Hospital supervisor vs hospital administrator

The differences between hospital supervisors and hospital administrators can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 1-2 years to become a hospital supervisor, becoming a hospital administrator takes usually requires 4-6 years. Additionally, a hospital administrator has an average salary of $75,644, which is higher than the $41,899 average annual salary of a hospital supervisor.

The top three skills for a hospital supervisor include patients, HR and hospital policy. The most important skills for a hospital administrator are patient care, patients, and PET.

Hospital supervisor vs hospital administrator overview

	Hospital Supervisor	Hospital Administrator
Yearly salary	$41,899	$75,644
Hourly rate	$20.14	$36.37
Growth rate	6%	28%
Number of jobs	14,851	72,975
Job satisfaction	5	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 51%	Bachelor's Degree, 57%
Average age	44	47
Years of experience	2	6

What does a hospital supervisor do?

A hospital supervisor has the important responsibility of supervising and evaluating the work activities of hospital personnel. This includes medical, nursing, technical, service, and maintenance personnel. Their job is to establish and supervise work schedules to ensure shifts are always covered. They are also in charge of delegating responsibilities to staff and giving orientation and training to new staff. A hospital supervisor is also always on the lookout for areas that need quality improvement.

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.

Hospital supervisor vs hospital administrator salary

Hospital supervisors and hospital administrators have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Hospital Supervisor	Hospital Administrator
Average salary	$41,899	$75,644
Salary range	Between $27,000 And $63,000	Between $48,000 And $118,000
Highest paying City	Washington, DC	-
Highest paying state	California	-
Best paying company	RSM US	-
Best paying industry	Health Care	-

Differences between hospital supervisor and hospital administrator education

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

	Hospital Supervisor	Hospital Administrator
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 51%	Bachelor's Degree, 57%
Most common major	Nursing	Business
Most common college	University of Pennsylvania	University of Pennsylvania

Hospital supervisor vs hospital administrator demographics

Here are the differences between hospital supervisors' and hospital administrators' demographics:

	Hospital Supervisor	Hospital Administrator
Average age	44	47
Gender ratio	Male, 36.1% Female, 63.9%	Male, 46.3% Female, 53.7%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 10.7% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 9.8% Asian, 8.9% White, 65.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4%	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%
LGBT Percentage	9%	12%

Differences between hospital supervisor and hospital administrator duties and responsibilities

Hospital supervisor example responsibilities.

Interact successfully with regulatory and oversight agencies, which lead to more streamline operations of complex healthcare reimbursement programs.
Maintain the cleanliness of the food court in the international concourse in Hartfield-Jackson airport.
Maintain high standards of sanitation and expect levels of cleanliness and appearance at all times.
Work in labor and delivery, medical, surgical, psychiatry, rehabilitation, and administration.
Work in accordance with HIPPA regulations and maintain patient confidentiality.
Coordinate emergency helicopter services to and from the facility of critically ill or injure patients.

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.

Hospital supervisor vs hospital administrator skills

Common hospital supervisor skills

Patients, 31%
HR, 8%
Hospital Policy, 7%
Patient Safety, 7%
Wine, 4%
Rehabilitation, 4%

Common hospital administrator skills

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

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Hospital Supervisor
Hospital Supervisor vs Hospital Administrator

Updated January 8, 2025

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