A career as a Healthcare Manager can be a fulfilling and lucrative profession. Professionals with an interest in being a part of the advancements taking place in the healthcare industry and who desire to bring leadership to a medical practice staff will be drawn to the many opportunities currently existing in Healthcare Management. With the baby-boomer population continuing to live longer and have a host of medical needs that has spawned unprecedented advancements in medications, surgery, and wellness procedures, it has never been a greater time to pursue a degree in Healthcare Management. While the national average for the growth of positions in the job market hovers around seven percent, careers in Healthcare Management have recently been reported to show a 17% increase from 2014-2024. That will mean employers will continue to be pursuing well-trained and experienced professionals in Healthcare Management. While many entry-level positions in Healthcare Management only require a bachelor's degree, "a master's degree is required for most higher-level positions in healthcare administration." Not only will a master's degree in Healthcare Management increase an employee's marketability and opportunity for advancement within an organization, it will also help to ensure salary increases throughout one's career.
Typically, students working within the field of Healthcare Management could choose between a Master's of Public Health (MPH), a Master's of Health Administration (MHA), or a Master's of Business Administration with a concentration in Healthcare (MBA). While each degree has its unique advantages, an MBA is by far the best program for those seeking to develop skills as a competent leader and decision-maker within a public or private healthcare facility like a hospital, physician's practice, or nursing home. Many healthcare facilities across the nation are in need of facility managers and administrators with the skills to lead in the areas of budgeting, managing resources and supplies, medical record management, and overseeing staff including office personnel and healthcare providers. An Online MBA with an emphasis in Healthcare provides a student with a foundation in the areas of accounting, finance, and leadership to ensure a medical practice will be managed effectively and sound decisions will be made. The benefits of a Master's of Business Administration with a specialization in Healthcare include their being many highly-accredited business schools to choose from which offer online programs created with flexibility of schedule, low tuition rates, and accelerated graduation times in mind.
One such program is offered at West Texas A&M University's College of Business in Canyon, Texas. Priced at just $9,049 in total tuition, this online MBA with a Healthcare Management emphasis can be completed as a 37-credit hour program by qualifying students with the proper academic experience. Another affordable online MBA with a specialization in Health Care Administration is featured at the College of Business at the University of Central Arkansas. Students desired an accelerated graduation time will be interested in this 10-course program priced at just $300 per credit hour making the entire cost of tuition just $9,000. Courses within this program include Environmental Health Problems, Nutritional Services Administration, Heath Promotion Interventions, Contemporary Health Problems, and Research in Health Sciences. Finally, an affordable online MBA with a focus in Health Administration is featured at the Donald L. Harrison College of Business at Southeast Missouri State University in Cape Girardeau, Missouri. This program offers students the opportunity to gain insight of the inner workings of management through courses like Health Care Budgeting and Reimbursement, Health Administration, and Strategy and Quality.