Online MBA Degrees in Healthcare Management

As companies grapple to make healthcare affordable and accessible to all, the need for qualified individuals to manage healthcare facilities also increases. Healthcare is one of the fastest-growing fields. Between 2022 and 2032, the number of jobs in healthcare is expected to grow 28 percent in the United States, much faster than the average 3 percent for all U.S. jobs, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). This makes a specialization in healthcare management an attractive option for prospective MBAs.

While an MBA prepares professionals to handle complex decision-making tasks and ensure that organizations function smoothly, a specialization in healthcare can make MBA graduates even more valuable to employers in the industry. This advanced degree equips students with key business skills, such as the planning, operations, marketing, and management of healthcare facilities. Students gain a thorough understanding of public health systems and environmental factors that affect community health, while also learning how to implement sound healthcare practices that comply with legislation.

This degree is ideal for two types of professionals. Those looking to make a foray into healthcare or those interested in taking up managerial positions in the field. Healthcare MBA graduates are in high demand at hospitals, healthcare management companies, biotech companies, and pharmaceutical companies. They often go on to pursue positions such as health administrator, hospital chief executive officer (CEO), hospital chief financial officer (CFO), and pharmaceutical manager.

This guide explores outstanding online MBA programs in healthcare management.

Featured Healthcare Programs
Grand Canyon University Online MBA - Health Systems Management View Full Profile
Grand Canyon University Online MBA/MSN - Nursing Leadership in Health Care Systems View Full Profile
Purdue Global Online MBA - Health Care Management View Full Profile
Purdue Global Online MSN-MBA View Full Profile
Texas A&M International University Online MBA - Healthcare Administration View Full Profile
Southern New Hampshire University Online MBA In Healthcare Management View Full Profile
Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi Online MBA in Healthcare Administration View Full Profile
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Featured Online MBA Programs with Healthcare Management Specializations

1Northeastern University, D’Amore McKim School of BusinessView Full Profile

Financial Times ranked Northeastern’s D’Amore McKim School of Business online MBA program as one of the top programs of its kind. The course equips students with knowledge of healthcare strategy, decision-making, and environmental analysis. To gain admission into the program, students need an undergraduate degree from an accredited institute, a GPA of 3.0 or more, and five years of professional work experience.

The 50-credit program includes 13 core courses and five electives. Core courses include value creation through financial decision-making, managing the global enterprise, and ethics in the workplace. In the healthcare specialization, students learn about the U.S. healthcare system, health record management, the use of capital and operating budgets, and data analysis.
advanced MBA program such as this one opens the door to high-level positions in healthcare. Graduates can pursue jobs as medical practice managers, CEOs or CFOs of a hospital, hospital administrators, or pharmaceutical project managers.

Location: Boston, MA
Accreditation: New England Association of Schools and Colleges; Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB International)
Format: Online
Expected Time to Completion: Two years
2Maryville University, John E. Simon School of BusinessView Full Profile

Maryville University offers a fully online master of business administration (MBA) program with a concentration in health administration providing students the extra boost they need. Studying advanced topics such as healthcare industry and practice management, medical law, healthcare practice operations, risk management, ethics, and quality and population health management can provide students with specialized knowledge of the industry.

Made up of 39 credits, the program has 24 credits of core courses, a three-credit capstone course, and 12 credits of health administration leadership and management. Core courses include business policies; corporate financial policies; accounting for managers; business economics; strategic marketing; and organizational behavior and development, among others.

Courses in the healthcare administration concentration include the healthcare industry and its impact on healthcare management; healthcare operations; healthcare law, ethics, and risk management; and population health management.

Applicants to the program must have a four-year bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution along with official academic transcripts. Graduates of this program will be ready to take up roles such as medical and health services managers, healthcare management consultants, hospital administrators, policy analysts, medical practice managers, and administrative services managers, to name a few.

Location: St. Louis, MO
Accreditation: Higher Learning Commission (HLC); Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP)
Format: Online
Expected Time to Completion: 14 months

SNHU’s MBA in healthcare management provides students with a foundation in the best healthcare practices and trends, as well as the challenges plaguing the industry. With this wealth of knowledge and skills gained in the program, graduates are well-equipped to pursue a successful career in healthcare.

Courses provide a holistic understanding of healthcare administration including finance, accounting, leadership, marketing, and IT. Students learn how to handle challenges that healthcare workers, medical law, ethics, and managing clinical information systems face in the field. Students take three healthcare management courses for this specialization: healthcare informatics; topics in health administration; and social and organizational issues in healthcare.

Students who have completed the program can transition to managerial roles in government agencies, healthcare consulting firms, biotech health services, hospitals, and pharmaceutical companies.

Location: Manchester, NH
Accreditation: New England Commission of Higher Education (NECHE); Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP)
Format: Online
Expected Time to Completion: 12 to 24 months

GW’s online healthcare MBA is one of the most reputable in the country. The university was ranked among the top national universities and top colleges for veterans by the U.S. News & World Report and among the top business schools and online MBA programs in the country. The program is designed for students who want to work at the intersection of business and healthcare so that they can improve healthcare efficiencies and processes. Students must have at least three years of work experience to apply, preferably in healthcare.

Students complete 46.5 credits on topics that include business ethics and public policy; microeconomics for the global economy; strategic management; and more. Also, students can customize their education through one of seven graduate certificates. The certificates can be completed in healthcare quality, health sciences, regulatory affairs, integrative medicine, clinical research administration, clinical research practice, and clinical and translational research.

Location: Washington, D.C.
Accreditation: Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE); Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB International)
Format: Online
Expected Time to Completion: 24 to 30 months

Graduates of Texas A&M International University’s (TAMIU) online MBA program in healthcare administration will be able to broaden their business knowledge and move into management positions within the healthcare sector. They will develop valuable team leadership expertise, improve their ability to manage projects, and will learn to solve complex issues in healthcare.

Comprising 30 credits, the program includes core courses such as business research methods; strategic management; financial statement analysis; managerial economics; and financial management. Courses in the concentration include organizational behavior; transformational leadership; and healthcare informatics.

Applicants to the program must have a bachelor’s degree with a minimum 3.0 GPA. Graduates will be able to take up roles such as healthcare administrators, hospital business office directors, clinical research managers, health information directors, and nursing home administrators.

Location: Laredo, TX
Accreditation: Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC); Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB International)
Format: Online
Expected Time to Completion: 12 months

The University of Saint Mary offers an online MBA for individuals looking to study at their own pace. The program offers eight specialized concentration options allowing students to hone their managerial skills, advance their abilities, and grow as leaders. In healthcare, accounting, finance, HR, general management, leadership, and marketing, concentration options are available.

The program can be completed in as little as one year, with students taking two classes per term, or over two years, with one class per term. Courses are eight weeks long and start in January, March, May, July, August, and October.

The 33-credit curriculum is spread over eight core and three specialization courses. In the healthcare specialization, students will focus on healthcare informatics and technologies, leadership and business operations in healthcare, and legal and ethical issues in healthcare. Additionally, the curriculum highlights key leadership concepts within the healthcare industry.

The entirely online program provides a good understanding of business fundamentals through core courses. Students completing the program go on to work in administration, consulting, and management at clinics, rehabilitation centers, university and college research institutions, and mental health organizations.

Location: Leavenworth, KS
Accreditation: Higher Learning Commission (HLC); International Assembly for Collegiate Business Education (IACBE)
Format: Online
Expected Time to Completion: 12 to 24 months

Utica University also offers an online MBA program with a specialization in healthcare management. The program instills in students a deeper understanding of legal and ethical issues involved in healthcare, global health politics, and the ability to tackle technology projects.

While students are not required to take the GMAT or GRE for admission, it is recommended that students must have at least two years of work experience and a minimum GPA of 2.7. The 30-credit program is divided into 15 credits of core courses, 12 credits for the healthcare specialization, and three credits for capstone projects.

While there are no on-campus residencies required to complete this program, students are required to complete a capstone project where they will study a real-world issue and present their recommended solution to a real company’s challenge.

Throughout the course, students delve into topics such as ethical and legal issues in healthcare; marketing and strategic planning in the service sector; quality and performance improvement in evidence-based healthcare; leading organizational development and change; and healthcare information systems. The core MBA courses focus on ethical leadership in business, data-driven decision-making, and market forces. The program opens doors to high-level opportunities in healthcare including hospital CEO and CFO, hospital administrator, and health information manager.

Location: Utica, NY
Accreditation: Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE); Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP)
Format: Online
Expected Time to Completion: 24 months
8University of Scranton, Kania School of ManagementView Full Profile

The online MBA program in healthcare management at the University of Scranton’s Kania School of Management is well-suited for working professionals looking to enter healthcare, or those wishing to take a new direction. The University of Scranton is ranked among the top universities by the U.S. News and World Report.

The program comprises 45 credits. Applicants to the program must have a bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university, a 3.0 minimum undergraduate GPA, official transcripts from all previously attended institutions, a current resume, a statement of intent, and three letters of reference. GRE or GMAT scores are not required for admission.

The healthcare specialization teaches topics such as healthcare law; hospital administration; global health management; healthcare financial management; health services and systems; and introduction to health informatics. Combined with cutting-edge technology, and a focus on ethics and real-world application, this MBA degree aims to set students on a path to success in healthcare.

Students graduating from the program gain valuable skills in healthcare management to work in the public, private, and not-for-profit sectors. They can take on coveted jobs such as healthcare administrator, healthcare services director, medical practice manager, and pharmaceuticals project manager.

Location: Scranton, PA
Accreditation: Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE); Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB International)
Format: Online
Expected Time to Completion: 24 months
9Grand Canyon University, Colangelo College of BusinessView Full Profile

Grand Canyon University offers an online master of business administration (MBA) program with an emphasis on health systems management. Students in this program develop analytical skills and gain in-depth knowledge of strategic management policies and practices in healthcare that could prove helpful to a career in health systems management. Graduates may be prepared to take on roles that influence the well-being and health of the patient population, as well as their entire communities.

This 54-credit program includes courses such as marketing management; healthcare policies and economics; legal and ethical principles in healthcare; strategic management; managerial finance; operations management; applied business probability and statistics; and leadership and organizations.

Location: Phoenix, AZ
Accreditation: Higher Learning Commission (HLC); Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP)
Format: Online
Expected Time to Completion: 24 months

Southern Oregon University offers an online MBA with a concentration in healthcare administration helping students enhance their management and leadership skills as they learn to develop and apply a strong foundation of business concepts specific to the healthcare setting.

Equipping students with the industry knowledge and insights that are essential to advance in this growing field, this program helps students learn and apply the critical skills they need for roles such as medical practice managers, medical and health services managers, hospital administrators, quality assurance managers, sales managers, communications directors in healthcare organizations, and risk managers.

Applicants to the program must have a bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution, a minimum GPA of 2.75, and three years of relevant experience.

Consisting of 45 credits, the program includes courses such as marketing management and strategies; strategic operations management; managerial accounting for decision-making; economic analysis; legal and ethical issues in business and management; process improvement; advanced health communications; and healthcare in the United States: structures, systems, and policies.

Location: Ashland, OR
Accreditation: Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU); Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP)
Format: Online
Expected Time to Completion: 16 months

Featuring seven-week courses and 6 start dates a year, Boise State University’s online MBA in healthcare leadership is delivered in a fully online format. Graduates of this program will be prepared to design, implement, and communicate patient-focused solutions. They will develop the core decision-making and management abilities that are fundamental to improving the business of healthcare. Moreover, the program allows students to explore group dynamics and leadership techniques while also learning project management and creative processes that will transform their business.

Applicants to the program must have a bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited institution, an undergraduate GPA of 3.0, and two years of significant, full-time management experience. GMAT or GRE scores are not required for admission.

Made up of 49 credits, the program includes courses such as leadership for health professionals; healthcare systems and delivery; healthcare operations and financial management; introduction and business foundations; design thinking and strategic management; marketing strategy; corporate finance; and operations and supply chain management.

Graduates will be ready to take on roles such as medical and health services managers, medical practice managers, medical directors, clinical directors, risk directors, hospital administrators, and quality assurance directors.

Location: Boise, ID
Accreditation: Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU); Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB International)
Format: Online
Expected Time to Completion: 12 months

Professors to Know in Online MBA Programs in Healthcare Management

  • Paul J. Bolster, PhD Northeastern University

    Dr. Paul J. Bolster is the MBA faculty director at Northeastern University. His main teaching and research interests are in portfolio management and investments. He has also assumed managerial positions such as director for investment funds managed by Gartmore Investment Management in London. Additionally, Dr. Bolster is a certified chartered financial analyst (CFA) and an active member of the Financial Management Association and Boston Security Analysts Society. Apart from being a faculty member at Northeastern, he sits on the Board of Trustees for Woodbury College. His research has appeared in prominent journals such as the Journal of Investing and the Journal of Accounting and Finance. Some of his publications include "Investing in Morningstar Recommendations: Price and Style Effects" and "How Mad is Mad Money: Jim Cramer as a Stock Picker and Portfolio Manager." Dr. Bolster earned his doctorate and MBA in finance from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, and his undergraduate degree in mathematics and economics from Bowdoin College

  • Sharon Jumper, JD University of Saint Mary

    Sharon Jumper is passionate about teaching online classes. At the University of Saint Mary, she teaches strategic management and ethics, healthcare management, and global management. She was previously a full-time faculty member and department chair at the Leavenworth-based school, but she now spends most of her time teaching online. Over more than 15 years of teaching experience, she has taught in the United States, Asia, the Middle East, North Africa, and Latin America. Her education includes a bachelor's degree in government, a master's of public administration (MPA), a Juris Doctor (JD), and post-graduate certificates in applied project management and instructional design and educational technology.

Farheen Gani
Farheen Gani
Writer

Farheen Gani is an expert in online MBA programs, having covered MBA programs in computer science, economics, healthcare management, and fraud and forensics, among others, since 2018. She writes about healthcare, technology, education, and marketing. Her work has appeared on websites such as Tech in Asia and Foundr, as well as top SaaS blogs such as Zapier and InVision. You can connect with her on LinkedIn and Twitter (@FarheenGani).