Health services administrator vs nurse manager

The differences between health services administrators and nurse managers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 4-6 years to become both a health services administrator and a nurse manager. Additionally, a nurse manager has an average salary of $83,684, which is higher than the $82,505 average annual salary of a health services administrator.

The top three skills for a health services administrator include patients, ACA and cost effectiveness. The most important skills for a nurse manager are patients, home health, and CPR.

Health services administrator vs nurse manager overview

	Health Services Administrator	Nurse Manager
Yearly salary	$82,505	$83,684
Hourly rate	$39.67	$40.23
Growth rate	28%	28%
Number of jobs	163,213	380,264
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 46%	Bachelor's Degree, 45%
Average age	47	47
Years of experience	6	6

What does a health services administrator do?

A health services administrator is responsible for performing administrative functions in a health care setting, such as sorting medical reports, updating patients' information in the database, and ensuring the adequacy of medical inventory. Health services administrators also organize medical programs and activities, coordinate with suppliers and third-party vendors, and assist in strategizing efficient procedures to maintain quality care services for patients' satisfaction. A health services administrator may reach out to other organizations to gather medical information and interview patients to validate their details in the system for accurate reference.

What does a nurse manager do?

The primary role of nurse managers is to supervise the nursing staff in a clinical or hospital setting. They are the ones who are in charge of patient care, setting work schedules, and making budgetary and management decisions. They are also responsible for making personnel decisions, coordinating meetings, and creating safe environments that promote patient engagement and aid the healthcare team's work. Their role is vital in promoting a culture in which team members contribute to professional growth and patient outcomes.

Health services administrator vs nurse manager salary

Health services administrators and nurse managers have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Health Services Administrator	Nurse Manager
Average salary	$82,505	$83,684
Salary range	Between $57,000 And $118,000	Between $60,000 And $115,000
Highest paying City	Newark, NJ	Las Vegas, NV
Highest paying state	Connecticut	Nevada
Best paying company	Kona Community Hospital	BD
Best paying industry	Health Care	Health Care

Differences between health services administrator and nurse manager education

There are a few differences between a health services administrator and a nurse manager in terms of educational background:

	Health Services Administrator	Nurse Manager
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 46%	Bachelor's Degree, 45%
Most common major	Nursing	Nursing
Most common college	University of Pennsylvania	University of Michigan - Ann Arbor

Health services administrator vs nurse manager demographics

Here are the differences between health services administrators' and nurse managers' demographics:

	Health Services Administrator	Nurse Manager
Average age	47	47
Gender ratio	Male, 34.6% Female, 65.4%	Male, 13.5% Female, 86.5%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 12.0% Unknown, 4.2% Hispanic or Latino, 13.9% Asian, 7.8% White, 61.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7%	Black or African American, 12.1% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 14.5% Asian, 7.6% White, 60.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7%
LGBT Percentage	12%	12%

Differences between health services administrator and nurse manager duties and responsibilities

Health services administrator example 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.
Prepare hospital for JCAHO and implement plan to assure ongoing compliance with regulatory agencies.
Develop curriculum for health and fitness programs and begin developing the health manual for the ministry.

Nurse manager example responsibilities.

Case manage workers compensation cases, administer drug testing, surveillance testing, minor 1st aid and CPR instruction.
Assess and manage various allergic and life threatening reactions of chemotherapy medications.
Manage staff of medical personnel providing care for telemetry, geriatric and general medicine patients.
Involve in utilization review and chart audits for all appropriate documentation for medicaid, Medicare and manage care organizations.
Manage surgical recovery patients including vascular, ENT, GI urological and neurological cases, coronary bypass surgery patients.
Maintain current ACLS and BLS certifications.

Health services administrator vs nurse manager skills

Common health services administrator skills

Patients, 20%
ACA, 7%
Cost Effectiveness, 7%
Medical Services, 6%
Statistical Data, 6%
Operational Efficiency, 5%

Common nurse manager skills

Patients, 22%
Home Health, 8%
CPR, 4%
Customer Service, 4%
Performance Improvement, 3%
Surgery, 3%

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Health Services Administrator
Health Services Administrator vs Nurse Manager

Updated January 8, 2025

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