Management
Healthcare administrator
Plan, direct, or coordinate medical and health services in hospitals, clinics, managed care organizations, public health agencies, or similar organizations.
Median pay
$123,860
Growth to 2035
+24%
much faster than average
Openings a year
62,300
Time to qualify*
4 years
* From a bachelor's degree in an unrelated field.
Pay
Healthcare administrator
Getting in
- Typical entry education
- Bachelor's degree
- On-the-job training
- None
- Prior experience
- Less than 5 years
- Required
- No license for most roles (nursing home administrators need one)
What the work is like
Dealing with the public
Unpleasant or angry people
Time pressure
Cost of a mistake
Freedom to make decisions
Repeating the same tasks
Time sitting
Time standing
Exposure to disease
Healthcare administrator: 50% usually work over 40 hours a week
Core tasks
- Direct, supervise and evaluate work activities of medical, nursing, technical, clerical, service, maintenance, and other personnel.
- Develop and maintain computerized record management systems to store and process data, such as personnel activities and information, and to produce reports.
- Plan, implement, and administer programs and services in a health care or medical facility, including personnel administration, training, and coordination of medical, nursing and physical plant staff.
- Conduct and administer fiscal operations, including accounting, planning budgets, authorizing expenditures, establishing rates for services, and coordinating financial reporting.
- Maintain awareness of advances in medicine, computerized diagnostic and treatment equipment, data processing technology, government regulations, health insurance changes, and financing options.
- Establish work schedules and assignments for staff, according to workload, space, and equipment availability.
- Monitor the use of diagnostic services, inpatient beds, facilities, and staff to ensure effective use of resources and assess the need for additional staff, equipment, and services.
- Direct or conduct recruitment, hiring, and training of personnel.
Also called: Cancer Center Director · Clinical Director · Health Information Management Director (HIM Director) · Health Information Manager (HIM Manager) · Healthcare System Director · Medical Records Director · Medical Records Manager · Mental Health Program Manager
Outlook and AI
Healthcare administrators held 640,400 jobs in 2025. BLS projects 795,500 by 2035 (+24%, much faster than average; all jobs: +3.5%).
Demand change - share increases as the growing complexity of healthcare delivery increases the demand for medical and health services managers.
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