Healthcare administration is an ever-evolving field, continuously changing and improving.
A PhD in healthcare management opens the door for a lucrative career as a leader in the healthcare industry. With shifts in public policy, new care models, varying demographics, and advancements in research and patient care, the field is continually changing. This advanced degree can help you develop the knowledge, skills, and experience necessary to become a pivotal leader in healthcare management.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, healthcare management will grow by 20% by 2026. This rapid growth means lots of open jobs—and lots of opportunities for you.
What Are the Best Online PhDs in Healthcare Management?
We know that you have educational goals that you’re itching to pursue, but you may not know where to start. The editors of College Rank use a unique ranking methodology based on the following three aspects:
- 40% Potential salary after graduation: Average mid-career salary of school alumni
- 30% Institutional accreditation: Regional and national accreditation
- 30% Overall degree affordability: Average cost of undergraduate and graduate tuition per school
At College Rank, we strive to do our best to guide you and your family toward a fruitful academic career. The pursuit of knowledge is a noble one, and we want to help you reach your goals. Please feel free to visit our dedicated methodology page for a step-by-step breakdown. For questions, comments, badge downloads, or data corrections, please feel free to reach out to us at editor@www.collegerank.net.
The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Improving the intellectual landscape since 1789, The University of North Carolina is not only one of the three oldest universities in the United States, but it is the cornerstone of the 17 campuses in the UNC system.
UNC-Chapel Hill offers an Online Executive Doctoral Program in Health Leadership (DRHP) for working healthcare professionals who want to become leaders in the healthcare industry. It’s known as one of the best online PhDs in healthcare management.
Currently, the Online Executive Doctoral Program includes 1,620 enrolled students. Women dominate the field, with 72% of the program’s students. Eleven percent of the current students are international. The program includes 45-51 credit hours, and it takes approximately three years to complete.
To apply for the Doctoral Program in Health Leadership at UNC Chapel Hill, you will need a master’s or doctoral degree and at least five years of full-time managerial/supervisory experience in healthcare. In addition, American students will need either the GRE or GMAT test scores, while international applicants will need to complete the TOEFL/IELTS.
All unofficial university transcripts are required, along with three letters of recommendation. Students may be located in the United States or overseas but must travel to campus once in the fall, spring, and summer of each of the first two years of the program. The third year of the program is focused on your dissertation, so it can be completed exclusively online.
University of Mississippi

A liberal arts college that consistently ranks among the nation’s top 10, the University of Mississippi, aka “Ole Miss,” is also home to a handful of national centers of research and study. Ole Miss offers a 54-hour Doctor of Health Administration (DHA) program—and you can complete almost all of it online.
To qualify for the online DHA, you will need either a master’s degree or a doctoral degree from a regionally accredited university with a cumulative GPA of at least 3.00. In addition, you need five or more years of experience working in healthcare management, healthcare policy, clinical medical specialty, or a similar field.
You’ll also need to submit your academic transcripts and your official GRE scores from within the last five years. Finally, you will write an essay where you discuss your healthcare experience. Apply for the summer session by February 1. The DHA program accepts 10-15 students per cohort each year.
The program should take you three years to complete. While this is an online degree in healthcare management, you will need to travel to campus a couple of times.
Texas Women’s University

Texas Woman’s University is the nation’s largest university primarily for women, with an average enrollment of 15,000 students. Another perk is that Texas Women’s University has continually ranked as one of the nation’s most affordable colleges.
TWU offers a PhD in Health Studies, in both an online and a hybrid delivery program. With this degree, you could become a university professor, a postdoctoral fellow, or a public health educator.
This is a 96-credit hour program, but up to 39 credits can be transferred from your master’s degree. The remaining credits will include 24 hours of health studies, 12 hours of research, six hours of electives, six hours on your dissertation, and nine hours on one of three concentrated studies: higher education, population health, or environmental health.
To apply, you must first contact a potential graduate faculty advisor in Health Studies. You will need a master’s degree in health promotion, public health, kinesiology, or a related field. In addition, you will need GRE scores that are less than five years old, a personal statement, three letters of recommendation, and a 500-word summary of three primary research articles relevant to your research interest in Health Studies.
University of Alabama at Birmingham

With a mission of “inspiring and empowering the creation of knowledge that changes the world,” the University of Alabama has a detailed “blueprint” of its strategic plan in academics through 2023. Its goals are evident through its program offerings, including an online Executive Doctor of Science (DSc) in Healthcare Leadership, which is essentially a PhD in healthcare management.
The DSc is for experienced healthcare executives who either currently hold or are preparing to hold leadership positions. The program blends distance learning with three on-campus sessions per year. You will be able to complete this degree in three years: two years of coursework and one year of dissertation work.
To qualify, you need a minimum of five years of mid-to senior-level managerial experience in healthcare, along with a master’s degree in health administration or a related field. You will also need three letters of professional recommendation, transcripts from all universities you’ve attended, an organizational chart highlighting your position within your current workplace, and short essay responses to nine topics listed on the admission page.
According to UAB’s website, “100% of graduates who rated our program, rated their overall education experience as ‘excellent.’”
University of South Florida

A research university located in the heart of Tampa, the University of South Florida serves more than 50,000 students pursuing undergraduate, graduate, specialist, and doctoral degrees. Students from 128 countries attend USF, with international students forming about 10% of the total student population.
USF offers a Doctor of Public Health (DrPH) degree that concentrates on public health education and training to prepare students for leadership in healthcare settings. You can complete this healthcare management degree online along with three on-campus visits each year.
To apply for the DrPH, you will need to complete your application online and send in your transcripts and GRE scores along with two letters of recommendation. You will also need to submit a graduate-level term paper, thesis, or research paper that you wrote and published, as well as a detailed personal statement (up to five pages) that describes why you wish to earn a Ph.D. in Public Health. To tackle this online doctorate in healthcare management, you must be prepared to register as a full-time student for at least one full academic year.
Frequently Asked Questions
Healthcare management is a very worthwhile pursuit, especially at the doctoral level. This is because jobs in this field are both well-paying and expected to be in high demand. The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts that healthcare management jobs will grow by 28 percent through the early 2030s, so ample job opportunities should exist. A PhD in this field is also worthwhile because you can use the advanced knowledge and skills you acquire to ensure better care for healthcare patients. Additionally, you’ll be a more effective leader and manager that helps make the delivery of services to all patients more organized and cost-effective.
The average cost of a PhD in the United States is just under $107,000. This number is for all disciplines; the actual cost you pay varies from one program to the next. The length of the program, the school you attend, and the associated costs of the program (e.g., fees, books) all greatly impact the cost of your PhD. Likewise, the number of scholarships, assistantships, and grants you receive can significantly alter the total cost of your doctorate.
Doctoral programs in healthcare management teach you how to be a leader in delivering excellent healthcare. These programs usually have an emphasis on research, assessment, and information technology management. Healthcare and legal policies and leadership are common components as well, though the classes and curriculum may vary.
Most healthcare management programs blend theory with research methodology. This allows you to conduct original research in your areas of interest while gaining content knowledge, too. Examples of classes include Introduction to Health Policy, Communication in Healthcare Organizations, and Principles of Epidemiology. Near the end of the doctoral program, you must successfully write and defend a dissertation.
Admissions requirements for healthcare management PhD programs vary. Typically, you need a master’s degree in health administration or a related field and at least five years of work-related experience to apply.
Typical PhD programs in healthcare management require 54-63 credits. This takes about four to five years of full-time studies to complete. The length of time you need to complete your doctorate depends on many different factors, though. These include the length of the specific program you’re in, the number of courses you take each semester, and how long you need to complete your dissertation.
Doctoral programs in this field aren’t considered any more difficult than other PhD programs. On the one hand, healthcare management requires you to learn and understand the complexities of healthcare delivery, which requires a unique set of skills and abilities. On the other hand, the coursework focuses on management, economics, and health policy. Though these and other courses require a lot of hard work and dedication, they aren’t considered as rigorous as science and math courses.
According to our rankings, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill has the top healthcare management PhD program in the nation. UNC-Chapel Hill earned this distinction by being accredited and having the best blend of affordability and salary potential after graduation.
Many graduates of PhD healthcare management programs go on to become medical and health services executives. These jobs, like CEO, CFO, or COO of a healthcare organization, require you to manage facility operations, supervise staff, and manage finances, among many other things. Another popular option is to work in a clinical directorship position. All hospitals employ Directors of Clinical Operations to ensure the integrity of the medical services they provide. In this role, you’ll coordinate with doctors, nurses, and other medical staff, oversee support staff, and manage budgets, all in the name of providing high-quality patient care.
Here are a few other career options you might consider:
• Management Analyst
• Clinical Manager
• Health Information Manager
• Executive Director
• Healthcare Policy Advocate
The Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates that the median annual salary for healthcare managers is $104,830. The pay range is highly variable, though, from a low of less than $64,100 to a high of more than $209,990. Your levels of experience and education, the setting in which you work, and the geographic area in which you work can all heavily impact your earnings. The industry you work in is also influential in your pay. Healthcare managers in hospital settings earn the most, with a median yearly salary of $125,280. However, healthcare managers in nursing homes and residential settings earn far less at around $93,610.
Yes, many jobs in healthcare management have the potential to pay in the six figures. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, executive positions are especially well paid, with chief executives in the healthcare industry earning a median salary of $169,440 (though executives in large pharmaceutical, research, or healthcare organizations can make tens of millions of dollars every year). General managers and operational managers earn $122,860 per year, on average. Government-paid healthcare management positions also average six figures, with typical jobs paying more than $119,000 per year.
Related Reading
- Best Online Colleges
- 20 Best Bachelor’s in Healthcare Management
- 20 Best Master’s in Healthcare Management Online