How To Become A Nursing Home Manager: What It Is and Career Path

What is a nursing home manager and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

3 min read

Quoted expert

Dr. Michelle Cheshire

The average nursing home manager salary is $80,967. The most common degree is a bachelor's degree degree with an nursing major. It usually takes 4-6 years of experience to become a nursing home manager. Nursing home managers with a Certified in Executive Nursing Practice (CENP) certification earn more money. Between 2018 and 2028, the career is expected to grow 28% and produce 136,200 job opportunities across the U.S.

What general advice would you give to a nursing home manager?

Dr. Michelle Cheshire

Associate Dean Undergraduate Programs, The University of Alabama

Nurses are in high demand and I do not see that changing in the next 10 years. Nursing salaries are at an all time high. To optimize you salary potential, being able to articulate your worth to an agency is critical. Salaries differ depending on what shift you are willing to work. If you are willing to work evenings or nights in high demand areas you will find that the salaries reflect that need.

ScoreNursing Home ManagerUS Average

Salary

6.3

Avg. Salary $80,967

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level

7.1

Growth rate 28%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity

3.5

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.73%

Asian 6.24%

Black or African American 10.52%

Hispanic or Latino 15.11%

Unknown 4.28%

White 63.11%

Gender

female 81.99%

male 18.01%

Age - 47

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 47

Stress level

7.1

Stress level is high

7.1 - high

Complexity level

8.8

Complexity level is advanced

7 - challenging

Work life balance

4.9

Work life balance is fair

6.4 - fair

Key steps to become a nursing home manager

Explore nursing home manager education requirements

Most common nursing home manager degrees

Bachelor's

51.5 %

Associate

26.4 %

Master's

11.3 %

Start to develop specific nursing home manager skills

Skills	Percentages
Home Health	40.33%
Patients	20.24%
Care Services	10.73%
Infection Control	3.66%
Patient Outcomes	2.38%

Complete relevant nursing home manager training and internships

Accountants spend an average of 6-12 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New nursing home managers 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 manager based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real nursing home manager resumes.

Research nursing home manager duties and responsibilities

Manage Medicare, Medicaid, and commercial insurance authorizations.
Provide appropriate interventions to optimize health by educating patients and/or their families.
Assume initiative to improve quality management compliance on unit including redesign of unit triage process and standardization of exam rooms.
Implement and chair interdisciplinary rehabilitation committee.

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