Post job

What is an associate director of nursing and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025
3 min read
There is more than meets the eye when it comes to being an associate director of nursing. For example, did you know that they make an average of $38.48 an hour? That's $80,029 a year! Between 2018 and 2028, the career is expected to grow 6% and produce 195,400 job opportunities across the U.S.
ScoreAssociate Director Of NursingUS Average
Salary
6.3

Avg. Salary $80,029

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level
10.0

Growth rate 6%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity
6.3
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.44%

Asian 8.93%

Black or African American 11.30%

Hispanic or Latino 9.18%

Unknown 4.27%

White 65.87%

Gender

female 81.88%

male 18.12%

Age - 43
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 - 43
Stress level
10.0

Stress level is very high

7.1 - high

Complexity level
9.1

Complexity level is advanced

7 - challenging

Work life balance
7.8

Work life balance is good

6.4 - fair

Associate director of nursing career paths

Key steps to become an associate director of nursing

  1. Explore associate director of nursing education requirements

    Most common associate director of nursing degrees

    Bachelor's

    43.7 %

    Associate

    26.9 %

    Master's

    20.4 %
  2. Start to develop specific associate director of nursing skills

    SkillsPercentages
    Patients24.79%
    Care Services14.01%
    Oversight9.27%
    Critical Care7.96%
    Home Health7.20%
  3. Complete relevant associate director of nursing training and internships

    Accountants spend an average of 3-6 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New associate directors of nursing 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 associate director of nursing based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real associate director of nursing resumes.
  4. Research associate director of nursing duties and responsibilities

    • Complete comprehensive assessments for all LTC residents which include managing falls, pain, skin integrity, and medications.
    • Coordinate departmental activities for successful JCAHO, CMS, and other state surveys.
    • Assist in obtaining, and maintenance of JCAHO accreditation.
    • Develop and implement nursing policies and procedures per JCAHO.
  5. Prepare your associate director of nursing resume

    When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your associate director of nursing resume.

    You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on an associate director of nursing resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

    Choose from 10+ customizable associate director of nursing resume templates

    Build a professional associate director of nursing resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your associate director of nursing resume.
    Associate Director Of Nursing Resume
    Associate Director Of Nursing Resume
    Associate Director Of Nursing Resume
    Associate Director Of Nursing Resume
    Associate Director Of Nursing Resume
    Associate Director Of Nursing Resume
    Associate Director Of Nursing Resume
    Associate Director Of Nursing Resume
    Associate Director Of Nursing Resume
  6. Apply for associate director of nursing jobs

    Now it's time to start searching for an associate director of nursing job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

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

How did you land your first associate director of nursing job

Zippi

Are you an associate director of nursing?

Share your story for a free salary report.

Average associate director of nursing salary

The average associate director of nursing salary in the United States is $80,029 per year or $38 per hour. Associate director of nursing salaries range between $56,000 and $113,000 per year.

Average associate director of nursing salary
$80,029 Yearly
$38.48 hourly

What am I worth?

salary-calculator

How do associate directors of nursing rate their job?

-/5

5 stars

4 stars

3 stars

2 stars

1 star

Associate director of nursing reviews

profile
A zippia user wrote a review on Jul 2020
Pros

Staying abreast of changes, helping others improve the quality of care.

Cons

When employees not vested with their patients to give quality care.


profile
A zippia user wrote a review on May 2020
Pros

Seeing and facilitating the growth of the staff and department

Cons

When equipment and supplies are needed for the patient care but are not available due to corporate funding limitations.


profile
A zippia user wrote a review on Jun 2019
Pros

I can share my experience and knowledge with others as well as my ideas

Cons

Firing people


Working as an associate director of nursing? Share your experience anonymously.
Overall rating*
Career growth
Work/Life balance
Pay/Salary

Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

Browse healthcare practitioner and technical jobs