Best institutions to study Health Unit Manager/Ward Supervisor
A program that prepares individuals, under the supervision of nursing or medical service administrators, to supervise and coordinate the operations of one or more patient care units in hospitals or other health care facilities.
5 U.S. institutions graduated 38 Health Unit Manager/Ward Supervisor students in 2024–25 (IPEDS). It is CIP 51.0704, a specialization of Health and Medical Administrative Services (CIP 51.07), and leads most directly to the Medical and Health Services Managers occupation (BLS SOC 11-9111).
About Health Unit Manager/Ward Supervisor programs
A program that prepares individuals, under the supervision of nursing or medical service administrators, to supervise and coordinate the operations of one or more patient care units in hospitals or other health care facilities. Includes instruction in planning and initiating administrative procedures, personnel supervision, interpersonal skills, general and/or specialized health care operations and procedures, and consultation with other medical, nursing, and administrative team members.
Source: National Center for Education Statistics, Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP 2020).
The Health Unit Manager/Ward Supervisor program prepares individuals to oversee and coordinate operations within patient care units in hospitals and healthcare facilities. Under the guidance of nursing or medical service administrators, students learn to manage personnel and administrative procedures critical to effective healthcare delivery. This program is ideal for those seeking a leadership role in health services management.
Students in this program gain essential skills in administration, personnel supervision, and interpersonal communication. Coursework covers critical areas such as healthcare operations, record management systems, and fiscal operations, equipping graduates with the knowledge needed to thrive in a dynamic healthcare environment.
Credentials awarded
What Health Unit Manager/Ward Supervisor graduates earned in 2024–25, by award level (IPEDS completions).
- Associate's degree38 graduates / yr · 5 institutions100%
Graduates over time
Health Unit Manager/Ward Supervisor completions reported to IPEDS each year, all award levels combined.
| Year | Graduates |
|---|---|
| 2012 | 22 |
| 2013 | 26 |
| 2014 | 20 |
| 2015 | 11 |
| 2016 | 13 |
| 2017 | 12 |
| 2018 | 20 |
| 2019 | 8 |
| 2020 | 12 |
| 2021 | 22 |
| 2022 | 11 |
| 2023 | 35 |
| 2024 | 38 |
| 2025 | 38 |
Top 5 institutions for Health Unit Manager/Ward Supervisor, ranked by graduates
Graduates (IPEDS completions), 2024–25. Award levels show which credentials each institution confers in this specialization.
| # | Institution | Graduates / yr | Grad rate | Net price | Field earnings* (1 yr) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Southeastern College - Boynton Beach Boynton Beach, FLPrivate for-profitAssociate's | 21 | 88% | $35,974 | — |
| 2 | Delaware County Community College Media, PAPublicAssociate's | 13 | 24% | — | $43,435 |
| 3 | Southeastern College - Columbia Columbia, SCPrivate for-profitAssociate's | 2 | 67% | $40,171 | — |
| 4 | Southeastern College - Charleston North Charleston, SCPrivate for-profitAssociate's | 1 | 67% | $38,671 | $29,499 |
| 5 | Southeastern College - Charlotte Charlotte, NCPrivate for-profitAssociate's | 1 | 77% | $36,791 | $27,644 |
* Median earnings 1 year after graduation for the broader Health and Medical Administrative Services field (CIP 51.07) at these institutions; College Scorecard does not publish earnings at the 6-digit level.
Offered in 4 states
Where Health Unit Manager/Ward Supervisor graduates come from. Each state links to all Health and Medical Administrative Services programs offered there.
| State | Institutions | Graduates / yr | Top institution by graduates |
|---|---|---|---|
| Florida | 1 | 21 | Southeastern College - Boynton Beach21 / yr |
| Pennsylvania | 1 | 13 | Delaware County Community College13 / yr |
| South Carolina | 2 | 3 | Southeastern College - Columbia2 / yr |
| North Carolina | 1 | 1 | Southeastern College - Charlotte1 / yr |
Careers & outlook
The payoff after graduation: occupation 11-9111, Medical and Health Services Managers, and its national outlook.
Graduates of the Health Unit Manager/Ward Supervisor program can pursue careers as Medical and Health Services Managers. The job outlook is promising, with a growth rate of 23.2% and approximately 62,100 annual openings. The median wage for this role is $117,960, typically requiring a Bachelor's degree for advancement.
Top-paying metros
Career pathways for CIP 51.0704
The occupations the NCES crosswalk maps this 6-digit code to, with BLS pay and 10-year outlook.
| Occupation | US median pay | Growth | Openings / yr | Typical entry education |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Medical and Health Services Managersprimary SOC 11-9111 | $123,860 | +23.2% Much faster than average | ~62,100 | Bachelor's degree |
Job Zone Four: Considerable Preparation Needed
- Education
- Most of these occupations require a four-year bachelor's degree, but some do not.
- Experience
- A considerable amount of work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is needed for these occupations. For example, an accountant must complete four years of college and work for several years in accounting to be considered qualified.
- Training
- Employees in these occupations usually need several years of work-related experience, on-the-job training, and/or vocational training.
Related careers
Skills & knowledge in Health Unit Manager/Ward Supervisor programs
From the U.S. Dept. of Labor for the occupation this specialization most leads to.
Skills you'll build
Knowledge areas
Abilities that matter most
Day-to-day work activities
What graduates do on the job
- Direct, supervise and evaluate work activities of medical, nursing, technical, clerical, service, maintenance, and other personnel.
- Develop and maintain computerized record management systems to store and process data, such as personnel activities and information, and to produce reports.
- Plan, implement, and administer programs and services in a health care or medical facility, including personnel administration, training, and coordination of medical, nursing and physical plant staff.
- Conduct and administer fiscal operations, including accounting, planning budgets, authorizing expenditures, establishing rates for services, and coordinating financial reporting.
- Maintain awareness of advances in medicine, computerized diagnostic and treatment equipment, data processing technology, government regulations, health insurance changes, and financing options.
- Establish work schedules and assignments for staff, according to workload, space, and equipment availability.
Tools and technology used
Other Health and Medical Administrative Services specializations
The 23 other 6-digit CIP codes under Health and Medical Administrative Services (CIP 51.07).
- Health/CIP 51.0701
Health Care Administration/ Management 28,580 graduates / yr704 institutions - Health Information/CIP 51.0707
Medical Records Technology/ Technician 12,261 graduates / yr314 institutions - Medical Insurance Specialist/CIP 51.0714
Medical Biller 11,432 graduates / yr160 institutions - Medical Insurance Coding Specialist/CIP 51.0713
Coder 10,263 graduates / yr355 institutions - Medical Administrative/CIP 51.0716
Executive Assistant and Medical Secretary 6,024 graduates / yr223 institutions - Medical Office Assistant/CIP 51.0710
Specialist 4,612 graduates / yr186 institutions - Hospital and Health Care Facilities Administration/CIP 51.0702
Management 3,432 graduates / yr63 institutions - Health and Medical Administrative ServicesCIP 51.07993,295 graduates / yr91 institutions
- Health Information/CIP 51.0706
Medical Records Administration/ Administrator 2,865 graduates / yr126 institutions - Medical Office Management/CIP 51.0705
Administration 2,627 graduates / yr115 institutions - Medical/CIP 51.0711
Health Management and Clinical Assistant/ Specialist 1,344 graduates / yr20 institutions - Medical Reception/CIP 51.0712
Receptionist 962 graduates / yr37 institutions - Clinical Research CoordinatorCIP 51.0719342 graduates / yr25 institutions
- Healthcare InnovationCIP 51.0722284 graduates / yr16 institutions
- Long Term Care Administration/CIP 51.0718
Management 148 graduates / yr23 institutions - Health Unit Coordinator/CIP 51.0703
Ward Clerk 109 graduates / yr11 institutions - Regulatory Science/CIP 51.0720
Affairs partial data95 graduates / yr7 institutions - Medical Office Computer Specialist/CIP 51.0709
Assistant partial data75 graduates / yr7 institutions - Medical Transcription/CIP 51.0708
Transcriptionist partial data30 graduates / yr9 institutions - Medical Staff Services Technology/CIP 51.0717
Technician partial data29 graduates / yr5 institutions - Disease Registry Data ManagementCIP 51.0721partial data28 graduates / yr5 institutions
- Health/CIP 51.0715
Medical Claims Examiner limited data11 graduates / yr1 institutions - Healthcare Information Privacy Assurance and SecurityCIP 51.0723limited data7 graduates / yr2 institutions
See all Health and Medical Administrative Services programs →
Common questions
What degree is awarded upon completion?+
An Associate's degree is awarded upon completion of the program.
How many colleges offer this program in the U.S.?+
There are 5 colleges offering this program in the U.S.
What skills will I develop in this program?+
You will develop skills in speaking, critical thinking, and personnel management, among others.
What is the job outlook for graduates?+
The job outlook is much faster than average, with a growth rate of 23.2%.
What is the CIP code for Health Unit Manager/Ward Supervisor?+
Health Unit Manager/Ward Supervisor is CIP 51.0704 in the NCES Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP 2020), a 6-digit specialization within Health and Medical Administrative Services (CIP 51.07). NCES defines it as: A program that prepares individuals, under the supervision of nursing or medical service administrators, to supervise and coordinate the operations of one or more patient care units in hospitals or other health care facilities. Includes instruction in planning and initiating administrative procedures, personnel supervision, interpersonal skills, general and/or specialized health care operations and procedures, and consultation with other medical, nursing, and administrative team members.
How many institutions offer Health Unit Manager/Ward Supervisor programs?+
5 U.S. institutions reported Health Unit Manager/Ward Supervisor graduates in IPEDS 2024–25, across 4 states, awarding 38 credentials in the year. That is 0.0% of all Health and Medical Administrative Services graduates.
How much do Health Unit Manager/Ward Supervisor graduates earn?+
Earnings are not published at the 6-digit CIP level by any federal source. The Medical and Health Services Managers occupation, which Health Unit Manager/Ward Supervisor most directly leads to, pays a median of $123,860 a year nationally (BLS OEWS May 2025), and graduates of the broader Health and Medical Administrative Services field report median earnings of $29,499 one year after graduation (College Scorecard).
About the data on this page
Every figure comes from an official federal or public source. Here is each one and the release it is currently on.
Program definitions are from the NCES Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP 2020). Skills, knowledge, abilities, work activities, tools, and job zones are from the O*NET database by the U.S. Department of Labor, used under the CC BY 4.0 license.
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