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What is a health services administrator and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
Quoted expert
Bill McGinley

A health services administrator oversees the management of healthcare facilities including hospitals, clinics, and nursing homes. They manage budgets, develop policies, and coordinate services to meet the needs of patients and medical staff. They communicate with a variety of healthcare professionals to ensure that patients receive the best care, and are responsible for implementing new technologies and staying up-to-date with changes in healthcare regulations.

What general advice would you give to a health services administrator?

Bill McGinleyBill McGinley LinkedIn profile

President & CEO, American College of Health Care Administrators

LTC administrators should have at least a bachelor's degree in business or a healthcare-related field. A well-rounded internship that exposes the future administrator to all aspects of the operation is essential. Needed skills include business, marketing, finance, operations, management and leadership.
Post pandemic opportunities will be nationwide in this field with a greater need in rural areas.
Technology will continue to play a big role in the field. Computerized medical records, census management, and all clinical areas will continue to dominate. Online meetings are liable to continue as well, as employers realize that there is a savings to be gained by not having people travel to meetings and conferences.
ScoreHealth Services AdministratorUS Average
Salary
6.4

Avg. Salary $82,505

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level
7.1

Growth rate 28%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity
3.6
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.72%

Asian 7.75%

Black or African American 12.05%

Hispanic or Latino 13.88%

Unknown 4.25%

White 61.35%

Gender

female 65.37%

male 34.63%

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
7.1

Stress level is high

7.1 - high

Complexity level
8.8

Complexity level is advanced

7 - challenging

Work life balance
4.9

Work life balance is fair

6.4 - fair

What are the pros and cons of being a health services administrator?

Pros

  • High earning potential

  • Opportunity to make a positive impact on patient care

  • Diverse career paths within the field

  • Job stability and growth

  • Flexibility in work settings and schedules

Cons

  • High stress and pressure to perform well

  • Long hours and demanding workload

  • Potential for burnout and compassion fatigue

  • Dealing with administrative bureaucracy and regulations

  • Risk of exposure to infectious diseases and hazardous materials

Health services administrator career paths

Key steps to become a health services administrator

  1. Explore health services administrator education requirements

    Most common health services administrator degrees

    Bachelor's

    45.6 %

    Associate

    26.6 %

    Master's

    17.4 %
  2. Start to develop specific health services administrator skills

    SkillsPercentages
    Patients19.66%
    ACA7.48%
    Cost Effectiveness6.99%
    Medical Services6.48%
    Statistical Data6.45%
  3. Complete relevant health services administrator training and internships

    Accountants spend an average of 6-12 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New health services administrators 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 a health services administrator based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real health services administrator resumes.
  4. Research health services administrator duties and responsibilities

    • Lead and train staff through initial certification of Medicare and Medicaid programs resulting in increase revenues and cash flows.
    • Lead transformation form top-down control organization to a model focuse on everyone's accountability to patients and co-workers.
    • Evaluate compliance with state licensing and federal certification requirements of Medicare and Medi-Cal programs.
    • Maintain all hospital functions within JCAHO, Medicare and Medicaid standards.
  5. Prepare your health services administrator resume

    When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your health services administrator 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 a health services administrator resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

    Choose from 10+ customizable health services administrator resume templates

    Build a professional health services administrator 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 health services administrator resume.
    Health Services Administrator Resume
    Health Services Administrator Resume
    Health Services Administrator Resume
    Health Services Administrator Resume
    Health Services Administrator Resume
    Health Services Administrator Resume
    Health Services Administrator Resume
    Health Services Administrator Resume
    Health Services Administrator Resume
  6. Apply for health services administrator jobs

    Now it's time to start searching for a health services administrator 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 health services administrator job

Zippi

Are you a health services administrator?

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Average health services administrator salary

The average health services administrator salary in the United States is $82,505 per year or $40 per hour. Health services administrator salaries range between $57,000 and $118,000 per year.

Average health services administrator salary
$82,505 Yearly
$39.67 hourly

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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.

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