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Job outlook for medical care administrators in the United States
Are medical care administrator jobs in demand?
Medical care administrator job and salary trends over time
Medical care administrator jobs over time
Medical care administrator job growth rate over time
| Year | # of jobs | % of population |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 1,526 | 0.00% |
| 2020 | 1,406 | 0.00% |
| 2019 | 1,379 | 0.00% |
| 2018 | 1,302 | 0.00% |
| 2017 | 1,212 | 0.00% |
Average medical care administrator salary over time
Medical care administrator salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $70,177 | $33.74 | +3.3% |
| 2024 | $67,956 | $32.67 | +1.3% |
| 2023 | $67,115 | $32.27 | +1.4% |
| 2022 | $66,186 | $31.82 | +1.9% |
| 2021 | $64,968 | $31.23 | +2.2% |
Medical care administrator jobs by state
Most common states for medical care administrators
| Rank | State | Population | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | 693,972 | 279 | 40% |
| 2 | Minnesota | 5,576,606 | 2,188 | 39% |
| 3 | Delaware | 961,939 | 375 | 39% |
| 4 | New Mexico | 2,088,070 | 700 | 34% |
| 5 | Missouri | 6,113,532 | 2,018 | 33% |
| 6 | Illinois | 12,802,023 | 3,988 | 31% |
| 7 | Georgia | 10,429,379 | 3,168 | 30% |
| 8 | Idaho | 1,716,943 | 523 | 30% |
| 9 | New Hampshire | 1,342,795 | 375 | 28% |
| 10 | North Dakota | 755,393 | 205 | 27% |
| 11 | Alabama | 4,874,747 | 1,252 | 26% |
| 12 | Nevada | 2,998,039 | 772 | 26% |
| 13 | West Virginia | 1,815,857 | 475 | 26% |
| 14 | Kentucky | 4,454,189 | 1,111 | 25% |
| 15 | Montana | 1,050,493 | 265 | 25% |
| 16 | Vermont | 623,657 | 157 | 25% |
| 17 | Colorado | 5,607,154 | 1,332 | 24% |
| 18 | Iowa | 3,145,711 | 715 | 23% |
| 19 | South Dakota | 869,666 | 204 | 23% |
| 20 | Oregon | 4,142,776 | 920 | 22% |
Most common cities for medical care administrators
| Rank | City | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl | Avg. salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ottumwa | 1 | 4% | $64,484 |
| 2 | Hopkinsville | 1 | 3% | $57,534 |
| 3 | Lancaster | 1 | 2% | $70,275 |
| 4 | Pensacola | 1 | 2% | $48,884 |
| 5 | El Paso | 1 | 0% | $58,750 |
| 6 | Los Angeles | 1 | 0% | $84,450 |
Medical Care Administrator job outlook: Expert opinions
Our panel of medical care administrator experts
Southern Illinois University Carbondale
AT Still University
Winthrop University
George Mason University
Southern Oregon University
AXIS Health System
SIU School of Medicine
What will help Medical Care Administrators increase their earning potential?
M. Paige Powell PhD, MHA: Gaining as much experience as possible while in school can help to maximize salaries. This could be through patient-facing jobs, internships, case competitions, or volunteering. Take on leadership roles within your program or extracurricular organizations. Some organizations are open to negotiating starting salaries, so know the cost of living in the relevant geographic area, the marketability of the skills in the job you are seeking, and what value you can provide to the organization.
Jessica Cataldo Ph.D.
Assistant Professor & Internship CoordinatorSouthern Illinois University Carbondale
Health Care Management Program
What skills stand out on Medical Care Administrator resumes?
Jessica Cataldo Ph.D.: Across all groups, communication skills were identified as the most important competency domain to a successful healthcare management career, followed by leadership skills, professionalism, and knowledge of the healthcare environment. Communication skills, such as written and oral communication, relationship management, and facilitation and negotiation, are essential to foster productive interactions with staff and patients and to mobilize action. The COVID pandemic has emphasized the need for communication and leadership skills for health care managers, especially given the rapid change that has occurred since March 2020. Being able to create an organizational climate that can support that level of change management is critically important to continued success.
What are the biggest trends we'll see in the Medical Care Administrator job market given the pandemic?
Letha Williams Ph.D.: The pandemic is going to place a lot of pressure on healthcare administrators to have better crisis plans, more logistics expertise (i.e., warehousing and managing equipment and supplies), and greater flexibility in terms of staffing.
What skills stand out on Medical Care Administrator resumes?
Letha Williams Ph.D.: My colleagues and I did a study a few years ago about the types of skills healthcare CEOs look for in health administration graduates and how well universities were in building those skills in graduates. The things that stood out most in terms of needed skills are: demonstrated ability to work in teams, depth of knowledge of the healthcare industry, and analytical skills. I believe these needs are only amplified by the pandemic.
What are the biggest trends we'll see in the Medical Care Administrator job market given the pandemic?
D. Keith Robbins Ph.D.: There will be a lull in January or February in all sectors as the efficacy of Covid vaccination protocols, availability, and willingness of significant proportions of the population to take the vaccine are assessed. Hospitality will continue to contract, and retailing will as well with the post-holiday slow down. There will be a tendency to delay hiring until the timing of the recovery in these sectors becomes clearer. May graduates should have a much better lag between graduation and "real job" startup. The degree to which traditional employers - in this region of the country that would be financial services and manufacturing - return to their brick and mortar offices or plants will determine their resurgence as employers.
What skills stand out on Medical Care Administrator resumes?
D. Keith Robbins Ph.D.: That part hasn't changed a lot. Of course GPAs are still important, but beyond that leadership roles in student organizations, internship experience, and technical skills will get you to the interview. It will be the self-presentation skills that will make the difference in an increasingly competitive market. Oral and written communication skills are a large part of that, as well as emotional intelligence and poise. In terms of sectors seeking employees, the health care industry will see explosive growth. The CBA has an excellent Health Care Management Program - the best in the state of South Carolina - and those students all have excellent jobs by graduation, but the industry will need more entry-level folks than health care programs are able to supply.
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for Medical Care Administrators to find work opportunities?
D. Keith Robbins Ph.D.: Demand for health care is everywhere, but it is especially concentrated in areas where the prevailing demographic is a high concentration of the aged. This typically means areas where folks tend to go for retirement. We live in such a part of the country. Sun Belt states will see more intense demand for health care as the baby boomers continue to set records for percentage of the population in the 70 to 79, 80 to 89, and over 90 brackets. Further the lasting influence of agencies and industries being caught short or unprepared by the pandemic will lead to massive governmental investments in personnel and infrastructure in agencies and their contractors and outsourcers.
Jerome Bozek
Medical practice administratorGeorge Mason University
Healthcare Administration Program
What are the biggest trends we'll see in the Medical Care Administrator job market given the pandemic?
Jerome Bozek: The biggest issue is the overall economic uncertainty. Will the pandemic get worse over the next few months? More shutdowns? More government assistance? What will be the impact of the vaccine? Many businesses are afraid to hire because of these reasons. It makes it challenging for new grads in finding a position.
What general advice would you give to a Medical Care Administrator?
Jerome Bozek: 1. Start creating your professional network. Develop mutually beneficial business relationships primarily with those in your field, although everyone adds value. Most jobs are found through personal contacts vs. published job listings. Being active on Linked-in is a priority.
2. You may have to start at a job that is not in your chosen field/salary level lower than you expected, based on current times. Use it as an opportunity to gain experience and skills which you may not have.
3. Don't get discouraged; things will get better. You have a long working career ahead.
Jacqueline Strenio Ph.D.
Assistant ProfessorSouthern Oregon University
Economics Affiliated Faculty, Healthcare Administration Affiliated Faculty, Gender, Sexuality, and Women’s Studies Program
Will there be an enduring impact of the coronavirus pandemic on Medical Care Administrators?
Jacqueline Strenio Ph.D.: It's hard to predict the full effect of the novel coronavirus pandemic on graduates as it is, indeed, novel. It has drastically changed the overall macroeconomy and the landscape of work itself by necessitating the rapid transition to remote work and accelerating disruptions in major industries. However, in terms of the coronavirus pandemic's recessionary effects on graduates, we can look to past recessions to make predictions about potential enduring impacts.
Previous research on the effects of graduating into a recession finds that it is associated with initially lower earnings and more job switching, effects that can linger for years. It has even been linked to poorer health in middle age. A lot of these impacts result from the fact that fewer jobs are available overall, reducing the quality of the initial employment offer or the match between employee and employer.
These effects may be amplified for women and BIPOC graduates who already face labor market discrimination. On the demand side, this means employers must evaluate their hiring criteria, making sure they are not disproportionately disadvantaging these populations. On the supply-side, I would encourage graduates to be open to various jobs that may be different from those they initially imagined. Continuing to look for new and better matches as the economy improves will also help combat these initial earnings losses.
However, there is good news for college graduates: recent research has found that these impacts are less severe for those with college degrees than those with high school degrees. So, for those close to graduating, I would strongly encourage them to complete their degrees despite the challenges of remote learning.
What type of skills will young Medical Care Administrators need?
Jacqueline Strenio Ph.D.:
If the pandemic has taught us anything, it's the importance of data literacy and the social sciences. Employers will be looking for evidence of these skills on resumes and expect them of new hires.
Data literacy refers to interpreting data and understanding its limitations and the ability to communicate with data clearly. This doesn't just mean having the technical skills to manage and analyze data and convey insights from such analyses. Employers will be looking for workers who can describe the results and implications of those analyses, requiring strong written and oral communication skills.
The pandemic has also highlighted the importance of the social sciences. Although a vaccine didn't emerge from the social sciences, insights from such disciplines are critical in constructing vaccine rollouts and other socially-acceptable policies that account for human behavior. The social sciences, including economics, will also help rebuild our communities in more sustainable and inclusive ways in the post-pandemic world. Young graduates entering the workforce that understand human nature and can critically evaluate policies and procedures from a social scientific perspective will be invaluable to employers for their ability to think technically and creatively and account for social norms and human behavior. More generally, creative and innovative thinking and the ability to be flexible are imperative. These things are a core part of any liberal arts curriculum. Graduates should emphasize these liberal arts skills in addition to technical career training.
What are the biggest trends we'll see in the Medical Care Administrator job market given the pandemic?
Karla Sluis: I think there will be an increased need for community-based behavioral healthcare (counseling, psychiatry, and substance-use treatment). I'm hopeful that more funding will support the need for additional behavioral healthcare providers across the country - particularly in schools and underserved rural areas like Southwest Colorado. Telehealth has been a successful experiment in our agency, and I think there will be an increasing need for IT professionals who can help bridge the gap of customer service and connect patients to their healthcare providers.
What Medical Care Administrator skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Karla Sluis: Graduates in all health fields should study the model of integrated healthcare and learn best practices for communicating and working with diverse providers outside their specific field. It would be helpful to study the approach to care for underserved populations, such as youth, seniors, LGBTQ, and migrant workers. An exploration of telehealth would be useful, including familiarity with various video chat platforms. Improving customer service skills is also helpful when Google Reviews can make or break a business reputation. Grads might also learn another language to better serve patients in their region. The app Duolingo is my personal favorite, and it's fun!
What general advice would you give to a Medical Care Administrator?
Karla Sluis: Your career will likely be a winding journey - not a single destination. You may end up in a totally different role than you thought you would. Follow your interests and be open to changing jobs. Be grateful for the experience you gain, and don't make the mistake of flaming or bad-mouthing an employer when you move on. Heal thyself! Remember self-care in this giving profession, and be mindful of your inner slave-driver. Take your lunch breaks, schedule your vacations, and practice what you preach with a healthy diet and exercise.
Teresa C. Smith MBA, PHR
Executive Director of Human ResourcesSIU School of Medicine
Office of Human Resources
What are the biggest trends we'll see in the Medical Care Administrator job market given the pandemic?
Teresa C. Smith MBA, PHR: I believe the biggest trend we will see in the job market is a shift to remote work and alternative work arrangements. The days of onsite, 8-hour shifts will not be as prevalent or required any longer. Companies have been forced to find solutions to maintain operations while following stringent health and safety protocols, which include limited space capacity and functioning during the stay at home orders. This has pushed us into being more flexible and creative. We have pushed our boundaries and have grown as a result.
What skills stand out on Medical Care Administrator resumes?
Teresa C. Smith MBA, PHR: Skills that stand out to me on resumes are solution building, collaboration, and an eagerness to learn. Communication is such a critical component of effectiveness, especially now. Given the pandemic, we have all had to learn to continue to connect in the midst of turmoil and disruption.
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for Medical Care Administrators to find work opportunities?
Teresa C. Smith MBA, PHR: Springfield, of course! J SIU Medicine is an outstanding place to work, and that has really shined in the midst of this pandemic. We have responded to the needs of our employees, patients, students, and community in a way that makes me do nothing but smile.