OVERVIEW
An Online Master’s in Healthcare Administration Designed to Prepare You for Leadership
You want to make a difference for the people around you, and an online master’s in healthcare administration can help you do just that. With this degree you will be armed with critical knowledge in the functions of healthcare systems that can help you become a leader in the industry. This program focuses on specific skills that are necessary for real-world success.
- Financial management for healthcare
- Quality improvement
- Community health
- Enterprise risk management
- Analytical methods
With a healthcare administration master’s degree from WGU, an accredited university, you can progress in your career in a variety of healthcare settings, prepared for healthcare management and leadership positions.
Compare degrees: The Master of Healthcare Administration (also commonly referred to as an MHA program) is not WGU's only accredited degree designed to create leaders in the field of healthcare. You may also be interested in our MBA Healthcare Management program or one of our M.S. Nursing – Leadership & Management programs (with options for nurses with or without a current BSN). Compare our health leadership degrees.
Graduates can finish within
12 Months
WGU lets you move more quickly through material you already know and advance as soon as you're ready. The result: You may finish faster.
Tuition per six-month term is
$4,995
Tuition charged per term—rather than per credit—helps you control the ultimate cost of earning your teaching degree online. Finish faster, pay less!
Transfer credit is accepted*
24%
of your coursework (up to 8 credits) taken at the graduate (master's) level at an institutionally or nationally accredited institution can be transferred to this WGU program.
COURSES
Healthcare Administration Courses
Program consists of 12 courses
At WGU, we design our curriculum to be timely, relevant, and practical—all to help you show that you know your stuff. This program features scaffolded learning throughout the standard path, requiring the standard path order to be followed for optimal student success outcomes.
WGU's Master of Healthcare Administration is a flexible, online degree program designed for experienced healthcare leaders seeking a master's degree to grow within key leadership roles in health-associated industries and fields.
Healthcare is moving toward a value-based care model, and you can help lead the way with the skills you learn in this program. This master's degree program can also help you expand your knowledge and expertise in areas such as healthcare regulations and laws, patient care, and other changing healthcare initiatives.
This online Master of Healthcare Administration degree program has been developed in close collaboration with experts and leaders working in major healthcare leadership positions as well as with the Accountable Care Learning Collaborative, Leavitt Partners, and other subject matter experts.
WGU's online Master of Healthcare Administration program focuses on quality improvement of person-focused, culturally relevant care with an emphasis on professionalism, technology, and ethical practice to foster innovation and sustainability.
This program consists of the following courses, which you will typically complete one at a time as you make your way through your program, working with your Program Mentor each term to build your personalized Degree Plan. You’ll work through each course as quickly as you can study and learn the material. As soon as you’re ready, you can pass the assessment, complete the course, and move on. This means you can finish as many courses as you're able in a term at no additional cost.
12 Courses
Program consists of 12 courses
At WGU, we design our curriculum to be timely, relevant, and practical—all to help you show that you know your stuff.
Field Experiences
Special requirements for this program
WGU’s online Master of Healthcare Administration includes a capstone project that challenges you to collaborate with leaders in the healthcare industry to identify opportunities for improvement in healthcare, propose a solution, and perform a business analysis to evaluate its feasibility.
Skills For Your Résumé
As part of this program, you will develop a range of valuable skills that employers are looking for.
- Financial Management: Successfully recommended financial actions that aligned with organizational objectives, contributing to improved financial stability and growth.
- Quality Management: Developed robust processes to ensure compliance with quality standards, regulations, and requirements
- Management: Provided effective guidance and direction to teams, establishing performance standards and monitoring progress, leading to increased productivity and goal attainment.
- Risk Management: Skillfully recommended risk management strategies that minimized potential risks within the organization, safeguarding assets and reputation.
- Analytical Techniques: Demonstrated proficiency in making data-driven decisions, leveraging current information to improve overall decision-making.
- Innovation: Collaborated with cross-functional teams to develop innovative solutions to challenges, leading to improved healthcare quality and enhanced patient outcomes.
“Earning my healthcare master’s degree gave me confidence in my new role leading a support department at a medical center, especially during the pandemic. I chose WGU because it allowed me to learn at my pace and apply what I already knew while learning things entirely new for me. WGU respects the knowledge brought to the program by learners and incorporates new information to create a well-rounded graduate ready to take on real-world challenges confidently.”
—Stephanie Finn
Leavitt School of Health Graduate
WGU vs. Traditional Universities
Compare the Difference
Traditional Universities
TUITION STRUCTURE
Per credit hour
Flat rate per 6-month term
SUPPORT
Schedule and wait days or even weeks to meet with one of many counselors
Simply email or call to connect with your designated Program Mentor who supports you from day one
EXAMS
Scheduled time
Whenever you feel ready
SCHEDULE
Professor led lectures at a certain time and place
Courses available anytime, from anywhere
TIME TO FINISH
Approximately 2 years, minimal acceleration options
As quickly as you can master the material, can finish programs in 1 year
Traditional Universities
TUITION STRUCTURE
Per credit hour
TUITION STRUCTURE
Flat rate per 6-month term
SUPPORT
Schedule and wait days or even weeks to meet with one of many counselors
SUPPORT
Simply email or call to connect with your designated Program Mentor who supports you from day one
EXAMS
Scheduled time
EXAMS
Whenever you feel ready
SCHEDULE
Professor led lectures at a certain time and place
SCHEDULE
Courses available anytime, from anywhere
TIME TO FINISH
Approximately 2 years, minimal acceleration options
TIME TO FINISH
As quickly as you can master the material, can finish programs in 1 year
Why WGU?
Affordability
WGU tuition is charged per six-month term, not per credit. That means if you want to move faster through the online healthcare administration degree, you'll pay less.
On Your Schedule
WGU students can continue working at their job, and keep up with their family responsibilities all while earning a degree. You don't have to take time off work or rearrange your shifts—at WGU you don't have to log in to classes at a certain time, and your assignments don't have deadlines. You can work any time, anywhere.
Accelerated
When you earn your health degree from WGU you can take your existing knowledge and put it to use. You can move through your courses as quickly as you show mastery in the material, helping you graduate faster.
Accredited, Respected,
Recognized™
One important measure of a degree’s value is the reputation of the university where it was earned. When employers, industry leaders, and academic experts hold your alma mater in high esteem, you reap the benefits of that respect. WGU is a pioneer in reinventing higher education for the 21st century, and our quality has been recognized.
COST & TIME
An Affordable Healthcare Admin Degree
By charging per term rather than per credit—and empowering students to accelerate through material they know well or learn quickly—WGU helps students control the ultimate cost of their degrees. The faster you complete your program, the less you pay for your degree.
A Master's Degree Within Reach
There is help available to make paying for school possible for you:
The average student loan debt of WGU graduates in 2022 (among those who borrowed) was less than half* the national average.
Most WGU students qualify for financial aid, and WGU is approved for federal financial aid and U.S. veterans benefits.
Many scholarship opportunities are available. Find out what you might be eligible for.
*WGU undergraduate students have approximately half the debt at graduation compared to the national average, according to the Institute for College Access and Success (2022).
FLEXIBLE SCHEDULE
Take Control of Where, When, and How Fast You Complete Your Healthcare Administration Degree
Professional responsibilities. Family obligations. Personal commitments. At WGU, we understand schedules are tight and oftentimes unpredictable for today’s busy professionals. That’s why we offer a flexible, personalized approach to how online education should be in today’s world. No disruptions at work. No rigid class schedules. No barriers to earning your degree on your own terms. Just a solid, career-focused Master of Healthcare Administration program that meshes seamlessly with your current lifestyle.
Other universities' online programs may give you the convenience of distance learning; WGU's online programs take that flexibility further—many steps further!
"Our partnership with WGU enables our employees to advance their education affordably without interrupting their careers.”
—John Steele, Senior Vice President of Human Resources
HCA Healthcare
CAREER OUTLOOK
Healthcare Is a Booming Part of the U.S. Economy—Take the Lead and Build a Thriving Career
It's time to apply your leadership skills to improving health outcomes for individuals, communities, and populations in the health administration field. Healthcare facility leaders, healthcare managers, and policymakers are needed to improve organizational efficiencies and operations in the healthcare industry. There are many characteristics that prepare you for this work, including:
- Care coordination
- Collaborative leadership techniques
- Challenges in community health
- Strategic approaches in innovation
This online Master of Healthcare Administration degree program is your opportunity to build the next phase of your healthcare career and positively influence others in your industry. Take advantage of flexible education and earn your Master of Healthcare Administration degree.
Return on Your Investment
On average, WGU graduates see an increase in income post-graduation
Average income increase from all degrees in annual salary vs. pre-enrollment salary. Source: 2023 Harris Poll Survey of 1,655 WGU graduates.
Survey was sent to a representative sample of WGU graduates from all colleges. Respondents received at least one WGU degree since 2017.
28%
Strong demand for medical and health service managers through 2031 means an impressive 28% projected growth rate for these roles.
—U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
WGU's Healthcare Administration Grads are Working in Diverse, Fulfilling Roles
Our Leavitt School of Health alumni have great jobs and satisfying careers:
Job Titles
- CEO or COO
- Provider network executive
- Home health agency president
- Health system vice president
- Ambulatory services executive
- Behavioral health director
- Managed care analyst
Diverse Industries
- Private companies
- Healthcare organizations
- Nonprofit organizations
- Government
- Colleges and universities
Major Employers
- Kaiser Permanente
- ARUP Laboratories
- Humana
- Healthcare Corp. of America
- U.S. Dept. of Veterans Affairs
WGU Grads Hold Positions With Top Employers
Hospitals and clinics around the country know the benefit of a degree from WGU, so your healthcare degree is valuable.
ADMISSIONS
Admission Requirements Unique to This Master of Healthcare Administration Degree
To be considered for this master's degree program, you must be able to demonstrate healthcare experience through one of the following methods:
- Possess a bachelor’s degree with a minimum 2.5 cumulative GPA from an accredited university and experience in healthcare or healthcare-related industry.
- Possess a bachelor’s degree with a minimum 2.5 cumulative GPA from an accredited university and obtain MHA department chair professional coaching.
Transfer Credits
Get Your Enrollment Checklist
Download your step-by-step guide to enrollment.
Get Your Questions Answered
Talk to an WGU Enrollment Counselor.
FINISH FASTER
One-Year MHA
WGU's unique model allows you to move faster through your degree program. This online Master of Healthcare Administration degree gives you the flexibility you need to earn your degree on your terms. You don't have to leave your job to pursue a master's in business administration—something you and your employer will both appreciate. No logging in, no set class times—you are in the driver's seat of your education.
WGU's one-year* MHA allows you to finish your Master of Healthcare Administration program in only 12 months.
* Program can be completed in as little as 12 months. Pricing is based on 12-month completion of the program. Students that do not complete in 12 months and need longer to complete the program will need to pay for additional terms.
More About the Master of Healthcare Administration Program
- General Program Questions
- Financial Aid Questions
An MBA, even an MBA with a healthcare focus, will have a broader business focus than an MHA. An MHA program, while still focused on the business of healthcare, will dive more deeply into specific healthcare topics and the industry at large, where an MBA will spend more time focusing on general business knowledge, with a few courses specific to healthcare.
An MHA program will typically have a stronger focus on the business side of health care organizations, while an MPH will focus on health science and research. MHA programs are dedicated to management and leadership, where MPH programs will have a stronger emphasis on individual research, diseases, and solutions for communities.
There are many careers you can pursue with a master’s degree in healthcare administration, including:
- CEO or COO
- Provider network executive
- Home health agency president
- Health system vice president
- Ambulatory services executive
- Behavioral health director
- Managed care analyst
Yes! The Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates that medical and health management positions will grow 28% by the year 2031, much faster than average job growth. As the industry has changed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and with aging populations, healthcare management is an increasingly critical role.
WGU is approved to offer federal student aid. You will need to apply using the FAFSA, which is used to determine your eligibility for aid. WGU’s FAFSA school code is 033394.
Scholarships are available for new WGU students and returning graduates. This video shows more about scholarship opportunities and how they can help you pay for school. Get information on:
- How to apply
- Eligibility requirements
- Examples of scholarships
- What happens after you apply
- FAQs
- Other financial aid options
WGU's tuition is a flat rate that is charged every six months. You can take as many courses as you are able in that six-month term—with no extra cost. You simply pay for the term and do as much work as you can or want to during that time. This means that finishing faster helps you save money—a major benefit you won't find at most other schools.
Ready to Start Your WGU Journey?
