It’s a great time to get into the growing field of healthcare administration. With a wide range of jobs available both in and out of hospital settings, today’s healthcare administrators are in demand and have plenty of options.
If you’ve been thinking of enrolling in a healthcare administration degree program, find out about some of the career opportunities you can pursue once you earn your master’s in healthcare administration from either a traditional online degree program of a competency-based degree program.
Today’s Career Options With a Healthcare Administration Degree
Healthcare administrators and executives work in hospitals, nursing homes, and other medical facilities to plan, direct, and coordinate medical and health services in compliance with healthcare laws and regulations. This can include managing an entire facility, a certain clinical department, or a group of physicians in a medical practice.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), there were more than 352,000 professionals in healthcare administration and related roles in the U.S. in 2016, and that number is expected to rise by 20% by 2026, much faster than average.1 The median pay for these positions in 2017 was $98,350 per year, and more than one-third of health administration professionals worked in a hospital setting in 2016.
A bachelor’s degree in health management, nursing, public health administration, business administration, or healthcare administration is required for entry-level positions, although some employers prefer to hire job candidates with a Master of Healthcare Administration, or MHA degree.
Whatever degree you pursue, for a career in healthcare administration your degree program should focus on both management and healthcare, combining business-related courses with courses in medical terminology, hospital organization, and health information systems. With the right education and skills, you can be on your way to a wide range of rewarding careers, including:
- Healthcare program director
- Nursing home administrator
- Clinical manager
- Health information manager
- Consulting healthcare administrator
- Social welfare administrator
- Home healthcare administrator
- Director of managed care
- Group practice administrator
Before you can get a role in health administration, you may need experience as a registered nurse, medical records and health information technician, administrative assistant, or another position in the medical field.
You Career Begins With an MHA Degree
If you’re ready to make a positive impact in the medical field and advance your career, the right degree program can get you there. You can begin the next phase in your career when you enroll in Walden University’s online Master of Healthcare Administration (MHA) degree program.
Today’s healthcare facilities and patients need leaders who can respond to their needs. At Walden, students can develop the skills needed in the healthcare field while taking advantage of the flexibility of online classes. These vital skills include critical and creative thinking and problem-solving, business and interpersonal communication, strategic planning, collaboration, and adaptability.
In addition, as a student in Walden’s MHA program you can choose between learning in a traditional course-based program or through Walden’s exclusive competency-based option, Tempo Learning. Tempo can be a great option if you wish to leverage your professional experience to earn your healthcare administration degree sooner, at your own pace, while controlling your tuition cost.
Don’t put off your future any longer. Find out how much you can accomplish with a master’s in healthcare administration from Walden University.
Walden University is an accredited online college offering a Master of Healthcare Administration (MHA) program. Expand your career options and earn your degree in a convenient, flexible format that fits your busy life.
1Source: www.bls.gov/ooh/management/medical-and-health-services-managers.htm#tab-1
Walden University is accredited by The Higher Learning Commission, www.hlcommission.org.