You can get started in a health administration career with just a bachelor’s degree, but to be considered for top-level positions, you need a master’s degree. One master’s degree option in this field is a masters of health administration, or MHA. Some people resist going back to school for this kind of degree, since it means additional time spent on education, but with an MHA, you’ll qualify for many lucrative positions in the medical world, so this is usually time well spent.

To qualify for an MHA, you first need to get your bachelor’s degree. This typically takes about four years, though some students finish the program more quickly and other students only go to school part time and spend five or six years completing the degree program. From there, you can either continue on to get your MHA as a full-time student, or you can enter the workforce and get your MHA as a part-time student while you work.

The exact time you’ll spend getting your MHA depends on your status as either a full-time or as a part-time student. If you go to school full-time, which typically requires around 40 hours per week of work, you’ll find that most MHA degree programs take 12 to 24 additional months to complete, after you receive your bachelor’s degree. However, if you go to school part-time, the program could take much longer. Many programs limit students, so you must graduate within a certain number of years or your classes become invalid. However, it is common for MHA degree students to spend three or four years completing this degree.

After you graduate, you may have to go through a licensing program with the state, depending on your desired position. For example, if you want to be an administrator at a nursing home, you need a license no matter what state you live in. This isn’t required for all positions, but many employers like to hire administrators who are registered with professional organizations. Often, to b registered, you have to have work experience and pass an exam, so this may not be possible for up to a year or two after you graduate.

Once you have your MHA degree, you’ll be qualified for much higher salaries no matter where you work. Your exact earnings depend on your experience, your location, and the type of facility where you’re working (among other factors), but it is common for administrators to make six-figure incomes. Going through an MHA program will also prepare you for starting your own consulting firm, if that’s a route that interests you.

So, is the time (and tuition) spent on an MHA degree worth it? In most cases, for most students, the answer to that question is yes. You’ll be qualified for a better, more fulfilling job with a higher salary and more responsibilities once you graduate with your MHA, and the education will pay for itself in no time at all.

A Master of Health Administration degree is a professional degree that will prepare students for careers in healthcare administration. Holders of this degree will be prepared to become involved in the management of health services organizations, hospitals, and more. Below is a carefully compiled list of some of the best schools offering MHA programs online.

Online MHA MHA - Gerontology MHA - Health Education MHA - Health Informatics	University of Phoenix — The Master of Health Administration (MHA) program offered by the University of Phoenix is an advanced accredited degree program suited for professionals looking to gain knowledge and credentials needed to advance in today's healthcare industry. The flexible online coursework includes finance, economics, makreting, quality improvement, and more.
Online MHA Master of Public Health	Walden University — Walden offers an online MHA degree program that is sure to prepare students for a fruitful career as a health administrator. Jobs in a wide variety of healthcare settings will become available to graduates of this program, including insurance, offices, hospitals, supplies, policy, and more.
Online MHA	Ohio University — The online Master of Health Administration degree offered by Ohio University includes coursework in health system structures, managed care, health policy, marketing, strategic planning, finance, and more.
MS - Health Admin Master of Public Health MPH - Health Mgmt MS in Gerontology	Capella University — Available for study entirely online, Capella's master's degree in healthcare administration program covers multiple graduate-level areas of study pertaining to healthcare, including quality improvement, law, finance, policy, and much more. Gradutate of this program will be well prepared to advance their healthcare careers.
MBA - Healthcare Mgmt	Northeastern University — The MBA program at Northeastern University offers a specialization in healthcare management that is ideal for anyone seeking to advance a career in health administration. This online program is flexible and details how business intersects with healthcare issues.
MS - Healthcare Mgmt MBA - Healthcare Mgmt MPH - Development MPH - Health Education	Kaplan University — For anyone in the healthcare industry seeking an MS, Kaplan University offers an online Master of Science in healthcare management that is perfectly suited for individuals pursuing upper-level management positions in hospitals, outpatient centers, doctors' offices, and more.
MBA in Healthcare	George Washington University — The online MBA Healthcare program at GWU comes from a top-notch university and cn be completed within two years. The program comprises 24 core and 12 elective courses. Anyone completing the program is well-suited to manage the business operations of a healthcare practice.
MS - Health Admin MS - Health Informatics MS - Health Ethics	St. Joseph's University — St. Joseph's University confers an MS in healthcare administration that also is offered in two specializations: the ethics specialization provides a background in moral philosophy and covers subjects such as euthanasia, abortion, and artificially prolonging life; the informatics specialization focuses on health information technologies and record keeping.
MS - Health Admin MSM - Health Admin MS - Health Informatics	University of Maryland University College — The health administration master's degree programs from the University of Maryland University College are designed for mid-career professionals looking for increased responsibility within their healthcare careers. UMUC offers three specializations: MS in healthcare administration, MS in healthcare administration informatics, and MS in management - healthcare administration.
MS in Health Comm.	Boston University — The MS in health communication online degree from Boston University is geared toward the aspiring healthcare administrator who wants to specialize in marketing communications and public relations for a healthcare organization.
MBA in Healthcare Mgmt	American InterContinental University — AIU's MBA in healthcare management degree program prepares individuals for upper management positions within a variety of healthcare settings, including (but not limited to) private care facilities, hospices, hospitals, nursing clinics, insurance companies, and more. The degree is also available in a part-time option.
MBA - Healthcare Mgmt	Bellevue University — The Bellevue University master's degree in Healthcare Administration is a 39 credit hour program that includes a 4 credit Capstone Research Project. The school is accredited by the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools. The curriculum is offered entirely online, and applicants must have an accredited bachelor's degree.
MS in Health Admin	New England College — The master's degree in healthcare administration offered by New England College is a graduate-level program that is geared toward current healthcare professionals with bachelor's degrees looking to undertake more managerial responsibilities in the workplace.
MBA in Health Admin Accelerated MBA	Benedictine University — The MBA in Health Administration program at Benedictine University is a highly regarded educational track for students interested in healthcare management. The 96 unit credit curriculum features courses in Organizational Behavior, Business Statistics, and Health Behavior. The program offers an accelerated track for dedicated students.
MBA in Healthcare Mgmt	Colorado Technical University — The online MBA in healthcare management degree program from Colorado Tech covers a wide variety of coursework, including finance, management concepts, risk assessment, and resource allocation. Graduates of this program typically pursue careers in social service, mental health center, home health care, or health & safety management, to name a few.
MBA in Healthcare Mgmt BBA/MBA - Health Mgmt	Jones International University — JIU's MBA in healthcare management degree program focuses on the subjects of telemedicine, emerging technology, strategic management, and more. Because this is a business degree at its core, graduates of this program will be well prepared to enter numerous business fields.
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