20 Best MHA Programs

Whether you’re already working full time in the field or you’re hoping to go further in your education and get a leg up in your career, you can study through Texas A&M. The school’s Master of Health Administration is broken into two tracks: resident or executive. How you choose will depend on your existing qualifications, goals, and time.

For instance, students who have recently completed a bachelor’s degree and want to move directly into a master’s can opt for the resident track. This 55-hour program can be completed part-time in 33 months or full-time in 21 months. This includes a 10-week hands-on practicum requirement. 

For working professionals looking for a chance to refresh their skills and apply for a promotion, the executive track is available. It requires fewer credits because these students will have industry experience (ideally five years) that is essential to progressing through the program. This track is 48-credit hours and takes place one weekend every month on campus. 

No matter your chosen track, you’ll take required courses like:

• Quality and Process Improvement
• Health Law and Ethics
• Strategic Planning and Marketing

This flexible program with a solid foundation in healthcare management education is a quality education that’s also affordable. All of these elements grouped together make it our top pick for graduate healthcare management programs. 

The Master of Health Administration at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte involves a trifold approach to higher education. All students get the quality education that UNC Charlotte has been providing since 1946, but they will also be part of hands-on research and volunteer opportunities.

This curriculum is designed to teach all essential aspects of healthcare management roles, including:

• Decision Analysis
• HR Management
• Ethics
• Finance
• Marketing

All of these courses are part of the 45 core credits. Internship experience, worth three credits, also counts toward this core requirement. The final six credits are electives that you decide on.

You can complete the program in as little as two years when you commit to up to 12 credits per semester. The option for part-time study is also available, but no student can exceed six years of total study time. 

These experiences help to instill MHA students with the school values of:

• Community Engagement
• Diversity
• Innovation
• Professionalism

These values help round out the education but do so much more for the students. A resounding majority (83%) of MHA students will have a job opportunity by the time they graduate.

The Master of Science in Health Administration program from the University of Alabama blends full-time coursework with real-world experience over the course of 33 months. During the first summer session following the first round of fall and spring semesters, students participate in an administrative residency.

This residency provides students with the experience of interacting in a real work environment. Student participation increases their chances for potential job opportunities. This residency is required and counts toward the overall credits necessary for the degree. Additionally, there are options to “expand your degree” through a dual degree program by earning a certificate in Healthcare Financial Management.

The total cost of this program for out-of-state students is about $93,000. In-state students pay about half of that. Although this program is considered one of the top health administration graduate programs in the country, the cost is a large contributor to its third-place ranking here. 

The University of North Carolina gets it right when it comes to healthcare management education. The seasoned university has been offering health management programs since 1936 but still remains on the cutting edge of the most in-demand skills in the field. The Master of Healthcare Administration offered through its Chapel Hill campus program is a rigorous education presented in two different models: residential and executive.

The executive program began in 1969 for students who are already working in the field. As a result, today much of it is offered online. On-campus courses are designed to teach essential business competencies and call for three in-person visits per year. 

The stipulation for entering the executive program is that students must have professional experience. Part of the application process will ask whether you have three years of experience working in healthcare and managerial experience. You should also be prepared to present:

• Three letters of recommendation
• GRE scores
• a personal statement

All other students can opt for the residential healthcare administration degree. This program is designed to prepare students with limited work experience for roles as health services managers and supervisors. There’s flexibility with this option as well, so you can learn on campus or at a distance, either full-time or part-time.

Professional training and internship experience are required here, too, so you’ll be able to graduate with the experience needed to hold management roles. 

The University of Florida keeps business fundamentals at the forefront of its Master of Health Administration degrees. The program is full-time, on campus, and can be completed in two years through five consecutive semesters. This includes one summer semester.

Students of the program work through all the traditional elements of a healthcare management education, including group projects and experience-based learning. The summer semester, to begin after the first year of coursework is completed, is in place to fulfill the internship requirement. This takes three months and is worth five credits.

The health administration program is open to students of all academic backgrounds — from business to art to history. They do, however, recommend having a course in financial accounting under your belt. The program is rigorous enough to teach you the necessary knowledge of the healthcare industry and prepare you for entering these roles, which is why it makes our list of the best healthcare management education programs.

Because of the rigor of the program, it is not intended for working students. Instead, the 57-credit hour program is designed to give students a strong understanding of managerial roles in the field at a manageable price. In total, the health administration program’s estimated cost is around $26,000.

The Health Care Administration Master’s Degree from California State University, Long Beach, is a targeted degree with a generalist approach. Unlike other programs, they don’t expect or require students to have prior knowledge or experience in the field. All of the necessities are taught through the curriculum.

The one expectation of the program is that applying students have completed elementary financial accounting and some sort of introductory economics or microeconomics course. This will help facilitate the necessary understanding of HCA’s business.

The program curriculum itself has a required healthcare economics course. The program also moves outside of the financial aspects of HCA. Students will learn:

• how to manage population health
• the legal and ethical aspects of healthcare leadership roles
• quality improvement
• research methods

The major requirements outside of the curriculum are capstone and internship experience. The capstone is a thesis-oriented project reflecting all the knowledge gained through the program. The internship, on the other hand, is a 120-hour supervised work experience. Each is worth three credits that contribute to the overall 45 credits needed to graduate.

The Master of Healthcare Administration from the University of Minnesota is one of the top healthcare administration programs in the country. The university — and ultimately the program — differs from others in that it’s a meeting ground of six health science schools. This broad approach to teaching and the program’s location within the “healthcare industry hub” of Minnesota make it a program with a healthcare leadership focus.

“The Minnesota Way” guides the program with a 14-step method of problem-solving within healthcare. This method was integral to the success of the program and has provided its framework since it was founded by James A. Hamilton in 1946. The plan works through the stage of identifying problems and leading to implementing change.

You’ll get a taste of each of the 14 steps when you work through the curriculum. Courses include:

• Management of Healthcare Organizations
• Interprofessional Teamwork
• Healthcare Strategy
• Ethics
• Human Resources

There are a total of 48 required credits and 12 electives. To create an experiential learning opportunity, students also take part in a summer residency.

Minnesota’s MHA program is pricey but still remains competitive in its bracket. Also, there’s a possibility of skimming some costs from the top because of their pay-by-credit model. Prior credit received may be applicable to the program.

The options are as vast as they are rewarding for students who consider the Health Care Management master’s program at Johns Hopkins University. The world-class institution brings the top-ranked and recognizable institution’s education to the healthcare management field. T

The curriculum teaches leadership, communication, and human values in leadership along with core healthcare courses in management, innovation, and marketing. Experiential learning comes in a two-part project-based course in a student’s chosen area.

They’ll also get the opportunity to choose from elective depths within healthcare administration. Some core courses include:

• Health Marketing and Access
• Providers and Payers
• Health Innovation and Evaluation

Johns Hopkins doesn’t just aim to teach the necessary skills, they also want to improve upon the business. Students get hands-on experience implementing positive change in the evolving industry. Experience with current research methods helps to guide reasoning to help students make truly groundbreaking analyses. 

This program is one year in length but will cost quite a bit more than similar short programs. Tuition is $83,750 a year, not including added fees. However, there are few programs that can match the esteem of Johns Hopkins.

The University of Central Florida is another university that offers both a traditional master’s in health administration and an executive track. Both have some online elements, but the executive track is completely online.

The traditional Health Services Administration program teaches all of the traditional business topics — marketing, human resources, accounting, facility management, etc. The classes are all offered at night, giving working professionals the chance to attend. 

However, seasoned professionals who are looking to take this step should opt for the executive program. This style of the curriculum helps to deepen your knowledge, broaden your skills, and advance your career. This is offered online for optimal convenience. Courses the program highlights are:

• Leadership for Health Care Executives
• Quality and Risk Management
• Financial Accounting

This program is best suited for Florida residents. The cost of tuition is more than 200% higher for out-of-state students than it is for in-state students.

The University of South Florida created a list of its own core competencies within healthcare management. These include five domains:

• Management Science
• Strategy
• Public Policies
• Economics
• Professionalism

These domains all relate to the typical areas of business within healthcare settings and add a human aspect through community and clinical perspectives.

USF has its own Master of Health Administration competencies that guide the curriculum. These areas are:

• Management Science and Technology
• Strategy and Leadership
• Public Policies and Community Orientation
• Economics and Financial Management
• Professionalism and Communication Skills

These five domains are not dissimilar from the five competencies set in place within the American College of Healthcare Executives.

These competencies directly correlate to the lineup of required credits. On average, every semester will include one course under each domain. The two-year program includes a summer session during which you’ll complete an MHA internship and subsequent report. These requirements are worth two credits each and count toward a total of 54.

Though it’s designed to be completed in two years, students can take up to five years to work through the entire program. The strategic track that USF teaches healthcare administration proves to be successful. Graduates in 2022 reported a 92% employment rate within three months of completing the program. 

The University of Kansas is all about improving the lives of both individuals and communities with its Master of Health Services Administration. This starts with recruiting a diverse student body, teaching with an interprofessional and practical application approach, and promoting lifelong learning. 

In a total of 56 credits, students will get the groundwork of the field, starting with a course on The Healthcare System and moving through courses covering all of the competencies. This includes:

• Economics
• Health Law
• Ethics
• Operations
• Marketing

A one-credit internship and two-credit capstone bring all of the knowledge to a head.

On average, 90% of students within this program will complete it. Within three months of graduating, 95% of students have found jobs. There is also an opportunity for all graduates to join a fellowship. This places them in a professional setting where they can apply their knowledge and obtain experience that will, ideally, lead to employment. 

Healthcare management education is offered through the University of Iowa’s Department of Health Management and Policy and its Master of Health Administration program, which is rooted in the core competencies combined with methodological skills.

The aim is to create a network of students who can make a difference in the dynamic field and for the program to remain nationally ranked. 

The University of Iowa is considered to have one of the best healthcare administration programs in the country. It has earned this reputation through the opportunities it affords students with its accessible learning opportunities applicable to students with management ambitions. 

The curriculum runs through the expected coursework, with courses on:

• Health Economics
• Health Policy
• Law

The program is more flexible than most; however, it provides students with the chance to present their own plan of study for approval. Elective courses help to shape the individuality of these curriculums.

The University of Iowa also encourages students to look beyond the classroom for lessons and experiences. Guest speakers and symposiums are frequently organized for students to attend on campus. Student associations like the Iowa Student Association of Healthcare Leaders and the College of Public Health Graduate Student Association also give students the chance to engage with peers and develop their knowledge outside of the classroom. 

As one of the 17 institutions within the Business School Alliance for Health Management, the Master of Science in Health Administration at Georgia State University is a point of pride. They welcome both working professionals as well as full-time students to this four-semester program, with all classes taking place in the evening. 

This healthcare administration program is designed to begin in spring and work through the entire year. The summer semester holds two courses (six credits), while three classes (nine credits) are taken in both spring and fall. The final spring semester is also three courses. The final course is taken during a “Maymester” — a one-hour, three-credit course that brings your total credits to the required total. 

It’s not all about coursework here. During the second year, students can get their own executive mentor to help them gain an added professional perspective to approach their studies.

Students are encouraged to take part in the peer community through groups like Future Healthcare Executives (FHE). Students will also continually work on hands-on projects, including national case competitions and local community projects.

This degree is an exceptional way for students with little or no professional healthcare management experience to become valuable assets to the field.

Scholarly research is at the heart of the Master of Health Administration from the University of Southern California. It’s this research that helps to build the basis of knowledge that students are then expected to apply to the field and effect true and positive change in the world. 

The Sol Price School of Public Policy helps students attain these goals through its tailored approach to teaching and recognizing that students are at different stages of their education and careers. It addresses this through two tracks.

The executive track develops leaders who already have professional experience. The alternative track caters to recent graduates and builds the foundational knowledge needed for leadership roles.

The curriculum for both tracks shares the school’s values of:

• Caring
• Collaboration
• Integration
• Professionalism
• Innovation
• Excellence

While the curriculum will differ slightly between tracks, incoming students all need to demonstrate proficiency in statistics.

By the end of the program, students will showcase a capstone in one of several events. There is an annual student exhibition, capstone symposium, awards ceremony, and celebration reception to commemorate the hard work and achievements of MHA students. 

Research, integration, and quality mentorship pave the way for the Master of Health Administration at the University of Pittsburgh. The Graduate School of Public Health has four domains to help guide the curriculum. These include:

• Cross-cutting
• Self-Actualization
• Management
• Contextual Understanding

The 60-credit curriculum goes beyond lessons in health management. Students also explore health policy, and analysis, and choose their own electives. A required residency puts all of this knowledge to the test. The final project is an essay reflecting on the program. 

Another requirement calls for practical experience. This is fulfilled through a 450-hour residency at a healthcare facility chosen by the student and approved by the faculty. This residency can extend up to 1,000 hours for students who want more hands-on practice. This experience ends with an applied management project.  

With the help of postgraduate fellowships, there is a 95% placement rate for graduates. The program boasts a 96% graduation rate.

Oklahoma State University has a specific School of Health Care Administration. Within it, students can concentrate their studies in Leadership and Entrepreneurship or Administration. Both still fall under the umbrella of administration degrees and have a similar set of core courses, but the leadership option is intended more for those whose sights are set on executive roles.

The curriculum is 32 hours and is structured predominantly around electives. Four core courses are shared between both concentrations including:

• Survey of Healthcare Administration
• Leadership Methods and Styles in Health Care
• Research and Evaluation Methods in Health Care
• Legal Issues in Health Care

The electives expand on these topics further and help students hone in on their specific educational goals.

What makes this healthcare administration program even more flexible is students can learn either in-person or online. The cost per credit will be contingent on your decision. In-state residents will enjoy the lowest fees per course, with online students saving more than on-campus nonresidents.

Both executive and residential tracks of a Master of Health Administration are offered at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. Both tracks share a similar curriculum and call for, in some shape or form, a capstone or final project. They also both offer some courses online.

The majority of the executive track’s courses are presented online in order to accommodate a professional schedule. There’s one required weeklong campus visit each semester. The residential format is for students coming with a clean slate. They’ll work through on-campus courses and a long-term hands-on administrative residency. 

Learning to function in the work environment is essential to this program, so even residential students without prior experience will get to know what it’s like to be on the job. All students are partnered with a supervisor and take up part-time work in the first semester as part of the UAB Health System’s Student Workforce initiative.

Students find continued success with this program, which boasts of an almost perfect completion rate year after year and why it makes our list of best healthcare management master’s degree programs. It also has a perfect score when it comes to its students finding employment within three months of graduation.

Though it’s based in Florida with a focus on affecting change for the southeast United States, the University of North Florida offers a Master’s of Health Administration on a global scale. It’s open to students both full and part-time, and the program is open to all students regardless of prior experience. 

Of course, the ideal student body will be those who have a health administration (or related) undergraduate degree. Students who don’t are required to take a course in financial accounting and statistics for health, social sciences, and business. This will help prepare for the master’s-level curriculum.

The total program is 45 credits focused on a managerial approach to healthcare administration. Some of these major requirements will include:

• Economics
• Leadership
• Marketing
• Human resources

There’s room for just one elective course in this program. This needs to be pre-approved by the program director. The final requirement is an executive skills development practicum and thesis. As of 2023, the placement rate for graduates was 95%.

The Master of Health Administration from Virginia Commonwealth University is among the country’s best. VCU stands out from the crowd with a singular commitment to creating students prepared for organizational leadership. 

They keep this aim on target by formatting the curriculum around developing its students’ education on a personal, academic, and intellectual level. The true hallmark of this mission is the required residency. This 10-months-to-a-yearlong residency is paid and mimics professional healthcare administration experience. 

The curriculum itself spans 59 credit hours. The majority of these hours (19 courses) are in the core curriculum and at least three credits in electives. These electives are also intended to be related to healthcare administration and management. 

Admissions are done on a rolling basis, but classes will begin uniformly after an in-person orientation in August. The average graduate success rate over the last five years is 98%. Every student in the past two years has found employment within three months of graduation.

The University of Missouri offers both residential and executive Master of Health Administration program tracks. Both tracks of this program are patient-centered and based on the competencies that are widely recognized throughout the field. The residential model is on campus while the executive model is an online/on-campus hybrid.

The curriculum heavily involves bioinformatics and data systems. While it still involves plenty of the traditional lessons in health administration — ethics, policy, marketing, etc. — it is one of the few MHA programs that involves data warehousing and information security. 

You can supplement these degrees with graduate certificates. These certificates are offered in two areas: Health Ethics and Healthcare Project Management. Each of these calls for 12 credits. The second year of study calls for a mandatory Executive Management Study (EMS), which ultimately counts as the capstone.

Applications are accepted on a rolling basis for both tracks. However, the executive track begins yearly in January, and the residential option has fall start dates. This accessibility and subsequently well-rounded education has made the University of Missouri one of the best MHA programs.