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Health Services Administration Career Overview

Discover health services administration training and careers.

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Health Services Administrator Job Description

health services administration professional

As a health services administrator (or health care administrator), you'll be responsible for the overall business management of health care facilities such as hospitals or nursing homes. Whether you're responsible for an entire facility or just a specific department, you'll create and implement policy and procedures, hire and supervise staff, control finances, order supplies, and coordinate your plans and activities with those of other health care managers.

 
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Health Services Administration Courses

While each schools' health services administration program is unique, your studies are likely to include courses that cover the following topics:

  • Hospital organization and management
  • Marketing
  • Accounting and budgeting
  • Human resources administration
  • Strategic planning
  • Health economics
  • Epidemiology
  • Health law
  • Health information systems

Health Services Administrator Salary

According to the 2010 report from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the middle 50 percent of health care administrators earn between $65,650 and $109,940 per year.

The top paying states for health services administration jobs are:

  • Massachusetts
  • Washington
  • Rhode Island
  • New York
  • Connecticut
 
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Education Requirements for Health Services Administrators

A bachelor's degree in health services administration will give you the skills you'll need for an entry-level position, but if you want to broaden your job opportunities and earn a higher salary, you'll need to complete a two-year master's degree program in health administration.

Choosing a Degree

Many health care managers specialize in a clinical area, so you may want to consider this possibility when you consider which health care management school to attend. Graduates with bachelor's degrees in health administration usually begin as administrative assistants, then gain some experience in the field before deciding to pursue a master's degree.

Graduate Study

The health services administration master's degree usually includes a one-year residency in a health care center. Graduate programs in health administration generally have a competitive admissions process, so getting a high GPA in your undergraduate studies will give you an advantage.

Getting your master's degree in health services administration will generally qualify you to start a job as a department manager in a health care facility.

Licensing for Health Services Administrators

Some programs allow students to specialize in one type of facility, such as hospitals, nursing homes or mental health facilities.

If you're planning to become a nursing home administrator, you'll need to be licensed by the Nursing Home Administrators State Board of Examiners, but a license is not required in other areas of medical and health services management.

 
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