Why This Matters
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19% OF HEALTHCARE ADMINISTRATORS HAVE ASSOCIATE DEGREES
An O*NET survey reports that 19% of medical and health services managers have an associate degree.
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133,200 NEW JOBS FOR HEALTHCARE ADMINISTRATORS
The job outlook for healthcare administrators is bright. Employment is projected to grow 32% between 2019 and 2029, which will result in 133,200 new jobs.
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EARN $104,280 AS A HEALTHCARE ADMINISTRATOR
Medical and health services managers earn an average of $104,280 per year. The lowest 10% earned $59,980 per year, and the highest 10% earned $195,630 per year. Your salary will depend on where you live, how much experience you have, and the highest degree level earned.
Our Research
We reviewed a variety of associate degree plans, and this list focuses extensively on Associate of Arts and Associate of Applied Science programs. All of the medical and health service manager degree plans we included are offered online by regionally accredited schools and are rated by cost, flexibility, and features.
The Higher Learning Commission (HLC) accredits healthcare administration programs that meet rigorous educational standards recognized by employers. Our list also includes programs offered by regionally accredited institutions that concentrate on medical and healthcare service management degree plans. Credit hours completed at regionally accredited schools are generally more transferable to other institutions and required for professional certifications.
- 50 hours to write this article
- 74 universities and colleges we assessed
- 131 education programs we compared
The Top 50 Online Associate in Healthcare Administration Programs
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What You Should Know About This Degree
Job market opportunities for healthcare administration occupations are bright. An associate degree will position you to be a leader in the healthcare industry in private practice, nursing homes, and hospital settings.
An Associate of Arts and an Associate of Applied Science in Health Administration are similar and provide the fundamental skills you need for this career. An AA typically includes more liberal arts courses, while the AS concentrates more on science and math classes. Both degrees typically require 60 to 65 credit hours and take the same amount of time to complete.
Once you complete your associate degree, you will need to research whether you need to pass a certification exam to be eligible for a job. All states require licensure for nursing home administrators. A license is typically not required for healthcare administration; however, some people choose to become certified. The Professional Association of Health Care Office Management and the American Health Information Management Association offer certifications.
What’s Next?
Here are some questions to consider while researching online associate in healthcare administration degree programs:
- Am I eligible for this program? Many healthcare administration degree programs are available online and in hybrid formats at community colleges and trade schools. Students are generally accepted from a wide variety of academic and professional backgrounds and just need a high school diploma or equivalency to be eligible.
- Are courses offered synchronously or asynchronously? Most online classes are offered in both real-time and independent formats. It’s important to consider the time commitment of attending live-streaming classes versus independently logging in at your convenience and decide what fits your learning style best.
As you research online healthcare administration degree programs, look closely at each school’s admission requirements and deadlines. It’s also important to factor in how you will finance your associate degree education. Contact your financial aid department for information about scholarships, federal loans, and employer-based tuition reimbursement programs.