Hospital administrator vs practice manager

The differences between hospital administrators and practice 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 hospital administrator and a practice manager. Additionally, a practice manager has an average salary of $107,374, which is higher than the $75,644 average annual salary of a hospital administrator.

The top three skills for a hospital administrator include patient care, patients and PET. The most important skills for a practice manager are patients, patient care, and customer service.

Hospital administrator vs practice manager overview

	Hospital Administrator	Practice Manager
Yearly salary	$75,644	$107,374
Hourly rate	$36.37	$51.62
Growth rate	28%	28%
Number of jobs	72,975	38,196
Job satisfaction	-	4
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 57%	Bachelor's Degree, 55%
Average age	47	47
Years of experience	6	6

What does a hospital administrator do?

A hospital administrator is responsible for the management of the hospital. They may also manage outpatient clinics, hospices, or substance abuse centers. Working in this role, they are tasked with ensuring that the hospital operates efficiently and that adequate care is given to patients. Generally speaking, they oversee both the health and medical services in a hospital.

What does a practice manager do?

A practice manager is responsible for supervising daily operations, especially on the side of the medical industry. Practice managers monitor staffing needs, train new employees, and evaluate the employees' productivity and performance. They also enforce strict guidelines and procedures, ensuring that the processes adhere to the legal standards and regulatory requirements. Practice managers also maintain budget goals, creating cost estimates and expense reports. A practice manager must have strong communication, analytical, and critical-thinking skills, as well as comprehensive knowledge of the medical industry practices.

Hospital administrator vs practice manager salary

Hospital administrators and practice managers have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Hospital Administrator	Practice Manager
Average salary	$75,644	$107,374
Salary range	Between $48,000 And $118,000	Between $65,000 And $175,000
Highest paying City	-	Providence, RI
Highest paying state	-	Rhode Island
Best paying company	-	Davis Wright Tremaine
Best paying industry	-	Technology

Differences between hospital administrator and practice manager education

There are a few differences between a hospital administrator and a practice manager in terms of educational background:

	Hospital Administrator	Practice Manager
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 57%	Bachelor's Degree, 55%
Most common major	Business	Business
Most common college	University of Pennsylvania	University of Pennsylvania

Hospital administrator vs practice manager demographics

Here are the differences between hospital administrators' and practice managers' demographics:

	Hospital Administrator	Practice Manager
Average age	47	47
Gender ratio	Male, 46.3% Female, 53.7%	Male, 25.3% Female, 74.7%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 12.4% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 14.1% Asian, 7.9% White, 60.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7%	Black or African American, 11.9% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 14.2% Asian, 7.9% White, 61.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7%
LGBT Percentage	12%	12%

Differences between hospital administrator and practice manager duties and responsibilities

Hospital administrator example responsibilities.

Manage accounts receivable, inventory, control facility and administrative costs, process payroll and perform invoice audit reviews.
Manage billing procedures and negotiate third-party contracts including a federal Medicare and state Medicaid contracts.
Add new employees to payroll system setting up employee specific tax, deduction, direct deposit, etc.
Maintain confidential patient information in accordance to HIPPA.
Revise policy and procedures; developed/revise reports and documents for practice efficiency and HIPPA compliance.
Implement business relationship with national strategic partner to provide bedside medication delivery services for discharging patients.

Practice manager example responsibilities.

Secure new engagements worldwide, and lead numerous ERP and CRM initiatives.
Manage a great team of 7 consultants that deliver outstanding ERP solutions.
Supervise and manage a staff of 12.5 FTE personnel and 4 FTE physicians.
Accomplish at applying knowledge of veterinary science and compassion for animals to ensure optimal care.
Manage all aspects of establishing, setting and implementing standards and work processes to ensure well running PMO.
Manage the selection process and implementation of the practice's EMR by reviewing and updating the system as needed.

Hospital administrator vs practice manager skills

Common hospital administrator skills

Patient Care, 15%
Patients, 14%
PET, 6%
Hospital Operations, 6%
Human Resources, 4%
Surgery, 4%

Common practice manager skills

Patients, 17%
Patient Care, 8%
Customer Service, 6%
PET, 5%
Practice Management, 4%
Payroll, 3%

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Hospital Administrator
Hospital Administrator vs Practice Manager

Updated January 8, 2025

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