Nurse Administrator Career Overview

Nurse administrators bring the experience, knowledge, and skills gleaned in prior clinical practice to provide operational management and strategic leadership to nursing staff in healthcare organizations. Specific roles and responsibilities may include:

Thirty-three percent of nurse administrators work in hospitals, 12% in physicians’ offices, and 10% in residential care facilities. Common duties in each of these workplaces include:

The advantages of becoming a nurse administrator include greater opportunities and larger paychecks, but nurses who entered the field to treat patients directly may find themselves too far removed from patient care. RNs can become licensed in two years, but a nursing administrator may need to devote an additional 2-3 years to earning a master’s degree.

The path to become a nurse administrator will vary depending on leadership experience. To minimum qualifications include an RN license and BSN but many employers may prefer a graduate degree.

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) lists nurse administrator salary data under medical and health services managers. According to the BLS, these nurse leaders earn a median annual salary of $104,280 or an average annual salary of $118,800. Government nurse administrators can expect to earn a median wage of $112,000, followed by hospital nurse leaders at $110,000. Nurse administrators make a median salary of $95,000 at outpatient care centers, $92,000 in physicians’ offices, and $87,000 at nursing and residential care facilities.

The tables below outline the top-paying states, metropolitan areas, and industries for nurse administrators.

Nurse administrators must hold at least a bachelor’s degree. Most BSN programs take four years to complete; however, accelerated or bridge programs admit licensed RNs. An MSN may be required by some employers, which adds 2-3 more years to the educational timeline. Nurse administrators should also log a year or two of clinical work as an RN.

Students can pursue a master of healthcare administration (MHA), which does not require a healthcare management background for admission. An MHA focuses on the business of healthcare and educates graduates on government regulations, healthcare ethics, health informatics, and insurance reimbursement systems, along with leadership and strategic planning.

RNs can streamline their path to a nursing administration career through RN-to-MSN bridge programs. Students can graduate in 2-3 years rather than spending four years earning a BSN and another 2-3 pursuing an MSN. Many programs offer nursing administration concentrations, often called nurse executive or leadership tracks.

A dual MSN/MBA degree provides another pathway into nursing administration and leadership. The three-year curriculum typically includes coursework in accounting, financial management, and healthcare informatics. Graduates obtain nursing administration jobs as nurse managers, chief nursing officers, departmental directors, and directors of compliance. These positions generally command high salaries.