How to Become a Healthcare Administrator
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Healthcare administrators keep hospitals, clinics, and other healthcare facilities running smoothly. In part because of their experience as care providers, nurses are well positioned to be effective leaders in this capacity.
Learn more about how to become a healthcare administrator — and how nursing experience can equip you for these important roles.
Healthcare Administrator Overview
Healthcare administrators help ensure that healthcare facilities and operations are as effective, efficient, and cost-sensitive as possible. They work in hospitals, physicians’ offices, residential care facilities, outpatient care centers, and other medical settings.
Specifically, healthcare executives develop goals and objectives for their departments or facilities, ensure compliance with applicable laws and regulations, and manage finances. Daily tasks may include supervising staff, creating work schedules, formulating budgets, updating records, and communicating with department heads.
Nurses can find administrator opportunities as a nurse administrator, clinical nurse leader, or director of nursing. At the top levels, healthcare organizations rely on chief nursing officers to oversee nursing policies and activities. In these roles, nurse administrators oversee units, schedule shifts, review clinical tasks, and ensure nursing units work effectively.
Steps to Becoming a Healthcare Administrator
Nurses can become healthcare administrators with the right mix of education and experience.
- Earn a BSN Degree From an Accredited Program: Administrator roles generally require a bachelor’s degree. Nurses can meet this educational requirement with an associate degree in nursing (ADN) and a bachelor’s degree in nursing (BSN). It takes about four years to earn your BSN through a traditional program, although accelerated BSN programs and RN-to-BSN bridge programs can shorten that time.
- Gain Experience in Healthcare or Nursing Administration: Clinical experience prepares RNs for careers in administration. Gaining leadership experience as a nurse team leader, nurse supervisor, or nurse manager can add administrative skills to your resume.
- Consider a Master’s Degree: While not a requirement to work as a healthcare administrator, a graduate degree carries significant benefits in terms of career advancement and salary potential. Master’s in healthcare administration (MHA) programs typically take 1-3 years to complete, depending on whether you’re full- or part-time. Other master’s degrees also can lead to a career in healthcare administration, include public health or a dual degree in nursing and management.
- Consider Pursuing Your Certification: Professional certification can demonstrate your expertise as a healthcare administrator. Nurses can consider specialized certifications such as the Nurse Executive Certification (NE-BC) or the Certified Nurse Manager and Leader (CNML) credentials. You’ll typically need several years of experience in a leadership role and passing scores on a certification exam to receive the credential.
Healthcare Administrator Education
Nurses interested in healthcare administrator careers typically hold a BSN and a registered nurse (RN) license. Advancing your education can help you move into managerial roles. Common options include a master’s in nursing with a focus in nurse leadership or nursing administration. You can also consider an MHA degree.
Bachelor’s Degree
Bachelor’s degrees provide launching pads into entry-level healthcare administrative positions for those who want to spend a maximum of four years in school and gain experience in the workforce.
- Admission Requirements:
- High school diploma or GED certificate
- 2.0-2.5 GPA
- ACT or SAT scores
- Program Curriculum:
- Financial management and budgeting
- Healthcare leadership
- Health law, ethics, and professionalism
- Health sciences
- Information systems
- Time to Complete: 1-4 years
- Skills Learned: Analysis, communication, leadership, and interpersonal and technical skills
Master’s Degree
Master’s degree holders typically enter healthcare administration careers in leadership and management roles with higher starting salaries and/or more responsibilities.
- Admission Requirements:
- Bachelor’s degree
- 3.0 GPA
- GRE scores
- Healthcare industry work experience
- Program Curriculum:
- Healthcare economics
- Healthcare policy
- Health informatics
- Human resources
- Strategic planning
- Time to Complete: 1-2 years
- Skills Learned: Advanced leadership, data analysis and management, healthcare challenges response, and organizational decision-making
Dual Master’s Degree Program
Master’s degrees in healthcare administration or nursing combined with business administration (MHA/MBA or MSN/MBA) appeal to those interested in positions as healthcare CEOs, executive directors, hospital administrators, and other fast-track leadership roles. Depending on the program, dual degrees can lead to jobs in both clinical and administrative settings.
- Admission Requirements:
- Bachelor’s degree
- 2.75-3.0 GPA
- GRE or GMAT scores
- Current RN license
- Prerequisite coursework
- Professional experience
- Program Curriculum:
- Advanced health assessment
- Evidence-based practice
- Healthcare financing
- Healthcare quality management
- Health informatics
- Health policy
- Time to Complete: Two years
- Skills Learned: Advanced practice nursing, finance, healthcare acquisitions and mergers, organizational leadership, and strategic planning
Working as a Healthcare Administrator
Nurses entering the fast-growing field of healthcare administration can look forward to a projected 54,700 openings annually between 2022 and 2032, according to data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). While more than a third of these positions will likely be available in hospitals, an aging population suggests more opportunities in the long-term care field. The right master’s degree or certification can provide a competitive edge in the job market.
Healthcare administration professionals can also expect high-earning opportunities, BLS data shows. Salaries range from $67,900 per year for the lowest 10% of earners to $216,750 for the highest 10%. The District of Columbia, New York, and Delaware top the list of highest-paying locations for this profession. According to Payscale, the average chief nursing officer salary was $143,502 as of May 2024.
Common work settings for healthcare administrators include:
Hospitals
Healthcare administrators may oversee the entire hospital or manage a department. Their responsibilities include formulating and implementing policies and procedures, evaluating the quality of healthcare delivery, and preparing budgets and reports.
Nursing Homes
State-licensed nursing home administrators manage staff, facility admissions, finances, and building maintenance. A background in long-term care nursing can help you work in these settings.
Health Information Management Departments
These managers maintain and secure patient records and ensure compliance with health information systems laws and regulations. They may also supervise medical records and health information staff.
Frequently Asked Questions About Becoming a Healthcare Administrator
Healthcare administrators often hold master’s degrees, such as an MHA or MPH. An MSN in nursing administration or nursing leadership can prepare RNs to be administrators.
Related Pages
Reviewed by:
Shri Deshaies, MSN, CCRN, RN, is a nurse educator with over 20 years of teaching experience. She is a certified critical care nurse and has worked in various surgical intensive care units, including cardiovascular, trauma, and neurosurgery. She is a founding member of Nurses Serving our Neighbors which advocates for the homeless population.
Shri Deshaies is a paid member of the Red Ventures Education freelance review network. Learn more about our review partners.
