Seeking Job Stability? Consider a Degree in Healthcare Administration

healthcare admin kansas healthcare careersAs a recession-proof industry, interest in the healthcare field is rapidly growing, and more and more students are enrolling in healthcare degree programs. In response, many universities are seizing the growing trend as an opportunity to expand and offer online healthcare administration degree programs, as well as online business degree programs which include an emphasis in healthcare. Greater job stability and increased flexibility and availability of education programs make healthcare an excellent course of study for students who are interested in the medical field and may have limited schedules or may otherwise require a more flexible learning environment.

Healthcare-administration-degree.net provides a ranking of the top 10 online healthcare degree programs. The list consists of the top ten colleges and universities which offer the best online bachelor degree program in healthcare administration and/or healthcare management.

All programs listed are offered by regionally accredited colleges and universities, and obtaining the degrees mentioned are beneficial in seeking a career in the healthcare field. Many of the schools listed are highly respected by employers and potential colleagues in the healthcare industry.

1. University of Minnesota-Crookston – Bachelor of Science in Health Management
Cost: $430.77 per credit

2. Colorado State University-Global Campus – Bachelor of Science in Healcare Administration and Management
Cost: 350.00 per credit

3. Drexel University – Bachelor of Science in Health Services Administration
Cost: $690.00 per credit

4. Northeast University – Bachelor of Science in Health Management
Cost: $335.00 per credit

5. Bellevue University – Bachelor of Science in Healthcare Management
Cost: $370.00 per credit

6. Liberty University – Bachelor of Science in Business Administration – Healthcare Management
Cost: $365.00 per credit for part time/$325.00 per credit for full time

7. New England College – Bachelor of Science in Healthcare Administration
Cost: $31,394 per year

8. Grand Canyon University – Bachelor of Science in Health Admiistration
Cost: $465 per credit

9. Hodges University – Bachelor of Science in Health Administration
Cost: $490.00 per credit

10. Strayer University – Bachelor of Business Administration – Healthcare Administration
Cost: $1,700 per course

Source: Top 10 Best Online Healthcare Administration Degree Programs

Healthcare Administration Jobs Easy to Get After Earning a Degree From One of These Top Schools

The site, “Masters in Health Administration Degrees” (masters-in-health-administration.com) has ranked the top 10 Best Online Masters in Health Administration Degree Programs to help prospective students evaluate programs. The Masters in Health Administration is a popular graduate degree for those seeking to advance in healthcare careers. Online distance education provides working adults with the opportunity to continue their education in the field while also remaining employed and meeting other obligations.

Masters in Health Administration Degrees notes that the MHA degree places more emphasis on healthcare content than does the alternative, the MBA in Healthcare, which focuses more on the business aspect of the healthcare field. Both degrees are considered excellent preparation for administrative and executive positions, according to the site.

All of the schools selected as the Top 10 Best Online Masters in Health Administration Degree Programs are regionally accredited. Masters-in-health-administration.com lists the tuition costs and the unique aspects and tuition costs for each program.

The Top 10 Online Masters in Health Administration Degree Programs are:

1. University of Southern California – Cost: $1588.24 per credit hour ($54,000).
Degree Name: Executive Masters in Health Administration.

2. Northeastern University – Cost: $1,345 per credit hour.
Degree Name: Master in Business Administration- Healthcare.

3. George Washington University – Cost: $1,420 per credit hour.
Degree Name: Master in Business Administration-Healthcare.

4. University of Cincinnati – Cost: $790 per credit hour.
Degree Name: Master of Health Administration (MHA).

5. Quinnipiac University – Cost: $895 per credit hour.
Degree Name: Master in Business Administration- Healthcare Management Track.

6. University of North Carolina – Cost: $497 per credit hour for North Carolina residents; $1229.48 per credit hour for non-residents.
Degree Name: Executive Master of Healthcare Administration.

7. Ohio University – Cost: $654 per credit hour for Ohio residents; $673 per credit hour for non-residents.
Degree Name: Masters in Health Administration.

8. Saint Joseph’s University – Cost: $752 per credit hour.
Degree Name: Master of Science in Health Administration (MSHA).

9. Tiffin University – Cost: $1,400 tuition per course; full program tuition is $25,200.
Degree Name: Master in Business Administration – Healthcare Administration.

10. Brenau University – Cost: $540 per credit hour.
Degree Name: Master in Business Administration – Healthcare Management.

Ten Great Online MHA Programs

Best MHA Programs, the resource website providing expert guidance on Master of Health Administration degree programs, has released its list of the Top 10 Best Online MHA Degree Programs. MHA programs provide the foundation for management and leadership positions in the healthcare industry. Career possibilities include hospital and nursing home administration, clinical management and patient advocacy. Students seeking an MHA are often employed in the healthcare field at an entry or mid-level position, and find online study a way to advance their education and credentials without interrupting their careers.

The schools named by best-mph-programs.com include both public and private universities. The programs were chosen because each offers both a rigorous curriculum and the opportunity to complete all or most of the degree online.

All of the programs on Best MHA Programs’ Top 10 list are accredited. The site provides program tuition information on the schools listed, as well as technology access information and time required to complete each program.

Best MHA Programs’ Top 10 Online MHA Programs are:

1. Capella University – Cost: $448 per credit hour.
Degree Name: Master of Health Administration.

2. A.T. Still University of Health Sciences – Cost: $3,520 per quarter.
Degree Name: Master of Health Administration.

3. University of Cincinnati – Cost: $508 per credit hour.
Degree Name: Master of Health Administration.

4. Ohio University – Cost: $654 per credit hour for Ohio residents; $673 per credit hour for out-of-state students.
Degree Name: Master of Health Administration.

5. University of North Carolina – Cost: $ $497.48 per credit hour for North Carolina residents; non-residents pay $1,229.49 per credit hour.
Degree Name: Master of Health Administration.

6. Kaplan University – Cost: $420 per credit hour.
Degree Name: Master of Health Administration.

7. Southern New Hampshire University – Cost: $627 per credit hour.
Degree Name: Master of Health Administration.

8. Utica College – Cost: $650 per credit hour.
Degree Name: Master of Health Administration.

9. Walden University – Cost: $620 per credit hour.
Degree Name: Master of Health Administration.

10. Bellevue University – Cost: $485 per credit hour.
Degree Name: Master of Health Administration.

Where to Earn a Master of Health Administration Degree Online

In order to help patients as effectively as possible, hospitals and health services facilities rely on the leadership and business acumen of health administrators and other health management professionals. The modern medical system is a business, and a multi-billion dollar one at that, and its need for forward-thinking management has never been greater. For individuals interested in pursuing or advancing a career in health administration, a specialized graduate degree program provides a career-oriented academic experience. To assist prospective students in sorting through the options, Master-of-Health-Administration.com offers a newly released ranking list of the Top 10 Best Online Master of Health Administration Degree Programs. Pertinent details such as tuition rates and curricular features are included to simplify the school search.

All of the schools chosen for the ranking list have been fully accredited by academic accrediting bodies. A number are also accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business or by the Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs, recognized as leading accrediting organizations for business schools. Unique educational options available through the selected degree tracks include virtual residencies and specialized concentration areas.

Master-of-Health-Administration.com’s ranking list underscores the caliber of education available to today’s online students, with nationally and regionally ranked universities both public and private appearing on the list. The schools named have earned high marks from business and academic ranking publications alike, including Bloomberg, the U.S. News and World Report and the Princeton Review. Students who choose to enroll in any one of these online programs can expect the same level of academic quality as traditional on-campus students.

1. University of Southern California – Cost: $54,000 total tuition costs
Degree Name: Executive Master of Health Administration

2. Northeastern University – Cost: $1,345 per credit
Degree Name: Master of Business Administration, Healthcare Management

3. University of North Carolina – Cost: $497 per credit in-state tuition; $1,229.48 out-of-state tuition
Degree Name: Executive Master of Health Administration

4. George Washington University – Cost: $1420 per credit
Degree Name: Master of Business Administration, Healthcare Management

5. Ohio University – Cost: $654 per credit in-state tuition; $673.00 per credit out-of-state tuition
Degree Name: Master of Health Administration

6. University of Cincinnati – Cost: $790 per credit
Degree Name: Master of Health Administration

7. Quinnipiac University – Cost: $895 per credit
Degree Name: Master of Business Administration, Healthcare Management

8. Saint Joseph’s University – Cost: $752 per credit
Degree Name: Master of Health Administration

9. Saint Francis’ University – Cost: $679 per credit
Master of Science in Healthcare Administration

10. Utica College – Cost: $625 per credit
Master of Science in Healthcare Administration

Choosing Between a Master’s in Public Health and a Master’s in Healthcare Administration

Graduating college with a bachelor’s degree is a big step toward unlocking the potential your future holds. Now more than ever having a bachelor’s can give you a significant advantage in the workforce. However, many students elect to continue their studies beyond the bachelor’s level and pursue postgraduate education. For students considering options in the healthcare industry, receiving their bachelor’s degree not only indicates an important watershed moment in their lives, but places them at a crossroads that will directly affect which way they go for postgraduate studies. By examining the similarities between a master’s degree in public health and a master’s in healthcare administration, you may be able to choose the career that best suits your lifestyle and personality.

The Similarities and Differences

At first blush, there’s not much to choose between a public health and a healthcare administration degree. Both are concerned with helping people, crunching numbers, and tailoring healthcare to be more effective in a wide array of settings. The difference is primarily one of management. A master of health administration is primarily interested in assuming a management role in a hospital or government agency such as the Centers for Disease Control, as well as healthcare at the federal, state, and local levels or as a member of a nonprofit. A master of public health, however, may work in a laboratory, hospital, as a social worker, or even as a medical correspondent for a newspaper or national television news.

The Best Person For The Job

Choosing the right master’s program for you is a distinctly personal decision, but there are some signposts you might consider as “markers” for which role you’d be happiest in. An outgoing, friendly, analytical person who’s not as interested in financial or organizational management will probably be happier as a master of public health. Meanwhile, a person who enjoys working with numbers, finances, and who enjoys being “in charge” or is interested in functioning as a member of middle to upper management will probably find themselves enjoying the options a master of healthcare administration is afforded.

Comparison and Contrast of Master’s Requirements

The core disciplines for each master’s degree vary according to the various requirements for the courses. A master of public health will typically have as the core disciplines under consideration biostatics, epidemiology, environmental health, health administration and policy, and social and behavioral sciences. For an MPH, the emphasis will naturally be on dealing with diseases on a one-to-one basis and as statistically significant elements of a larger population. A master of healthcare administration will generally take less “hands-on” courses by comparison to the MPH, taking instead such courses as statistical analysis and application, financial analysis and assessment, governance, leadership, population health, healthcare economics, and strategy formulation and implementation. For the MHA, the emphasis is not on individual interactions so much as the systems that allow the broadest coverage of healthcare to the widest number of people.

After The Master’s Program

People with masters’ degrees have a far wider array of employment opportunities available to them compared with those possessing a bachelor’s, such as governments from local to federal, nonprofit organizations such as the American Red Cross, and private-sector institutions such as private hospitals. Salaries vary widely depending on one’s concentration and experience, but generally starting salaries begin at a median of $35,711 a year, with a median salary among MHAs of $90,000 per year and $67,534 for MPHs. Public- and private-sector laboratories and agencies have a high demand for both these degrees, and your concentration could easily exceed the medians given here depending on a number of factors.

About the Author

Will Burnham is a Topeka-based healthcare educator and a columnist for Masters Public Health, a resource for students interested in advanced degrees in public health.