How the Health Care Administration Major Prepares You for the Job Market
The business degree is one of the most applicable degrees you can earn. Every industry, from restaurants to non-profits, has a business aspect that demands attention. For this reason, business students are highly likely to find employment in any variety of fields. This may account for the popularity of the business degree. In 2006-2007, approximately 21 percent of the 1,524,000 degrees conferred were given in the field of business, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. Health care administration majors in particular focus on the business side of health care facilities, one of the fastest growing industries today. They work behind the scenes, handling billing, staffing, and many other important aspects that keep hospitals and clinics running smoothly. To prepare for a future working in both large and small clinical settings, health care administration majors take courses in health care organization, management, information management, and other topics related to building organization and leadership skills. This educational preparation gives health care administration majors a head start towards a rewarding career, as graduates will possess the knowledge needed in the field.
Best Career Paths for Health Care Administration Majors
The rapidly growing health care industry has a need for innovative thinkers and strong leaders. The best career paths for health care administration majors to take are:
- Hospital Care Administrator. Administrators ensure that every part of a hospital runs as smoothly and efficiently as possible. They are responsible for organizing other employees, ensuring that the hospital is always adequately staffed, keeping medical records accurate, and working with clinical managers to provide the best possible patient care. Hospital care administrators make an average salary of $87,040 annually, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
- Nursing Home Administrator. Nursing home administrators supervise other employees, working behind the scenes to make certain that the nursing home is run comfortably. They may work with admissions managers to handle the records for those seeking to gain admittance into the home, as well as with the nursing staff to make adjustments to living situations and medical assistance to keep the occupants at ease. Nursing home administrators make an average salary of $71,190 annually, according to the Bureau.
Both of these positions utilize business skills, administrative techniques, and industry knowledge that health care administration majors possess.
How to Market Your Health Care Administration Degree
Earning a health care administration degree is an important step towards starting your career. However, you will also need to know how to market your degree to potential employers in order to prove to them that your education makes you an excellent candidate for the position. To do this, be specific about the skills you learned during your college career. For example, mention that your health care administration degree helped you understand the workings of a hospital or clinic and also helped to shape you into a strong and responsible leader. Reassuring employers and clients that your educational background helped you develop real-world skills is the most effective way of marketing your health care administration degree.


