Practice manager vs administrator

The differences between practice managers and administrators can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 4-6 years to become a practice manager, becoming an administrator takes usually requires 1-2 years. Additionally, a practice manager has an average salary of $107,374, which is higher than the $72,882 average annual salary of an administrator.

The top three skills for a practice manager include patients, patient care and customer service. The most important skills for an administrator are customer service, data entry, and troubleshoot.

Practice manager vs administrator overview

	Practice Manager	Administrator
Yearly salary	$107,374	$72,882
Hourly rate	$51.62	$35.04
Growth rate	28%	5%
Number of jobs	38,196	67,553
Job satisfaction	4	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 55%	Bachelor's Degree, 56%
Average age	47	43
Years of experience	6	2

What does a practice manager do?

A practice manager is responsible for supervising daily operations, especially on the side of the medical industry. Practice managers monitor staffing needs, train new employees, and evaluate the employees' productivity and performance. They also enforce strict guidelines and procedures, ensuring that the processes adhere to the legal standards and regulatory requirements. Practice managers also maintain budget goals, creating cost estimates and expense reports. A practice manager must have strong communication, analytical, and critical-thinking skills, as well as comprehensive knowledge of the medical industry practices.

What does an administrator do?

Administrators are administrative professionals who oversee the whole office or department. They manage office activities and supervise administrative functions in the office. They work the office calendar and oversee the appointment-setting process. They coordinate office events and ensure that all preparations are made and that there are no conflicting schedules. They also maintain a database of external providers of various office needs. Administrators also oversee office supplies and prepare purchase requisitions. They also manage janitorial services and other functions that are related to the maintenance of the physical office space. Administrators ensure that all fixtures and equipment in the office are functioning well and have no problems.

Practice manager vs administrator salary

Practice managers and administrators have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Practice Manager	Administrator
Average salary	$107,374	$72,882
Salary range	Between $65,000 And $175,000	Between $46,000 And $113,000
Highest paying City	Providence, RI	San Francisco, CA
Highest paying state	Rhode Island	Washington
Best paying company	Davis Wright Tremaine	Apple
Best paying industry	Technology	Manufacturing

Differences between practice manager and administrator education

There are a few differences between a practice manager and an administrator in terms of educational background:

	Practice Manager	Administrator
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 55%	Bachelor's Degree, 56%
Most common major	Business	Business
Most common college	University of Pennsylvania	University of Pennsylvania

Practice manager vs administrator demographics

Here are the differences between practice managers' and administrators' demographics:

	Practice Manager	Administrator
Average age	47	43
Gender ratio	Male, 25.3% Female, 74.7%	Male, 36.0% Female, 64.0%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 11.9% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 14.2% Asian, 7.9% White, 61.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7%	Black or African American, 8.9% Unknown, 5.1% Hispanic or Latino, 12.6% Asian, 8.8% White, 64.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3%
LGBT Percentage	12%	9%

Differences between practice manager and administrator duties and responsibilities

Practice manager example responsibilities.

Secure new engagements worldwide, and lead numerous ERP and CRM initiatives.
Manage a great team of 7 consultants that deliver outstanding ERP solutions.
Supervise and manage a staff of 12.5 FTE personnel and 4 FTE physicians.
Accomplish at applying knowledge of veterinary science and compassion for animals to ensure optimal care.
Manage all aspects of establishing, setting and implementing standards and work processes to ensure well running PMO.
Manage the selection process and implementation of the practice's EMR by reviewing and updating the system as needed.

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Administrator example responsibilities.

Develop a Perl script to manage the LDAP schema.
Hire and manage all receptionists and assistant MCA's.
Used all tools of Java stack in supporting and managing it.
Manage and process product orders on windows base on-line computer network system.
Manage ADP time system for technicians and approve time-off requests, supporting management.
Manage professional staff of 9 (including 5 MDs) and support staff of 10

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Practice manager vs administrator skills

Common practice manager skills

Patients, 17%
Patient Care, 8%
Customer Service, 6%
PET, 5%
Practice Management, 4%
Payroll, 3%

Common administrator skills

Customer Service, 18%
Data Entry, 7%
Troubleshoot, 6%
Payroll, 6%
Financial Reports, 4%
Oversight, 4%

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Updated January 8, 2025

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