Is a Master's in Healthcare Administration Degree Worth It?

If you’ve been considering an advanced degree for a career in health, a master’s in healthcare administration, or MHA is a respected degree that allows you to apply for mid- to senior positions in the healthcare industry. Is an MHA degree worth it? This article will look at the top factors for you to consider.

What Is a Master’s in Healthcare Administration (MHA)?

An MHA is a specialized management degree designed to develop strategic-minded leaders within healthcare settings. It is offered at the graduate level, which means you must have completed at least a bachelor’s degree before enrolling. Many programs prefer if you have at least some work history in healthcare or are currently employed in the health sector for access to a healthcare organization. See the degree-specific admissions requirements for the MHA at Bellevue University.

Key Benefits of Getting an MHA Degree

If you have been employed in the healthcare industry, earning a Master of Healthcare Administration (MHA) degree can provide you with the advanced leadership skills required to take the next step in your healthcare career and assume greater responsibilities.

Having access to a healthcare organization where you are employed or have gained experience allows you to have mentors to guide you and hands-on experience in the operations of the organization where you can apply what you are learning in the classroom.

Career Growth Potential: While an advanced MHA degree can help your resume stand out, it’s important to research specific careers or roles in healthcare administration to determine job market demand. Seek to understand what salary and benefits you can expect in the locale you want to work. Salaries are often dependent upon region, urban or rural setting, size of organization, and demand in the area.

Networking and Development: Healthcare administrators offer numerous networking and professional development opportunities for professionals to grow and learn from one another and the experts.

Intangible Rewards: Ultimately, if you are passionate about what healthcare administration entails, and enjoy the evolving and fast-paced world of healthcare, your contribution to improved healthcare systems and patient outcomes can bring great rewards, both material and personal.

MHA Program Empowers Students to Excel in Their Roles

Dr. Mike Freel, Program Director of the Bellevue University online MHA program, states that the MHA program empowers students to excel in their roles for several reasons. First, online classes with students of diverse professional backgrounds increase overall learning. Second, the faculty teaching the courses are all experts with extensive hands-on experience in the subjects they teach.

Additionally, Freel said, the MHA program has been designed to directly apply to students’ careers.

What students learn is immediately applicable for them in their organizations. Assignments are often based in real-life scenarios where students are actively engaged in the operations of their organizations.

– Dr. Mike Freel, Program Director, Bellevue University Master of Healthcare Administration

Skills Gained in an MHA Degree

An MHA program will help you develop the skills and competencies critical for contributing to the viability, operations, outcomes, and success of various types of organizations in the healthcare industry, such as hospitals, clinics, long-term care and rehabilitation facilities; and managed care providers. These are knowledge and skills identified by the Healthcare Leadership Alliance as important for ensuring quality healthcare delivery within a changing and dynamic industry.

Because the role of health administrator is a leadership position, candidates should expect to develop strong leadership, management, and communication skills. Leading and motivating teams is crucial for the role so your experience on healthcare teams is highly valued.

Skills you will learn include, but are not limited to:

• Health Information Technology and Data Management: Learn to integrate and apply health information technology (HIT) for improved outcomes.
• Healthcare Leadership and Team Development: Develop the skills to lead teams in hospitals, clinics, and other care settings.
• Legal, Ethical, and Compliance Issues: Examine the regulatory environment and learn how policies shape patient care.
• Quality Management: Understand strategies for improving patient outcomes and operational efficiency.
• Healthcare Finance: Prepare and manage budgets and analyze financials to optimize efficiency.
• Operations Management: find the best processes and systems for the management of complex healthcare organizations.
• Human Resource Management: recruit, hire, and administer HR policies and regulations

Financial Considerations for an MHA Degree

When considering whether an advanced degree like the MHA degree is worth it, you must factor in several things such as time, cost, education requirements, and personal commitment.

How Valuable is an MHA?

Weigh these costs below with the benefit of an MHA. The healthcare industry has seen and continues to see significant growth. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics lists the current median annual salary of healthcare managers and administrators. Hospitals and outpatient care centers may offer the highest median annual wage for healthcare administrators. However, earning potential with an MHA varies depending on factors such as industry, location, experience, and specific job role.

Cost

Costs can vary greatly between schools and are usually measured by cost per credit. It’s important to do some research to guide your decision. Here are some of the facts:

• Cost per credit and other fees are found on the Bellevue University Tuition and Fees page.
• Graduate students are eligible for financial aid and scholarships.
• Military education funding and corporate tuition assistance are other popular ways to fund graduate courses.
• You may be able to transfer in up to 6 graduate credit hours from a previous accredited university. Contact us to learn more about how to have your credits evaluated.

Education Requirements

Beyond the financial costs, educational requirements take your time, effort, and personal commitment. Here’s what you can expect:

Most students complete a master’s degree in 2-3 years, depending on several factors, including how many credits you take per term and how many are required (part-time students may take longer). An MHA typically requires 32-36 graduate credit.

Bellevue’s MHA program requires 36 graduate credits. The unique cohort delivery format of Bellevue University’s program means you enroll once for the entire program and take one 4-credit class at a time. At a pace of 2 courses per term, it is possible to finish in 5 terms (3 terms per academic year), or about 1 1/2 years if you are continuously enrolled and progress according to the cohort degree plan.

MHA Student Success Stories

Learn about the new career paths these Bellevue University students have taken with the help of their online MHA program. These graduates credit their experiences in the online classroom environment with enabling them to stand out in the fast-changing healthcare field.

How Has the Master’s in Healthcare Administration Benefitted Your Career?

Katelyn Ziebarth, of Kearney, Nebraska, was promoted to Administrator of Brookestone Gardens after earning her MHA degree at Bellevue University.

I believe my coursework has given me greater insight into my field. I have been given the opportunity to create improvement plans and analyze my facility deeper than I would in my day-to-day job. It has given me the confidence to know that I have the resources available to me to better my facility, my team, and myself.

– Katelyn Ziebarth, MHA

Susan Gergas of Naples, Florida, accepted a new position with Kindred at Home, a home health provider.

I decided to take a job with Kindred as it is the largest home health provider in the U.S. I feel there are many opportunities for someone with past management experience in healthcare as well as 23 years of working with patients. I feel like I am learning so much about the healthcare system’s leadership and hospital management. I also have an MBA from Bellevue University that allowed me to be a much better manager at my last job.

– Susan Gergas, MHA

Alisa Winkel of Fort Dodge, Iowa, was promoted to Clinic Manager, Iowa Heart Center-Ft. Dodge Division.

I was previously a physician liaison and had no formal clinical education. Getting my MHA was one way for the clinical staff to see me as a credible individual for the job. As I’m learning, I can 100% of the time, relate it to various situations currently going on in our organization. Without this program, I would not feel as confident in my role as I do.

– Alisa Winkel, MHA

Shanna Stofer of Council Bluffs, Iowa, was offered and accepted new role as Vice President of Ancillary and Professional Services at Jennie Edmundson Hospital.

This new role puts me in an executive position, with more opportunities to work with strategy, service line growth and business development. The MHA program helped to tune up and develop some of my leadership skills. It forced me to dive deeper into the business features of healthcare. Being effective in the VP role will require many elements taught and developed in the MHA program. Each new course in the program directly applied to the profession of a healthcare leader.

– Shanna Stofer, MHA

The Bottom Line: Is a Master’s in Healthcare Administration Right For You?

The final step is to consider your personal goals to decide if a master’s in healthcare administration is right for you. Are you already working in healthcare and looking to grow your skills? This degree can help you take on more advanced leadership roles and move your career forward.

Start Your Master’s in Healthcare Administration at Bellevue University Today

Bellevue University believes the best way to build healthcare administration skills is by combining real-world, hands-on learning with theory. The MHA program offers an engaging and flexible learning experience that fits your personal and work life.

Explore the Bellevue University Master of Healthcare Administration degree Today!

Related resources we think you’ll like.

What is an MHA?
MHA vs. MBA: What are the differences?
What Can You Do with an MHA?