Master of Healthcare Administration (M.H.A.)

Career Outlook: Lead health care organizations to an efficient and effective future.

The demand for medical and health care administrators is booming.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, jobs in this field are expected to grow 28 percent between 2021 and 2031, much faster than the average for all occupations, due to an aging population and diversification in the industry. These roles are both rewarding and lucrative, with the 2021 median annual wage at $101,340 and the top 10 percent of positions earning more than $205,620 in 2021.¹

► $205,620 Earned Annually
In 2021, the top 10% of health care administrators earned more than $205,620 annually³

► 28% Increase
28% job growth projected from 2021 to 2031³

► 616,900 Job Opportunities
By 2031, total job opportunities for health care administrators are projected to reach 616,900³

With the online M.H.A., you’ll graduate ready to effectively coordinate health services, handle ongoing developments in the field, respond to external events, and ascend to upper-level leadership positions. Earning your M.H.A. online will prepare you to oversee the administrative aspects of a health care organization and to liaise with insurance companies, stakeholders, and the community. You’ll also assist in the transition to paperless records, respond agilely to changing laws and regulations, advocate for patients, and recruit employees. In other words, you’ll graduate ready to work as a versatile health care services manager.

As a health care administrator, you could earn more than $101,340 on average and take advantage of 616,900 job opportunities by 2031.³ You’ll be qualified for specific roles such as:

Examples of Career Opportunities

Ancillary Services Director

$107,821/year

Ancillary services directors are responsible for the oversight of multiple services/departments within an acute care facility. They are involved in strategy, business operations, fiscal/budgetary management, human resource management, regulatory compliance, and more.⁴

Clinical Project Manager

$100,009/year

Clinical project managers are responsible for planning and scoping projects, tracking project metrics, and developing and implementing project milestones. This can be in the context of clinical trials or other projects within a variety of service organization settings, including government, insurance, corporate, or research agencies.⁵

Nursing Home Administrator

$109,099/year

Nursing home administrators² are responsible for overseeing the day-to-day operations of nursing homes. They manage and develop staff, budget and utilize operational resources, ensure compliance and professional standards are upheld, and more.⁶

Additional roles for MHA earners:

Direct Care Coordinator
Informatics Director
Compliance Officer
Research Director
Director of Nursing Services
Facilities Manager
Marketing Director

Sources:

1. Bureau of Labor Statistics. (2023). “Medical and Health Services Managers.” Retrieved April 19, 2023, from https://www.bls.gov/ooh/management/medical-and-health-services-managers.htm
2. In some states, such as New York, the curriculum of Utica University’s online Master of Healthcare Administration meets the course requirements for Nursing Home Administrator licensure. Potential applicants should check with their state’s licensing agency or contact an Admissions Representative at (315) 732-2640 or toll-free at (866) 295-3106 to verify the necessary coursework. Faculty advisers are available to work with students to offer guidance and help them meet the academic requirements of this field. *View this grid to verify the licensure requirements in the state in which you plan to practice.
3. Medical and Health Services Managers. (2023). Retrieved April 19, 2023, from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: https://www.bls.gov/ooh/management/medical-and-health-services-managers.htm
4. Director of Ancillary Services Salaries. (2023). Glassdoor. Retrieved April 19, 2023, from https://www.glassdoor.com/Salaries/ancillary-services-director-salary-SRCH_KO0,27.htm
5. Clinical Project Manager Salaries. (2023). Glassdoor. Retrieved April 19, 2023, from https://www.glassdoor.com/Career/clinical-project-manager-career_KO0,24.htm
6. Nursing Home Administrator Salaries. (2023). Glassdoor. Retrieved April 19, 2023, from https://www.glassdoor.com/Career/nursing-home-administrator-career_KO0,26.htm

Faculty: Real-World Administrators

In the M.H.A. online program, you’ll gain practical knowledge and comprehensive skills from experts in the field of health care administration. From finance to human resources, and from telemedicine to nursing home administration, our M.H.A. faculty is made up of professionals with decades of experience leading health care organizations and serving a variety of stakeholders.

Through your faculty’s instruction, you’ll gain firsthand insights, learn to bridge the gap between theory and practice, and graduate prepared to step into a health care administration leadership role.

Frequently Asked Questions

Advancing your life and career with an online degree comes with lots of questions, and we want to ensure your search for answers is effortless. If you have a question we haven’t covered, call 1-315-792-3006 to speak with an enrollment counselor.

Interested in our state authorizations? Learn more about state authorizations related to the M.H.A. program here.

You can complete the program in just two years. To learn more about the curriculum, view our courses page.

The online program is designed for professionals who work full-time and is offered part-time. This allows you to achieve a realistic balance between work, school, and personal commitments and gives you the opportunity to fully absorb what you learn. To see the curriculum, view our courses page.

Tuition for the Master of Healthcare Administration is $24,840. You need to complete 36 credits at $690 per credit hour. You can review all tuition costs here.

The program is offered in the business school, which is ACBSP-accredited. Utica University (formerly Utica College) is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education, so you can be confident you’ll receive an exceptional and rigorously evaluated online education.

The first step is to start your application.

This program has been offered online for more than ten years. Utica University has been an innovator in online learning since the early 2000s.

Curriculum: Gain Expert Accounting Skills

With Utica’s two-year Master of Healthcare Administration (M.H.A.) online program, you have the power to pursue your personal and professional goals by focusing on administration foundations and health care systems. Each core course of the online M.H.A. has been designed with management, leadership, and the continuum of health care in mind to help you merge foundational theories with best practices in health care. You’ll also have the opportunity to select two electives.

Students seeking academic requirements for Nursing Home Administrator licensure in New York should select AGE 503 and HCA 621 as their two program electives.

In some courses, you will have the opportunity to participate in synchronous “in-person” sessions using Zoom or other types of technologies, which will allow you to virtually meet your peers and provide a more textured three-dimensional experience.

Explore Courses

Apply: Admission Requirements

To apply for the online master’s in healthcare administration program at Utica, you’ll need the following:

Completed application
Bachelor’s degree with a GPA of 3.0 or higher
Official transcripts from all previous colleges and universities attended
Personal statement - A brief essay that outlines your qualifications, skills, work experience, and reasons for pursuing this profession
Résumé - A detailed work history that highlights any experience that may be relevant to this program

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Tuition and Financial Aid

This 36-credit program costs $690 per credit hour. Utica University is dedicated to making an advanced education accessible and affordable. Learn more about financial aid, including grants, student loans, and other options, on the Financial Aid tab of our Graduate Admissions page.

Learn more

Contact Our Admissions Team

Office of Admissions

(315) 792-3333

connect@info.utica.edu