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People with successful careers in nursing administration have great communication skills; they have training and experience in business planning and management; they love working in the nursing field. Nursing administration is a subset of a larger field known as medical and health services management, and people in this field generally work in nursing care facilities, hospitals, or outpatient clinics.

Nursing Administration Salary Variables

The nursing administration salary varies widely based on the following:

• Level of education
• Place of employment
• The duties an administrator performs

The Bureau of Labor Statistics notes that the salary for health care administrators in general varied from $49,750 to approximately $140,000, with the median wage in 2009 being $81,850.

Earning a master's or doctoral degree in health administration from a curriculum accredited by the Association of University Programs is the normal requirement for a position in this field. There are some jobs for which a bachelor's degree is sufficient, though the pay may be less than a nursing administration salary earned by people with graduate degrees. In addition, people holding more advanced degrees often land better jobs sooner.

The nursing administration salary of candidates hired by hospitals are often the highest in the health administration field. Salaries from private doctor's offices and home health care services are progressively lower. Those working in nursing care facilities usually make the least, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Nevertheless accepting one of the lower paying fields provides experience and a solid resume entry.