by our College Data Analytics TeamA major in Nursing Administration covers Nursing Administration. A Program That Prepares Registered Nurses To Manage Nursing Personnel And Services In Hospitals And Other Health Care Delivery Agencies. Includes Instruction In Principles Of Health Care Administration, Resource And Financial Management, Health Care Law And Policy, Medical Personnel Management, And Managed Care Operations. Examples: [Nursing Administration (Phd)], [Nursing Administration (Msn, Mscn, Ms, Msc, Mn)]. Continue reading for the important information every nursing administration major should know — including career paths, salary data, the skills you will develop, and the best colleges offering nursing administration programs.
Across the country, nursing administration is a widely-pursued major, with 7,911 degrees awarded annually.
Our 2026 Best Nursing Administration Schools ranking analyzes these 198 schools to determine the best overall colleges for nursing administration students. Continue reading to check out one of our many unbiased rankings of nursing administration programs later in this article.
Coursework for Nursing Administration develop a specific mix of skills, knowledge, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in the occupations nursing administration graduates commonly enter.
The skill set built by a nursing administration program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:
Per O*NET surveys, a nursing administration major emphasizes the following knowledge areas:
There are several nursing administration degree levels. The table below shows the typical length of the most common levels, and how many graduates earn each one.
| Degree | Typical Program Length | Graduates Annually |
|---|---|---|
| Bachelor’s Degree | 4 years | 715 |
| Master’s Degree | 1-3 years | 6,289 |
| Doctorate | At least 4 years | 907 |
People currently working in careers related to nursing administration tend to have obtained the following education levels.
| Level of Education | Percentage of Workers |
|---|---|
| Master’s degree | 43.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree | 26.7% |
| Associate’s degree (or other 2-year) | 9.7% |
| Postsecondary certificate | 8.4% |
| Doctoral degree | 7.5% |
| First professional degree | 1.6% |
| Post-master’s certificate | 1.1% |
| Post-doctoral training | 1.0% |
| High school diploma or equivalent | 0.4% |
| Post-baccalaureate certificate | 0.2% |
| Some college courses | 0.1% |
See the chart below to get an idea of what level of education most of those in nursing administration careers hold.
Source: ONET Online education / training / experience requirements.*
Studying nursing administration prepares you for numerous career paths. These are some of the most common occupations related to nursing administration.
The following options are some of the most in-demand careers related to nursing administration.
| Occupation | Projected Jobs | Expected Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Registered Nurses | 3,793,806 | 10.2% |
| Nurse Practitioners | 2,031,912 | 3.3% |
| Clinical Nurse Specialists | 1,937,405 | 12.3% |
| Advanced Practice Psychiatric Nurses | 1,349,827 | 0.0% |
| Critical Care Nurses | 590,563 | 14.4% |
| Medical and Health Services Managers | 419,330 | 8.8% |
| Acute Care Nurses | 191,452 | 4.1% |
The U.S. Department of Education tracks median earnings of nursing administration graduates 1, 4, and 5 years after completion. These numbers tend to grow as graduates gain experience.
| Years Out | Median Earnings |
|---|---|
| 1 year | $83,453 |
| 4 years | $80,149 |
| 5 years | $90,156 |
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field-of-study earnings tracker.
Salaries for nursing administration graduates vary widely by occupation. The following table shows the top highest-paying careers nursing administration grads often go into.
| Occupation | Median Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| Nurse Practitioners | $147,651 |
| Advanced Practice Psychiatric Nurses | $143,854 |
| Medical and Health Services Managers | $129,557 |
| Registered Nurses | $105,741 |
| Critical Care Nurses | $65,103 |
| Acute Care Nurses | $56,247 |
| Clinical Nurse Specialists | $52,889 |
With 198 different nursing administration programs to choose from, finding the best fit can be a challenge. We have analyzed these schools to produce unbiased nursing administration school rankings to help you.
If you are interested in nursing administration, you may also want to explore other closely related fields of study within the same broad area.
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse | 256,965 |
| Family Practice Nurse/Nursing | 14,847 |
| Nursing Practice | 9,206 |
| Psychiatric/Mental Health Nurse/Nursing | 4,379 |
| Nursing Science | 4,245 |
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing, Other | 4,125 |
| Adult Health Nurse/Nursing | 2,457 |
| Nurse Anesthetist | 1,960 |
| Public Health/Community Nurse/Nursing | 1,505 |
| Geriatric Nurse/Nursing | 641 |
More about our data sources and methodologies.
