Online master's in healthcare
Many healthcare master's programs can prepare you for management and leadership positions, as well as open doors to careers in hospitals, insurance companies, and healthcare organizations. Discover what you can learn and where a master's program in healthcare may lead.
Explore healthcare degrees
Key Takeaways
- Enroll in an online master's in healthcare program for a flexible pathway toward leadership roles at healthcare facilities like nursing homes, therapy facilities, or home health agencies.
- Qualify for healthcare management roles with high salaries and job stability as the older population in the U.S. continues to grow.
- Explore career specializations like nursing and nutrition.
Why earn an online master's in healthcare?
Boost your earning potential
Advancing your skills and qualifications can qualify you for leadership opportunities and make you more competitive in the job market.
Expand your career opportunities
A master's degree can help qualify you for leadership roles at insurance companies, government agencies, and hospitals.
Join any number of fast-growing fields
A rising demand for healthcare services and leadership can increase job security and opportunities for career advancement.
Types of master's in healthcare programs
Below, we outline different kinds of master's in healthcare programs, including jobs you can pursue with salary and job outlook data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) and O*NET:
Master's in health administration
What will I learn?
Master's in health administration students take courses that teach leadership, healthcare policy, financial management, operations, and strategic decision-making. You can develop skills to help improve patient care and navigate complex healthcare environments.
Course topics
- Business statistics
- Healthcare organizations and behavior
- Health law for managers
- Health policy for managers
- Leadership, innovation, and change management
Skills required
- Health policy analysis
- Financial management
- Leadership
- Data analysis
- Operations management
- Communication
Admission requirements
- Bachelor's degree
- Minimum GPA of 3.0
- Two years of work experience
- Letters of recommendation
- Personal statement
- Résumé or CV
What can I do?
With a master's in health administration, graduates can pursue roles as healthcare administrators or medical and health services managers, overseeing operations in hospitals, clinics, and nursing homes.
Responsibilities include managing budgets, improving patient care, ensuring regulatory compliance, and leading teams. Alternative careers include policy analyst or healthcare consultant.
Master's in health administration
What will I learn?
Master's in health administration students take courses that teach leadership, healthcare policy, financial management, operations, and strategic decision-making. You can develop skills to help improve patient care and navigate complex healthcare environments.
Course topics
- Business statistics
- Healthcare organizations and behavior
- Health law for managers
- Health policy for managers
- Leadership, innovation, and change management
Skills required
- Health policy analysis
- Financial management
- Leadership
- Data analysis
- Operations management
- Communication
Admission requirements
- Bachelor's degree
- Minimum GPA of 3.0
- Two years of work experience
- Letters of recommendation
- Personal statement
- Résumé or CV
What can I do?
With a master's in health administration, graduates can pursue roles as healthcare administrators or medical and health services managers, overseeing operations in hospitals, clinics, and nursing homes.
Responsibilities include managing budgets, improving patient care, ensuring regulatory compliance, and leading teams. Alternative careers include policy analyst or healthcare consultant.
Program Costs
An online master's in healthcare typically costs tens of thousands of dollars in total, depending on the school and program. You should also consider costs aside from tuition and fees, such as housing, books, and transportation, especially if your program requires clinical hours. The cost of your program may also vary by your location and change over time.
Accreditation for healthcare programs
When searching for the best master's in healthcare program for your career goals, only consider programs at accredited schools. You should also consider courses of study that are programmatically accredited. One of the most prominent accreditation bodies for advanced healthcare degrees is the Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Management Education (CAHME).
CAHME works to ensure that programs offer relevant, rigorous coursework that prepares students for impactful careers in healthcare. The organization also determines whether a program's structure and academic advising set students up for success.
To assess each program, CAHME uses a set of formal standards. These standards include:
- Mission, vision, and value statements
- Student resources
- Faculty and research
- Recruitment and retention efforts
- Student data
- Industry feedback and standards
- Curricula and program design
Is a master's in healthcare right for you?
A master's in healthcare can qualify graduates for leadership roles, which typically involve more influence, a broader scope, and higher pay. If you want to build a career leading healthcare teams to success, you might consider earning a master's in healthcare.
For example, a master's in healthcare may benefit you if you want to:
- Improve efficiency and outcomes at a healthcare facility.
- Ensure compliance with regional and industry regulations.
- Train and develop employees.
- Create systems for storing data and records.
- Represent a facility in board meetings.
- Coordinate with doctors and other care providers.
- Manage facility finances.
Frequently asked questions
Not ready to start a full Master's program yet?
Earn a MicroMasters® program certificate instead! MicroMasters programs are a series of graduate-level courses from top universities designed to advance your career. MicroMasters program certificates showcase deep learning and in-demand skills to employers and can help you get started on a path toward completing an advanced degree.