The Best MHA Programs in California: Online & Campus
Discover top grad schools in California for earning your MHA degree and see how they can help you take the next step in your healthcare management career.
The healthcare management field is experiencing tremendous growth. That’s especially true in California where over 18,300 new positions are expected to be created over the next decade — and that’s in addition to openings from turnover in current jobs. Whether you already work in healthcare administration and are looking to move up the ladder or want to pivot to a different field, earning your master’s in healthcare administration (MHA) can help you achieve your next career move.
This guide offers a comprehensive look at online and on-campus MHA programs in California. It includes a list of the best programs and many useful resources, information, and advice to help you succeed in an MHA program and as a professional in the healthcare management field. Keep reading to start your path towards earning your MHA.
University of Southern California
Los Angeles, California
Private
California State University-East Bay
Hayward, California
Public
Frequently Asked Questions About MHA Programs in California
What knowledge and skills do you learn in MHA programs in California?
In an MHA program in California, students acquire the skills and competencies necessary to lead healthcare teams and oversee administration efforts in hospitals, private practices, and other healthcare settings. Specific ways students grow in these programs include:
- Professionalism and ethical standards.
- Knowledge of the history and current environment of the healthcare industry, particularly in California.
- Knowledge and skills in budgeting, finances, and business management.
- Human resource management skills.
- Written and oral communications skills.
- Analytical skills leading to effective decision-making, greater operations efficiency, and better health outcomes.
Are there CAHME-accredited online MHA programs in California?
There are three MHA programs in California accredited by the CAHME that feature online study: Cal State Long Beach’s partially-online Accelerated MS in Healthcare Administration, USC’s partially-online Executive MHA, and Concordia University’s fully-online MHA.
What are the admissions requirements for MHA programs in California?
Specific admissions requirements for MHA programs in California vary from program to program. However, you can expect most programs to include requirements similar to the following:
- A bachelor’s degree from a regionally-accredited college or university with a stated cumulative minimum GPA, commonly 3.0 with exceptions like Cal State East Bay’s 2.5 minimum requirement.
- Work experience in the healthcare field. Anywhere from two to five years is not uncommon. Some programs, like Cal State Long Beach’s Traditional MHA, have no work experience requirement.
- GRE/GMAT scores are sometimes required, though there is a trend away from this requirement for MHA programs.
Additional application requirements typically include a current resume or CV, letters of recommendation, and personal statements and/or statements of purpose, but vary by institution.
How long do MHA programs in California take to complete?
Specific admissions requirements for MHA programs in California vary from program to program. However, you can expect most programs to include requirements similar to the following:
- A bachelor’s degree from a regionally-accredited college or university with a stated cumulative minimum GPA, commonly 3.0 with exceptions like Cal State East Bay’s 2.5 minimum requirement.
- Work experience in the healthcare field. Anywhere from two to five years is not uncommon. Some programs, like Cal State Long Beach’s Traditional MHA, have no work experience requirement.
- GRE/GMAT scores are sometimes required, though there is a trend away from this requirement for MHA programs.
Additional application requirements typically include a current resume or CV, letters of recommendation, and personal statements and/or statements of purpose.
How long do MHA programs in California take to complete?
Most MHA programs in California can be completed with two to three years of full-time study. Two-year, full-time programs are the most common. Examples include the Cal State East Bay and UCLA MHA programs spotlighted above. The University of California San Francisco’s program, which can be completed in as few as 12 months, is one exception to this typical length.
Part-time students should expect to make a three to four-year commitment to complete their programs. Possibly the most flexible program in California, in terms of length, is the MHA program at Loma Linda University, which offers two, three, and four-year completion time options as well as a one-year option for clinical students studying in the medical, dental, pharmacy, or other clinical fields.
How much do California MHA programs cost?
Price tags for MHA programs in California vary substantially. The schools below provide an idea of the full range of program costs for California MHA programs. Usually, the lowest cost programs are those houses in public universities, such as the universities in the California State University system. Several primary factors impact cost, including whether the program is offered by a public or private institution, the prestige of the program or school, and whether it’s full-time or part-time.
University of California San Francisco
Master of Science in Healthcare Administration and Interprofessional Leadership
Total Credits: 36
$1,614/credit
University of Southern California
Executive Master of Health Administration Online
Total Credits: 36
$2,602/credit
Can I get financial aid to help pay for my MHA program in California?
To help offset tuition costs, there are several types of financial aid available for MHA programs in California. These include scholarships, grants, veteran’s benefits, and employer tuition reimbursement programs. There are also student loans like those available from the federal government. Many schools, like Mount Saint Mary’s University in Los Angeles, also offer scholarships and other funding opportunities exclusively for their healthcare administration students.
Regardless of your financial situation, it is always worth contacting your school’s financial aid office to ask about available funding opportunities. For more information on funding your MHA program, visit EduMed’s list of healthcare administration scholarships and guide to financial aid.
Inside Look at Online MHA Programs in California
Several online MHA online programs in California feature fully online coursework, including those at Concordia University Irvine and California Baptist University, while others feature a mix of online and on-campus components. Cal State Long Beach, for example, offers an accelerated program that combines online coursework with weekend classes at their main campus, and UCLA’s Online MHA program mixes asynchronous elements with live synchronous class sessions. Many online programs, such as the one through UCSF, also include multiple two-day on-campus immersion sessions and/or culminating capstone projects that integrate work experiences at a student’s current place of employment.
Before you enroll, have a clear understanding of which parts of a program are completed online and which aren’t. The substance of your studies – subjects covered and competencies gained – is the same regardless of whether a program is entirely online, entirely on-campus, or hybrid.
Earnings and Job Outlook for MHA Graduates in California
Understanding how MHA programs work is important as you consider your education options. But it’s also critical to gain a clear understanding of what will be ahead of you as a working professional in terms of earnings, job security, and career growth. For HA professionals, the outlook is bright, as indicated by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics in the tables below. Looking at California overall, medical and health services managers earn annual salaries, on average, of between just under $75,000 and nearly $240,000. While salaries vary somewhat both below and above these averages within the state, these impressive figures are in line with and, in fact, somewhat higher than those for HA jobs nationwide.
In regard to job security and growth potential, the figures are nothing less than astounding. The BLS puts the estimated long-term (2022-2032) job growth for all occupations in the U.S. at 2.8%. Therefore, medical and health services managers in the U.S. overall and California specifically are projected to enjoy job growth of over 10 times and 14 times, respectively, that of all U.S. occupations combined. Here are the numbers:
| Area | Curr. Jobs | Proj. Jobs | New Jobs | Growth % | Avg. Ann. Openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| United States | 509,500 | 654,200 | 144,700 | 28.40% | 54,700 |
| California | 58,300 | 81,400 | 23,100 | 39.60% | 7,140 |
Source: Projections Central
Data based on national numbers, not school-specific information.
| Area | 10th Percentile | Median | 90th Percentile |
|---|---|---|---|
| California | $74,420 | $139,430 | $239,000+ |
| Bakersfield, CA | $63,730 | $125,150 | $203,120 |
| Chico, CA | $76,580 | $132,250 | $199,490 |
| El Centro, CA | $56,410 | $110,710 | $192,840 |
| Fresno, CA | $62,590 | $126,020 | $217,970 |
| Hanford-Corcoran, CA | $66,610 | $127,590 | $210,430 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $73,370 | $134,050 | $233,690 |
| Madera, CA | $75,290 | $148,090 | $217,790 |
| Merced, CA | $64,460 | $108,660 | $185,270 |
| Modesto, CA | $77,290 | $131,800 | $212,160 |
| Napa, CA | $80,000 | $174,510 | $239,000+ |
| Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA | $64,590 | $115,430 | $207,360 |
| Redding, CA | $66,420 | $120,820 | $202,940 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | $65,410 | $129,490 | $217,090 |
| Sacramento–Roseville–Arden-Arcade, CA | $78,630 | $156,330 | $218,620 |
| Salinas, CA | $69,190 | $132,560 | $211,950 |
| San Diego-Carlsbad, CA | $73,990 | $137,630 | $239,000+ |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA | $94,400 | $177,940 | $239,000+ |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $72,800 | $168,440 | $239,000+ |
| San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles-Arroyo Grande, CA | $63,450 | $118,510 | $239,000+ |
| Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA | $66,480 | $132,000 | $218,330 |
| Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA | $59,790 | $121,590 | $221,750 |
| Santa Rosa, CA | $74,290 | $144,000 | $222,970 |
| Stockton-Lodi, CA | $65,520 | $130,290 | $218,680 |
| Vallejo-Fairfield, CA | $80,690 | $176,160 | $217,670 |
| Visalia-Porterville, CA | $66,400 | $121,050 | $233,880 |
| Yuba City, CA | $63,840 | $116,890 | $213,930 |
Source: Medical and Health Services Managers, Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2023, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Data based on national numbers, not school-specific information.
Additional Resources for MHA Students in California
Scholarships and Online Resources for Healthcare Administration Students
EduMed’s guide for finding and landing valuable scholarships to help you pay for your healthcare administration master’s degree includes descriptions of many school-based and external scholarships, advice on how to make your scholarship application stand out, and information on additional financial aid opportunities.
Women in Health Administration of Southern California (WHA)
The WHA is a nonprofit professional organization with more than 200 members employed in leadership positions with health care providers, payers, support services organizations, and regulatory agencies throughout Southern California. WHA activities and services include educational and professional development forums, networking opportunities, and an annual scholarship for health administration graduate students.
Health Care Communicators of Southern California
This association for southern California health care professionals specializing in communications-related disciplines like public relations, business development, investor relations, community relations, and public affairs is an affiliated chapter of the Society for Health Care Strategy & Market Development.
American College of Healthcare Executives (ACHE)
The ACHE is a professional association of healthcare managers and administrators dedicated to healthcare leadership excellence. There are three ACHE-affiliated chapters located in California: the San Diego Organization of Healthcare Leaders represents professionals in San Diego and Imperial counties, the ACHE of Southern California represents professionals in all other So Cal counties, and the California Association of Healthcare Leaders represents professionals in the Northern and Central California Regions.
Upsilon Phi Delta Honor Society (UPD)
The UPD is a national honor society dedicated to academic excellence in the study of health care management. There are currently five California schools with UPD chapters: Cal State Chico, Cal State Long Beach, Cal State Northridge, UCLA, and USC.
