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Nurse administrator salary
Average nurse administrator salary
$72,224
Understanding Nurse Administrator Salaries
Nurse Administrators play a vital role in healthcare by managing nursing staff and ensuring effective patient care. As of October 2025, the average salary for Nurse Administrators stands at $72,224 annually. This figure can vary by state and experience level. For instance, states such as California and New York often offer higher salaries compared to others.
Factors Influencing Salaries
Several factors affect the salary of a Nurse Administrator:
- Location: Salaries differ by state, with urban areas typically offering more opportunities.
- Experience: More experienced administrators can command higher salaries.
- Healthcare Facility Type: Specialized facilities may pay differently than general hospitals.
By leveraging resources like Zippia, Nurse Administrators can explore job opportunities tailored to their qualifications and preferred locations, helping them make informed career decisions.
Let Zippia find your next nurse administrator job
Let Zippia find your next nurse administrator job
Where can a Nurse Administrator earn more?
Nurse administrator salaries by experience level
| Experience level | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|
| Entry-level nurse administrator | $57,300 | $27.53 |
| Mid-level nurse administrator | $72,000 | $34.63 |
| Senior-level nurse administrator | $98,800 | $47.50 |
Nurse administrator salary estimates from across the web
Average nurse administrator salary by state
The average nurse administrator salary in California, Alaska, and Nevada are the highest in the U.S. The lowest average nurse administrator salary states are Arkansas, Alabama, and Mississippi.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for nurse administrators
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Alaska | $92,855 | $44.64 |
| 2 | Washington | $87,704 | $42.17 |
| 3 | Delaware | $84,442 | $40.60 |
| 4 | Nevada | $92,079 | $44.27 |
| 5 | Massachusetts | $81,809 | $39.33 |
| 6 | California | $105,767 | $50.85 |
| 7 | Connecticut | $79,501 | $38.22 |
| 8 | Oregon | $90,399 | $43.46 |
| 9 | Arizona | $76,059 | $36.57 |
| 10 | Pennsylvania | $75,700 | $36.39 |
| 11 | Michigan | $85,085 | $40.91 |
| 12 | New York | $82,534 | $39.68 |
| 13 | West Virginia | $69,039 | $33.19 |
| 14 | District of Columbia | $96,868 | $46.57 |
| 15 | Texas | $70,802 | $34.04 |
| 16 | Rhode Island | $78,309 | $37.65 |
| 17 | New Hampshire | $67,571 | $32.49 |
| 18 | Wisconsin | $72,119 | $34.67 |
| 19 | New Jersey | $81,817 | $39.34 |
| 20 | Vermont | $67,058 | $32.24 |
| 21 | Virginia | $74,803 | $35.96 |
| 22 | Wyoming | $67,497 | $32.45 |
| 23 | Ohio | $66,982 | $32.20 |
| 24 | Idaho | $72,111 | $34.67 |
| 25 | Montana | $65,299 | $31.39 |
| 26 | New Mexico | $65,687 | $31.58 |
| 27 | Colorado | $66,142 | $31.80 |
| 28 | Maine | $60,052 | $28.87 |
| 29 | South Dakota | $57,413 | $27.60 |
| 30 | Maryland | $71,929 | $34.58 |
| 31 | North Dakota | $60,666 | $29.17 |
| 32 | Illinois | $68,501 | $32.93 |
| 33 | Minnesota | $67,370 | $32.39 |
| 34 | Hawaii | $73,635 | $35.40 |
| 35 | Kentucky | $60,613 | $29.14 |
| 36 | Utah | $65,481 | $31.48 |
| 37 | Oklahoma | $58,679 | $28.21 |
| 38 | Florida | $52,495 | $25.24 |
| 39 | North Carolina | $60,247 | $28.96 |
| 40 | Georgia | $59,286 | $28.50 |
| 41 | Indiana | $56,727 | $27.27 |
| 42 | Louisiana | $52,918 | $25.44 |
| 43 | Arkansas | $51,839 | $24.92 |
| 44 | Iowa | $56,284 | $27.06 |
| 45 | Alabama | $51,217 | $24.62 |
| 46 | Nebraska | $52,380 | $25.18 |
| 47 | Missouri | $53,885 | $25.91 |
| 48 | Mississippi | $50,152 | $24.11 |
| 49 | Tennessee | $45,975 | $22.10 |
| 50 | South Carolina | $45,986 | $22.11 |
| 51 | Kansas | $47,639 | $22.90 |
Highest paying cities for nurse administrators
The highest-paying cities for nurse administrators are San Francisco, CA, Washington, DC, and Detroit, MI.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Francisco, CA | $113,012 | $54.33 |
| 2 | Washington, DC | $96,890 | $46.58 |
| 3 | Detroit, MI | $85,411 | $41.06 |
| 4 | New York, NY | $82,839 | $39.83 |
| 5 | Boston, MA | $81,814 | $39.33 |
| 6 | Mission, TX | $74,074 | $35.61 |
| 7 | Baltimore, MD | $72,089 | $34.66 |
| 8 | Shaker Heights, OH | $69,820 | $33.57 |
| 9 | Rockford, IL | $68,766 | $33.06 |
| 10 | Saint Paul, MN | $67,440 | $32.42 |
| 11 | Indianapolis, IN | $56,235 | $27.04 |
| 12 | Hollywood, FL | $54,008 | $25.97 |
| 13 | Saint Louis, MO | $53,903 | $25.91 |
| 14 | Baton Rouge, LA | $53,234 | $25.59 |
| 15 | Omaha, NE | $52,433 | $25.21 |
| 16 | Jackson, MS | $50,011 | $24.04 |
| 17 | Kansas City, KS | $47,540 | $22.86 |
| 18 | Florence, SC | $47,119 | $22.65 |
Nurse administrator salary details
A nurse administrator's salary ranges from $48,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $107,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a nurse administrator's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $107,000 | $8,917 | $51 |
| 75th Percentile | $89,000 | $7,417 | $43 |
| Average | $72,224 | $6,019 | $35 |
| 25th Percentile | $58,000 | $4,833 | $28 |
| 10th Percentile | $48,000 | $4,000 | $23 |
Highest paying nurse administrator jobs
The highest paying types of nurse administrators are certified registered nurse anesthetist, family nurse practitioner, and nursing director.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Psychiatric Nurse | $64,922 | $5,410 | $31.21 | 608,055 |
| Consultant Nurse | $71,690 | $5,974 | $34.47 | 58,140 |
| Clinical Liaison | $66,331 | $5,528 | $31.89 | 237,166 |
| Registered Nurse Charge Nurse | $71,342 | $5,945 | $34.30 | 645,134 |
| Pediatric Nurse | $72,945 | $6,079 | $35.07 | 614,706 |
| Practical Nurse | $75,364 | $6,280 | $36.23 | 511,602 |
How would you rate the starting salaries for nurse administrators, as well as the prospects for salary advancement?
Jamie Rauscher RVT
Medical Manager, Animal Hospital of Towne Lake and Cat Clinic of Woodstock
Top companies hiring nurse administrators now:
Which companies pay nurse administrators the most?
Nurse administrator salaries at Community Health Systems and Providence Health & Services are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average nurse administrator salary at companies like Maine Health/maine Mental Health Partners and Valley Presbyterian Hospital are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Community Health Systems | $118,135 | $56.80 |
| 2 | Providence Health & Services | $110,993 | $53.36 |
| 3 | Maine Health/maine Mental Health Partners | $108,930 | $52.37 |
| 4 | Valley Presbyterian Hospital | $108,268 | $52.05 |
| 5 | Medical Billing | $106,730 | $51.31 |
| 6 | CLAYTON HEALTH SYSTEMS INC | $105,448 | $50.70 |
| 7 | Tift Regional Medical Center | $105,056 | $50.51 |
| 8 | Dignity Health | $103,541 | $49.78 |
| 9 | UTMB HEALTHCARE SYSTEMS | $103,538 | $49.78 |
| 10 | Trinity Health | $103,491 | $49.76 |
| 11 | HCSC | $101,771 | $48.93 |
| 12 | Baylor Scott & White Health | $99,729 | $47.95 |
| 13 | Heritage Valley Health System | $99,320 | $47.75 |
| 14 | Adventist HealthCare | $98,867 | $47.53 |
| 15 | CHRISTUS Health | $98,624 | $47.42 |
| 16 | St. Mary's Medical Center | $98,607 | $47.41 |
| 17 | UofL Hospital | $97,023 | $46.65 |
| 18 | Sutter Health | $96,898 | $46.59 |
| 19 | Texas Health Resources | $96,640 | $46.46 |
| 20 | Health First | $96,400 | $46.35 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Nurse administrator salary trends
The average nurse administrator salary has risen by $10,110 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average nurse administrator earned $62,114 annually, but today, they earn $72,224 a year. That works out to a 10% change in pay for nurse administrators over the last decade.
Compare nurse administrator salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average nurse administrator salary over time
Compare nurse administrator salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Nurse administrator salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $72,200 | $34.72 | +2.7% |
| 2025 | $70,300 | $33.79 | +2.1% |
| 2024 | $68,800 | $33.06 | +2.4% |
| 2023 | $67,100 | $32.27 | +2.2% |
| 2022 | $65,600 | $31.55 | +1.4% |
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