How to Become a Hospital Administrator: Education, Careers, and Salary Guide

As you probably guessed from the introduction, a hospital administrator isn’t just one job title, it’s a leadership track that incorporates different pathways. Real job titles for hospital administrators could be Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Chief Operating Officer (COO), Director of Patient Services, Vice President of Administration, Division Chief of Population Health, and many more.  Hospitals are like a melting pot of health professions - there are clinicians (doctors, nurses, physicians assistants, pharmacists, etc), insurance specialists, public health professionals (community health educators, community health workers, research assistants), administrators, accountants, and many more. Because hospitals are multi-disciplinary entities, the hospital administrators lead these multi-disciplinary teams, not just the administrative employees. 

Hospital administrators interface with public health, operations, and executive strategy. They oversee all of the hospital operations (such as budget, HR/staffing, compliance) and long-term strategic planning (such as tech implementation and population health metrics). For example, a hospital administrator is the person to decide to increase their nursing staff during flu season to adequately handle the heightened patient volume. They would also weigh in on whether to invest $5 million in a new electronic health record system or upgrade their diagnostic imaging equipment. Additionally, the hospital administrator is responsible for regulatory compliance and risk management, so they are in charge of implementing hospital-wide infection control protocols, such as masking requirements or ensuring there is enough personal protective equipment (PPE) for staff. 

Hospital administrators juggle a vast and consuming array of responsibilities. From high-stakes decision-making regarding patient safety and staffing to managing multimillion-dollar budgets and regulatory compliance to overseeing the day-to-day operations of our complex healthcare systems, they do it all.

There are multiple educational pathways you could take to become a hospital administrator.

*Special Note: choosing a program with AUPHA support: AUPHA is the Association of University Programs in Health Administration. When pursuing your bachelor’s degree, if you know you are interested in healthcare administration, you may want to explore finding an AUPHA affiliated program.

In addition to education, gaining relevant, real-world experience is beneficial for both entry to graduate school and obtaining executive-track roles. Below are pathways to gain real-world experience in healthcare administration.

There are various places you can browse to find this type of real-world experience. AUPHA posts multiple internship and residency programs for interested applicants. Hospitals HR pages are a great resource for all types of roles: volunteer, internship, fellowship, and full-time employment. For leadership experience, explore volunteering for a local hospital governance board or public health task force. This experience will not only bolster your resume, but will give you key insights into the inner workings of hospital administration that you will use throughout your education and career.

There are different graduate education paths you can take to become a hospital administrator. The three most common paths are to pursue a Master of Health Administration, Master of Business Administration, or Master of Public Health. All three paths have both online and on-campus options. Some programs also offer dual degrees, such as a dual MHA/MPH degree, MBA/MPH, or MBA/MHA for students interested in multiple fields of study.

Click here to learn more about fully online MPH programs.   

It’s important to align your graduate school and degree choice with your career goals, not based on prestige alone. If you know where you want to work after graduation, or what type of hospital you would want to work for, pursue graduate schools that have connections to that health system or community. Prospective students that are in-between pursuing an MPH vs. a MHA degree can read more in-depth comparisons of both programs here.

Let’s say you volunteer at a hospital providing direct patient care in high school, take health care administration-related classes in undergrad, and then get one of the three Master’s degrees listed above and now you’re wondering how to become a hospital administrator?

Professional Certifications & Continuing Healthcare Management Education - In addition to obtaining a graduate degree, there are various professional certifications you can earn to gain experience in healthcare administration and health services while also credentialing yourself in the world of hospital administration.

What jobs can you get with a healthcare administration degree?

Some common job titles for healthcare administrators are Hospital Administrator, Operations Manager, Director of Compliance, Chief Medical Officer (non-physician track), and CEO or COO (with significant experience).

Moving into Executive Roles - similar to education pathways, there are various methods for aspiring hospital administrators to take to become an executive healthcare administrator. Entry-level roles will likely be working in the healthcare industry either for a healthcare system or some type of healthcare organization. Mid-level roles may look like working in healthcare operations (managing healthcare providers, operations projects, and programs), ensuring high-quality, affordable, accessible healthcare delivery, or medical office management. Your next role may be a more senior role overseeing nurse administrators, medical facility operations management, directing a healthcare facility or health information management, or health care office management. Healthcare administrators and executive leadership have to deal with healthcare regulations, healthcare law, and oversee health management and patient care on a population-level scale, so increasing your scope of impact is key to excelling in the field.

Your pathway may look something like this: 

Hospital Volunteer → Bachelor of Science in Business Administration with a Minor in Healthcare Studies → Operations Analyst → MPH in Health Policy & Administration → Program Manager → Department Manager → Senior Administrator → VP of Operations → CEO/COO

Medical and Health Service Managers as a profession are expected to grow in the next decade by almost 30%, which is much faster than the national average⁶. The median salary nationally for these roles was almost $118,000 in 2024, with an average of almost $136,000^6,7. Average hospital administrator salary varies a lot by state, with the highest paying state’s managers earning an average of almost $162,000 annually and the lowest paying state earning an average of $60,500 annually. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the five highest paying states for Administrative Service Managers (which includes the category of General Medical and Surgical Hospital Administrators) are Colorado, Washington, Delaware, Minnesota, and New Jersey⁷. 

A common misconception is the existence of an earning gap between rural and urban hospitals and different sector hospitals (i.e., non-profit and for-profit). Research published recently found that there is no significant discrepancy in pay between rural and urban adjacent hospitals⁸. Regarding non-profit vs. for profit salaries - contrary to popular belief, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that earnings were actually slightly higher in nonprofit institutions compared with their for-profit counterparts⁹. 

In addition to annual salary, 65-90% of healthcare executives (think c-suite leaders in a health system) have some sort of performance-based compensation, such as a bonus or incentive structure¹⁰. This pay structure helps hospitals better attract and retain top leadership talent by focusing on long-term organizational goals and accounting for industry volatility¹⁰.

Becoming a hospital administrator is a flexible but rigorous journey that blends leadership, service, and a commitment to improving healthcare systems. From early exposure to a relevant bachelor’s degree to earning a graduate degree like an MPH, MHA, or MBA, each step builds towards a career of high-impact decision-making. This role requires both strategic thinking and a deep understanding of patient and population needs. If you’re inspired to become a leader in healthcare, explore MPH and MHA programs to find the best fit for your goals. Look further into MPH program resources to see if this is the path for you. Your next step could be the beginning of a transformative career in hospital administration.