National Association of Long Term Care Administrator Boards

What National Association of Long Term Care Administrator Boards does

The National Association of Long Term Care Administrator Boards (NAB) is a nonprofit membership association founded in 1970 and headquartered in Washington, DC. Governed by state licensing boards and regulatory agencies from all 50 states and the District of Columbia, NAB serves as the nation's sole developer and administrator of standardized national licensure examinations for long term care administrators, including the Core of Knowledge Examination and three line-of-service examinations (NHA, RC/AL, HCBS). The organization also offers the Health Services Executive (HSE) qualification for licensure portability, the National Continuing Education Review Service (NCERS), academic accreditation for degree programs, and the Third Party Certification Program for state-level senior living associations.

NAB's technology platform centers on NABVerify, an online credential management system with an API for CE data exchange, and a CE Registry powered by LearningBuilder. Examination administration is distributed through a network of 200+ PSI testing centers nationally. Revenue is generated through multiple streams: governing member dues ($1,500/year), CE Provider membership fees ($330–$3,450/year across tiers), CE program submission fees ($175 base plus per-hour add-ons), examination fees ($190–$455 per candidate), score transfer fees ($70 per jurisdiction), and NAB Foundation donations. Administration and management are provided under contract by Bostrom Corporation. With 12 employees, NAB operates a lean operation relative to its national scope and regulatory mandate.

The organization's competitive position is anchored in its quasi-governmental authority as the national credentialing body for long term care administrators, a role no other entity replicates. Key customer segments include state licensing boards, individual licensed administrators (NHA, RCAL, HCBS), CE providers, and accredited academic institutions. Recent strategic activity has focused on expanding the HSE qualification's adoption across states, digitizing credentialing infrastructure, and optimizing CE provider monetization through tiered fee structures.

Name

National Association of Long Term Care Administrator Boards

Legal name

National Association of Long Term Care Administrator Boards

Website

https://nabweb.org

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

NAB is the sole national developer and administrator of standardized licensure examinations and credentialing programs for long term care administrators across all 50 states and DC. It serves state licensing boards, licensed administrators (NHA, RCAL, HCBS), CE providers, and accredited academic institutions through its HSE qualification, NCERS, and NABVerify platform.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Washington

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. CE Provider Membership Fees: Annual membership fees from CE providers with multiple tiers: Standard CE Provider ($330/year), Private CE Provider up to 10 programs ($1,595/year), Private CE Provider unlimited ($3,200-$3,450/year), and Certified Private CE Provider tiers ($1,815-$3,450/year).
2. CE Program Submission Fees: Fees for submitting CE programs for review: Base rate $175 for 1-6 hours (in-person) or 1-3 hours (distance learning), plus $25 per additional hour. Additional fees for program sites, web registration, and late submissions ($600 late fee).
3. Examination Fees: National exam fees: CORE & NHA $455, CORE & RCAL $455, CORE only $320, NHA/RCAL/HCBS Line of Service Only $190, State exams $210. Score transfer fee $70 per jurisdiction.
4. Governing Member Dues: Annual dues from state boards/agencies: Governing Members $1,500/year, Associate Members $70/year. Subscribing Members (academia/business organizations) also contribute.
5. NAB Foundation Donations: Tax-deductible charitable donations supporting quality improvement initiatives, leadership development, and research. Donor levels: Platinum ($10,000+), Gold Champion ($5,000-$9,999), Silver Partner ($2,000-$4,999), Bronze Friend ($1,000-$1,999), Supporter (up to $999).

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

NAB develops, owns, and administers the national licensing examinations (Core of Knowledge, NHA, RC/AL, and HCBS Line of Service exams) and the Health Services Executive (HSE) qualification used by state licensing boards to credential long term care administrators. It also operates the National Continuing Education Review Service (NCERS) to review and approve continuing education programs, accredits HSE academic degree programs, and runs the NABVerify/CE Registry online platform for credential management and CE tracking.

Product overview

NAB offers a comprehensive suite of credentialing, examination, and continuing education programs for long term care administrators. The core offerings include five national licensing examinations (Core of Knowledge, NHA, RC/AL, HCBS, and State Examination Administration), the Health Services Executive (HSE) qualification with three pathways (Career, Education, and HSE Ready Track), and the National Continuing Education Review Service (NCERS) for approving continuing education programs. Supporting products include the CE Registry for tracking credits, NAB Study Guide and Practice Examinations for exam preparation, AIT Program Manual and Preceptor Training Modules for administrator development, and the Third Party Certification Program. The NABVerify system serves as the online platform for applications, credentials, and CE tracking, with an API for integration with state boards and CE providers.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• NAB Foundation: A nonprofit organization established to promote and enhance the profession of long term care administration and promote quality care and public protection
• NCERS
• NABVerify
• Health Services Executive (HSE)
• Administrator Residency

Products and services

• NAB Core of Knowledge Examination A 100-item mandatory national examination measuring entry-level knowledge applicable to all lines of long term care administration. Must be taken in conjunction with one of the three NAB Line of Service examinations. For state licensing boards and candidates seeking licensure as Nursing Home Administrators, RC/AL administrators, or HCBS managers.
• NAB Nursing Home Administrators (NHA) Line of Service Examination A 50-item entry-level national examination measuring the entry-level knowledge of nursing home administrators. Required as a component of licensure requirements in all states and the District of Columbia. For state licensing boards and candidates seeking NHA licensure.
• NAB Residential Care/Assisted Living (RC/AL) Line of Service Examination An entry-level national examination measuring the entry-level knowledge of residential care/assisted living administrators. Required as a component of licensure in several states with additional states encouraging voluntary participation. For state licensing boards and candidates seeking RCAL licensure.
• NAB Home and Community Based Services (HCBS) Line of Service Examination An entry-level national examination initiated in 2017 measuring the entry-level knowledge of administration for home and community-based care environments. Required as a component of the Health Services Executive (HSE) qualification. For state licensing boards and candidates seeking HCBS licensure.
• State Examination Administration Program Service assisting state regulatory boards and agencies in administering their state-specific jurisprudence examinations through more than 200 PSI testing centers nationally. Allows candidates to schedule examinations and take national and state exams at the same time.
• National Continuing Education Review Service (NCERS) Continuing education program review and approval service that reviews and approves thousands of CE programs offered by hundreds of providers across the country. The NCERS seal of approval is automatically accepted as meeting standards for continuing education by state licensing boards.
• Academic Accreditation Program Establishes criteria for undergraduate and graduate degree programs in long term care administration. Programs granted NAB HSE accreditation receive NAB's seal of approval widely recognized by state boards and agencies.
• Health Services Executive (HSE) Qualification A broad-based national credential allowing administrators to practice along the senior living and health services continuum while enjoying portability of their license(s). Offers an alternative pathway to obtain state-issued NHA license through three pathways: HSE Career Pathway (for experienced NHAs), HSE Education Pathway (for graduates of NAB HSE-accredited programs), and HSE Ready Track (for current students/recent graduates of accredited programs).
• CE Registry National database for licensees to track continuing education credits. Beginning April 2018, NCERS CE Providers report credit for LTC administrators to this national registry, with auto-generated certificates of course completion. For state licensing boards and licensed long term care administrators.
• NAB Approved CE Database Searchable real-time database of NAB/NCERS approved courses accepted by most state nursing home administrator licensing boards. Includes in-person and distance learning courses searchable by provider, program type, media, and location.
• NAB Study Guide Digital study guide encompassing information to aid examination candidates preparing for national senior living and health services examinations including CORE, NHA, RCAL, and HCBS exams. For candidates seeking licensure or the HSE qualification.
• NAB Practice Examinations Practice exams simulating the exam experience with exposure to style and format of exam questions. Available by Line of Service with results provided by Domains of Practice. For candidates preparing for national examinations.
• Administrator Residency/AIT Program Manual National interactive manual developed in partnership with ACHCA to guide Preceptors and Administrators in Residence through the internship experience. Contains four modules with line-of-service-specific self-assessments and professional development plans.
• Preceptor Training Modules Four-part online training program for Preceptors earning 1.25 NAB-Approved CEs per module. Covers AIR/AIT program structure, culture of learning, developing emerging leaders, and mentoring resources. $15 fee per four-course preceptor training program modules.
• Third Party Certification Program Approval process for organizations sponsoring certification programs for RCAL and/or HCBS leaders who wish to utilize NAB's national examination programs. Used by LeadingAge Michigan, Health Care Association of Michigan, Ohio Centers for Assisted Living, and Ohio Assisted Living Association.
• Score Transfer Service Online service allowing candidates to transfer exam scores to additional state jurisdictions for a $70 fee per jurisdiction. Scores can be requested from paper archives if taken within the last 30 years, supporting multi-state licensure portability.
• HSE Qualified Administrator Directory Public directory of HSE Qualified Administrators sortable by individual name, city, and/or state. Maintained by NAB and accessible through the LearningBuilder platform.

Quantifiable outcome

• NAB maintains examination pass rates and score data for decades, allowing candidates to transfer scores to new states for $70 per jurisdiction
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

Yes

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration4 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Bostrom CorporationcoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerNAB's administration and management is contractual under agreement with Bostrom Corporation, a Professional Services firm with offices in Chicago and Washington DC. Bostrom Corporation's CEO John Dee serves as NAB's Senior Advisor.
• American College of Health Care Administrators (ACHCA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with ACHCA for the Administrator in Residence/AIT Program Manual and four-part digital Preceptor training course. ACHCA's President & CEO collaborated on video introduction for preceptor training. Special offer of complimentary 90-day trial membership for newly licensed individuals.
• LeadingAge MichiganminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorThird Party Certification Program provider for Residential Care/Assisted Living (RCAL) and Home and Community Based Services (HCBS) certification. Allows NAB's national examination programs to be used as certification requirements.
• Health Care Association of MichiganminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorThird Party Certification Program provider for RCAL and HCBS administration certification through NAB's national examination programs.
• Ohio Centers for Assisted LivingminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorThird Party Certification Program provider for RCAL and HCBS certification using NAB's national examination programs as requirements for certification.
• Ohio Assisted Living AssociationminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorThird Party Certification Program provider for RCAL and HCBS certification through NAB's national examination programs.
• National Emerging Leadership SummitminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAnnual 3-day summit in Washington DC bringing together individuals in their first 5 years of career as leaders in aging services sector. Participants meet association leaders and legislators to expand their impact.
• Vision CentreminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerVision Centre's Vision 2025 initiative established to expand and support the academic community, with goal of developing 25 robust degree programs in long term care administration graduating 1,000 students collectively per year by 2025.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Others

• National Commission for Certifying Agencies: NCCA (part of the Institute for Credentialing Excellence) accredits certification programs themselves - functionally a meta-credentialing body that could in principle evaluate NAB's NCERS program, making it an enabling/oversight peer rather than a direct competitor.

Broad incumbents

• Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs: CAAHEP accredits allied health education programs across many disciplines at a national scale. NAB's Academic Accreditation function for long-term care degree programs is a narrower, more specialized analog focused on a single profession.

Direct peers

• National Board for Certified Counselors: NBCC administers the National Counselor Examination for licensure portability across state counseling boards, operating a near-identical national-exam-plus-state-acceptance model to NAB's NHA/RCAL/HCBS structure.
• National Association of Boards of Pharmacy: NABP is a national association of state pharmacy boards that develops the NAPLEX and MPJE exams and supports pharmacist licensure portability across states - directly analogous to NAB's exam and credentialing function for long-term care administrators.
• Federation of State Medical Boards: FSMB is a national non-profit representing US state medical and osteopathic licensing boards, administering the USMLE and supporting multi-state licensure pathways - structurally identical to NAB's role for physician licensure.
• National Board for Respiratory Care: NBRC develops and administers credentialing examinations for respiratory therapists, with state-board recognition across multiple jurisdictions - a healthcare credentialing body closely paralleling NAB's national exam and credentialing portfolio.
• National Council of State Boards of Nursing: NCSBN is the national organization of state boards of nursing that develops and administers the NCLEX and operates a similar state-board-membership model for nursing licensure - directly comparable in structure, governance, and credentialing function to NAB for long-term care administrators.

Emerging players

• American College of Health Care Administrators: ACHCA is the professional membership association for long-term care administrators, partnered with NAB on the AIT/Preceptor training program. It overlaps in audience (long-term care administrators) but does not administer licensing exams, making it an adjacent peer rather than a direct competitor.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/nabweb

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about National Association of Long Term Care Administrator Boards