How To Become An Admissions Manager: What It Is and Career Path

What is an admissions manager and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

3 min read

If you're good at evaluating others and following guidelines, you might make the perfect admissions manager. Admissions managers typically work in educational institutions and medical facilities. Admission managers are often involved in a variety of issues, including recruiting, training, mentoring, coaching, and management.

To get the job done, these managers know how to build relationships with clients, create an effective outreach strategy, and collect and analyze admissions data. In an educational environment, admissions managers frequently review the admissions process, present informational sessions, and select candidates for interviews and final selection. In medical facilities, they manage the admission process by maintaining updated bed availability and overseeing the inquiry process. They also respond to inquiry calls from hospital discharge planners and other referral services.

Regardless of what type of organization you work for, you'll need to be a detailed-oriented person who knows how to abide by admission policies while applying any relevant guidelines. Individuals who work in this field must have proven organizational, time-management, and problem-solving skills. To become an admissions manager, you'll typically be expected to have a Bachelor's degree in business, management, or a related field.

ScoreAdmissions ManagerUS Average

Salary

4.8

Avg. Salary $60,948

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level

8.1

Growth rate 7%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity

3.0

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.70%

Asian 4.33%

Black or African American 11.40%

Hispanic or Latino 14.09%

Unknown 4.00%

White 65.49%

Gender

female 61.47%

male 38.53%

Age - 47

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 47

Stress level

8.1

Stress level is high

7.1 - high

Complexity level

9.0

Complexity level is advanced

7 - challenging

Work life balance

4.8

Work life balance is fair

6.4 - fair

Key steps to become an admissions manager

Explore admissions manager education requirements

Most common admissions manager degrees

Bachelor's

64.6 %

Master's

16.2 %

Associate

12.4 %

Start to develop specific admissions manager skills

Skills	Percentages
Patients	32.12%
Admissions Process	7.26%
Financial Aid	6.94%
Excellent Interpersonal	6.77%
Social Work	6.15%

Complete relevant admissions manager training and internships

Accountants spend an average of 3-6 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New admissions managers learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as an admissions manager based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real admissions manager resumes.

Research admissions manager duties and responsibilities

Manage all admissions and discharge paperwork, Medicare and Medicaid eligibility research, and resident and family meetings.
Assist with provider understanding of Medicare guidelines that govern admission and reimbursement to facility.
Collaborate with emergency department case managers regarding alternative options for patients that do not meet admission criteria.
Provide on site screening of patients ensuring all admissions are properly assess medically and financially for the facility.

Apply for admissions manager jobs

Now it's time to start searching for an admissions manager job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

Browse job boards for relevant postings
Consult your professional network
Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
Watch out for job scams

How do admissions managers rate their job?

-/5

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Admissions manager reviews

A zippia user wrote a review on Dec 2019

Pros

I like to work with students and their families

Cons

Want to be able to do more