H.O.T. GUIDE
Health Occupations
& Technology

Nursing Home Administrator

To be a successful Nursing Home Administrator you should…

  • have the ability to understand a situation quickly and make judgments
  • have the ability to manage many programs at one time
  • be skilled in planning and dealing with complex financial matters
  • have the ability to provide leadership to a wide variety of persons in many capacities
  • have expertise to balance the interests of patients, medical staff, a board of directors, and government agencies
  • have tenacity for details and follow through
  • have strong public relations skills

What will my job be like?

Nursing home administrators plan, organize, direct, and control the operations of a nursing home or other long-term personal care facility, using policies established by the owner of the facility or its governing board.

Nursing home administrators work under the supervision of a proprietor or governing board. In small facilities, administrators coordinate all aspects of the institution with the assistance of an administrative assistant. Administrators usually assign responsibility for routine tasks to assistant administrators.


Where could I work?

Most nursing home administrators work in offices located in the nursing homes. Others work in the business offices of large nursing home corporations that manage several facilities.


What is the average annual salary?

$104,300


What is the future of this career?

The BLS reports that employment of medical and health services managers is projected to grow 32 percent from 2020 to 2030, much faster than the average for all occupations.

About 51,800 openings for medical and health services managers are projected each year, on average, over the decade. Many of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to different occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire.


What type of education and/or training do I need?

A nursing home administrator completes at least a 4-year program from an accredited institution. In addition, applicants must successfully complete at least 100 course hours in areas relevant to long-term care administration.


Where can I get the education and/or training?

  • Albertus Magnus College, New Haven
  • University of Connecticut, Storrs

Do I need a license or certification for this career?

Licensure is required in the state of Connecticut. Prerequisite: Licensure requires baccalaureate degree and approved course of study, or approved master’s degree.

Please visit the State of Connecticut Department of Public Health website for more information.


Where can I get more information?

American College of Healthcare Administrators
1101 Connecticut Avenue NW
Suite 450
Washington DC  20036
(800) 561-3148
www.achca.org

American College of Healthcare Executives
300 S Riverside Plaza
Suite 1900
Chicago, IL  60606
(312) 424-2800
www.ache.org