Nursing Home Administrator Salary

Created by Henry Steele

By Henry Steele - April 15, 2018
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The following article discusses the career path of Nursing Home Administrator. Learn about how to become one, education requirements, job duties, traits and qualities, national salary outlook as well as top national employers of Nursing Home Administrators.

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Job Duties

Nursing home administrators manage the provision of the needs of the residents of a nursing home. They are responsible for the implementation and development of new management systems, while also coordinating and supervising departmental work. They also often hold responsibility for quality assurance. This means they must understand state, federal, and local laws.

Nursing home administrators are planners, ensuring that new and existing nursing services are fit for purpose. Their goal is to provide the highest possible quality of care for each resident. This includes looking at the recreational programs and food services, ensuring that they are appropriate for the residents.

Often, they also have financial duties. They must manage the nursing home’s budget and ensure that financial resources are used appropriately. They must also develop new contracts with external and internal suppliers, including consultative services, while ensuring aht the assets of the facility are maintained for risk management and insurance purposes. Additionally, they supervise other staff members within the facility.

Other duties of the nursing home administrator are:

  • To hold responsibility for all staff members, budget development, and business planning.
  • To make sure the facility is fully compliant with the relevant federal and state regulations, as well as with professional boarding home standards
  • To be responsible for the overall nursing home program
  • To develop relationships with residents and their loved ones
  • To be responsible for the inventory and usage of different services and products

Where We Work

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, there were 352,200 medical and health services managers in 2016. The largest employers of these professionals are:

  • Hospitals; state, local, and private: 36%
  • Offices of physicians: 11%
  • Nursing and residential care facilities: 10%
  • Government: 8%
  • Outpatient care centers: 7%

How to Become

To become nursing home administrators, they have to be licensed. The experience that is required to obtain this license varies depending on the state and the facility itself. Nursing home administrators must also be committed to their personal and professional development, always remaining up-to-date with developments regarding their profession.

Work experience is incredibly important. Usually, several years of experience working in a similar setting is required. Some people obtain this experience through clinical work, whereas others enter through finance, administration, or information technology.

In all states, nursing home administrators must be licensed, although the exact requirements do vary. A bachelor’s degree and work experience is generally required as a minimum in order for someone to become licensed. Licensing may also require passing an exam.

Education Requirements

Typically, a bachelor’s degree is required in order for someone to become a nursing home administrator. However, it is increasingly common for employers to look for those with a master’s degree. This is also because completing a master’s means an individual has some practical experience in health care or hospital administration and management.

Nursing home administrators usually have a degree in business administration, public health administration, nursing, health management, or health administration. This ensures they have an in-depth understanding not just of health care, but also of the business side of a nursing home. Hence, courses in health information systems, health economics, law and ethics, strategic planning, human resources administration, budgeting and accounting, and health services management are recommended.

There are also several certifications that may place someone in better standing. For instance, the Certified Nursing Home Administrator is offered by the American College of Health Care Administrators and is certainly recommended.

Traits & Qualities

The most effective nursing home administrators have the following traits to some degree or other:

– Strong analytical skills
– Excellent communication skills, both verbal and written
– Detail oriented
– Excellent interpersonal skills
– Strong leadership skills
– Technical skills
– Computer skills

Minimum Education

Bachelor’s Degree

National Salary

The national average salary estimate for Nursing Home Administrator was $93,462. This number is estimated from over 306,936 employees, users past and present job advertisements from Indeed.com. This equates to an hourly salary of $48.68 and monthly of $7,789.

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$30,000

$191,000

Salary Distribution

Salary by State

The following section lists Nursing Home Administrator salaries in each state around the country. The figures are based on the total number of job postings through Indeed.com. For example, New Jersey had the largest quoted salary of $114,367 while Maine had the smallest quoted salary of $30,604.

AlabamaKentuckyNebraskaSouth Carolina
CaliforniaLouisianaNew HampshireTennessee
ColoradoMassachusettsNew JerseyTexas
FloridaMarylandNew MexicoUtah
GeorgiaMaineNew YorkVirginia
IowaMichiganOhioWashington
IllinoisMinnesotaOklahomaWisconsin
IndianaMissouriOregonWyoming
KansasNorth CarolinaPennsylvania
Alabama – $72,115Rank: 30th
The average salary ranks 30th among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like Healthcare Staffing Direct and 360 Healthcare Staffing.

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$10.95

$79.85

Salary Distribution
California – $104,281Rank: 4th
The average salary ranks 4th among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like REM Group | Careers that Matter, The REM-Group, Protocol Agency, and REM Group Consulting, LLC.

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$31,000

$220,000

Salary Distribution
Colorado – $35,155Rank: 34th
The average salary ranks 34th among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like Medical Search Associates, Mrs. Sobol, Shalom Cares, and SHALOM PARK.

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$7.25

$45.10

Salary Distribution
Florida – $88,936Rank: 20th
The average salary ranks 20th among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like DeVore Recruiting, Tekkata Partners representing established home and community based healthcare provider, Acuity Professional Placement Solutions, and Thrive Home Health Care.

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  • Most Reported
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$30,000

$178,000

Salary Distribution
Georgia – $80,966Rank: 25th
The average salary ranks 25th among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like 360 Healthcare Staffing, Gibson Heatlth Care, LLC, Contact Rydek, and UBHS Inc.

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$29,000

$157,000

Salary Distribution
Iowa – $83,999Rank: 24th
The average salary ranks 24th among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like Govig Health Care, DeVore Recruiting, Healthcare Staffing Direct, and D-hunters Inc USA.

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$39,000

$146,000

Salary Distribution
Illinois – $94,056Rank: 13th
The average salary ranks 13th among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like Advanced Care Placement Services, Healthcare Staffing Direct, Provider Management, and Preston Harris Group.

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$26,000

$203,000

Salary Distribution
Indiana – $57,354Rank: 33rd
The average salary ranks 33rd among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like Golden Heart Health Services and State of Indiana.

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$14,000

$134,000

Salary Distribution
Kansas – $91,905Rank: 18th
The average salary ranks 18th among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like Healthcare Staffing Direct and CompHealth.

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$18,000

$224,000

Salary Distribution
Kentucky – $93,333Rank: 14th
The average salary ranks 14th among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like Principle Long Term Care, Inc. and 360 Healthcare Staffing.

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$47,000

$143,000

Salary Distribution
Louisiana – $98,069Rank: 8th
The average salary ranks 8th among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like fulltimeGiGS and MMS Group.

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$49,000

$148,000

Salary Distribution
Massachusetts – $87,242Rank: 22nd
The average salary ranks 22nd among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like Boston Center for Independent Living, Boston Center for Independent Living, Inc., HSE, and Excel Nursing Services, Inc..

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$18,000

$209,000

Salary Distribution
Maryland – $109,712Rank: 3rd
The average salary ranks 3rd among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like Alvin Kahn and Associates, Stojce Milosevski, DeVore Recruiting, and Think Healthcare Resources.

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$55,000

$167,000

Salary Distribution
Maine – $30,604Rank: 35th
The average salary ranks 35th among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like Community Partners and 360 Healthcare Staffing.

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$7.25

$35.70

Salary Distribution
Michigan – $92,121Rank: 17th
The average salary ranks 17th among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like Confidential-1, Healthcare Staffing Direct, USA Staffing Network, and Infinity MedStaff.

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$25,000

$201,000

Salary Distribution
Minnesota – $72,870Rank: 29th
The average salary ranks 29th among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like Becomm Services, Behavioral Staffing, Jourdain Perpich Extended Care Center, and 360 Healthcare Staffing.

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$36,000

$122,000

Salary Distribution
Missouri – $84,751Rank: 23rd
The average salary ranks 23rd among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like Healthcare Staffing Direct, Castle Health Staffing, and USA Staffing Network, Inc..

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$28,000

$170,000

Salary Distribution
North Carolina – $110,655Rank: 2nd
The average salary ranks 2nd among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like Executive Search International, DURHAM CONNECTS, CompHealth, and 360 Healthcare Staffing.

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$24,000

$260,000

Salary Distribution
Nebraska – $71,480Rank: 31st
The average salary ranks 31st among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like Dietary Aide.

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$36,000

$117,000

Salary Distribution
New Hampshire – $97,084Rank: 9th
The average salary ranks 9th among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like Hillsborough County Nursing Home.

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$37,000

$185,000

Salary Distribution
New Jersey – $114,367Rank: 1st
The average salary ranks 1st among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like ProMed Staffing Resources, Alvin Kahn and Associates, and Healthcare Staffing Direct.

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$46,000

$212,000

Salary Distribution
New Mexico – $102,855Rank: 5th
The average salary ranks 5th among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like JSA Search, Inc..

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$52,000

$162,000

Salary Distribution
New York – $95,948Rank: 11th
The average salary ranks 11th among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like Clinical Management Consultants, Integrity Locums, GW Consultants, Inc, and Millennium MedSearch.

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$34,000

$189,000

Salary Distribution
Ohio – $79,439Rank: 26th
The average salary ranks 26th among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like USA Staffing Network, Inc., Healthcare Staffing Direct, Toward Independence, Inc., and Govig & Associates.

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$33,000

$146,000

Salary Distribution
Oklahoma – $73,531Rank: 28th
The average salary ranks 28th among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like 360 Healthcare Staffing and MSI Healthcare.

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$33,000

$129,000

Salary Distribution
Oregon – $70,232Rank: 32nd
The average salary ranks 32nd among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like Up and Out, Inc. and JSA Search, Inc..

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$17,000

$160,000

Salary Distribution
Pennsylvania – $91,488Rank: 19th
The average salary ranks 19th among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like Long Term Care Facility, Hailey N Danielle’s Country Care Personal Care LLC, Amity Senior Living, and American Recruiters.

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$27,000

$193,000

Salary Distribution
South Carolina – $92,670Rank: 15th
The average salary ranks 15th among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like D Hunters Inc and Assisting Angels Homecare.

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$46,000

$141,000

Salary Distribution
Tennessee – $92,628Rank: 16th
The average salary ranks 16th among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like 24/7 STAFFING.

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$46,000

$155,000

Salary Distribution
Texas – $99,454Rank: 7th
The average salary ranks 7th among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like DeVore Recruiting, Austin Retirement & Nursing Center, Healthcare Staffing Direct, and Atheneum Partners.

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$48,000

$168,000

Salary Distribution
Utah – $95,699Rank: 12th
The average salary ranks 12th among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like DeVore Recruiting.

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$48,000

$146,000

Salary Distribution
Virginia – $96,857Rank: 10th
The average salary ranks 10th among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like Executive Search International, Rose’s Home Healthcare, and UNITED Medical Staffing.

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$48,000

$147,000

Salary Distribution
Washington – $101,190Rank: 6th
The average salary ranks 6th among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like Department of Veterans Affairs, Amenity Home Health Care, Inc., and D Hunters USA INC.

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$47,000

$174,000

Salary Distribution
Wisconsin – $88,219Rank: 21st
The average salary ranks 21st among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like UnityPoint Health and Dungarvin.

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$36,000

$163,000

Salary Distribution
Wyoming – $75,498Rank: 27th
The average salary ranks 27th among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like Morning Star Care Center & Wind River Dialysis Center.

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$37,000

$114,000

Salary Distribution

Top 20 National Employers

According to Indeed.com, the following states had employers looking to hire a Nursing Home Administrator. The quoted salary figure represents the average salary from all job postings by this employer.

Employer NameLocationAverage Salary
CompHealth Nursing Home AdministratorIllinois$200,000
Millennium MedSearch Nursing Home AdministratorNew York$174,361
Universal Medical Records Nursing Home AdministratorNew York$150,000
REM Group | Careers that Matter Nursing Home AdministratorCalifornia$141,838
Alvin Kahn and Associates Nursing Home AdministratorNew York$140,792
Nursing Home/Rehab Center Nursing Home AdministratorNew York$140,000
US Skilled Nursing Nursing Home AdministratorNew York$140,000
New York Skilled Nursing Nursing Home AdministratorNew York$140,000
American Recruiters Nursing Home AdministratorPennsylvania$140,000
Think Healthcare Resources Nursing Home AdministratorPennsylvania$137,953
The REM-Group Nursing Home AdministratorCalifornia$133,942
Protocol Agency Nursing Home AdministratorCalifornia$133,721
REM Group Consulting, LLC Nursing Home AdministratorCalifornia$130,927
REM Group Consulting LLC Nursing Home AdministratorCalifornia$129,617

Learn More

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Henry Steele
Managing Editor
Henry is Managing Editor of BusinessStudent.com. He is a seasoned business professional who regularly consults with local business's throughout Southern California. Henry pursued his undergrad in Business and Economics at the University of San Diego and gained valuable life changing experience through a unique internship upon graduation.

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