What is a service administrator and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

5 min read

Quoted expert

Wayne Counts

A service administrator manages the operations of a specific service or program within an organization. They oversee service delivery, regulatory compliance, and staff performance. Service administrators also develop and implement strategies to improve efficiency, quality, and customer satisfaction. They may collaborate with others to coordinate efforts and communicate with stakeholders to gather feedback and address concerns. A service administrator ensures the effective and efficient delivery of services while meeting the needs of clients or customers.

What general advice would you give to a service administrator?

Wayne Counts

Associate Dean, The University of Texas Permian Basin

I think there will be an impact, both visible and invisible, for years to come. One of the big changes will be in how we do things. The change to remote and virtual business will probably never be fully reversed.

ScoreService AdministratorUS Average

Salary

4.3

Avg. Salary $54,573

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level

5.7

Growth rate 5%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity

3.8

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.31%

Asian 8.80%

Black or African American 8.77%

Hispanic or Latino 12.46%

Unknown 5.07%

White 64.58%

Gender

female 67.61%

male 32.39%

Age - 42

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 - 42

Stress level

5.7

Stress level is manageable

7.1 - high

Complexity level

6.7

Complexity level is challenging

7 - challenging

Work life balance

7.1

Work life balance is good

6.4 - fair

What are the pros and cons of being a service administrator?

Pros

Opportunity for growth and advancement
High demand for skilled service administrators in various industries
Competitive salaries and benefits packages
Opportunities for remote work or flexible schedules
Exposure to new technology and software

Cons

Potential for burnout or compassion fatigue
High workload and multitasking may lead to errors or oversights
Lack of control over external factors such as market trends or industry changes
High level of responsibility may lead to intense scrutiny or criticism
Risk of being replaced by automation or outsourcing

Key steps to become a service administrator

Explore service administrator education requirements

Most common service administrator degrees

Bachelor's

53.3 %

Associate

20.6 %

Master's

10.5 %

Start to develop specific service administrator skills

Skills	Percentages
Customer Service	22.25%
Patients	6.87%
Data Entry	5.01%
CMS	4.99%
Repair Orders	3.89%

Complete relevant service administrator training and internships

Accountants spend an average of 3-6 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New service administrators 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 service administrator based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real service administrator resumes.

Gain additional service administrator certifications

Service administrator certifications can show employers you have a baseline of knowledge expected for the position. Certifications can also make you a more competitive candidate. Even if employers don't require a specific service administrator certification, having one may help you stand out relative to other applicants.

The most common certifications for service administrators include Word 2010 Certification and CompTIA A+ Certification.

More About Certifications

Research service administrator duties and responsibilities

Manage Sr. Director's calendar and key staff members to include meetings, events and travel.
Convert complex business logic into SQL store procedures and user-define functions to achieve functionality require by the UI team.
Manage facilities maintenance/upgrades, and systems such as electronic medical records (EMR), billing, transcription and phones.
Manage multi-million dollar DOD contract, establish team goals and manage team deliverables to ensure objectives are consistently meet or exceed.

Prepare your service administrator resume

When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your service administrator resume.

You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a service administrator resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

Choose from 10+ customizable service administrator resume templates

Build a professional service administrator resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your service administrator resume.