Public Health Career · BLS May 2025
Health Services Manager Salary and Career Path
How Much Do Health Services Managers Make, and Is an MPH the Right Degree?
The median health services manager salary was $123,860 in May 2025, across 597,080 jobs, according to BLS data for medical and health services managers. BLS lists a bachelor's degree as the typical entry, with a master's often needed for top executive roles; an MPH in health policy and management is one route, alongside the MHA and MBA. New York pays a $164,120 median across 33,200 jobs. Compare health policy and management MPH programs.
Health Services Manager Pay: $73,390 to $224,340
The median is the midpoint: half of medical and health services managers earned more and half less. The 90th percentile shows where experienced and senior roles land; the 10th, where many new graduates start.
What a Health Services Manager Does
Health services managers run the business side of healthcare. The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) calls the occupation medical and health services managers and describes the work as planning, directing and coordinating the business activities of healthcare providers. Core duties include:
- Setting goals for the efficiency and quality of care
- Making sure the facility complies with laws and regulations
- Preparing and monitoring budgets
- Recruiting, training and supervising staff
The title covers very different jobs. BLS names three common types:
- Nursing home administrators manage an entire facility, from admissions and building maintenance to resident care. Every state requires them to be licensed.
- Clinical managers run a single department, such as intensive care or physical therapy.
- Health information managers keep patient record databases complete, accurate and secure.
Most work full time, and BLS notes that some work more than 40 hours a week.
Where Health Services Managers Work
| Employer | Share of jobs |
|---|---|
| Hospitals | 28% |
| Offices of physicians | 13% |
| Nursing and residential care facilities | 9% |
| Outpatient care centers | 7% |
| Government (excluding schools and hospitals) | 7% |
Source: BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2025.
Hospitals are the largest employer, but physician practices, nursing homes, outpatient centers and government agencies together offer a wide range of management roles.
Health Services Manager Salary by State
This is the highest-paid career on this site, with a national median of $123,860 across 597,080 jobs. Pay is high almost everywhere: outside Puerto Rico ($82,580), no state median falls below Arkansas’s $94,340.
The biggest job markets:
| State | Jobs | Median pay |
|---|---|---|
| California | 75,090 | $141,480 |
| Texas | 58,420 | $114,150 |
| Florida | 42,700 | $120,360 |
| New York | 33,200 | $164,120 |
| Pennsylvania | 30,480 | $103,670 |
| Ohio | 24,390 | $106,140 |
| Illinois | 22,460 | $117,850 |
| Massachusetts | 17,600 | $134,360 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025.
New York is the standout: the highest median in the country ($164,120) and the fourth-largest job count. New Jersey ($145,650, 16,900 jobs) and California ($141,480) also combine size and pay. Among large markets, Pennsylvania ($103,670) and Ohio ($106,140) pay the least.
At the bottom, the lowest medians belong to Puerto Rico ($82,580, 1,180 jobs), Arkansas ($94,340, 6,440 jobs), Alabama ($97,790, 10,360 jobs) and Mississippi ($98,160, 4,280 jobs).
The spread within the occupation is wide. A quarter of managers earned less than $94,700, a quarter earned more than $166,100, and the top tenth more than $224,340. That upper range is where executive roles sit, and BLS notes that advancement to top executive positions may require a master’s degree.
Health Services Manager Education: Bachelor’s First, Master’s to Advance
BLS lists a bachelor’s degree as the typical entry requirement. Relevant majors include health administration, nursing and business, and coursework often covers health services management, accounting and budgeting, and health informatics. Employers may also want administrative or clinical experience in a healthcare facility; BLS notes that some managers start as medical records specialists, administrative assistants or financial clerks.
So an MPH is not required to enter this field, and it isn’t the only master’s that leads to the top. BLS names health administration, nursing and business as the relevant fields, which is why the MHA and MBA are common alternatives. What the MPH adds is public health training: every CEPH-accredited MPH assesses students on the same foundational public health competencies and includes an applied practice experience.
| Question | MPH in health policy and management | MHA |
|---|---|---|
| Named by BLS as a relevant field? | Public health is not named; health administration is | Yes, health administration |
| Required public health core | Yes, at CEPH-accredited programs | Only if the school designates it a public health degree |
| Natural fit | Public agencies, population health, program leadership | Hospital and health system operations |
The MPH vs MHA guide covers the trade-off in detail. For hospital operations, the MHA is the more direct match to what BLS describes; for leading programs that improve health across a population, the MPH fits better.
The FACHE Credential and Licensing
Certification isn’t required, but BLS notes that some managers earn a professional credential. The best known is FACHE, from the American College of Healthcare Executives. It’s a mid-career credential, not an entry-level one. ACHE requires:
- A master’s or other post-baccalaureate degree
- A current healthcare management position and five years of healthcare management experience
- One year of ACHE membership
- At least 36 continuing education credits in the past three years
- Two references and four volunteer activities
- Passing the Board of Governors Exam in Healthcare Management
Because FACHE requires a graduate degree, an MPH counts toward eligibility. If you want to become a nursing home administrator, licensing comes first: every state requires it, with its own rules.
Studying Near the Biggest Job Markets
Health services management is a local business: hospitals, physician groups and nursing homes hire managers where they operate. BLS notes that employers may require administrative or clinical experience in a healthcare facility, so a practicum near where you want to work does double duty. The states with the most health policy and management programs on this site line up well with the largest job markets.
| State | Programs on this site | Manager jobs | Median pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| California | 18 | 75,090 | $141,480 |
| New York | 16 | 33,200 | $164,120 |
| Massachusetts | 9 | 17,600 | $134,360 |
| Pennsylvania | 9 | 30,480 | $103,670 |
| Illinois | 8 | 22,460 | $117,850 |
| Georgia | 7 | 11,130 | $131,910 |
Program counts from this site’s program records; jobs and pay from BLS OEWS, May 2025.
California and New York offer the most choice and the strongest pay. Georgia is a quieter option: 7 programs and a $131,910 median, above the national figure.
Choosing a Health Policy and Management Program
This site lists 169 health policy and management programs: 150 MPH degrees and 19 related master’s. Among 72 programs that publish a per-credit rate, the median is $857.75 a credit. Across 68 programs with both a rate and a credit total, estimated tuition (published per-credit rate times credits, before fees) has a median of $38,136.
| Program | Credits | Per credit | Estimated tuition |
|---|---|---|---|
| UTHealth Houston MPH (Healthcare Management concentration, Texas resident) | 45 | $287 | $12,915 |
| University of Nevada, Reno MPH (Health Administration and Policy) | 42 | $383.25 | $16,097 |
| UNLV MPH (Healthcare Administration and Policy track) | 47 (minimum) | $383.25 | $18,013 |
| University of South Florida MPH (Health Care Organizations and Management) | 42 | $430.43 | $18,078 |
| NYU MPH: Public Health Management | 46 | $2,507 | $115,322 |
For mid-career students, a few programs are built around a job. UCLA offers a one-year MPH in Health Policy and Management for applicants who already hold an academic or professional doctoral-level degree, such as physicians, and an Executive MPH in Health Policy and Management with classes on Friday afternoons, evenings and Saturdays. Southern Connecticut State offers an Executive MPH in Management and Leadership. If speed matters most, Emory’s Accelerated MPH packs 42 credit hours into three semesters (12 or 15 months), in person, hybrid or online, with a Health Care Management concentration, at $28,986 a semester.
If you need to study online, 73 programs offer an online format. The University of Florida online MPH (Population Health Management, $550 a credit) and the University of Arizona online MPH (Health Services Administration, 7.5-week courses) are two options at CEPH-accredited schools. Browse online MPH programs and accelerated programs for more.
How to Choose
- Match the degree to the setting. Hospital operations points to the MHA; population health, public agencies and program leadership point to the MPH.
- Check accreditation. 147 of the 169 programs are at CEPH-accredited schools. The CEPH accreditation guide explains what that covers.
- Plan for experience. FACHE needs five years of management experience, and BLS notes that employers may want healthcare work experience before hiring managers. A program with a strong practicum helps you start building it.
- Compare with nearby careers. If you want to manage health data systems, compare the health informatics career; if you want to lead community programs, see the health educator career.
BLS projects employment of medical and health services managers to grow 24 percent from 2025 to 2035, much faster than average, with about 62,300 openings a year.
Highest-Paying States for Medical and Health Services Managers
| State | Median | 90th percentile | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| New York | $164,120 | $340,990 | 33,200 |
| District of Columbia | $155,140 | $227,270 | 2,010 |
| Hawaii | $147,630 | $219,760 | 2,650 |
| New Jersey | $145,650 | $328,500 | 16,900 |
| Washington | $145,290 | $282,250 | 7,490 |
| Oregon | $141,690 | $295,630 | 5,550 |
| California | $141,480 | $274,660 | 75,090 |
| Colorado | $134,910 | $227,940 | 8,400 |
| Delaware | $134,820 | $298,180 | 1,560 |
| Massachusetts | $134,360 | $296,030 | 17,600 |
BLS publishes 11-9111 estimates for 54 states. Full list on the MPH salary page.
The MPH Path: Health Policy and Management
169 programs we verified offer health policy and management, as an MPH concentration or a related master's degree. These online MPH programs at CEPH-accredited schools are a place to start:
- MPH
Master of Public Health
University of Alabama at Birmingham · Birmingham, ALOnlineOn campusNo GRESOPHAS6 concentrations- Credits
- 42
- Tuition
- $526/cr
- Length
- 5 sem
CEPH - MPH
- Credits
- 42
- Tuition
- $950/cr
- Length
- 2 yr
CEPH - MPH
Online Master of Public Health
University of California-Berkeley · Berkeley, CAOnline4 concentrations- Credits
- 42
- Tuition
- $1,629/cr
- Length
- 27 mo
CEPH - MPH
Master of Public Health
National University · San Diego, CAOnlineOn campusHybridNo GRE3 concentrations- Credits
- 48
- Tuition
- $644/cr
- Length
- 18 mo
CEPH - MPH
- Credits
- 44
- Tuition
- $2,070/cr
- Length
- 2 yr
CEPH
All health policy and management programs
Frequently Asked Questions
How Much Does a Health Services Manager Make an Hour?
The median hourly wage for medical and health services managers was $59.55 in May 2025. The mean annual wage was $140,970.
Is Health Services Management a Growing Field?
Yes, strongly. BLS projects employment of medical and health services managers to grow 24 percent from 2025 to 2035, much faster than the average for all occupations, with about 62,300 openings a year.
Do Nursing Home Administrators Need a License?
Yes. BLS notes that all states require licensure for nursing home administrators, and the requirements vary by state.
What Is the FACHE Credential?
FACHE (Fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives) is a board certification for healthcare leaders. It requires a master's or other post-baccalaureate degree, a current healthcare management position, five years of healthcare management experience, one year of ACHE membership, 36 continuing education credits in the past three years, two references, four volunteer activities, and passing the Board of Governors Exam.
Can You Earn a Health Management MPH Online?
Yes. Of the 169 health policy and management programs on this site, 73 offer an online format and 39 are online only, including the University of Florida's online MPH with a Population Health Management concentration at $550 a credit.
Sources
- BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, 11-9111 Medical and Health Services Managers, May 2025
- Official program pages of the schools listed, reviewed September 2026
- BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook: Medical and Health Services Managers
- ACHE: FACHE requirements