Hospital Administrator: Duties, Salary, and How to Become One

Hospital administrators ensure that hospitals operate efficiently and that medical staff are adequately trained and supported. Equipped with a broad range of responsibilities, hospital administrators must be equally well-versed in business and health care management. 

If you’re a practical, project-oriented person looking to start a career in health care but prefer a role that doesn’t include face-to-face patient contact, you might consider a career in hospital administration. Discover more about hospital administrators, what they do, how much they earn, and what you need to do to become one. Afterward, build your skills in this area with the Johns Hopkins Medical Office Manager Professional Certificate.

What is a hospital administrator?

A hospital administrator is a professional who oversees a hospital's daily operations by planning, directing, and coordinating health services. While other health care professionals, like physicians and registered nurses (RNs), provide care directly to patients, hospital administrators ensure that the health facility itself functions smoothly and that the medical staff is properly supported and trained. 

What does a hospital administrator do?

Hospital administrators play an essential role in delivering and functioning health services within a hospital. While the exact duties you might perform can vary from role to role, as a hospital administrator, you can expect to engage in some of the following duties:

• Directing and supervising the work of medical staff

• Establishing organizational goals

• Planning and implementing programs, such as human resources (HR) administration

• Overseeing finances and related operations, such as budget planning, authorizing expenses, and creating financial reports.

• Communicating with staff, departments, and board members

• Hiring and training staff

• Monitoring resource use and allocation

• Ensuring that facilities are up to standard and meet current regulatory requirements

Hospital administrators: salary + job outlook

Hospital administrators earn much higher than average salaries in the United States. According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), medical and health services managers—the job category under which hospital administrators fall—earn a median annual salary of $128,740 [1].

These salaries are higher than the median annual salary in the United States for all professions, which the US BLS noted was $48,060 [1]. However, the exact amount you can expect to earn will likely vary based on your work experience, education level, geographic location, and employer.

Expected demand for health service managers

Demand for health service managers also remains high. According to BLS, the number of job openings for medical and health services managers is expected to grow by 29 percent between 2023 and 2033 [2]. 

An aging baby-boomer population, in particular, has driven an increased need for medical professionals capable of providing health care and managing health systems in the country. 

How to become a hospital administrator

Whether you’re working in a large university hospital or a small local one, overseeing the daily operations of these critical health care facilities is a significant responsibility, and you usually need to earn a bachelor’s degree to work in this profession. As a result, the path to joining the administrative staff of a hospital is one filled with professional training, education, and real-world work experience. 

If this sounds like the job for you, learn more about the steps you can expect to take as you set out on your own professional journey: 

1. Earn a bachelor's degree. 

To work as a hospital administrator, you often need a bachelor’s degree, preferably in health administration or health care management. Due to hospital administrators' financial and business responsibilities, you will also likely benefit from taking relevant business courses to better understand how to manage such a complex health care facility as a hospital. 

2. Hone your skills. 

Hospital administrators must have a keen understanding of health care systems, regulations, and operations while demonstrating an ability to lead others, communicate effectively with team members, and manage large projects. As you prepare for an administrative career within health care, consider ways to hone relevant technical and personal skills to ensure that you perform to the best of your abilities. 

3. Gain experience.

When it comes to heading the administration of a hospital, employers are rightfully concerned with hiring someone with the experience necessary to ensure they can do the best possible job. As a result, you should seek to gain relevant administrative experience, perhaps by working as an assistant administrator, medical records technician, or clerk within a hospital’s accounting department. 

4. Consider a master’s degree in hospital administration. 

While a bachelor’s degree is an entry-level requirement for most hospital administration jobs, many employers might prefer candidates with a relevant master’s degree. In some cases, they may even require that applicants possess one. 

If you’re considering a career in hospital administration, then you might consider obtaining a relevant master’s degree, such as a Master’s of Health Care Administration (MHA), Master’s of Public Health (MPH), or a Master’s of Business Administration (MBA) with a focus on health care systems.

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