A career in health administration can be a fulfilling way to combine administrative and management skills with improving patient outcomes. Health care experience, plus a master’s degree in health administration, could make you the perfect fit for one of many positions as a health administrator. This flexible degree can give you access to a range of opportunities, job security in a growing field, and the chance to make a difference to individuals and the community. What’s more, you’ll enjoy the respectable salary you need to provide for yourself and your family.
1. So Many Opportunities
What can you do with a master’s degree in health administration? Lots of things! Opportunities are everywhere for qualified professionals in this field. Hospitals employ about 30 percent of this country’s health care administrators, and that’s exactly the kind of job most people think of when they think of health care administration. But health administration careers are available with a number of other employers, including:
- Clinics
- Group practices
- Elder-care and nursing home facilities
- Outpatient clinics
- Rehabilitation centers
- Mental health care facilities
Other employers can include health care supplies, health insurance and health maintenance organizations, and health care policy organizations. There are job opportunities for people of all dispositions, whether you’d prefer a large, bustling organization and a fast-paced work environment, or a slower, quieter setting that provides the chance to work closely with patients and staff.
2. Job Security
Job security might be a thing of the past for many folks, but not for those in the health care field. Baby Boomers are entering retirement at a rate of 10,000 each day, and senior citizens today are expected to live longer, and remain more active, than any group of seniors in history. Many Americans have gained health insurance coverage for the first time under the ACA. That means that demand for health care services is higher than ever and only expected to grow.
3. Make a Difference in Patients’ Lives
It’s not just nurses and doctors who make a difference in the lives of patients. Health care administrators are responsible for creating the conditions these professionals need to do their jobs well. As an administrator, you’ll keep the facility on budget and running smoothly. Each day, you’ll have the chance to make a life-or-death difference in the lives of dozens, or even hundreds, of people served by your organization.
4. Become a Pillar of the Community
Few members of the community earn more respect than its health care professionals, and for good reason. Health care professionals are responsible for literally keeping the community alive. As a health care administrator, you’ll be one of the public faces of your organization, and you can use your reputation and role in the community to do good beyond your organization. You can help sponsor and promote youth sports and community resources like parks, libraries, and schools. But on an even more fundamental level, your organization could be one of the area’s primary employers, especially if you work for a large organization such as a hospital. Hospitals and health care organizations of similar size can employ thousands of those living in the local area— and you’ll be the one responsible for managing and protecting those livelihoods.
5. Bring Home a Nice Salary
Health care administrators bring home an average of $65,000 a year. As in so many other fields, pay is tied to experience; as you move forward in your career, you’ll become more valuable and command a higher salary, but those with previous health care experience will also command higher starting salaries. Your salary will also depend on your specific position. Health care administrators in charge of managing large groups of health care professionals can easily earn six figures, with some professionals earning more than $422,000 a year. If you’re thinking of pursuing a career in health care administration, you should know that there are plenty of opportunities available in this field like Masters in Health Informatics. Candidates with some health care experience will have the best luck with job offers. If you’re in the process of earning your degree and don’t have any experience in the health care industry, internships can help you get some. Start working now to assemble a portfolio of skills to bring to the table, and you’ll soon find yourself on the way to a rewarding and lucrative career in health care administration.