Healthcare administrators are valuable commodities, with the strength of a city, region, or even a state depending on their ability to effectively manage and direct healthcare organizations ranging from nursing homes and assisted living facilities to major hospital systems.
The annual salaries for healthcare administrators speak to their importance, not only for the state’s healthcare system but also for the health of the state as a whole.
These professionals earn a median salary of $93,270 in Tennessee. Compared with that of the general economy, job growth for Tennessee’s healthcare administrators is expected to increase by an enviable 20.3% between 2018 and 2028.
The Major Drivers of Job Growth for Healthcare Administrators in Tennessee
The size, fitness, and vitality of hospitals and healthcare systems equate to exceptional professional opportunities for healthcare administrators. Examine the healthcare industry in Tennessee and it becomes clear why earning potential and job opportunities among healthcare administrators here remain strong.
Hospitals in the Volunteer State are a major driver in the economy. The US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reports that in 2019 the state’s 272 hospital establishments were responsible for employing 147,633 people. And in 2020 healthcare administrators in Tennessee took home a combined total of more than $1 billion in salaries.
In Nashville alone, there are more than 500 healthcare companies, and the healthcare sector contributes $47 billion annually to the city’s economy – an increase of 20 percent from just three years prior according to report published by the Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce. More than 273,000 people in Nashville are employed in the healthcare industry, and the industry generates $92 billion in revenue.
How Location Impacts Healthcare Administrator Salaries in Tennessee
The largest number of healthcare administrators is found in the Nashville-Davidson-Murfreesboro-Franklin metro area, at 4,070. This metro area also comes out as the leader among the top 10% of healthcare administrators, at $183,860, with the Memphis metro area following at $173,010. However Chattanooga tops the list in the 90th percentile category with its wage of $193,080.
Memphis and Johnson City are the leaders for median pay for healthcare administrators, at $103,460 and $100,810, respectively.
Chattanooga, TN-GA
- 25th percentile: $65,600
- Median: $91,680
- 90th percentile: $193,080
Knoxville
- 25th percentile: $61,800
- Median: $84,130
- 90th percentile: $144,540
Memphis
- 25th percentile: $81,770
- Median: $103,460
- 90th percentile: $174,060
Nashville-Davidson–Murfreesboro–Franklin
- 25th percentile: $74,090
- Median: $99,430
- 90th percentile: $183,860
Full salary details for the health administration professionals serving hospitals and health systems in Tennessee can be seen here:
2020 US Bureau of Labor Statistics salary figures for Medical and Health Services Managers.
Job growth projections sourced from the Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development and published in the U.S. Department of Labor-funded Long Term Occupational Projections (2018-2028) database – https://projectionscentral.com/Projections/LongTerm.
Salary figures and job market projections represent state data, not school-specific information.
Conditions in your area may vary. Data accessed August 2021.