With the emergence of online masters in healthcare administration(MHA) and an increasing need for healthcare administrators, more and more public health and healthcare professionals are going back to get their MHA degree. The field is growing at a higher rate compared to other fields – especially with an expected growth rate of 18% between now and 2028 for medical and health services managers. This large of an expected growth increase may provide many opportunities for those looking to change careers or those looking to take on leadership roles within their healthcare organization. 

For those currently working in the field, online MHA programs are a great option for many reasons, such as having more flexibility and the opportunity to continue working while taking classes. 

Read on to view some available online masters in health administration programs or click on the jump links to view more information about online MHA degrees.

According to the Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Management Education (CAHME), there are over 100 programs that meet their accrediting standards; however there are only a handful that are available online. The list below provides information about the eight online universities that offer CAHME accredited MHA programs. All of the programs listed are offered 100% online or with the option of online format.

The curriculum and requirements will be very similar to that of a traditional MHA degree. Depending on the online MHA program, courses will either be asynchronous, self-paced learning with pre-recorded lectures, or synchronous, set days and times with live lectures and class discussions. However, no matter the format of courses, the outcomes across online MHA programs should be extremely similar to each other.

Students and working professionals who attend receive an online MHA degree will be prepared to take on larger responsibilities in healthcare management, make informed decisions about policies that affect diverse populations and healthcare organizations, and lead human resources among many other things.

A student’s commitment to the program can greatly influence how long it takes to complete the MHA degree online. If a student has the availability to attend full-time, a student can complete their MHA degree between 18 and 24 months, compared to part-time programs that may take up to 3 years to complete. 

The admissions requirements for an online MHA degree are usually consistent with on-campus MHA program requirements. This includes having a bachelor’s degree with a minimum cumulative GPA, a resume/CV, personal statement, transcripts and letters of recommendation. Some programs may require GRE scores, but most programs require previous work experience.

Having work experience is slowly overtaking the requirement of GRE submissions when looking at online mha programs. Many programs are now requiring a minimum of three years of relevant work experience in either healthcare or management. However, it is also important to look closely at admission requirements because some schools require the applicant to be currently working in the health sector to be admitted into the online MHA degree program.

Depending on the school, some programs don’t require GRE scores to be submitted when applying, for example, all the eight online MHA programs listed above do not require GRE scores. There are multiple reasons for this, including the possibility of stricter requirements, such as having a higher cumulative GPA requirement or needing to have multiple letters of recommendation. Another reason why online MHA programs may not require GRE scores is because the program requires the applicant to have a specified number of years of work experience in the healthcare field, which proves their commitment to the program and the field.

The benefits of attending a program that does not require GRE scores include saving money on the exam and exam prep, saving time on preparations, and having more time to focus on other documents or the personal statement because there is less workload before applying.

CAHME Accreditation is an important factor when reviewing MHA programs and should be taken into consideration when applying for multiple reasons. 

While there is more than one accrediting authority, the Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Management Education (CAHME) is the only organization recognized by the Council on Higher Education Accreditation to grant accreditation to individual graduate-level academic programs in healthcare management. Because of this recognition, CAHME has a rigorous process when it comes to granting accreditation for a program and can take years before the program becomes accredited due to the lengthy process. 

In order for the program to become accredited, they must meet all 10 eligibility requirements. These requirements can be broken down into four different types of criteria that are then evaluated: 

This ensures there is a set standard and quality among MHA programs.

CAHME accredited mha programs guarantee students high quality education through appropriate and up-to-date content focusing the competencies and current industry standards. This allows students to know prior to beginning the program that they are receiving the best education possible. 

In addition to the quality of education, students benefit from attending a CAHME accredited program by having access to post graduate fellowship programs that accept students only from CAHME accredited programs, access to scholarships that are only available to students attending an accredited program, access to select case competitions, and the option to apply to jobs where employers only interview students who have graduated from a CAHME accredited program.

With many health administrative programs available, and the field becoming increasingly popular, it has become difficult for employers to know who the best candidate for the job may be. 

CAHME accreditation allows employers to know that graduates from these select programs have been trained on industry based competencies and are skilled, competent and ready to be leaders in the field. Plus, CAHME accredited mha programs promote continuous quality improvement in the preparation of future healthcare leaders meaning employees have a greater likelihood of success and employers who hire these graduates create the best return on their investment.

In the end, attending a CAHME accredited program will help students set themselves apart from others in the industry. 

Similar to online MPH programs, online masters in health administration degrees provide an opportunity to work for a wide range of healthcare organizations since the field is extremely diverse in nature. Professionals in the healthcare administration field have the potential to work in management, financial planning, or even federal regulatory compliance and be top-level managers, analysts, and planners to contribute to better operating facilities.

Example job titles are:

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the job outlook for Medical and Health Services Manager positions (positions often requiring an MHA or similar degree) are expected to grow 18% between 2018-2028. Additionally, it states that in 2018 the median annual wage for these positions was about $99,730 in the US, which makes this role one of the highest paid public health jobs.

University and Program Name	Study Length	Test Requirement	Number of Credits
The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Master of Public Health (MPH) info SPONSORED	As few as 20 months	No GRE Required	42
George Washington University Master of Public Health info SPONSORED	As few as 12 months	No GRE Required	45
Boston University Online Master of Public Health info SPONSORED	24 months – 5 years	No GMAT/GRE Required	42
Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) Institute of Health Professions Masters of Health Administration info SPONSORED	12-24 Months	No GMAT or GRE Required	36

Information last updated August 2020