Online Healthcare Administration Degree Programs

When we think of healthcare careers, we often think of doctors and nurses. We imagine surgeons, cardiologists, paramedics, and therapists. These are the visible, frontline workers who make our healthcare possible. But there is a group of leaders and managers working behind the scenes. They make healthcare more efficient, more effective, and more accessible. They may not be glamorized in TV and movies, but these people are just as vital as any health professional. With the right online healthcare administration degree and a little experience, you too can become a leader in this field.

ARTICLE NAVIGATION:

• Online Healthcare Administration Degrees: The Different Levels Diploma | Certificate | Associate | Bachelor | Bachelor Completion | Graduate Certificate | Master’s | Post-Graduate Certificate | Doctorate
• Accreditation for Online Healthcare Administration Degrees
• Can an Online Healthcare Administration Degree Meet Licensing Requirements?
• Licensing in Healthcare Administration
• Careers for Online Healthcare Administration Degree Graduates
• Expected Salary with an Online Healthcare Administration Degree

Diploma

High school graduates who want a quick path to an entry-level healthcare career should consider an online diploma program. These diplomas are available entirely online and accredited by top groups, including the Distance Education Accrediting Commission.

Healthcare administration diplomas can prepare you for a variety of careers, including transcriber, executive assistant, front desk worker, and medical assistant. They help students gain a basic knowledge of the industry by teaching the jargon, concepts, and processes that are crucial to healthcare.

Careers that usually require this type of diploma in healthcare include financial clerks and administrative assistants.

Certificate

Certificate programs are even faster than diplomas in most cases and can build your knowledge in a specific health field. They are for people who want to enter the health industry, as well as current employees who want to enhance their skills.

These programs are available fully online and can help you understand healthcare management, administrative assisting, and healthcare documentation. For example, the Health Unit Coordinator Certificate from Minnesota State College Southeast focuses on organizing teams, such as nursing teams, within a healthcare setting.

Certificates are usually short. The Certificate in Long Term Care Administration from Western Kentucky University, for example, is only 15 credit hours spread over five classes.

Associate

An associate degree in healthcare administration can lead to a variety of entry-level jobs, including medical coder, medical secretary, and medical transcriptionist. It can also lead to a career as a medical services manager, although these positions often require a bachelor’s degree. A health information technologist is one profession in the healthcare industry that only requires an associate degree. However, this career may require extra training. An associate in administration with a certificate in health technology could qualify for this profession.

These online healthcare administration degree programs are for people with high school diplomas but no college experience. They usually require two to three years to complete, and encompass at least 60 credit hours of study.

Bachelor

Students who want to become health services managers should start by completing a bachelor’s degree in healthcare administration. While focused on the medical industry, these online healthcare administration degrees are similar to a business or management degree, building your knowledge of issues such as finance, organizational development, and clinical management.

Bachelor’s degrees in health administration can be completed entirely online. They require 120 credit hours of study, which is usually spread over four years.

These online healthcare administration degree programs cover the broad issues of healthcare management. Some may also focus on a more specific topic, such as patient safety, change management, or industry ethics. The Bachelor of Science in Healthcare Administration from Southern New Hampshire University, for example, emphasizes information management.

Bachelor Completion

These courses are for students and employees who have an associate degree and want to complete a bachelor’s in healthcare administration. In addition to health services management, careers for graduates with a bachelor’s degree in healthcare administration include roles in financial analysis, human resources, and administrative services. These positions can be in or out of the health industry.

Students who have completed an associate degree will need two to three years for a bachelor completion program. They are available completely online, accredited by groups like the Accrediting Bureau of Health Education Schools, and require an associate degree for enrollment.

Graduate Certificate

These certificates are focused, high-level programs for future healthcare leaders. They are ideal for anyone who wants to transition from general management to the medical and healthcare industry.

These certificates have accreditation from well-known groups. For example, the Graduate Certificate in Healthcare Administration from Seton Hall University has accreditation from the Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Management Education (CAHME), as well as the Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE).

You can often complete these certificates in just one year, which makes them faster, and generally more affordable, than a full master’s degree. The Graduate Certificate in Healthcare Management from Eastern Virginia Medical School, for instance, can be completed in a single academic year. Students in this program will complete 15 credit hours and take classes in the fall, spring, and summer to complete the certificate.

Master’s

Graduates of bachelor’s programs, especially in business, management, and healthcare administration, can increase their expertise in the industry by enrolling in a master’s-level online healthcare administration degree. Graduates of master’s programs have access to a number of fulfilling and lucrative careers.

Many of these programs are MBAs (Master of Business Administration) with a focus on the healthcare industry. Others are MHAs (Master of Health Administration), MPAs (Master of Public Administration), or Master of Science (MS) in Healthcare Administration. The differences are subtle, but an MBA will focus more on general business issues with a few classes on healthcare, while an MHA focuses primarily on the healthcare field.

Most master’s online healthcare administration degree programs require two to three years of study, encompassing 50 to 60 credits. Purdue Global’s MS in Management and Leadership requires 56 credit hours and takes an average of two years.

Post-Graduate Certificate

If you have a master’s degree in health administration, business management, or a similar field you can enhance your career by completing a post-graduate certificate.

These certificates further build your experience and knowledge in healthcare. They can be ideal for graduates who want to learn more about ethical management and strategic planning. These certificates are not required for any specific occupation, but they can increase your chances of landing a high-end position, especially leadership roles at large health facilities.

Available completely online, these certificates require less commitment than a full doctorate.

Doctorate

If you have a master’s degree and want to become one of the most advanced experts in healthcare administration, a doctorate may be right for you. These online healthcare administration degrees are available entirely online and provide deep information on the economics of healthcare, strategic management, technical systems, and more.

Doctorate programs involve rigorous, complex, challenging studies. They require about 60 credit hours but often take much longer than a typical associate’s program. For example, Grand Canyon University says the average completion time is roughly five and a half years, although over a quarter of students finish within four years.

These online healthcare administration degree programs can lead to some of the most advanced management positions in healthcare, as well as teaching positions at major schools.

Accreditation is the act of verifying a school or program for quality. It’s an important part of education, and it comes in both programmatic and institutional accreditation. Institutional accreditation looks at a school as a whole. These approvals come from bodies such as the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) and the Higher Learning Commission (HLC).

Programmatic accreditation for online healthcare administration degrees can be complex, as these degrees are a combination of healthcare and management. One of the largest accrediting bodies in this space is the Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Management Education (CAHME), which, according to their information, is the only group that accredits master’s degrees in healthcare management.

In our database of online healthcare administration degrees, you can also find programs accredited by the Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP) and the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB), which are groups focused on business. The Bachelor of Science in Business Administration / Health Care Administration from Methodist University, for example, has accreditation from AACSB.

Resources:

• CAHME
• ACBSP - Search Accredited Programs
• AACSB-Accredited Schools

Yes, when required, these online healthcare administration degrees can meet your needs for licensing. The only position that stands out is a Nursing Home Administrator (NHA). All other health services managers do not need government licensing. To complete NHA licensing, you must graduate from an accredited program.

All the online healthcare administration degree programs listed in our database are fully accredited. Accreditation may come from the Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Management Education (CAHME) and other groups.

Many healthcare jobs require licensing. This can be due to federal or state law. Healthcare administrators and managers, however, generally do not need licensing. While voluntary certification can enhance a career, it’s not required.

There is one notable exception. Those who oversee nursing homes will need licensing, which is required in all states. The states will require specific education (usually a bachelor’s degree), training, and passing a national exam.

Each state is different. Let’s look at the process in Pennsylvania and see how to become a nursing home administrator in this state:

1. Complete a bachelor’s or master’s degree, an accelerated education, or a board-approved 120-hour program.
2. Compete six months to three years of experience supervised by a licensed nursing home administrator. (The amount of required experience depends on your education. The more education you have, the less experience you will need.)
3. Complete the national exam, which includes a core-of-knowledge exam and a state-based exam.
4. Last, you will need to pay the initial license fee of $40. License renewal costs $297.

Resources:

• Pennsylvania Licensure Requirements - Nursing Home Administrator
• LTC Exam - A Window into the Nursing Home Administrators Exam

Health management and administration is a rapidly-growing field that already has hundreds of thousands of opportunities. The BLS reports that in 2021 there were 480,700 health services managers in the US. Still, the career is expected to see a growth rate of 28% over ten years, resulting in more than 616,000 positions by 2031.

These experts are needed all across the country, but the state with the highest concentration is Massachusetts, with 5.14 health services managers for every 1,000 jobs. Employers here also pay well; Massachusetts health managers earn a mean wage of $140,270 per year.

Resources: 

• BLS - Medical and Health Services Managers Job Outlook
• BLS - Employment of Medical and Health Services Managers by State

The salary for this position is high. Across the country, the median salary for health services managers is $101,340, while the top 10% earn over $205,000 annually.

Similar management positions also have strong salaries:

• Administrative services manager: $99,290
• Financial manager: $131,710
• Human resources manager: $126,230

To work as a health services manager, you need experience. Here is the pay for entry-level jobs you can get with an online healthcare administration degree that often lead to management positions in healthcare:

• Medical records specialist: $46,660
• Administrative assistant: $39,680
• Financial clerk: $44,760

Resource:

• BLS - Occupational Outlook Handbook

The healthcare industry needs motivated people like you! Whether you have no college experience or want to enroll in a doctorate program, these online healthcare administration degrees will put you on the path to success! Explore our list of online healthcare administration degree programs and submit your information today.