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Practice Administrator Education Requirements

Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read

There are several educational requirements to become a practice administrator. Practice administrators usually study business, health care administration, or nursing. 56% of practice administrators hold a bachelor's degree, and 18% hold an master's degree. We analyzed 6,107 real practice administrator resumes to see exactly what practice administrator education sections show.

The most common colleges for practice administrators are the University of Phoenix and the University of Phoenix.

There are also many online practice administrator courses to help get the education required to be a practice administrator.

There are certain practice administrator certifications that you should consider. These practice administrator certifications include Medical Assistant and Certified Medical Practice Executive (CMPE).

What education do you need to become a practice administrator?

What degree do you need to be a practice administrator?

The most common degree for practice administrators is bachelor's degree, with 56% of practice administrators earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are master's degree degree at 18% and master's degree degree at 16%.
  • Bachelor's, 56%
  • Master's, 18%
  • Associate, 16%
  • High School Diploma, 4%
  • Other Degrees, 6%

What should I major in to become a practice administrator?

You should major in business to become a practice administrator. 40% of practice administrators major in business. Other common majors for a practice administrator include health care administration and nursing.

Most common colleges for practice administrators

Practice administrators often get their degrees at University of Phoenix, University of Maryland - College Park, and Georgia State University. Here are the most common colleges for practice administrators in the US based on their resumes.
Practice Administrator Common CollegePercentages
University of Phoenix27.11%
University of Maryland - College Park5.22%
Georgia State University4.98%
New York University4.73%
Pennsylvania State University4.73%

Best majors for practice administrators

RankMajorPercentages
1Business39.6%
2Health Care Administration10.4%
3Nursing6.8%
4Accounting5.5%
5Management5.3%

Best colleges for practice administrators

The best colleges for practice administrators are Stanford University, University of Pennsylvania, and Duke University.

A practice administrator with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for practice administrators. We based this list on several metrics: admissions rate, retention rate, mean earnings of graduates, the ratio of working vs. non-working students ten years after admission, the average cost of attendance, and median debt for graduates who become practice administrators.

1. University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, PA • Private

In-State Tuition

$55,584

Enrollment

10,764

2. University of Southern California

Los Angeles, CA • Private

In-State Tuition

$56,225

Enrollment

19,548

3. University of Michigan - Ann Arbor

Ann Arbor, MI • Private

In-State Tuition

$15,262

Enrollment

30,079

4. Stanford University

Stanford, CA • Private

In-State Tuition

$51,354

Enrollment

7,083

5. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Chapel Hill, NC • Private

In-State Tuition

$8,987

Enrollment

18,946

6. Duke University

Durham, NC • Private

In-State Tuition

$55,695

Enrollment

6,596

7. SUNY Stony Brook

Stony Brook, NY • Private

In-State Tuition

$9,625

Enrollment

17,407

8. University of Minnesota - Twin Cities

Minneapolis, MN • Private

In-State Tuition

$14,760

Enrollment

31,451

9. University of California, Irvine

Irvine, CA • Private

In-State Tuition

$13,700

Enrollment

29,722

10. University of Virginia

Charlottesville, VA • Private

In-State Tuition

$17,653

Enrollment

16,405

20 best online courses for practice administrators

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Top 10 most affordable universities for practice administrators

The most affordable schools for practice administrators are University of Florida, baruch college of the city university of new york, and california state university - long beach.

If the best universities for practice administrators are out of your price range, check out these affordable schools. After factoring in in-state tuition and fees, the average cost of attendance, admissions rate, average net price, and mean earnings after six years, we found that these are the most affordable schools for practice administrators.

1. University of Florida

Gainesville, FL • Private

In-State Tuition

$6,381

Cost of Attendance

21,034

2. Baruch College of the City University of New York

New York, NY • Private

In-State Tuition

$7,262

Cost of Attendance

14,046

3. California State University - Long Beach

Long Beach, CA • Private

In-State Tuition

$6,798

Cost of Attendance

18,306

4. California State University - Los Angeles

Los Angeles, CA • Private

In-State Tuition

$6,749

Cost of Attendance

14,823

5. California State University - Bakersfield

Bakersfield, CA • Private

In-State Tuition

$7,309

Cost of Attendance

16,714

6. University of South Florida

Tampa, FL • Private

In-State Tuition

$6,410

Cost of Attendance

20,456

7. California State University - Dominguez Hills

Carson, CA • Private

In-State Tuition

$6,942

Cost of Attendance

14,469

8. Brigham Young University

Provo, UT • Private

In-State Tuition

$5,620

Cost of Attendance

18,136

9. SUNY Farmingdale

Farmingdale, NY • Private

In-State Tuition

$8,306

Cost of Attendance

16,091

10. Hunter College of the City University of New York

New York, NY • Private

In-State Tuition

$7,182

Cost of Attendance

13,998

Top 10 hardest universities to get into for practice administrators

The hardest universities for practice administrators to get into are Stanford University, University of Pennsylvania, and Duke University.

Some great schools for practice administrators are hard to get into, but they also set your career up for greater success. The list below shows the most challenging universities to get into for practice administrators based on an institution's admissions rates, average SAT scores accepted, median ACT scores accepted, and mean earnings of students six years after admission.

1. Stanford University

Stanford, CA • Private

Admissions Rate

4%

SAT Average

1,497

2. University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, PA • Private

Admissions Rate

8%

SAT Average

1,492

3. Duke University

Durham, NC • Private

Admissions Rate

9%

SAT Average

1,516

4. Columbia University in the City of New York

New York, NY • Private

Admissions Rate

6%

SAT Average

1,512

5. Johns Hopkins University

Baltimore, MD • Private

Admissions Rate

11%

SAT Average

1,513

6. Northwestern University

Evanston, IL • Private

Admissions Rate

8%

SAT Average

1,508

7. Georgetown University

Washington, DC • Private

Admissions Rate

15%

SAT Average

1,456

8. Vanderbilt University

Nashville, TN • Private

Admissions Rate

10%

SAT Average

1,514

9. Harvard University

Cambridge, MA • Private

Admissions Rate

5%

SAT Average

1,520

10. University of Southern California

Los Angeles, CA • Private

Admissions Rate

13%

SAT Average

1,445

Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for practice administrators

The easiest schools for practice administrators to get into are D'Youville College, mount saint mary's university, and barry university.

Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a practice administrator without much hassle, check out the list of schools where you will be accepted in no time. We compiled admissions rates, average SAT scores, average ACT scores, and average salary of students six years after graduation to uncover which were the easiest schools to get into for practice administrators.

1. D'Youville College

Buffalo, NY • Private

Admissions Rate

100%

SAT Average

1,072

2. Mount Saint Mary's University

Los Angeles, CA • Private

Admissions Rate

84%

SAT Average

1,031

3. Barry University

Miami, FL • Private

Admissions Rate

91%

SAT Average

1,006

4. Felician University

Lodi, NJ • Private

Admissions Rate

81%

SAT Average

999

5. University of the Incarnate Word

San Antonio, TX • Private

Admissions Rate

88%

SAT Average

1,044

6. Gwynedd Mercy University

Gwynedd Valley, PA • Private

Admissions Rate

92%

SAT Average

1,031

7. Curry College

Milton, MA • Private

Admissions Rate

93%

SAT Average

1,026

8. Saint Joseph's College of Maine

Standish, ME • Private

Admissions Rate

84%

SAT Average

1,069

9. Marymount University

Arlington, VA • Private

Admissions Rate

91%

SAT Average

1,065

10. University of Baltimore

Baltimore, MD • Private

Admissions Rate

78%

SAT Average

1,020

Average practice administrator salary by education level

Practice administrators with a Doctorate degree earn more than those without, at $104,431 annually. With a Master's degree, practice administrators earn a median annual income of $91,299 compared to $82,276 for practice administrators with an Bachelor's degree.
Practice Administrator education levelPractice Administrator salary
Master's Degree$91,299
Bachelor's Degree$82,276
Doctorate Degree$104,431
Some College/ Associate Degree$75,668

Practice Administrator Education FAQs

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Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

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