Any healthcare organization — big or small, public or private — needs a team of healthcare administrators to take charge of overall management. From overseeing budgeting to weighing in on staffing decisions, healthcare administrators approach their daily tasks with a unique set of skills and an in-depth expertise of healthcare policies that affect both patients and health professionals. And as technology continues to bring about new medical advancements, healthcare administrators have the job of factoring in data acquired through predictive analytics as well as data surrounding evidence-based care, into their clinical decision-making processes.

Earning a master’s in healthcare administration or an MHA is one way you can learn to coordinate medical services and manage human and financial capital within hospitals, long-term care facilities, health insurance companies, government agencies, nonprofits and more. MHA programs, like many other advanced healthcare degree programs, may help you enter into or advance within one of the fastest-growing industries in the country — the healthcare industry. Employment of medical and health services managers, one type of healthcare administrator, is expected to grow 32% from 2020 to 2030, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). That’s more than three times the average growth rate for all occupations during the same time period.

Dozens of schools across the country offer master’s in healthcare administration programs. Traditional master’s-level graduate programs often last between two and three years, depending on a student’s enrollment status.

Each school will have its own set of admissions requirements for the program they are offering, but there are a few similarities among those requirements, a bachelor’s being one of them. Certain institutions look for students with a bachelor’s in healthcare or related field, while others will consider students with a bachelor’s in another discipline. Schools may also ask for your GRE scores, a personal statement, and some work experience in the field of healthcare.

As a degree that focuses on both management and healthcare, a master’s in healthcare administration program typically combines business-related courses with lessons in medical terminology, health information systems and more. An MHA may include courses covering the following topics:

Many MHA programs are also designed to include up to a year of supervised administrative experience in a hospital or healthcare consulting setting. This allows students to gain hands-on training in the real world.

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An increasing number of colleges and universities are offering master’s in healthcare administration programs online to better fit the lifestyles and needs of today’s working professionals and students. An online MHA program offers students an opportunity to study from home and at their own pace, while still working full-time or part-time jobs and juggling personal responsibilities, such as taking care of family.

Here are some online MHA programs for you to consider. This list was updated in January 2022, please be sure to check with your preferred university for the most current information:

Medical and health services administrators and managers are core members of any healthcare community or system. They usually possess a thorough understanding of current best practices within their healthcare settings, as well as healthcare regulations. If you have strong analytical, interpersonal, communication skills that you want to put to use to benefit both patients and healthcare professionals, then the career path of a healthcare administrator may be for you.

Kathie Powel is the CEO of the Petaluma Health Center in Petaluma, California. She finds leading a team of highly skilled healthcare professionals truly impactful, particularly to her community. “Highly educated and trained staff members are needed to build systems to document and audit all of our operating, clinical and administrative activities,” Powel told the Sonoma Index-Tribune In 2019.

A master’s in healthcare administration offers both valuable skills and great opportunities to practice and progress within various healthcare fields. Those in management roles may be able to advance into higher paying positions with more responsibility, with some becoming top executives at hospitals or other institutions.

As employment of health and medical service management roles continue to rise, candidates with a master’s degree in health administration or a related field will likely have better job prospects within the field, according to the BLS.

Professionals who hold an MHA can practice in a range of settings and have several career paths available to them including:

The 2020 median annual wage for professionals in the healthcare and medical services management fields was $104,280, according to the BLS. The highest 10 percent of professionals in these fields earned more than $195,630. Of course, salary ranges for MHA graduates will vary depending on many factors including location, experience, and specific job responsibilities.

The BLS also reports that the U.S. is expected to add about 2.6 million new healthcare jobs between 2020 and 2030, thanks to the aging population. With more and more workers entering existing healthcare systems and perhaps creating new ones, healthcare administrators will become key in ensuring those systems are managed and run efficiently.

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Still wondering what your educational and professional journey might entail as an MHA holder? Here are a few questions and answers to help you figure that out:

Last updated January 2022.