by a BSN or MSN and active RN licensure. Familiarity with learning management systems (LMS), simulation technologies, and certifications such as Nursing Professional Development Certification (NPD-BC) is highly beneficial. Outstanding communication, leadership, and organizational skills help you effectively mentor, motivate, and coordinate staff education. These competencies ensure you can design impactful training, support nursing staff growth, and uphold high standards of patient care and nursing practice.

How much do nursing professional development specialists make?

Nursing professional development specialists typically earn a median annual salary of around $80,000, with salaries ranging from approximately $60,000 to $100,000 depending on experience, location, and certifications. They often work in healthcare facilities, requiring strong communication and teaching skills, and may hold certifications such as the ANCC Nursing Professional Development Certification.
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Nursing Professional Development Specialist jobs near you
Infographic showing various Nursing Professional Development Specialist job openings in the United States as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 1% As Needed, 75% Full Time, 20% Part Time, and 4% Contract. Highlights an 84% Physical, 1% Hybrid, and 15% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $81,632 per year, or $39.2 per hour.

Nursing Professional Development Specialist

Philadelphia, PA • On-site

Pennsylvania Medicine

7.6

Company rating: 7.6 out of 10

Based on 352 frontline employees who took The Breakroom Quiz

190th of 894 rated healthcare providers

People enjoy working here

Good employer

Recommended by students

Learn more about Pennsylvania Medicineexternal

Part-time

Re-posted 4 days ago

Job description

Penn Medicine is dedicated to our tripartite mission of providing the highest level of care to patients, conducting innovative research, and educating future leaders in the field of medicine. Working for this leading academic medical center means collaboration with top clinical, technical and business professionals across all disciplines.
Today at Penn Medicine, someone will make a breakthrough. Someone will heal a heart, deliver hopeful news, and give comfort and reassurance. Our employees shape our future each day. Are you living your life's work?
Job Title: Nursing Professional Development Specialist
Department: CPUP AED Nursing
Entity: Clinical Practices of the University of Pennsylvania (CPUP)
Location: Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania- 3400 Spruce St
Hours: Part-time 20+ hours based on operational need
Summary:
  • The Nursing Professional Development Specialist is responsible for programmatic leadership of professional development and education activities across the Clinical Practices of the University of Pennsylvania. The team designs and delivers programs, including orientation/onboarding, competency management, evidence-based practice, education, role transition, and collaborative partnerships to ensure that nursing and additional clinical roles deliver care at the same high standard and have opportunities for professional role competence and growth while focused on optimal population health. The Nursing Professional Development Specialist (NPDS) assesses the clinical staff's learning needs, designs curricula, leads program delivery, and evaluates learning outcomes. They work to uphold research and evidence-based practice standards in support of high-quality patient care delivery and comprehensive individualized patient-and-family centered care.

Responsibilities:
  • Learning Facilitator: Identifies and prioritizes the clinical staff's learning needs in consideration of affected patient populations, new clinical evidence, organizational goals, and changes within the health system as well as nationally or globally.
  • Considers cultural, ethical, and generational components reflective of learners to achieve educational needs.
  • Designs educational nursing curricula that is framed by appropriate teaching/ learning theories and validation methods for assessing nurse competency.
  • Integrates action-oriented learning while ensuring the provision of quality care and protection of the public.
  • Promotes patient-and-family-centered, culturally competent, and age specific care, as appropriate, throughout the educational programs offered by the department.
  • Leverages domains of education, program management, career development and scholarship, and leadership, adopted from Nursing Professional Development: Scope and Standards of Practice (Association of Nursing Professional Development, 2022).
  • Leads, teaches, and facilitates educational programs for a diverse audience.
  • Demonstrates the ability to use a variety of teaching methods, both in the classroom and clinical environments.
  • Selects appropriate program presenters (e.g. nurses, physicians, vendor, other professional) for continuing education offerings and helps with preparation and logistics coordination.
  • Evaluates program outcomes and recommends improvements, as needed.
  • Change Agent: Actively works to transform processes through inspiration, initiation, adoption, and sustainment to change using project management and improvement processes at one of the following levels: patient care unit, education department, and organization. Organizes work effectively, ensuring effective stakeholder management, prioritization, optimal resource allocation, quality assurance, and timely project delivery.
  • Mentor: Advances the profession by contributing to the professional development of others (via residency, clinical ladders, etc.) and supporting lifelong learning as individuals develop across practice, professional and educational settings.
  • Leader: Provides leadership to promote excellence in nursing practice, facilitates change initiatives, and supports the Penn Medicine research mission.
  • Coordinates with the department's operations team and aids peers.
  • Serves as a liaison to communicate and negotiate multiple diverse perspectives in a respectful and effective manner to achieve/advocate positive change and delivery of appropriate and ethical care.
  • Adheres to Nursing Professional Development Department, Accreditation agencies (state and national), and ANA policies for program management and annual reporting.
  • Champion of Scientific Inquiry: Promotes the generation and dissemination of new knowledge and evidence to advance NPD practice, guide clinical practice, and improve patient care.
  • Creates an environment of inquiry and learning that supports the autonomy and accountability of the clinical roles, excellence in clinical practice, and upholds health system strategic goals and values.
  • Partner for Practice Transitions: Facilitates the transition of nurses and other healthcare team members across learning and practice environments, roles, and professional stages.
  • Advocate for NPD Specialty: Supports, promotes, and demonstrates nursing professional development as a nursing practice specialty via involvement with national organizations and scholarly work.
  • Performs duties in accordance with Penn Medicine and entity values, policies, and procedures.
  • Other duties as assigned to support the unit, department, entity, and health system organization.

Credentials:
  • Basic Cardiac Life Support (Required)
  • Registered Nurse - PA (Required)
Education and Experience:
  • Master of Arts or Science in Nursing from an accredited school of Nursing (Required)
  • 2-5 years of relevant clinical experience in Nursing Professional Development
  • NPDS Specialty or Ambulatory Care Specialty Certification (preferred)

We believe that the best care for our patients starts with the best care for our employees. Our employee benefits programs help our employees get healthy and stay healthy. We offer a comprehensive compensation and benefits program that includes one of the finest prepaid tuition assistance programs in the region. Penn Medicine employees are actively engaged and committed to our mission. Together we will continue to make medical advances that help people live longer, healthier lives.
Live Your Life's Work
We are an Equal Opportunity employer. Candidates are considered for employment without regard to race, ethnicity, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, national origin, ancestry, age, disability, marital status, familial status, genetic information, domestic or sexual violence victim status, citizenship status, military status, status as a protected veteran or any other status protected by applicable law.

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