Top 30 Best Online Master’s in Healthcare Administration Programs

healthcare administration

Key Takeaways:

  • .Our #1 pick for the top value master’s in healthcare administration online is Midwestern State University, followed by Louisiana State University, Shreveport.
  • An MHA prepares you for various roles in healthcare management, including hospital administration, health services management, and policy development.
  • The healthcare industry is growing rapidly, leading to increased demand for skilled administrators. Graduates often see a significant increase in earning potential compared to those with only a bachelor’s degree.
  • According to PayScale, the average salary for a Healthcare Administrator is $78432 in 2024.

This is a ranking of the top 30 best value master’s in health administration online degree programs. These programs were selected as the most affordable from over 100 schools.

They were ranked according to affordability, with special bonus points given to schools with value-adding features. All of the programs in this ranking fall well below the cost of the average master’s degree. Not all of the programs on this list are strictly master’s in health administration programs.

Featured Programs

The ranking also includes the closely related master’s in human services degree as well as MBA programs in health administration. The MBA programs, however, were required to devote at least one-third of their courses to material specific to the health administration field.

Most of the MBA programs included in the list devote half or more of their courses to health administration. You can find more specific information regarding our methodology and sources at the bottom of the article. All of the schools ranked here are non-profit and regionally accredited.

#30. Roberts Wesleyan University

Master’s in Health Administration Online

Rating: 6

Website

The IACBE-accredited online MS in Health Administration at Roberts Wesleyan University does not require GMAT or GRE scores to be submitted for admittance. Students will study courses like healthcare systems and organizations, strategic planning in healthcare, health organization transformation, healthcare financial management, and healthcare research methods.

Tuition: $13,266

#29. University of St. Francis

Master of Science in Healthcare Administration Online

Rating: 6

Website

St. Francis offers students the opportunity to earn an MBA alongside their online Master of Science in Healthcare Administration. Students will take courses on medical sociology, health economics and policy, health services marketing, healthcare ethics and decision making, health information and analytics, and organizational and human resource management.

Tuition: $13,140
Standout Features: MSHA/MBA dual program

#28. Minnesota State University-Moorhead

Master of Healthcare Administration Online

Rating: 6

Website

While GMAT scores are not required for admittance to this program, students must have at least a 3.0 undergraduate GPA and submit a cover letter, resume, essay, and provide two recommendations. Courses of study include healthcare economics, healthcare quality, safety and regulatory management, healthcare law and ethical decision making, and applied healthcare financial management.

In-State Tuition: $6,480
Out of State Tuition: $12,960

#27. Youngstown State University

Master of Health and Human Services Online

Rating: 6

Website

The health administration concentration is one of three concentrations offered in the online Master of Health and Human Services degree program at Youngstown. Some of the courses offered in this program are community health practice, health services issues, program planning and evaluation, planning and fiscal management, and healthcare reform.

In-State Tuition: $8,280
Out of State Tuition: $12,780

#26. Walsh University

Online MBA in Healthcare Management

Rating: 6

Website

Walsh University’s online MBA in healthcare management has had graduates go on to take positions with hospitals, consulting firms, nursing homes, public health facilities and departments, and physicians’ offices.

Students will take courses like legal and policy aspects of healthcare, quality and performance management, healthcare organizations and systems, and non-profit accounting. If you’re interested in what specifically to expect from a health administration MBA check out our explainer on healthcare administration MBA programs.

Tuition: $11,610

#25. Texas Woman’s University

Master’s in Health Administration Online

Rating: 6

Website

The online MHA at Texas Woman’s University is a massive 51 credits and requires students without either professional experience or undergraduate coursework in health administration to take additional foundation courses.

Some of the courses students will take are Strategic Organizational Theory in Healthcare Administration, economics of Healthcare, health Policy analysis, and leadership and career Development in Healthcare.

In-State Tuition: $4,380
Out of State Tuition: $11,400

#24. Friends University

Online Master of Healthcare Leadership

Rating: 6

Website

The online master of healthcare leadership program at Friends University is one of only three in the state of Kansas recognized by the American College of Healthcare Executives. Some of the courses available to students in the program are Leadership Excellence in Healthcare, Risk Management and Decision Making, Contemporary Issues in Aging Services, and Physician Practice and Joint Venture Management.

Tuition: $11,358
Standout Features: Recognized by American College of Healthcare Executives

#23. Brandman University (UMass Global)

MBA in Health Administration Online

Rating: 6

Website

Brandman requires applicants to have a 3.0 undergraduate GPA, a 2.5 and qualifying GMAT or GRE score, or another graduate degree. Students in the online MBA in Health Administration program will take courses like corporate responsibility: ethics and sustainability, healthcare economics, law, ethics and health services, healthcare policy, organization and delivery, and quality management in healthcare.

Tuition: $10,980

#22. Regis University

Master of Science in Health Services Administration

Rating: 6

Website

Career opportunities for graduates of this online MS in Health Services Administration program include jobs like ambulatory services executive, behavioral health director, and clinical manager. Students will take courses like organizational ethics and healthcare compliance, leadership and organization development in healthcare settings, and quality improvement in healthcare.

Tuition: $10,800

#21. Plymouth State University

Online MBA in Healthcare Administration

Rating: 6

Website

Plymouth State University has four application periods per year and the MBA requires a minimum undergraduate GPA of 2.5 for admittance. Some of the courses in the program are economic analysis, healthcare administration and financial management, healthcare law and ethics, human resources in healthcare administration, and information technology in healthcare.

In-State Tuition: $8,928
Out of State Tuition: $10,278

#20. University of Maryland-University College

Online Master of Science in Health Care Administration

Rating: 7

Website

Students without professional management experience or undergraduate work are required to take two management foundation courses. Some of the other courses students will take in this program are the U.S. Healthcare System, Financial Management for Healthcare Organizations, Healthcare Institutional Organization and Management, and a Healthcare Administration capstone.

In-State Tuition: $8,244
Out of State Tuition: $11,862
Standout Features: Dual degree option

#19. Pfeiffer University

Master of Health Administration

Rating: 7

Website

Students in the MHA program at Pfeiffer can choose to pair the degree with a second master’s in either business administration or leadership. The program offers courses like health services policy, health services information management, health services financial management, comparative international health, and applied research in health administration.

Tuition: $11,520
Standout Features: Two dual degree programs.

#18. University of Scranton

Master’s in Health Administration Online

Rating: 7

Website

The University of Scranton is among the first universities to have their 100% online MHA program accredited by the commission on accreditation of healthcare management education. Students will take courses like healthcare ethics, healthcare IT management, leadership in healthcare organizations, healthcare economics and policy, and healthcare statistics and research methods.

Tuition: $11,112
Standout Features: One of the first online programs accredited by CAHME

#17. Valparaiso University

Master’s in Health Administration Online

Rating: 7

Website

Valparaiso’s 100% online MHA programs include strategic leadership, health informatics, gerontology, and forensic health. Some of the courses students will take are information management in healthcare, data assurance and security in healthcare, aging process and interventions, organizational and government policy in healthcare, and forensic health: victims and offenders.

Tuition: $11,070
Standout Features: Four concentrations.

#16. Belhaven University

Master of Health Administration

Rating: 8

Website

Graduates from Belhaven’s online MHA program find themselves in a wide range of positions in the industry, including hospital department director, mental health facility management, nursing home management, and hospital marketing and communications. Some of this program’s courses are ethics in healthcare, healthcare finance and budgeting, advanced organizational leadership, and healthcare quality management.

Tuition: $9,990

#15. Mississippi College

Master’s in Health Services Administration Online

Rating: 8

Website

This online MHSA degree prepares students for jobs like health information manager, clinical manager, and nursing home administrator, among others. Courses in the program include healthcare financial management, organizational behavior in healthcare administration, legal aspects of healthcare administration, healthcare marketing, and law and ethics in the business environment.

Tuition: $9,810

#14. Bellevue University

Master of Healthcare Administration Online

Rating: 8

Website

Applicants to the online MHA program at Bellevue must either be working a minimum of 20 hours per week within a healthcare organization or provide a letter of commitment from an organization within the healthcare industry that agrees to support the student throughout the completion of the degree.

Students will take courses like research methods for healthcare administrators, healthcare finance, and operations management.

Tuition: $9,450

#13. Rivier University

MBA in Health Administration Online

Rating: 8

Website

Applicants to Rivier University’s online MBA in Health Administration program can apply at any time and are notified of acceptance within 2-4 weeks. Students in the program will take courses like healthcare finance, healthcare administration, healthcare information systems, healthcare market planning, strategies of healthcare administration, and compliance and risk management in healthcare settings.

Tuition: $9,342

#12. Indiana Wesleyan University

Online MBA in Healthcare Administration

Rating: 8

Website

Indiana Wesleyan University’s online MBA in Healthcare Administration has five start dates throughout the year. Courses available to students include decision-making and essential business communication, healthcare governance and organizational structure, healthcare technology and information management, healthcare strategic development, and healthcare principles and policies.

Tuition: $9,265

#11. Colorado State University-Global Campus

Master’s in Healthcare Administration

Rating: 9

Website

Graduates of the online MHA program at CSU’s global campus have been hired for jobs like nursing home administrator, nutrition services manager, health and social services manager, medical records manager, and clinical director.

Students can choose from nine concentrations, including applied business management, human resource management, international management, project management, strategic innovation and change management.

Tuition: $9,000
Standout Features: 14 Concentrations

#10. Mount Vernon Nazarene University

MBA in Healthcare Administration Online

Rating: 8

Website

Despite the MBA core, this program actually places an equal to greater focus on the healthcare administration aspect of the degree. Students will take courses like health services management, legal aspects of health management, healthcare human resources, healthcare quality management, and strategic leadership.

Tuition: $8,964

#9. Salve Regina University

Online Master of Science in Health Care Administration and Management

Rating: 8

Website

Salve Regina’s online MHA program is IACBE-accredited. Students in the program will take courses like public health administration, application of healthcare management theory, organizational transformation and change, and special topics in healthcare administration and management. There is also an opportunity for students to intern in healthcare administration and management.

Tuition: $8,820

#8. Saint Leo University

MBA in Healthcare Management Online

Rating: 9

Website

This online MBA in Healthcare Management can be earned in just one year on the accelerated track. An accelerated track is much more intense than normal. Students in the healthcare management concentration will take classes on healthcare organization/managed care, healthcare management, community health evaluation and epidemiology, health policy evaluation, and critical issues in healthcare.

Tuition: $8,730
Standout Features: One year fast track program

#7. Saint Joseph’s College of Maine

Master’s in Healthcare Management

Rating: 8

Website

Students who earned their bachelor’s degree in health administration, long term care administration, radiologic science administration, or health information management at Saint Joseph’s are eligible for the fast track program. The regular online MHA program is 42 credits and features courses on healthcare informatics, strategic human resources management, and health services administration.

Tuition: $8,576

#6. Stevenson University

Master’s in Healthcare Management Online

Rating: 8

Website

The online master’s of healthcare management at Stevenson does not require applicants to submit GMAT or GRE scores for admission. Students can choose between concentrations in project management in healthcare and quality management and patient safety.

Students will take courses like innovative Management Leadership, teamwork in Healthcare Settings, and Planning for evidence-based Practice.

Tuition: $8,040

#5. Concordia University-Irvine

Master’s in Health Administration Online

Rating: 8

Website

Applicants to the online MHA program at Concordia must provide a professional reference, a 250-word essay, and a current resume, and have had a minimum undergraduate GPA of 3.0.

Some of the courses available through this program are Vocation and Ethics in Healthcare Management, Healthcare Organizational Management, Information Systems in Health Services, and Healthcare Strategic Planning and Marketing.

Tuition: $7,998

#4. Wilmington University

Online MBA in Healthcare Administration

Rating: 8

Website

Wilmington University’s online MBA in Healthcare Administration is IACBE-accredited. Students without a business background will likely need to take this program’s foundation courses. Some of the courses offered in the healthcare administration concentration are health policy and economics, health insurance and reimbursement, legal aspects of healthcare, and marketing in the healthcare sector.

Tuition: $7,992

#3. Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota

Master of Arts in Health and Human Services Administration

Rating: 8

Website

The online MHA program at Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota has six start times per year. Students in the program can choose to specialize in either healthcare or human services. Students will take courses on human services administration, lifespan development perspectives, healthcare policy, management principles, common diseases and treatments, and healthcare financial management.

Tuition: $7,884

#2. Louisiana State University-Shreveport

Master’s in Health Administration Online

Rating: 9

Website

Applicants to the online MHA program at LSU-Shreveport must either have a bachelor’s with a 3.0 GPA, a 2.5 GPA with three years professional work experience, or a 2.5 and a qualifying GMAT score. Students will take courses like healthcare organizational behavior, healthcare systems, healthcare informatics, healthcare strategic management, and healthcare law and ethics.

Tuition: $5,852
Standout Features: Offered through AACSB-accredited business school.

#1. Midwestern State University

Master’s in Health Administration Online

Rating: 11

Midwestern State University offers multiple degree programs in health administration including MS in Nursing and Health Administration, Master of Public Administration in Health Services Administration, and the more general Master’s in Health Administration. Students will take courses like healthcare financial management, healthcare personnel, health systems analysis, and healthcare law and bioethics.

In-State Tuition: $3,805
Out of State Tuition: $4,975
Standout Features: Multiple Degree options available based on professional background.

Sources

Tuition information was retrieved from College Navigator.

Methodology

The methodology for awarding points for schools’ ratings is as follows. Points were not awarded in a combined fashion but instead they were awarded based on the category (in-state or out-of-state) in which the school had the highest score. Points were awarded based on the system below. Bonus Points were then awarded for standout features at a rate of one point per standout feature.

Ranking System

In-State Tuition
Under $25k=1
Under $20=2
Under $15=3
Under $10=4
Under $5=5

Out-of-State Tuition
Under $25k=2
Under $20k=4
Under $15k=6
Under $10k=8
Under $5k=10

Related reading:

This concludes our ranking of the best value master’s in health administration online degree programs.

CVO Staff