What is the Employment Outlook for Healthcare Administrators?
If you're thinking of earning a degree with the end goal of becoming a healthcare administrator, you're no doubt wondering what your job prospects will be like after you graduate. Are healthcare administrators in demand? Where should job seekers in healthcare administration go about looking for the best jobs in this field? Which skills will improve the employment outlook for medical administrators? The following discussion of the future employment outlook for healthcare administrators will give you a clearer idea of what to expect if you choose to embark on a career in medical administration.
Is Healthcare Administration a Growing Field?
Demand for healthcare administrators is currently growing at a staggering rate. Experts at the Bureau of Labor Statistics plan to see 17 percent growth in the employment levels of medical administrators in the United States through 2024. They attribute this to several factors. One of the most important influences on demand is the aging of the generation of baby boomers. Their healthcare needs are significant. Thanks to more active lifestyles, they're projected to live longer; many will have increased need for nursing care facilities or hospital care.
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The corresponding paychecks in this niche have also shown impressive growth in the recent past. In 2015, median annual salaries for medical services managers were $94,500 per year. The median hourly rate of pay that medical administrators could command was
$45.43. In 2016, those figures jumped up to $96,540 annually and $46.41 per hour, respectively.
Where Should Job Seekers Look for the Best Jobs in Healthcare Administration?
Hospitals tend to offer the best paying jobs in healthcare administration. As of 2016, healthcare administrators working as hospital staff were earning median annual paychecks of $104,340.
Experts at the US Bureau of Labor Statistics also predict that there will be growing opportunities for administrators of nursing care facilities. The pay in this niche isn't as impressive, with the 2016 median earnings reported at $80,340; but the abundance of jobs and the rewarding nature of the work will make this an attractive option for some healthcare professionals.
Which Skills and Credentials Improve the Employment Outlook for Healthcare Administrators?
A bachelor's degree is an aspiring medical manager's entry-level employment requirement. As you seek work in this field in the future, many of your competitors will have graduate degrees. It will be beneficial to earn your master's degree if you have the resources to do so.
One of the most important trends affecting medical managers right now is the change from manual medical record keeping to maintaining electronic health records. You can take advantage of this trend and distinguish yourself from other job candidates by acquiring computer expertise. Successfully completing some coursework or perhaps even a minor in information technology would impress many potential healthcare employers. The knowledge you'd gain from these studies would probably also be useful to you in your workday routine after you're hired for a job in healthcare administration.
Medical administration can be a rewarding choice of careers for individuals who have demonstrated leadership ability and excellent interpersonal skills. If you think this occupation is one that would allow you to maximize your strengths, it's definitely a career path worth pursuing. Considering the bright employment outlook for medical administration positions in the near future, it's a fantastic time to begin a career as a healthcare administrator.
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