
This ranking of the Best Online Master’s in Healthcare Management programs is designed to help healthcare professionals find the right degree to launch them into leadership careers within healthcare organizations and systems. An online Master’s in Healthcare Management is a very sought-after graduate degree. It is designed for working professionals who want to expand their knowledge of healthcare leadership. The program can be both demanding and time-intensive – yet today, more working professionals are going back to earn a master’s degree than ever before. Why is this? Because top online Master’s in Healthcare Management can provide excellence in curriculum, flexibility for working professionals, and focused training in healthcare systems.
Online Master’s in Healthcare Management
Professionals in healthcare who have pursued a master’s programs are more likely to put effort towards their dream job that satisfies their need for career development and personal fulfillment. The four main drivers of job satisfaction are pride, purpose, passion, and pay. With an Online Master’s in Healthcare Management, professionals can feel the pride of accomplishment, be sure of their purpose, pursue their passions by choosing a specialized field like healthcare IT, healthcare finance, and nursing administration, and certainly see their pay potential increase exponentially. Healthcare administrators are well compensated for their leadership and hard work. The average salary of a healthcare manager is over $100,000. If you are interested in this exciting business leadership field, check out this ranking of the Best Online Master’s in Healthcare Management.
Methodology
Our 2021 ranking of the Best Online Master’s in Healthcare Management programs is a consensus ranking that gathers data from multiple ranking sources to give a better overall picture of prestigious degree programs. Data was gathered from The Financial Times, Forbes, The Economist, Bloomberg Businessweek, and U.S. News and World Report. All information was converted to a score on a 100-point scale and weighted equally. This score for each program was then averaged to reveal each degree’s Consensus Score. In the event of a tie, the base tuition of the Online Master’s in Healthcare Management degree was used as the tie-breaking factor.

Dartmouth College delivers an online Master of Health Care Delivery Science at the Tuck School of Business. This best of the best graduate degree offers executive and physician leaders the strong foundation and advanced knowledge and skills needed to design and lead crucial transformations within organizations and across the health care industry. The one-year program allows learners to advance their careers while gaining an exceptional Ivy-League education. Dartmouth students share perspectives and learn from a highly relevant and tightly focused curriculum that offers the best of an MPH and an MBA. Tuck School of Business students work in essential positions with strenuous demands on their time. Business school students come from diverse health care backgrounds, from administrators to policymakers to physicians and insurance executives. They are drawn to Dartmouth by the opportunity to hone new capabilities with immediate payoff with a long-term impact on their careers and on the organizations in which they serve. The MHCDS program’s hybrid structure blends brief on-campus networking opportunities and relationship building with convenient online coursework. It is no wonder that some of the nation’s most successful health care managers get their start in this excellent program.

Duke University delivers an online Master of Science in Quantitative Management: Health Analytics at the Fuqua School of Business. The online MS in Quantitative Management: Health Analytics program features the business fundamentals, advanced data analytics, and industry context necessary for better decision-making within healthcare organizations. This degree has been specifically designed for healthcare leaders and professionals with a passion for improving the quality and efficiency of care in their fields. This distance master’s program puts students at the forefront of a discipline that enables health organizations to positively improve operations, efficiency, patient outcomes, and care costs. The MSQM: Health Analytics curriculum blends quantitative analytics and health sector knowledge with management education while preparing graduate students for data-based decision-making in the healthcare sector. Fuqua School of Business’s difference comes from its deep expertise in healthcare. With one of the oldest and largest health sector management programs in the nation, the business school is one of the best graduates in healthcare can find.

The Eli Broad College of Business at Michigan State University offers an online Master of Science in Healthcare Management. Delivered 100% online, this newly designed Master of Science in Healthcare Management equips talented healthcare professionals with business acumen and vital leadership skills to sustain optimal performance in an ever-evolving industry. Within the master’s, graduate students can choose from two distinct specializations: Healthcare Compliance and Healthcare Leadership. The online program will address the application, study, and research of healthcare administration within an established business framework within each concentration. The program is offered entirely online in an interactive learning atmosphere, with 24/7 access. Seven semesters of five-week modules for completion enable the immediate application of the skills and knowledge acquired. Professionals can pursue their degrees while maintaining personal and professional commitments. This degree will be desirable to experienced healthcare leaders with the drive to be change-makers in the field. Doctors, allied health professionals, nurses, and mental health professionals looking to move into a healthcare management role will benefit from the degree from day one. Healthcare professionals desiring to expand their career opportunities and grow their earning potential will not want to pass on this program.

An online Master’s in Healthcare Administration is featured at the University of Utah’s David Eccles School of Business. Utah’s Online MHA program equips mid-careerists with the tools they will need for administrative positions in the healthcare industry’s private and public sectors. Graduate students enter the program with prior management and healthcare experience and can keep their full-time positions while taking virtual courses. MHAO graduates can be confident that they have the academic credentials to transition into leadership positions in many job settings, including healthcare delivery, public health, health services research, and healthcare policy. At the University of Utah, all business courses combine online teaching’s flexibility with the direct engagement and advantages of traditional education. Graduate students will enjoy the benefits of studying online at their own pace while not forfeiting the chance to engage with instructors and classmates. This flexible teaching method improves business students’ overall experience and ability to retain what they learn. With access to many graduate career management resources and the Master’s in Healthcare Administration career development, online MHA students have successfully secured promotions, pay fellowships, raises, and full-time employment after completing this top-notch healthcare program.

The Eller College of Management at the University of Arizona provides an online Master of Healthcare Management. Program designers understand that the healthcare business is as dynamic as it is challenging and complex—and full of opportunities to problem-solve and innovate. In this 100% online program, graduate students build real-world experience and unique skills to lead healthcare management. All program requirements can be satisfied as quickly as one calendar year. Enrolled distance learners work with instructors who know the healthcare industry and business from the inside out. Along with a diverse healthcare curriculum, students take core business courses and experience hands-on healthcare consulting. Graduates of this online Master of Healthcare Management are ready to move into and up in healthcare administration. This online program consists of 30 credit hours, including seven core courses covering topics ranging from market-based management to healthcare economics. Arizona’s online MHA is one of the top five programs in the nation for healthcare administration.

A Master of Science in Business w/certifications to choose in Life Science Innovation and Entrepreneurship, Health Informatics, Health Care Project Management is available at the Robert J. Trulaske, Sr. College of Business at the University of Missouri. Trulaske’s Master of Science in Business is a customizable interdisciplinary program that allows students to craft a business degree that suits their individual educational needs and career goals. This innovative program teaches the knowledge of business fundamentals through twelve core graduate business hours. Students can further expand their education to choose two graduate certificates from schools housed within the University of Missouri. The Graduate Certificate in Life Science Innovation and Entrepreneurship broadens the training of graduate and professional students from medicine, business, and engineering, among others. Missouri’s Graduate Certificate in Health Informatics provides students with the skills needed to participate in selecting, utilizing, and evaluating information technology principles throughout the health services industry. The Graduate Certificate in Healthcare Project Management exists as a standalone certificate within Missouri’s Department of Health Management and Informatics. This online degree is a perfect option for business students interested in a successful healthcare career.

An online Master’s in Health Administration and a Master’s of Health Informatics is offered at the University of Cincinnati’s Carl H. Lindner College of Business. Program designers understand that the health care sector is a complex environment of medical practices, health care systems, not-for-profit and for-profit health organizations in urban, suburban, and rural environments that offer a range of health care services on an inpatient and outpatient basis. Health care administrators, managers, leaders, and directors are responsible for the day-to-day operations by their executive leadership and oversight in strategic vision and direction, policies and procedures, finance and costs, and quality of care. The 100% online Master of Science in Health Administration equips distance learners with a range of knowledge, skills, and competencies vital for adequate health care provision. UC’s online Master of Health Informatics prepares graduate students with a unique combination of IT and healthcare expertise – two skills that are in increasingly high demand. These two degrees are some of Cincinnati’s best business school offerings.

An online MS in Health Informatics & Analytics is currently available at the College of Business within Florida International University. This stellar distance degree prepares nurses, information systems professionals, physicians, healthcare managers, healthcare support personnel, and other clinicians to rely on health information to improve healthcare delivery’s safety, quality, outcomes, and cost-effectiveness. Florida International’s MSHIA is a 15-month, 100% online program that features a unique integrated curriculum of business and health information management skills. Graduate students participate in experiential coursework and invest in a vast community networking with a diverse team of professionals that will enrich them professionally and personally. The online learning format allows for daily interactions with instructors, faculty, and staff, as needed. The Commission accredits this program on Accreditation for Health Informatics and Information Management Education. This accreditation is a prestigious, independent objective evaluation of a program’s health informatics education and just one reason students should consider this stellar online program.

The David D. Reh School of Business at Clarkson University offers an online MS in Healthcare Data Analytics and an online MS in Clinical Leadership in Healthcare Management. Clarkson’s online programs provide graduate students with the skills to acquire, process, and communicate healthcare information to shape tomorrow’s healthcare industry’s direction. Graduates of these programs will be qualified to take healthcare organizations positions that require them to analyze high volumes of clinical, financial, and administrative data. Online students establish prominent and successful careers in medical practices, hospitals, health systems, health insurance companies, technology and consulting firms, healthcare policy companies, and pharmaceutical and medical device companies. Online courses’ flexibility promotes a rich learning environment as classmates from various fields, professional levels, and geographic regions interact. Program designers of the Master of Science (MS) in Clinical Leadership in Healthcare Management have successfully given students a better understanding of the healthcare industry through these remarkable degrees.

Southeast Missouri State University provides an online Master’s Degree in Healthcare Management at the Harrison College of Business and Computing. The Master of Science in Healthcare Management features four options for students to focus their curriculum: administration, quality and patient safety, communication, and informatics. This excellent program is recognized by the Network of International Business Schools (NIBS) for its academic integrity. Southeast Missouri State’s Master of Science: Healthcare Management is well suited for students who do not have a major at the bachelor’s level in business administration but work in positions with managerial responsibilities. The additional management education will allow managers to perform better in their current jobs and advance to mid-level administrative positions. This online program provides the business knowledge needed to work within a business organization and catapults career options in the healthcare industry. Graduate students at Southeast can complete their degrees from anywhere without ever visiting one of the school’s campuses. Online learners will thrive within this remarkable program.

The College of Business within Auburn University at Montgomery provides an online Master of Healthcare Administration. Program designers understand that healthcare providers face dynamic transitions in consumer demand, technology, and the regulatory environment within today’s economy. Auburn University at Montgomery’s online Master of Healthcare Administration (MHA) provides distance learners with the knowledge and skills necessary to deliver effectively, plan, and market high-quality services. In this program, graduate students can earn their graduate degree in just three semesters with the flexibility to take courses 100% online or choose some face-to-face classes. Equipping methods include interprofessional projects, case studies, discussion groups, and more. Qualified applicants will need to have completed a bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university and may need to take the GMAT. Program instructors focus their learning experience on the critical business leadership skills needed to innovate in a healthcare environment. The business school’s graduate faculty features distinguished full-time instructors whose articles, books, and reputations help make this program an incredible success.

The College of Business at the University of Houston-Clear Lake currently features an online Healthcare Administration MHA. This stellar degree combines skills in management with an emphasis on leading healthcare organizations. From public health issues to financial planning, the distance courses give graduate students a solid background to become healthcare leaders. College of Business students learn from the best instructors in the state at the Texas Medical Center. They also make valuable connections for internships, training, and their future careers. The program’s hybrid format gives students the option of taking some courses online and face-to-face. Core courses within this Healthcare Administration include Leadership of Organizations in Healthcare Administration, Healthcare Human Resources Management, Financial Management of Healthcare Organizations I, Financial Management of Healthcare Organizations II, Healthcare Economics, Planning & Marketing Healthcare Services, Healthcare Predictive Analytics, and Healthcare Quality. The University of Houston-Clear Lake’s hybrid program combines the convenience and flexibility of online learning with the benefits of in-person instruction.

The School of Management at the University of Michigan-Flint provides an online Master of Science in Health Care Management. Through this distance program, students will learn state-of-the-art practical underpinnings of health care management and how to implement proven foundational frameworks and concepts through simulated “real world” exercises and applications. The MS in Health Care Management allows graduate students to work effectively as self-aware, reflective change agents, equipped with a deeper understanding of organizational behavior. Graduates of this online program know to improve organizational and patient outcomes while employing management practices that lead their organizations to succeed in their respective healthcare segments. This program is designed for leaders from nonprofits, private hospitals, and health care sectors for whom organizational and leadership knowledge and skills are vital components of professional advancement and personal success. Formatted through 30 credits, this program is structured to be completed part-time and will be an excellent asset to healthcare leaders.

Idaho State University’s College of Business provides an online Master’s in Healthcare Management. The MHA offers students a comprehensive experience for a trajectory in executive-level jobs with greater responsibility, higher earning potential, and more flexibility. This local, flexible, and affordable graduate program has been designed to grow as the region’s most highly regarded program. Idaho State’s online MHA meets CAHME accreditation standards- the highest regarded accreditation level for healthcare management programs. Online learners can complete the MHA at their own pace with in-class evening classes streamed from Pocatello to Idaho Falls and Meridian’s Idaho College of Osteopathic Medicine. One-third of the coursework takes place online. The MHA provides early and mid-careerists the chance to earn a preferred academic credential for tomorrow’s healthcare leaders. The College of Business curriculum greatly enhances students’ technical, conceptual, and human relation skills necessary to compete and succeed in today’s highly competitive and complex healthcare industry. Graduate students looking for one of the nation’s best master’s in health care need to look no further.

The University of Rhode Island’s College of Business provides an online MS in Healthcare Management. The Healthcare Management degree equips current and aspiring healthcare professionals with a business education necessary to succeed in leadership and management roles across the healthcare sector. This 30-credit graduate program is intentionally housed in URI’s nationally recognized College of Business. It allows for maximum flexibility to meet graduate students’ career needs. As healthcare professionals trained in business practice, online learners will gain experience crucial to succeed in healthcare management positions in analytics, financial management, data visualization, process improvement, and more. Taught in asynchronous online seven-week modules, graduate students may take one or two courses each semester during the fall, spring, and summer terms, depending on their desired schedule and workload. Graduate students taking one course per session can finish the entire program in less than two years. This degree program is a must for tomorrow’s healthcare leader.

The College of Business at Florida Atlantic University provides an Online Executive Master of Health Administration. This full-service graduate program is specially designed for those with active personal and professional commitments and who prefer the experience of a formatted online cohort. The OMHA curriculum has been designed as a cross-section of business disciplines. From Healthcare Finance and Research Methods to Health Law and Organization Behavior in Healthcare, the OMHA courses are filled with the latest health administration-specific information. Additionally, EMHA students will earn the Lean Six-Sigma Green Belt certification. Florida Atlantic’s Online MHA is fully accredited by AACSB and the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools. All courses are taught by industry-leading faculty, and the program takes just 15 months to complete without work interruption. The flexible, personalized schedule features an online option that is 100% asynchronous, allowing for self-paced learning. Students looking for a rigorous curriculum and excellent value will want to consider this Executive MHA.

The Opus College of Business at the University of St. Thomas provides an online Master of Science (MS) in Health Care Innovation. As healthcare organizations and businesses look to disrupt the status quo and offer answers to the industry’s changing climate, the need for decision-makers is growing quickly. Enrolled students within this program learn how to influence the health care industry’s direction from the inside out. Within the experiential learning model, graduate students work closely with a health care industry mentor and expert throughout the twelve-month-long program. The high-quality degree culminates with a final capstone project of what students have learned and applied to real-world settings. Some have yet to realize that Minnesota is known as “the Silicon Valley of health care.” The state is home to numerous health care startups, large corporations, nonprofits, and innovation centers within significant companies. Program designers collaborated with Minnesota-based senior health care industry executives to discover what they are looking for in a graduate. They used that information to develop this one-of-a-kind program.

An Online Executive Master of Health Administration is currently available at the College of Business at the University of Central Florida. Today’s steadily evolving field of healthcare depends on leadership, innovation, and growth. This Executive Master of Health Administration is designed to pave the way to influential careers in a growing field. Graduate students with an executive health services administration degree will be poised to make a true impact as they deepen their knowledge and skills of vital issues that shape modern healthcare practitioners and organizations. UCF’s Masters of Healthcare Administration has been designed to help graduates advance their organizations in healthcare informatics, policy, quality and risk management, and more. As a trailblazer in online MHA programs, UCF Online is committed to higher education’s transformative power. When distance learners enroll, they join a dedicated cohort of fewer than 30 students working towards developing as health care administrators. Throughout the program, business school students receive personalized attention, connect with peers, and gain a deep understanding of vital real-world topics within the healthcare industry.

The University of Massachusetts Dartmouth offers an online MS in Healthcare Management at the Charlton College of Business. This UMass Dartmouth MSHM program provides leadership and management education for those already working in the healthcare industry. Graduate students acquire the tools and knowledge for effective healthcare management, including strategies on how to save time and money, improve quality of care, redesign organizational processes, and reduce implementation errors. The AACSB accredits UMassD Charlton School of Business, the top international accreditation standard for business schools. Qualifying students may request a GMAT waiver. For the MS in Healthcare Management degree, students must complete 30 credit hours to fulfill all program requirements, including eight required courses and either two elective courses or a Master’s Thesis or Master’s Project. Students not holding an undergraduate degree in business may need to take up to six additional credits for prerequisite courses in statistics and accounting. You won’t want to pass on this high-quality degree in healthcare leadership.

The Sawyer Business School at Suffolk University features an online Master of Healthcare Administration. Enrolled students gain the skills, knowledge, and personalized support they need to be influential healthcare leaders. Offered in downtown Boston, one of the nation’s well-known hubs for healthcare, the CAHME-accredited online MHA at Suffolk prepares business students to either join—or accelerate their careers in—one of the world’s fastest-growing industries. Graduate students learn from faculty members who equip learners with essential healthcare management and leadership skills through experiential and academic learning. Business school students gain a systemic understanding of today’s dynamic healthcare field. They also develop the skills and knowledge needed to identify and analyze issues facing healthcare organizations. To help boost their careers, Suffolk’s online MHA Program will connect learners to leading experts in their fields. Sawyer’s Mentor Program pairs students with accomplished healthcare professionals to help ensure their success. The result of this is that students graduate with a top-tier MHA and beneficial connections to world-class healthcare firms.
What are the Benefits of an Online Master’s in Healthcare Management?
There are many incredible benefits to pursuing an online Master’s in Healthcare Management, including the understanding and development of concepts like team leadership skills, advanced communications skills, financial management, healthcare policy, efficiency procedures, and process optimization. Graduate students interested in pursuing a career in health services will gain significant benefits by improving their education portfolio with an online Master’s in Healthcare Management. This academic journey prepares students for a successful career while helping them grow on professional and personal levels.
For graduate students interested in this career path, choosing between a Master in Business Administration and a Master’s in Healthcare Management may be the first thing to consider. There are many factors that healthcare students must weigh before choosing an academic path, so it is a good idea to understand the options available to you before committing to a program. As an MBA allows students to learn more about the overarching world of business leadership, the program is ideal for students who want to keep their options open. A Master’s in Healthcare Management, however, will have all of the program curriculum specifically tailored to the healthcare system and what healthcare leaders need to know.
And do not worry if your undergraduate degree was not in the field of healthcare. Today it is common for college students to earn an undergraduate degree and later pursue employment in an unrelated field. When your career goals change, or the employment market and trends change, you may find yourself wanting to enter the world of healthcare management. If you already have an undergraduate degree and experience in a leadership role, you may already meet the admissions requirements of online Master’s Healthcare Management programs. You may then gain the business acumen and knowledge of the business nuances in the sector you’re responsible for to get hired to run a healthcare facility.
What does the Field of Healthcare Management look like?
While an advanced healthcare degree is not required for all entry-level positions, it can open up doors and provide professionals with numerous options for advancing their careers. Clinics, hospitals, and all other healthcare facilities operate much like traditional businesses and thus depend on experienced and trained professionals to lead them. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that healthcare administrators’ employment will grow much faster than the national average. In fact, the healthcare industry as a whole is constantly evolving and growing and is worth an estimated 3.8 trillion dollars!
In years past, procuring employment by a healthcare organization relied on gaining clinical experience. Now, with more and more firms trying to manage costs and keep up with changing legislation, the demand for healthcare management professionals is soaring like never before. Since management in the health sector is specialized, you can increase your hire ability as an administrator or manager of a hospital, clinic, practice, or other agency with an Online Master’s in Healthcare Management. Once you get your foot in the door, you can experience job stability and tons of growth potential as you gain valuable on-the-job experience.
What Kinds of Skills are Taught in an Online Master’s in Healthcare Management?
Financial Skills
Many believe that the most significant benefit of an Online Master’s in Healthcare Management is the specific benefit analysis and financial planning for a complex, non-profit healthcare organization. All healthcare-providing establishments must be able to manage a limited number of financial resources effectively. Managers need to make good decisions that provide a positive return on investment. A management-oriented graduate education gives students the knowledge and tools they need to take advantage of all opportunities while mitigating risks that accompany high-level management. A basic understanding of organizational leadership and logistics also provides a solid foundation for all career paths in health services management.
Team Leadership Skills
Team management and leadership are two of the hallmarks of a management-oriented education. This includes professional management techniques, interpersonal communication, decision making skills, and innovative tactics for solving complex problems in creative ways. As in all other industries, healthcare institution leaders must inspire confidence in their teammates and employees by motivating them to work harder to achieve positive results for the patients in their care.
Advanced Communications Skills
Leaders and managers must be able to communicate effectively to do their job well. They need to hone the ability to see things from multiple perspectives, including employees, investors, and clients. This results in their presenting information in a way that is relevant, persuasive, and appropriate. Even if the healthcare facility maintains a dedicated communications staff, managers need to know how to handle inquiries, deliver instructions clearly, and establish professional networks.
Procedure and Process Optimization
Healthcare administrators may not participate in patients’ hands-on medical treatment, but their work is just as essential for saving lives as the physicians and surgeons they oversee. Their work is as important because they are in charge of supporting the nurses, physicians, surgeons, and staff that are saving lives. If the public didn’t know before Covid hit, they surely understand now what a critical role our healthcare staff plays in our communities. Systems and structures set in place to enable healthcare workers to thrive and operate effectively should be a top priority. Studying healthcare management gives online master’s students an edge in handling operational issues in their workplace. Streamlining a hospital’s operations to ensure prompt and effective care is an imperative responsibility. There is always room for business improvement, and in health services, improvements translate directly into improved care for patients.
If you are interested in becoming a healthcare manager, or eventually, a Hospital CEO, consider your educational path options. Begin by researching salaries, costs of some master’s programs, and time frames of degrees so that you know how much time and expense you will need to invest and how long it may take to get to a return on your educational investment. Once you have your degree, you will be prepared for a satisfying career in healthcare management.