Master's in Healthcare Management Online: Program Breakdown
Navigating the complex world of healthcare requires strong leadership and management skills. If you’re thinking about pursuing a master’s degree in healthcare management, then you’re likely ready to rise to these challenges and advance your career. This guide to online master’s degrees in healthcare management explores top-ranked programs, accreditation details, curriculum overviews, and career prospects in this field. Keep reading to discover flexible online options for working professionals, learn about specialization areas, and find the perfect program that will give you the skills to lead.
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Comparing Online Healthcare Management Master’s Programs
Master’s degrees in healthcare management programs prepare practitioners with advanced management skills to lead in a complex healthcare environment. They involve education in strategic planning, financial management, healthcare policy, and organizational leadership beyond what you learn from a bachelor’s degree.
Online study usually includes blended asynchronous coursework, such as pre-recorded lectures and forum discussions, with synchronous sessions, such as live web-based classes and virtual meetings. Though most are entirely online, a few may require in-person activities, such as residencies or practicums.
Online healthcare management programs serve working professionals pursuing career development, frequently providing part-time andaccelerated healthcare management degrees. When selecting a program, consider accreditation status and what curriculum, career support, and online platforms are offered. You may also want to consider whether the program offers financial aid for your master’s in healthcare management. As you weigh specialization options, such as health informatics or public health administration, try finding ones that match your career goals.
Liberty University
Liberty University’sonline Master of Business Administration (MBA) in Healthcare Management program provides a flexible path to healthcare leadership. The program allows you to balance your work, personal life, and education. The curriculum combines core business principles with healthcare management coursework in finance, law, and strategic management. It will allow you to learn about case studies and gain hands-on experience in healthcare settings.
Liberty University’s program is primarily online, while offering a chance to work with faculty and peers in a university setting. The graduates are geared toward hospital, clinic, and insurance company executive positions. If you are researching a program as an accessible career builder in healthcare administration, this is an excellent option.
Duration: 45 credit hours
Mode: Online
Cost: $565 per credit hour
Admissions Requirements: Official transcripts with a minimum 3.0 grade point average (GPA), a bachelor’s degree, and 15 upper-level business credits or a master’s degree with at least 12 graduate credits are required.
Curriculum: The program covers healthcare informatics, legal and ethical issues, human resources management, and operations management.
Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences (MCPHS) University
MCPHS’s MBA in Healthcare Technology positions you for success at the intersection of healthcare and technology. This is a flexible program with an on-campus (Boston or Worcester) or fully online format, so you can learn in the style that best fits your needs and schedule. You’ll explore data science, artificial intelligence, health informatics, and global health systems, developing high-demand skills. The program is based on experiential learning and mainly includes industry partnerships and hands-on learning. While still developing your skills as a leader, MCPHS’s MBA in Healthcare Technology may be an ideal program if you want to further your career in the fast-changing healthcare technology sector.
Duration: One and a half years
Mode: Hybrid
Cost: $1,160 per credit hour
Admissions Requirements: A bachelor’s degree with a minimum 3.0 GPA, transcripts, resume, and healthcare business essay are required.
Curriculum: The program covers healthcare informatics, legal and ethical issues, human resources management, and operations management. It emphasizes innovative and critical thinking, preparing graduates for leadership roles in healthcare.
Stevenson University
Stevenson University’s online master’s in healthcare management program positions you for leadership in the ever-changing healthcare landscape. This nationally ranked healthcare management degree is fully online and offers the flexibility necessary for working professionals with busy schedules. As a student in this program, you’ll gain competency in healthcare operations, learn to analyze the performance of a healthcare system or organization, and acquire the skills to address issues in the field such as service gaps. This program combines practical skills with critical theories to prepare you for leadership roles in healthcare. If you want to grow your healthcare administration or management career, this program offers a direct and effective option.
Duration: Under two years
Mode: Online
Cost: $685 per credit hour
Admissions Requirements: A bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited institution, official transcripts, a cumulative 3.0 GPA, a professional letter of recommendation, a personal statement, and a resume of professional experience are required for application.
Curriculum: Two concentrations are available: quality management and patient safety and project management in healthcare. Included courses are healthcare management and administration, healthcare policy, law, and ethics, human resources development in healthcare, organizational behavior in healthcare, and others.
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Answering Online Master’s Degrees in Healthcare Management Program FAQs
What do you learn in an online master’s program in healthcare management?
What you learn may depend on the courses offered in your program and any concentration you select. For example, the healthcare financial management class discusses budgeting, cost accounting, and financial statement analysis from a healthcare perspective. Healthcare informatics and technology addresses data analytics, the use of social media, and electronic records. Healthcare law and ethics covers healthcare’s legal and ethical mandates, impacting all stakeholders and encouraging ethical business practices.
Whatever program you select, you will likely receive a broad range of training and study across the major factors impacting today’s healthcare systems.
What concentrations are available in an online master’s program in healthcare management?
Master’s students in healthcare management usually select a concentration that reflects their field of interest. One popular option is gerontology, which deals with caring for aging populations in nursing homes and other facilities, their physical, emotional, and social care, and policy development in this respect.
The health policy concentration focuses on how healthcare policies affect facilities and patients, including policy history, legislator communication, and emerging issues.
Lastly, healthcare informatics deals with the technological aspect of healthcare delivery, covering tools and topics such as programming, biostatistics, data mining, and database applications.
How long does it take to earn a master’s degree in healthcare management online?
As seen in the survey of online master’s programs in healthcare management, this usually depends on the program. Students can generally complete an online master’s degree in healthcare management within one to three years. If studying part-time, students can complete their degree in about four years. The time it takes to graduate may be influenced by the program’s requirements, such as whether or not students need to complete a capstone project, thesis, or internship in addition to their classwork.
Are there any licenses or certifications I need to get as a master’s student in healthcare management?
In addition to completing a state-approved degree program, licensing requirements may include passing an examination and having a certain amount of work experience. Those who want to work administratively at a nursing home or assisted living facility may be required to earn a state license. Other healthcare management graduates may not be required to earn a license.
Some graduates may acquire a voluntary certification to demonstrate their knowledge and dedication to the profession. The American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA), the Professional Association of Health Care Office Management (PAHCOM), and the American College of Health Care Administrators (ACHCA) are among the industry organizations that provide these credentials.
What can I do with a master’s in healthcare management?
There are several avenues that people can take in their careers after they’ve completed their master’s in healthcare management degrees. Whether they want to work in a hospital, nursing home, doctor’s office, or outpatient care center, graduates can leverage their education to pursue high-growth management and executive careers in healthcare. In addition to these career opportunities, graduates may choose to use their master’s degree as a stepping stone to continue their education to become healthcare researchers or college professors.
Career Profile: What Can You Do with a Master’s Degree in Healthcare Management?
Obtaining a master’s degree in healthcare management qualifies a person for many leadership roles in healthcare. Graduates are qualified to be hospital administrators, clinic managers, health consultants, or health policy analysts. They may find work within multiple industries across the healthcare sector, such as with pharmaceutical companies, insurance companies, or public health organizations. The roles that graduates of master’s in healthcare management programs take often involve such tasks as overseeing the operations of a healthcare system, managing budgets, developing policies, and ensuring quality patient care.
Hospital Administrators
Hospital administrators oversee day-to-day activities of a hospital or healthcare system, including managing staff, budgets, and patient care. Responsibilities include strategic planning, regulatory compliance, and quality improvement. Benefits include high earning potential and the ability to make an impact on the health of many individuals. This career path can be challenging and can involve long hours and stressful situations.
Clinic Managers
Clinic managers coordinate the daily activities of medical clinics or doctors’ offices. Duties can involve staff supervision, budgeting, patient scheduling, and maintaining an efficient workflow across departments. The benefits include getting to be directly involved in patient interactions and keeping consistent work hours, which can help for establishing a good work-life balance in healthcare. However, clinics, doctors’ offices, and outpatient facilities may be high-volume and demand superb organizational expertise.
Health Consultants
Healthcare consultants offer organizations strategies on various issues, including strategic planning, financial management, and operational efficiency. Tasks for this job involve analysis, problem-solving, and developing recommendations. This can be a good option for those who like working on a variety of topics with high intellectual stimulation. Some of the demands of the job can include the need for frequent travel and addressing demanding clients.
Health Policy Analysts
Health policy analysts delve into healthcare policies for governmental agencies, research institutions, or advocacy organizations. They research data, examine policies, and prepare reports. For the positives of this field, you get to perform work that genuinely impacts and enhances healthcare. It should be noted that this work may require higher degrees. Health policy analysts primarily work in governmental offices, think tanks, or non-profit institutions.
Pharmaceutical Project Manager
Pharmaceutical project managers manage drug development, testing, and marketing projects. Their tasks involve timelines, budgets, and managing cross-functional teams. The advantages of this career path include quality healthcare options and a high salary. However, pharmaceutical project managers often work in high-pressure environments under stringent regulatory demands. Their employers can include pharmaceutical firms, research institutions, and contract research organizations.
Top-Rated Online Master’s in Healthcare Management Programs
Picking an online master’s in healthcare management program can be daunting. Our rankings are designed to make this process easier by identifying the best programs based on academic reputation, faculty credentials, student activity, affordability, and career support. We take into account data from both trustworthy sources and our independent research. These rankings are a jumping-off point for your search, enabling you to weigh programs and select one that fits your needs. For our complete explanation of ranking methodology, including individual metrics, visit our methodology pop-up below.
Program Details
- MSCHE Accreditation
- 69% Graduation Rate
- Private School Type
- 10/1 Student/Faculty Ratio
Why We Selected Immaculata University
- Immaculata University’s Master of Science in Health Care Management offers a flexible, fully online format that can be completed in just five semesters, allowing for accelerated degree completion less than two years.
- The program does not require GRE or GMAT scores for admission, reducing barriers for qualified health care professionals seeking to advance their leadership skills and business acumen.
- It specifically targets working allied-health and healthcare management professionals, providing relevant advanced credentials and leadership training tailored to elevate current careers within the dynamic healthcare industry.
Program Details
- MSCHE Accreditation
- 69% Graduation Rate
- Private School Type
- 10/1 Student/Faculty Ratio
Program Details
- MSCHE Accreditation
- 34% Graduation Rate
- Public School Type
- 16/1 Student/Faculty Ratio
Why We Selected College of Staten Island CUNY
- The Healthcare Management – Master's program at the College of Staten Island uniquely supports newly promoted healthcare professionals in transitioning from clinical roles to broader managerial positions, enhancing career advancement opportunities.
- It welcomes students from diverse healthcare disciplines and non-clinical backgrounds, ensuring specialized training tailored to the specific needs of healthcare providers and enabling interdisciplinary leadership growth.
- The program offers an integrative curriculum incorporating advanced business knowledge applied explicitly to the healthcare industry, preparing graduates to lead effectively within a rapidly expanding sector.
Program Details
- MSCHE Accreditation
- 34% Graduation Rate
- Public School Type
- 16/1 Student/Faculty Ratio
Program Details
- HLC Accreditation
- 35% Graduation Rate
- Public School Type
- 14/1 Student/Faculty Ratio
Why We Selected University of Michigan-Flint
- The MS in Healthcare Management at UM-Flint offers flexible online delivery, enabling students to complete the degree remotely and balance professional commitments.
- Financial aid opportunities include graduate assistantships and federal work-study, supporting part-time students to offset tuition costs.
- The program emphasizes faculty advising and personalized academic guidance to help students tailor their educational and career pathways effectively.
Program Details
- HLC Accreditation
- 35% Graduation Rate
- Public School Type
- 14/1 Student/Faculty Ratio
Program Details
- NECHE Accreditation
- 77% Graduation Rate
- Private School Type
- 13/1 Student/Faculty Ratio
Why We Selected Endicott College
- Endicott College’s Healthcare Management master's program offers a 20% scholarship exclusively for Endicott undergraduate students enrolling in the Fifth Year Graduate Program.
- The program allows accelerated degree completion in as little as 9 months, enabling students to quickly advance their careers.
- Students benefit from a practitioner-focused curriculum taught by experienced, real-world professors, designed to impart critical healthcare leadership competencies and emerging industry trends.
Program Details
- NECHE Accreditation
- 77% Graduation Rate
- Private School Type
- 13/1 Student/Faculty Ratio
Program Details
- HLC Accreditation
- 73% Graduation Rate
- Public School Type
- 19/1 Student/Faculty Ratio
Why We Selected University of Cincinnati
- The Healthcare Management master's program at UC Clermont is offered 100% online, providing maximum flexibility for working professionals and remote learners.
- Students preparing for the Certified Physician Practice Manager (CPPM) national credentialing exam receive targeted coursework, boosting their professional certification prospects and career advancement.
- The program offers a career-specific curriculum designed for completion in two years with full-time fall and spring attendance, facilitating timely degree achievement.
Program Details
- HLC Accreditation
- 73% Graduation Rate
- Public School Type
- 19/1 Student/Faculty Ratio
Program Details
- SACSCOC Accreditation
- 26% Graduation Rate
- Private School Type
- 6/1 Student/Faculty Ratio
Why We Selected University of Holy Cross
- The Healthcare Management Master's program at University of Holy Cross offers a 20% tuition discount for full-time working professionals, making advanced education more affordable for those employed while studying.
- Students benefit from small cohort sizes and individual attention, ensuring personalized learning and stronger peer connections throughout the program.
- The program features 7-week online classes with two Saturday Zoom sessions per course, allowing flexible pacing and accessibility for busy professionals balancing work and study commitments.
Program Details
- SACSCOC Accreditation
- 26% Graduation Rate
- Private School Type
- 6/1 Student/Faculty Ratio
Program Details
- SACSCOC Accreditation
- 62% Graduation Rate
- Private School Type
- 14/1 Student/Faculty Ratio
Why We Selected Mississippi College
- The Master of Health Services Administration program at Mississippi College offers specialized career tracks tailored for health services leadership roles within diverse healthcare settings.
- The program provides access to experienced faculty with real-world expertise in health services management, enhancing practical learning and career readiness.
- Students benefit from strategic partnerships with local healthcare organizations, facilitating strong networking opportunities and potential clinical or job placements.
Program Details
- SACSCOC Accreditation
- 62% Graduation Rate
- Private School Type
- 14/1 Student/Faculty Ratio
Program Details
- MSCHE Accreditation
- 56% Graduation Rate
- Public School Type
- 22/1 Student/Faculty Ratio
Why We Selected Indiana University of Pennsylvania
- The Healthcare Management Master's program at Indiana University offers a curriculum co-created with healthcare employers, ensuring strong employer networks and targeted employment opportunities for students.
- Students benefit from an intentional, holistic student experience that addresses mental, emotional, physical, cultural, and social needs throughout the degree and beyond, fostering well-rounded leadership development.
- The program includes practical, real-world experience via approved internships and a course in Washington, DC, providing immersive learning and professional practice in healthcare management.
Program Details
- MSCHE Accreditation
- 56% Graduation Rate
- Public School Type
- 22/1 Student/Faculty Ratio
Program Details
- MSCHE Accreditation
- 40% Graduation Rate
- Private School Type
- 11/1 Student/Faculty Ratio
Why We Selected Saint Elizabeth University
- The Healthcare Management – Masters program offers specialized career tracks that allow students to tailor their education to distinct healthcare sectors, enhancing job market relevance.
- The program features strong employer partnerships that facilitate clinical placements and increase opportunities for hands-on experience and networking.
- Tuition discounts and scholarships are available, making the program financially accessible while maintaining high-quality education standards.
Program Details
- MSCHE Accreditation
- 40% Graduation Rate
- Private School Type
- 11/1 Student/Faculty Ratio
Program Details
- NECHE Accreditation
- 27% Graduation Rate
- Private School Type
- 11/1 Student/Faculty Ratio
Why We Selected Cambridge College
- Cambridge College's Healthcare Management Master's program is taught by faculty with extensive practical experience, including leaders with military and medical practice backgrounds, ensuring expert guidance grounded in real-world healthcare administration.
- The program offers flexibility through fully online courses designed to fit the schedules of working professionals without sacrificing career or personal commitments.
- Students can specialize in critical business disciplines within healthcare industries or pursue entrepreneurial opportunities, enhancing career versatility across sectors like pharmaceutical, biotech, medical devices, and insurance.
Program Details
- NECHE Accreditation
- 27% Graduation Rate
- Private School Type
- 11/1 Student/Faculty Ratio
Base Methodology for EduMed’s “Best Online College Rankings” for the ‘25-’26 school year.
One: Create a list of eligible schools & programs
To be eligible for ranking, schools were required to meet the following criteria based on data pulled from The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS), which was self-reported by the schools themselves:
- Institutional accreditation from an organization recognized by the U.S. Department of Education
- At least one online component in a program within the ranking-subject area.
- The existence of academic and career counseling on campus and/or online.
Two: Assign weightings to eligible schools & programs
After creating the list of eligible schools, EduMed data scientists assigned weights and ranked schools based on a mix of metrics, which were all self-reported by the school themselves to the U.S. Department of Education and IPEDS.
The metrics are listed below in order of most- to least-heavily weighted*.
- Tuition – Average in-state tuition for undergraduate students studying full-time.
- Online Programs – Number of online programs, either partially- or fully-online, in the relevant subject area.
- Avg. Aid Amount – Average amount of institutional grant aid awarded to full-time, first-time undergraduates.
- Students w/ Aid – Percent of full-time, first-time students undergraduates awarded institutional aid.
- Online Enrollment – Percent of undergraduate students taking at least one distance education class.
- Graduation Rate – Percent of full-time, first-time receiving an award in 6 years.
- Student/Faculty Ratio – The number of students per faculty member.
*Metrics #2-5 and #6-7 were equally weighted.
About Our Data
EduMed’s rankings use the latest official data available from The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS). Most recent data pull: July 2025
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