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Health Service Managers Job Overview

Like every business, health care services require good management. Health service managers are responsible for planning, directing, coordinating and supervising the proper delivery of health care services. Also referred to as health care executives or health care administrators, they are specialists handling specific clinical departments or generalists managing an entire facility or system. Clinical managers have more responsibilities than generalists, and have training and/or experience in a specific clinical area.

Health Service Managers Schools and Degrees

To make it as a health service manager, a master’s degree in health services administration, care administration, health sciences, public health, public administration or business administration is the standard qualification for most generalist positions. Health service managers are required to be well acquainted with management principles and practices. A bachelor’s degree is sometimes sufficient for entry-level positions in smaller facilities and departments.

A bachelors degree is required for entry-level positions in small organizations. In physicians’ offices and some other facilities, on-the-job experience may substitute for formal education. Bachelors’, master’s and doctoral degree programs in health care administration are offered by a large number of colleges, universities and schools of public health, medicine, allied health, public administration and business administration.

Job Requirements

Graduate programs generally favor students with a liberal arts or health background, but some graduate programs seek students with undergraduate degrees in business or health administration. Prior work experience in healthcare may also help. There is intense competition for entry to these programs, and admission is difficult.

Health service managers are responsible for maintenance and security of all patient records, thus they are required to make effective decisions. They should ideally be open to different opinions and good at analyzing contradictory information. Tact, diplomacy, flexibility and communication skills are also essential for success in this profession.

Nature of Work

As the structure and financing of health care is changing rapidly, future health services managers must be equipped to deal with evolving integrated health care delivery systems, restructuring of work, technological innovations and an increased focus on preventive care. Some health service managers work in comfortable, private offices, but most of them work for long hours. Facilities such as nursing homes and hospitals operate around the clock, and administrators and managers may be called at any hour to deal with problems.

Health Service Managers Jobs and Outlook

According to recent research, health services managers held 262,000 jobs in the US. Employment of medical and health services managers is expected to grow by 16 percent during the next ten years. The health care industry will continue to expand and diversify, requiring managers to help ensure smooth business operations. Employment is the highest in the following industries:

• General Medical and Surgical Hospitals
• Home Health Care Services
• Nursing Care Facilities
• Offices of Physicians
• Outpatient Care Centers

Median annual earnings of medical and health service managers was around $73,340 in the U.S. in 2006.

Job Numbers and Growth

Health service managers in the US number about 262,000. Workers generally expect a very low unemployment rate. There were about 2% of employees without jobs in 2008.

Area Job Conditions

Where are jobs most numerous? Ames (Iowa), Cheyenne (Wyoming), and Shreveport (Louisiana). Least common? Bellingham (Washington), Fort Walton Beach (Florida), and Panama City (Florida).

Salaries vary across the country, from highest in San Jose (California), Olympia (Washington), and Seattle (Washington) to lowest in Pocatello (Idaho), Charleston (West Virginia), and Idaho Falls (Idaho).

Training and Education

Obtaining a bachelor's or higher degree, plus work experience will help job seekers. Health service managers with four or more years of college are 57% of the total. An estimated 32% of workers attended college at some level but did not pursue a 4-year degree. High school was enough education for 11% of employees. Recommended schools are shown in the column to the right; request information from them to help you decide which if any could help you with this career.

Part-Time Work and Self-Employment

Whether by choice or necessity, 6% of health service managers work part-time. About 8% of workers do not work for a company or organization.

Health Service Managers by Metropolitan Area (city and its surroundings)

In the table below, a Job Density near 0% means the area has an average number of people in this occupation, for its population. A higher or lower Job Density (e.g., +22% or -45%) tells you there are that many more or fewer workers of that type there than in the average US metro area. So, the higher the number, the more common the occupation.

Alabama

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Anniston	$78,000	50	-41%
Birmingham	$96,000	680	-35%
Decatur	$81,000	60	-40%
Dothan	$108,000	80	-28%
Gadsden	$88,000	70	+12%
Huntsville	$76,000	150	-65%
Mobile	$103,000	240	-34%
Montgomery	$84,000	190	-43%
Tuscaloosa	$93,000	110	-38%

Alaska

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Anchorage	$99,000	430	+25%
Fairbanks	$77,000	50	-13%

Arizona

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Flagstaff	$101,000	190	+79%
Kingman	$91,000	170	+94%
Phoenix	$87,000	4,450	+18%
Prescott	$93,000	160	+57%
Tucson	$85,000	1,120	+56%
Yuma	$82,000	90	-14%

Arkansas

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Fayetteville	$85,000	250	-41%
Fort Smith	$86,000	200	-19%
Hot Springs	$82,000	70	+7%
Jonesboro	$67,000	60	-31%
Little Rock	$81,000	830	+14%
Pine Bluff	$74,000	110	+105%

California

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Bakersfield	$93,000	450	-17%
Chico	$93,000	180	+34%
El Centro	$96,000	70	-25%
Fresno	$99,000	670	0%
Hanford	$112,000	60	-2%
Los Angeles	$104,000	7,430	-15%
Madera	$123,000	90	+58%
Merced	$114,000	120	+12%
Modesto	$103,000	350	+11%
Napa	$113,000	140	+17%
Oakland	$108,000	2,540	+19%
Oxnard	$95,000	490	-21%
Redding	$85,000	210	+84%
Riverside	$98,000	2,140	-17%
Sacramento	$110,000	2,060	+11%
Salinas	$108,000	250	-24%
San Diego	$115,000	2,170	-23%
San Francisco	$111,000	1,820	-14%
San Jose	$124,000	1,300	-32%
San Luis Obispo	$89,000	240	+31%
Santa Ana	$103,000	1,980	-36%
Santa Barbara	$106,000	270	-21%
Santa Cruz	$107,000	160	-6%
Santa Rosa	$100,000	350	-2%
Stockton	$99,000	440	+1%
Vallejo	$108,000	300	+25%
Visalia	$67,000	210	-23%
Yuba City	$83,000	110	+58%

Colorado

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Boulder	$83,000	250	-20%
Colorado Springs	$101,000	380	-28%
Denver	$101,000	1,410	-47%
Fort Collins	$105,000	240	-5%
Grand Junction	$101,000	120	+11%
Greeley	$90,000	90	-36%
Pueblo	$72,000	170	+58%

Connecticut

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Bridgeport	$91,000	760	-16%
Danbury	$99,000	290	+121%
Hartford	$114,000	1,870	+53%
New Haven	$116,000	930	+63%
Norwich	$108,000	270	+9%
Waterbury	$108,000	240	+84%

Delaware

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Dover	$88,000	150	+56%
Wilmington	$101,000	650	-5%

District of Columbia

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Washington	$101,000	5,220	0%

Florida

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Cape Coral	$100,000	290	-27%
Deltona	$91,000	180	-42%
Fort Lauderdale	$114,000	960	-35%
Fort Walton Beach	$85,000	40	-73%
Gainesville	$102,000	230	-6%
Jacksonville	$97,000	580	-55%
Lakeland	$97,000	130	-67%
Miami	$108,000	1,250	-40%
Naples	$99,000	130	-42%
Ocala	$97,000	80	-54%
Orlando	$91,000	980	-55%
Palm Bay	$97,000	230	-44%
Panama City	$95,000	50	-62%
Pensacola	$90,000	140	-54%
Port St Lucie	$80,000	220	-8%
Punta Gorda	$96,000	60	-16%
Sarasota	$88,000	440	-14%
Sebastian		60	-32%
Tallahassee	$88,000	210	-36%
Tampa	$99,000	1,350	-45%
West Palm Beach	$101,000	750	-32%

Georgia

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Albany	$76,000	130	+11%
Athens	$85,000	350	+156%
Atlanta	$90,000	6,420	+29%
Augusta	$85,000	1,000	+135%
Brunswick	$70,000	80	+7%
Columbus	$84,000	350	+59%
Dalton	$79,000	100	-23%
Gainesville	$84,000	260	+94%
Macon	$87,000	320	+80%
Rome	$84,000	210	+233%
Savannah	$81,000	520	+71%
Valdosta	$63,000	110	+19%
Warner Robins	$66,000	50	-50%

Hawaii

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Honolulu	$101,000	850	-9%

Idaho

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Boise	$78,000	1,070	+96%
Coeur Dalene	$70,000	130	+37%
Idaho Falls	$71,000	50	-42%
Lewiston	$73,000	80	+100%
Pocatello	$58,000	70	+31%

Illinois

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Bloomington	$85,000	80	-41%
Champaign	$62,000	110	-46%
Chicago	$104,000	6,090	-25%
Danville	$85,000	50	+5%
Peoria	$71,000	560	+60%
Rockford	$84,000	300	+5%
Springfield	$92,000	270	+26%

Indiana

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Anderson	$80,000	130	+89%
Bloomington	$78,000	140	+4%
Columbus	$93,000	100	+45%
Elkhart	$73,000	190	-12%
Evansville	$72,000	430	+22%
Fort Wayne	$83,000	500	+18%
Gary	$85,000	690	+23%
Indianapolis	$81,000	2,530	+32%
Kokomo	$66,000	110	+56%
Lafayette	$88,000	160	+9%
Michigan City	$75,000	120	+60%
Muncie	$96,000	160	+90%
South Bend	$75,000	280	+7%
Terre Haute	$66,000	290	+121%

Iowa

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Ames	$89,000	160	+137%
Cedar Rapids	$74,000	290	+3%
Davenport	$69,000	400	+4%
Des Moines	$82,000	900	+30%
Dubuque	$74,000	90	-10%
Iowa City	$93,000	350	+156%
Sioux City	$76,000	140	0%
Waterloo	$67,000	290	+72%

Kansas

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Lawrence	$82,000	70	-12%
Manhattan	$83,000	160	+64%
Topeka	$80,000	300	+36%
Wichita	$80,000	700	+16%

Kentucky

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Bowling Green	$85,000	120	+14%
Elizabethtown	$88,000	90	+10%
Lexington	$83,000	600	+20%
Louisville	$84,000	1,680	+30%
Owensboro	$66,000	110	+25%

Louisiana

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Alexandria	$80,000	180	+46%
Baton Rouge	$78,000	780	-1%
Houma	$84,000	160	-15%
Lafayette	$82,000	200	-31%
Lake Charles	$66,000	120	-31%
Monroe	$74,000	150	+1%
New Orleans	$92,000	840	-25%
Shreveport	$80,000	600	+62%

Maine

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Bangor	$89,000	190	+63%
Lewiston	$77,000	120	+27%
Portland	$94,000	440	+6%

Maryland

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Baltimore	$91,000	4,600	+64%
Bethesda	$110,000	2,060	+67%
Cumberland	$73,000	90	+35%
Hagerstown	$83,000	310	+61%
Salisbury	$105,000	100	-1%

Massachusetts

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Barnstable Town	$111,000	220	+11%
Boston	$121,000	5,190	+39%
Brockton	$88,000	210	+18%
Framingham	$97,000	250	-25%
Haverhill	$91,000	150	-7%
Lawrence		160	+41%
Leominster	$97,000	70	-24%
Lowell	$105,000	200	-17%
New Bedford	$96,000	130	+5%
Peabody	$93,000	330	+63%
Springfield	$112,000	770	+23%
Taunton	$99,000	80	-3%
Worcester	$99,000	740	+41%

Michigan

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Ann Arbor	$101,000	500	+46%
Battle Creek	$95,000	130	+34%
Bay City	$113,000	90	+55%
Detroit	$91,000	2,250	+58%
Flint	$85,000	420	+60%
Grand Rapids	$86,000	890	+12%
Holland	$80,000	100	-48%
Jackson	$67,000	200	+121%
Kalamazoo	$83,000	350	+27%
Lansing	$84,000	530	+29%
Monroe	$66,000	100	+52%
Muskegon	$78,000	170	+61%
Niles	$81,000	140	+27%
Saginaw	$82,000	260	+62%
Warren	$89,000	2,010	-13%

Minnesota

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Duluth	$92,000	390	+48%
Mankato	$74,000	160	+50%
Minneapolis	$104,000	4,090	+7%
Rochester	$117,000	330	+62%
St Cloud	$98,000	170	-10%

Mississippi

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Gulfport	$100,000	260	+21%
Hattiesburg	$70,000	190	+75%
Jackson	$79,000	610	+15%
Pascagoula	$82,000	120	+40%

Missouri

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Cape Girardeau	$75,000	100	+22%
Columbia	$82,000	170	+9%
Jefferson City	$66,000	220	+53%
Joplin	$71,000	140	-9%
Kansas City	$88,000	1,990	-8%
Springfield	$69,000	320	-19%
St Joseph	$75,000	80	-16%

Montana

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Billings	$88,000	180	+9%
Great Falls	$64,000	50	-25%
Missoula	$77,000	100	+2%

Nebraska

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Lincoln	$87,000	370	+13%
Omaha	$85,000	1,190	+19%

Nevada

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Carson City	$95,000	90	+98%
Las Vegas	$92,000	1,340	-26%
Reno	$95,000	360	-9%

New Hampshire

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Manchester	$96,000	230	+11%
Nashua	$91,000	230	-17%
Portsmouth	$93,000	60	-45%
Rochester	$87,000	120	+19%

New Jersey

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Atlantic City	$96,000	220	-25%
Camden	$108,000	1,160	+4%
Edison	$106,000	1,870	-15%
Newark	$109,000	2,010	-6%
Trenton	$101,000	450	-5%
Vineland	$96,000	80	-30%

New Mexico

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Albuquerque	$113,000	690	-15%
Farmington	$90,000	110	+19%
Las Cruces	$98,000	70	-43%
Santa Fe		150	+26%

New York

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Albany	$94,000	1,570	+64%
Binghamton	$103,000	230	+2%
Buffalo	$90,000	1,110	-6%
Elmira	$92,000	100	+44%
Ithaca	$90,000	80	+7%
Kingston	$85,000	160	+39%
Nassau	$117,000	3,870	+42%
New York	$115,000	17,070	+53%
Poughkeepsie	$97,000	760	+48%
Rochester	$90,000	1,340	+25%
Syracuse	$86,000	880	+34%
Utica	$81,000	420	+67%

North Carolina

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Asheville	$91,000	420	+15%
Burlington	$111,000	100	-7%
Charlotte	$95,000	1,190	-35%
Durham	$103,000	820	+42%
Fayetteville	$92,000	260	+2%
Goldsboro	$96,000	120	+62%
Greensboro	$94,000	660	-12%
Greenville	$89,000	190	+46%
Hickory	$87,000	230	-23%
Jacksonville	$79,000	60	-23%
Raleigh	$99,000	860	-22%
Rocky Mount	$88,000	130	+18%
Wilmington	$86,000	260	-6%
Winston Salem	$90,000	480	+10%

North Dakota

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Bismarck	$70,000	160	+28%
Fargo	$74,000	150	-39%

Ohio

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Akron	$87,000	930	+37%
Canton	$83,000	390	+14%
Cincinnati	$87,000	1,920	-12%
Cleveland	$86,000	2,360	+8%
Columbus	$87,000	2,140	+9%
Dayton	$87,000	920	+14%
Lima	$85,000	150	+53%
Mansfield	$79,000	100	+3%
Sandusky	$100,000	90	+44%
Springfield	$81,000	100	+12%
Steubenville	$71,000	130	+71%
Toledo	$81,000	820	+33%
Youngstown	$74,000	640	+36%

Oklahoma

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Lawton	$81,000	50	-33%
Oklahoma City	$73,000	1,550	+26%
Tulsa	$70,000	1,520	+67%

Oregon

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Bend	$78,000	110	-9%
Corvallis	$88,000	60	+27%
Eugene	$89,000	250	-13%
Medford	$97,000	150	-1%
Portland	$107,000	1,870	-15%
Salem	$94,000	270	-11%

Pennsylvania

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Allentown	$84,000	780	+7%
Altoona		150	+30%
Erie	$70,000	250	-4%
Harrisburg	$84,000	750	+11%
Johnstown	$90,000	90	-15%
Lancaster		330	-33%
Lebanon	$93,000	70	-17%
Philadelphia	$98,000	5,050	+23%
Pittsburgh	$84,000	2,160	-12%
Reading	$91,000	270	-21%
Scranton	$73,000	590	+8%
State College	$90,000	90	-25%
Williamsport	$92,000	110	+14%
York	$90,000	190	-48%

Rhode Island

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Providence	$105,000	1,370	+15%

South Carolina

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Anderson		130	+22%
Charleston	$89,000	830	+37%
Columbia	$82,000	1,090	+47%
Florence	$72,000	320	+107%
Greenville	$79,000	660	+5%
Myrtle Beach	$74,000	130	-40%
Spartanburg	$86,000	260	+12%
Sumter	$69,000	30	-49%

South Dakota

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Rapid City	$85,000	80	-34%
Sioux Falls	$92,000	210	-26%

Tennessee

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Chattanooga	$74,000	510	+7%
Clarksville	$78,000	140	-8%
Jackson	$63,000	300	+168%
Johnson City	$80,000	190	+36%
Kingsport	$82,000	280	+14%
Knoxville	$80,000	870	+24%
Memphis	$83,000	1,020	-22%
Morristown	$65,000	120	+42%
Nashville	$88,000	1,730	+9%

Texas

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Abilene	$73,000	200	+65%
Amarillo	$94,000	200	-6%
Austin	$87,000	850	-49%
Beaumont	$73,000	310	-6%
Brownsville	$85,000	250	-5%
College Station	$78,000	110	-40%
Corpus Christi	$84,000	300	-18%
Dallas	$96,000	4,140	-8%
El Paso	$78,000	390	-32%
Fort Worth	$94,000	1,500	-19%
Houston	$98,000	4,640	-18%
Killeen	$83,000	380	+46%
Laredo		60	-61%
Longview	$87,000	110	-42%
Lubbock	$75,000	250	-2%
Mcallen	$87,000	440	-8%
Midland	$73,000	120	0%
Odessa	$92,000	70	-35%
San Angelo	$88,000	100	+32%
San Antonio	$89,000	1,500	-20%
Sherman	$75,000	80	+6%
Texarkana	$78,000	100	-2%
Tyler	$84,000	260	+46%
Victoria	$73,000	90	+1%
Waco	$72,000	210	+6%
Wichita Falls	$81,000	120	+15%

Utah

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Logan	$91,000	50	-43%
Ogden	$87,000	290	-30%
Provo	$95,000	220	-37%
Salt Lake City	$94,000	1,300	+0%
St George	$98,000	100	+18%

Vermont

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Burlington	$113,000	420	+88%

Virginia

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Blacksburg	$95,000	120	+3%
Charlottesville	$102,000	170	0%
Danville	$85,000	50	-19%
Harrisonburg	$98,000	80	-24%
Lynchburg	$97,000	170	-13%
Richmond	$98,000	1,230	-6%
Roanoke	$102,000	340	+7%
Virginia Beach	$85,000	1,060	-35%
Winchester	$102,000	110	+18%

Washington

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Bellingham	$85,000	50	-65%
Bremerton	$99,000	120	-26%
Kennewick	$108,000	100	-50%
Longview	$86,000	70	+19%
Mount Vernon	$110,000	70	-14%
Olympia	$106,000	130	-34%
Spokane	$92,000	420	-1%
Tacoma	$117,000	520	-6%
Wenatchee	$111,000	50	-29%
Yakima	$86,000	120	-27%

West Virginia

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Charleston	$75,000	300	+1%
Huntington	$81,000	340	+49%
Morgantown	$77,000	230	+130%
Parkersburg	$94,000	200	+52%
Wheeling	$68,000	160	+28%

Wisconsin

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Appleton	$78,000	180	-22%
Eau Claire	$76,000	160	+11%
Fond	$77,000	70	-11%
Green Bay	$86,000	270	-22%
Janesville	$77,000	110	-9%
La Crosse	$84,000	230	+66%
Madison	$99,000	660	-8%
Milwaukee	$105,000	1,640	-8%
Oshkosh	$78,000	210	+21%
Racine	$83,000	170	+18%
Sheboygan	$100,000	120	+13%
Wausau	$81,000	100	-22%

Wyoming

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Casper	$81,000	90	+37%
Cheyenne	$68,000	110	+41%