Best Online Master’s in Healthcare Administration 2026

Badge for BEST ONLINE MASTER'S IN HEALTHCARE ADMINISTRATION

By Dr. James Barham
Reviewed By Jenn Finley

Updated: Feb 17, 2026

Find top-ranked online master’s in healthcare administration degree programs for students looking for supervisory and managerial roles in the healthcare field, such as healthcare manager, nurse manager, health information management director, and healthcare administrator.

Key Takeaways

Accredited online master’s in healthcare administration programs are often a great choice for those with experience in clinical, business, or technology fields.
With an aging US population, managing complex operations in healthcare is much needed, so an online master’s in healthcare administration degree can lead to a career that is in high demand.
Popular healthcare administration specializations include healthcare finance and information management.

Table of Contents

Top 10 Online Master's in Healthcare Administration Degrees in 2026

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Loyola University Chicago
Marshall University
+1
Samford University
–1
Nova Southeastern University
+1
University of Texas Rio Grande Valley
–1
Lamar University
Radford University
Abilene Christian University
Idaho State University

Featured Programs

Best Online Master’s in Healthcare Administration Degree Programs

Career Outlook for Students with Healthcare Administration Degree

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Health/Health Care Administration/Management

Degree Level: Master's

Location: The U.S. (Private Schools)
Avg. Cost of Degree*: $11,455
Avg. Expenses*: $17,820
Avg. Starting Salary*: $71,651
Avg. Salary after 4 Years*: $87,788
Avg. Cost Recoup Time**: 5 years
Job Growth: 11.67%
Number of Jobs: 2,061,600
* denotes ‘annually’
** denotes ‘at 15% of annual salary’

Career Salaries

Career	Job Growth	Avg. Salary
Managers, All Other	5.75%	$133,560
Information Security Analysts	32.71%	$120,360
Medical and Health Services Managers	28.54%	$110,680
Administrative Services Managers	6.23%	$106,470
Education Administrators, Postsecondary	2.91%	$102,610
Facilities Managers	5.27%	$102,340
Computer Programmers	-9.61%	$99,700
Business Teachers, Postsecondary	6.67%	$97,130
Compliance Officers	5.42%	$75,670
Claims Adjusters, Examiners, and Investigators	-4.40%	$75,050

Top Industries

Industry	Avg. Salary
Managers, All Other	$133,560
Information Security Analysts	$120,360
Medical and Health Services Managers	$110,680
Administrative Services Managers	$106,470
Education Administrators, Postsecondary	$102,610
Facilities Managers	$102,340
Computer Programmers	$99,700
Business Teachers, Postsecondary	$97,130
Compliance Officers	$75,670
Claims Adjusters, Examiners, and Investigators	$75,050

Data from The Bureau of Labor Statistics, The Department of Education College Scorecard, The Department of Education NCES, and The Council for Community and Economic Research.

Becoming A Healthcare Administrator

Students who wish to pursue a career in the healthcare industry are increasingly pursuing an online graduate in healthcare management or healthcare administration degree. The Bureau of Labor Statistics data shows that job growth in healthcare occupations will increase by 13 percent from 2021 to 2031.

As a result of this rapid growth, healthcare managers, healthcare executives, and health aervices administration experts with knowledge of health policy and keeping abreast of global health will be in high demand.

For busy working professionals who need a flexible program, more colleges and universities are offering the online master’s in healthcare administration, or MHA program.

There are several pathways to a career in healthcare administrations. Some online master’s degrees in business administration have a healthcare administration concentration, while a graduate degree in public health is another academic pathway.

Healthcare management professionals can gain specialized training through an online master’s in healthcare administration degree. Taking an online healthcare management degree allows students to continue working while earning their degree.

Healthcare Administrator Responsibilities

Overseeing personnel and operations is what healthcare administrators do during the day. Their duties typically include scheduling, budgeting, and ensuring compliance with rules and regulations.

Professionals seeking an online degree in healthcare administration should have a bachelor’s degree in healthcare or a related field. Administrators in healthcare facilities must also have administrative or clinical experience.

Those with experience and education in nursing, health information technology, or financial administration may be promoted to health administrator positions. However, administrators of nursing homes must be licensed.

Aspiring professionals must complete a state-approved training program and acquire a healthcare administrator license and certification.

Frequently Asked Questions About Healthcare Administration Degrees

Why get a master’s in healthcare administration?

A master’s degree in healthcare administration is an ideal degree for those who wish to gain advanced knowledge in the healthcare field and ultimately advance to top leadership roles. This degree can be earned either online or on campus.

What will I learn while getting a master’s in healthcare administration?

Students will gain a thorough understanding of the American healthcare system and dig into topics like healthcare policies and economics, healthcare research methods and utilization, leadership styles, and ethical principles in healthcare.

How long does it take to get a master’s in healthcare administration?

Credit requirements can range from 30 to 60 credits depending on the nature of your program. Students will typically require between two and three years to complete the required courses.

What can you do with a master’s in healthcare administration?

Graduates will qualify for supervisory and managerial roles in the healthcare field, such as healthcare manager, nurse manager, health information management director, and healthcare administrator.

Learn more about what you can do with a master’s in healthcare administration.

Online Degree Frequently Asked Questions

If this is your first time taking an online course, the experience may require some adjustment. While you’ll generally learn the same content and take the same exams as your on-campus peers, the medium will likely require you to manage much of this experience independently. You’ll be accountable for your own time management, your ability to harness the technology at your fingertips, and your ability to focus on the lectures, lessons, and assignments at hand. This means you’ll need to create a suitable workspace for yourself, maintain a realistic schedule, and take it upon yourself to build relationships with your instructors and classmates. With online college, your goal is to find a balance between independence and engagement.

No. The only part of online education that’s easier is actually getting there. Taking the commute out of the equation means getting to class should be a lot more manageable. But that’s where it ends. In general, your online courses will incorporate the very same materials, concepts, and testing methods as would a traditional classroom.

And in many cases, you’ll even have the same instructors as your on-campus counterparts. In fact, if you are adjusting to the experience of independent learning or working with remote learning technology for the first time, online college may even be a little more challenging for you. For a few insights on how to manage this new experience, check out our 10 Tips for Adjusting to School Online.

Accreditation is especially important when it comes to online college. This is because the online education landscape is a mix of highly-reputable institutions and less-than-reputable for-profit schools. Accreditation gives you the power to differentiate between the two. Accreditation is a stamp of approval from an independent accrediting agency which indicates that a college or university is meeting standards of quality, credibility, and currency. School-wide accreditation falls into two major categories: regional and national accreditation. Regional accreditors generally hold jurisdiction only over schools in the states comprising their region, whereas national accreditors hold jurisdiction over schools in all states. Regional accreditation is widely regarded as a more rigorous standard of quality and credibility than national accreditation.

Attending a college or university which is not regionally accredited could limit your opportunities. When seeking an online education, we strongly recommend that students opt for regionally accredited schools. Regional accreditation ensures eligibility for federal loans and grants, ensures your college credits can be transferred between schools, and ensures that your degree credits can be accepted if you wish to earn an advanced degree.

As long as your online college degree is regionally accredited, you should have little difficulty transferring most of your credits or credentials to another regionally accredited undergraduate school. Every school carries its own standards and procedures for granting a transfer. In many cases, you will be required to navigate a bureaucracy in which some of your credits will be transferred and others will be jettisoned. However, provided that you have attended an online school with the proper regional accreditation, you should have plenty of options for transfer.

In most cases, as long you graduate from a well-regarded, regionally-accredited online college, prospective employers won’t look sideways at your degree. In fact, unless you attend an exclusively online college or university, there will likely be no specific indicator on your degree, transcript or resume differentiating your school from its brick-and-mortar counterpart. This means that your employer will likely only differentiate between an online and in-person degree if you mention this distinction.

While some employers may express concern about making the adjustment from online education to in-person workplace collaboration, many other employers will view your online degree as evidence of valuable 21st Century professional skills such as independence, self-motivation, time management, and tech savvy.

If you are a student who thrives on the dynamic energy of in-person discussion, who requires the physical surroundings of a classroom to feel engaged, or who considers the social aspects of education to be of equal importance to the actual content of your courses, online education will require some adjustment.

While there is much that can be supplanted or simulated through the online medium, some students may find that there is nothing which can replace the conversation, collaboration, and motivation that occur in an actual classroom setting. As you make the adjustment to online education, one of the biggest challenges you will likely face is overcoming this difference in order to the get the most out of your classes. Fortunately, we’ve got some great Tips for Online Education Beginners.

The advantages of online classes are many. First and foremost, online courses give you the freedom and flexibility to attend class from anywhere that works for you, whether you’re at home, in a coffee shop, or in a quiet conference room at work. In many cases, you’ll also enjoy the convenience of asynchronous learning opportunities-educational experiences that you can complete on your own schedule. This may include pre-taped lectures, ongoing chat-board discussions, and 24/7 access to digital materials. And of course, just as there are some learners who prefer the energy of a live classroom, there are those who learn best when working in their own personal space, free from distractions. If this sounds like you, you might find the solitude of online learning to be a major advantage.

Whether you’re just getting started on your college search, you’re looking for survival tips on your way to a bachelor’s degree, or you’re preparing for the transition into grad school, we’ve got guides, how to’s and tons of other valuable resources to keep you moving forward in your educational journey.

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Best Online Master’s in Healthcare Administration 2026

Key Takeaways

Top 10 Online Master's in Healthcare Administration Degrees in 2026

Featured Programs

Best Online Master’s in Healthcare Administration Degree Programs

Last Year’s Ranking:

Career Outlook for Healthcare Administration degree at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Online Degrees

Career Outlook for Healthcare Administration degree at Loyola University Chicago

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Career Outlook for Healthcare Administration degree at Marshall University

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Career Outlook for Healthcare Administration degree at Samford University

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Career Outlook for Healthcare Administration degree at Nova Southeastern University

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Career Outlook for Healthcare Administration degree at University of Texas Rio Grande Valley

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Career Outlook for Healthcare Administration degree at Lamar University

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Career Outlook for Healthcare Administration degree at Radford University

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Career Outlook for Healthcare Administration degree at Abilene Christian University

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Career Outlook for Healthcare Administration degree at Idaho State University

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Career Outlook for Healthcare Administration degree at Murray State University

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Career Outlook for Healthcare Administration degree at Azusa Pacific University

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Career Outlook for Healthcare Administration degree at Norfolk State University

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Career Outlook for Healthcare Administration degree at Valdosta State University

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Career Outlook for Healthcare Administration degree at University of the Incarnate Word

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Career Outlook for Healthcare Administration degree at Concordia University Wisconsin

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Career Outlook for Healthcare Administration degree at Auburn University at Montgomery

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Career Outlook for Healthcare Administration degree at Park University

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Career Outlook for Healthcare Administration degree at Austin Peay State University

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Career Outlook for Healthcare Administration degree at Wilmington University

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Career Outlook for Healthcare Administration degree at Spring Arbor University

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Career Outlook for Healthcare Administration degree at Concordia University Irvine

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Career Outlook for Healthcare Administration degree at Utica University

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Career Outlook for Healthcare Administration degree at Avila University

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Career Outlook for Healthcare Administration degree at Pennsylvania College of Health Sciences

Online Degrees

Career Outlook for Students with Healthcare Administration Degree

Health/Health Care Administration/Management

Degree Level: Master's

Career Salaries

Top Industries