Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
What is a nursing home administrator and how to become one
A nursing home administrator manages the daily operations of a nursing home or long-term care facility. They oversee staff, manage budgets, ensure compliance, and maintain quality of care. A nursing home administrator also serves as a liaison between the facility and residents' families, ensuring that the needs of both parties are addressed. They also hire staff, manage finances, and maintain a safe environment. Overall, a nursing home administrator provides quality care in a long-term care facility.
What general advice would you give to a nursing home administrator?
Bill McGinley
President & CEO, American College of Health Care Administrators
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.
Avg. Salary $80,880
Avg. Salary $59,228
Growth rate 28%
Growth rate 0.3%
American Indian and Alaska Native 0.73%
Asian 7.55%
Black or African American 10.86%
Hispanic or Latino 14.87%
Unknown 4.28%
White 61.70%
Genderfemale 60.88%
male 39.12%
Age - 47American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%
Asian 7.00%
Black or African American 14.00%
Hispanic or Latino 19.00%
White 57.00%
Genderfemale 47.00%
male 53.00%
Age - 47Stress level is high
7.1 - high
Complexity level is advanced
7 - challenging
Work life balance is fair
6.4 - fair
What are the pros and cons of being a nursing home administrator?
Pros
Competitive salary and benefits packages
Job stability and security in a growing industry
Ability to work with a diverse group of people, including healthcare professionals, families, and community members
Satisfaction of leading a team and managing operations of a facility
Ability to work in a challenging and rewarding environment
Cons
High levels of responsibility and accountability
Long working hours and demanding workload
High risk of burnout due to stress and responsibilities
Exposure to liability risks and legal issues
Difficulty in balancing administrative tasks with direct care responsibilities
Nursing home administrator career paths
Key steps to become a nursing home administrator
Explore nursing home administrator education requirements
Start to develop specific nursing home administrator skills
Skills Percentages Nursing Home 14.10% Long-Term Care 8.39% Healthcare 8.10% Patients 7.32% NHA 7.27% Complete relevant nursing home administrator training and internships
Accountants spend an average of 6-12 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New nursing home 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 nursing home administrator based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real nursing home administrator resumes.Obtain the necessary licensing
Becoming a licensed nursing home administrator usually require a college degree. However, you need to pass an exam to become a licensed nursing home administrator in most of states. 43 states require nursing home administrators to have license for their work. You can see the list of states below.State Education Exam License url Maryland Degree required Third-party exam required NURSING HOME ADMINISTRATOR Alabama Degree required State exam required Licensed Nursing Home Administrator Alaska Degree required Third-party exam required Nursing Home Administrator Arkansas Specific course required Both state and third-party exams required Nursing Home Administrator California Degree required Both state and third-party exams required Nursing Home Administrator Gain additional nursing home administrator certifications
More About CertificationsNursing home administrator certifications can show employers you have a baseline of knowledge expected for the position. Certifications can also make you a more competitive candidate. Even if employers don't require a specific nursing home administrator certification, having one may help you stand out relative to other applicants.
The most common certifications for nursing home administrators include Certified Clinical Medical Assistant (NHA) and Long-Term Care Certification (CLTC).
Research nursing home administrator duties and responsibilities
- Manage the day to day operations of a LTC facility.
- Achieve and maintain a 5 star quality facility as per CMS guidelines.
- Lead a team in developing and implementing a new EMR system for patient registration.
- Lead quality improvement initiatives and practices in change concepts and measurement strategies for improve health outcomes for long term care patients
Prepare your nursing home administrator resume
When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your nursing home 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 nursing home 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 nursing home administrator resume templates
Build a professional nursing home 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 nursing home administrator resume.
Apply for nursing home administrator jobs
Now it's time to start searching for a nursing home administrator job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:
- Browse job boards for relevant postings
- Consult your professional network
- Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
- Watch out for job scams
How did you land your first nursing home administrator job
Kodee Buck
Nursing Home Administrator
Average nursing home administrator salary
The average nursing home administrator salary in the United States is $80,880 per year or $39 per hour. Nursing home administrator salaries range between $56,000 and $116,000 per year.
What am I worth?
How do nursing home administrators rate their job?
Nursing home administrator reviews
Seeing and facilitating the growth of the staff and department
Nursing home administrator FAQs
Search for nursing home administrator jobs
Updated January 8, 2025
