Among the Southern states, with challenging demographics for healthcare and generally below-average salaries, North Carolina health care administrators stand out from the pack. Bureau of Labor Statistics data from 2020 show a median annual salary of $103,940, with those in the top ten percent making $189,450 per year.
According to the Kaiser Family Foundation, 20 percent of Southerners report themselves to be in poor health, and the diabetes and infant mortality rates lead the nation. But North Carolina is slowly breaking out of those regional trends, boasting a 7 percent annual growth in expenditures that is paying for more staff, more coverage, and, increasingly, better pay for healthcare administrators.
Job Forecast for Healthcare Administrators in North Carolina
Health Care and Social Assistance forms the largest industry by employment in the state of North Carolina, and it’s also the fastest growing. Medical managers are fully onboard that overall trend.
The North Carolina Department of Commerce estimates that the number of healthcare administrators in the state will grow by 16.2 percent between 2018 and 2028. That equates to 1,010 openings per year across the state, both from new job creation and turnover in existing positions.
Healthcare Administration Salaries in North Carolina by Location
Although it’s the third largest region in the area, Raleigh comes in second for healthcare administration employment. But it’s Durham-Chapel Hill that offers the highest median salary in the state at $125,040. the best area for the top ten percent is Greensboro, paying $205,360 per year.
Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia
- 25th percentile: $76,450
- Median: $96,850
- 90th percentile: $167,840
Durham-Chapel Hill
- 25th percentile: $97,490
- Median: $125,040
- 90th percentile: NA
Winston-Salem
- 25th percentile: $85,190
- Median: $103,190
- 90th percentile: NA
Asheville
- 25th percentile: $84,550
- Median: $103,500
- 90th percentile: $180,570
Across North Carolina, healthcare administrators working in urban areas generally enjoy salaries exceeding the national median, while those in smaller towns or rural areas have compensation below that number.
2020 US Bureau of Labor Statistics salary figures for Medical and Health Services Managers.
Job growth projections sourced from the North Carolina Department of Commerce 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.