Post job

Nursing home administrator salary

Quoted expert
Dr. Richard Huff Ph.D.

Average nursing home administrator salary

$80,880

$38.88 hourly rate

Entry-level nursing home administrator salary
$56,000 yearly salary
Updated January 8, 2025

Understanding Nursing Home Administrator Salaries

The role of a Nursing Home Administrator is vital in managing the operations of nursing facilities, ensuring quality care for residents. As of October 2025, the average salary for nursing home administrators is approximately $80,880 per year, translating to about $39 per hour. Salaries can fluctuate significantly based on various factors, including geographic location, experience, and the specific facility type.

Top Paying States

Some states offer higher average salaries for nursing home administrators. For instance, California, New York, and Texas frequently rank among the highest paying locations. In these states, administrators can expect salaries exceeding $90,000.

Job Opportunities

Career advancement in this field often leads to higher salaries. Positions such as regional administrator or executive director typically command higher wages, reflecting increased responsibility. Moreover, gaining additional certifications can enhance earning potential significantly.

To find the best opportunities, consider factors such as facility size, location, and the specific population served, as these can impact salary ranges.

On this page
Nursing home administrator salary by: 

Let Zippia find your next nursing home administrator job

Floating question marks illustration

Let Zippia find your next nursing home administrator job

Floating question marks illustration

Where can a Nursing Home Administrator earn more?

Compare salary by location
Vs
110k
90k
70k
50k
30k
Columbus, OH$97,179
Macon, GA$60,251
Compare salary by company
Vs
142k
122k
102k
82k
62k
Senior Living Properties$118,774
Queens Health Systems$92,149

Nursing home administrator salary estimates from across the web

Based on the latest salary information compiled by Zippia, Salary.com, Indeed, Glassdoor, Ziprecruiter and Comparably, the average salary for a nursing home administrator typically falls between $80,880 and $128,916.
zippia
$80,880yearly
glassdoor[1]
$120,876yearly
indeed[2]
$116,392yearly
comparably[3]
$122,694yearly
Salary.com[4]
$128,916yearly
ZipRecruiter[5]
$121,986yearly

Average nursing home administrator salary by state

The highest-paying states for nursing home administrators are Oregon, Connecticut, and New Jersey. The lowest average nursing home administrator salary states are Montana, North Carolina, and Florida.

  • State view
  • County view
Average salary:

Highest paying states for nursing home administrators

RankStateAvg. salaryHourly rate
1Connecticut$97,764$47.00
2Oregon$97,868$47.05
3New Jersey$97,729$46.99
4Massachusetts$96,980$46.63
5Nevada$95,513$45.92
6California$97,059$46.66
7Idaho$84,721$40.73
8Delaware$97,067$46.67
9West Virginia$91,547$44.01
10Oklahoma$85,304$41.01
11Wyoming$86,036$41.36
12Nebraska$84,630$40.69
13Maine$90,256$43.39
14Arizona$83,571$40.18
15Colorado$83,141$39.97
16Rhode Island$89,653$43.10
17Texas$84,993$40.86
18New Mexico$79,783$38.36
19Michigan$77,721$37.37
20New York$81,982$39.41
21Indiana$80,968$38.93
22South Dakota$80,212$38.56
23Wisconsin$82,301$39.57
24District of Columbia$95,690$46.00
25Louisiana$77,494$37.26
26Mississippi$77,485$37.25
27Tennessee$73,902$35.53
28Kansas$74,361$35.75
29Illinois$76,956$37.00
30New Hampshire$81,145$39.01
31Ohio$76,135$36.60
32Minnesota$78,547$37.76
33Alabama$72,554$34.88
34Vermont$79,110$38.03
35South Carolina$77,152$37.09
36Missouri$73,093$35.14
37Arkansas$73,296$35.24
38Alaska$75,269$36.19
39North Dakota$76,474$36.77
40Washington$78,740$37.86
41Kentucky$70,715$34.00
42Maryland$75,453$36.28
43Montana$68,489$32.93
44Iowa$64,166$30.85
45Utah$71,538$34.39
46Pennsylvania$72,884$35.04
47Georgia$60,483$29.08
48Florida$68,093$32.74
49Hawaii$60,577$29.12
50North Carolina$68,274$32.82
51Virginia$71,031$34.15

Highest paying cities for nursing home administrators

The highest-paying cities for nursing home administrators are Wilmington, DE, Los Angeles, CA, and Omaha, NE.

RankCityAvg. salaryHourly rate
1Wilmington, DE$97,179$46.72
2Los Angeles, CA$96,259$46.28
3Omaha, NE$84,754$40.75
4Englewood, CO$83,138$39.97
5Milwaukee, WI$82,513$39.67
6New York, NY$82,076$39.46
7Federal Way, WA$79,222$38.09
8Coon Rapids, MN$78,735$37.85
9Columbia, SC$77,488$37.25
10Chicago, IL$77,376$37.20
11Jackson, MI$77,275$37.15
12Towson, MD$75,745$36.42
13Hamilton, OH$73,494$35.33
14Philadelphia, PA$73,325$35.25
15Orlando, FL$68,831$33.09
16Salisbury, NC$67,764$32.58
17Des Moines, IA$63,566$30.56
18Macon, GA$60,251$28.97

Nursing home administrator salary details

A nursing home administrator's salary ranges from $56,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $116,000 at the 90th percentile.

Average nursing home administrator salary graph
Average nursing home administrator salary graph, trends, and summary

What is a nursing home administrator's salary?

PercentileAnnual salaryMonthly salaryHourly rate
90th Percentile$116,000$9,667$56
75th Percentile$98,000$8,167$47
Average$80,880$6,740$39
25th Percentile$66,000$5,500$32
10th Percentile$56,000$4,667$27

Highest paying nursing home administrator jobs

The highest paying types of nursing home administrators are medical director, service director, and practice manager.

Job titleAnnual salaryMonthly salaryHourly rateJob openings
Medical Officer$90,615$7,551$43.56103,222
Clinical Manager$84,066$7,005$40.4281,863
Patient Care Manager$65,369$5,447$31.43123,652
Medical Director$230,317$19,193$110.7375,810
Medical Office Manager$46,435$3,870$22.32100,339
Pharmacist Manager$93,996$7,833$45.1961,178

How would you rate the starting salaries for nursing home administrators, as well as the prospects for salary advancement?

Dr. Richard Huff Ph.D.

Assistant professor, assistant chair, Virginia Commonwealth University

While MPA students are not drawn to public service by high salaries, it is reasonable to expect remuneration, which respects their credentials and experience. Many students are mid-level careerists and are likely to remain in their jobs where an advanced degree may improve their opportunities for advancement, and others may be looking for a career change. Also, a cohort of students moving from undergraduate to graduate degrees with internships is common.

These groups likely present varying degrees of salary requirements and qualifications. In the federal service, an MPA qualifies as one at the GS-9 entry-level. The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) publishes salary tables at Link The beginning salary varies by location from $53K to $61K, with the higher amount near large metropolitan areas. Higher salaries are common in overseas areas. Progression is based on performance with opportunities to achieve salaries of $150K and over at the executive levels. Overall, beginning salaries for the MPA considering nonprofits and government agencies is estimated at $53K.

Top companies hiring nursing home administrators now:

  1. Best Buy jobs (9)
  2. Signature Healthcare jobs (7)
  3. HCR ManorCare jobs (45)
  4. Life Care Centers of America jobs (15)
  5. NHC jobs (6)

Which companies pay nursing home administrators the most?

Nursing home administrator salaries at Senior Living Properties and Mission Health Services are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average nursing home administrator salary at companies like Mercy Health and Henry Ford Health System are highly competitive.

Wage gap by gender, race and education

$85,000$83,800$82,600$81,400$80,200$79,000
MaleFemale

Nursing home administrator salary trends

The average nursing home administrator salary has risen by $13,868 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average nursing home administrator earned $67,012 annually, but today, they earn $80,880 a year. That works out to a 8% change in pay for nursing home administrators over the last decade.

Compare nursing home administrator salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.

Average nursing home administrator salary over time

Compare nursing home administrator salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.

Nursing home administrator salary by year

YearAvg. salaryHourly rate% Change
2025$80,900$38.88+3.2%
2024$78,300$37.65+1.2%
2023$77,400$37.19+1.4%
2022$76,300$36.67+1.8%
2021$74,900$36.00+2.1%

Recently added nursing home administrator salaries

CompanyJobLocationDate addedSalary
Christian Living CommunitiesNursing Home AdministratorDenver, CO06/29/2025$108,600
Sanford HealthNursing Home Administrator-Long Term CareAustin, MN06/28/2025$85,567
Clermont ParkNursing Home AdministratorDenver, CO06/28/2025$108,600
Option CareHome Infusion Nurse-Per Diem-New River ValleyRoanoke, VA06/28/2025$79,473
Good SamaritanNursing Home Administrator-Long Term CareAustin, MN06/27/2025$85,567
Bridge View Nursing HomeLicensed Nursing Home Administrator (Lnha)New York, NY06/27/2025$125,000
Option Care EnterprisesPRN Home Infusion Nurse-West Palm Beach-FortTallahassee, FL06/26/2025$79,473
Genesis Healthcare LLCLicensed Nursing Home Administrator, LnhaLebanon, PA06/25/2025$130,000
Lindengrove CommunitiesExecutive Director-Licensed Nursing Home Administrator-The MarquardtWatertown, WI06/24/2025$100,000
North Shore Healthcare Support CenterExecutive Director-Licensed Nursing Home Administrator-1St. ShiftPlymouth, WI06/24/2025$95,000

Nursing home administrator salary FAQs

Search for nursing home administrator jobs

Browse executive management jobs