Online Bachelor's in Healthcare Management Degree Programs

Discover the salary information, career possibilities, and typical courses of an online bachelor’s in healthcare management. Consider your healthcare industry career path to find out if a degree in this field is right for you. Use this Campus Explorer guide to find answers to common questions about online degree programs.

What Is an Online Bachelor’s in Healthcare Management?

Healthcare management is available as a concentration of business management or as its own bachelor’s degree program. It’s a competitive option for students wishing to pursue a career in the medical industry or professionals already working in healthcare management. Your career options can vary, particularly depending on the specialty of the program you choose. Learn more about the specific courses and careers in the field before choosing the best online bachelor’s program for your goals.

As a bachelor’s degree student, you can expect to take courses in healthcare policy, human resources, finance, ethics, and law. Managers in the healthcare system must respond to a number of issues and work with doctors, nurses, patients, and other groups in the medical industry.

Managers and administrators in the industry work in a variety of roles. Your career possibilities include entry-level positions and chief directors of hospitals and other organizations. Consider this program if you’re interested in one of the following careers:

• Hospital Chief Executive Officer, or CEO
• Hospital administrator
• Director of nursing
• Chief nursing director
• Hospital Chief Financial Officer, or CFO
• Health care actuary

Many managers and directors move on to postgraduate education. A master’s in healthcare management isn’t required for every career, but can expand your options and improve your application for competitive positions.

Studying online offers you the personalized degree program you need. In a fast-paced world, investing four years in full-time, on-campus study can be difficult. Make the most of your time by choosing an online program, which is typically more flexible and more affordable. Online programs offer a number of advantages compared with traditional on-campus alternatives.

Online programs help you tailor your course offerings and schedule to match your career aspirations. While online courses themselves don’t always offer hands-on experience, you can receive instruction from global leaders in the field. Use an online program to balance your real-world experience with healthcare-specific leadership skills.

Choose a program that’s accredited and offers rigorous coursework. The Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Management Education offers accreditation to programs that meet regional or national standards. An online program that isn’t accredited may not offer the rigorous courses that complement your competitive application.

Once you compare online vs. on-campus courses, it’s time to compare different online educational institutions. An accredited course from a college or university offers you a great chance to take the next step in your career, so consider your options carefully. You aren’t limited to the schools in your state, so broaden your horizons with online programs offered by leading institutions with highly regarded programs in healthcare management.

A career in healthcare management is very rewarding if you’re a motivated leader, enjoy detail-oriented tasks, and are passionate about improving the medical industry. Consider using your talents and skills to train to take on a leadership position in the healthcare industry.

These careers may not work as closely with patients in a hospital setting. Compared to doctors and nurses, healthcare managers and chief nursing directors spend more time in an office setting or guiding healthcare professionals. Despite not working directly with patients, these positions are crucial to providing effective healthcare in a variety of settings.

Your training may include a number of courses. Consider studying this degree program if you’re passionate about the medical field, leadership, finance, and business law. Expect to take courses in these and other areas as you prepare for a particular role or expand your career options.

How Much Does a Bachelor’s in Healthcare Management Cost?

A number of factors affect the cost of a bachelor’s degree. On-campus degrees, including tuition, living expenses, and campus-related fees, can vary from $50,000 to $150,000. An online bachelor’s in healthcare management is typically more affordable, but the cost depends on these and other factors:

• Program cost per credit
• Scholarships and grants available
• Part-time or full-time status
• Number of credits required to graduate

The per-credit cost is a main factor in the overall cost of a degree. A program that offers a lower cost per credit hour can often be completed for less than one with higher costs per credit. There are additional fees, particularly for on-campus degree programs, so it’s important to look at the overall tuition cost as well.

Be sure to compare the total credits required to complete an online bachelor’s degree. Some degrees can be completed in fewer credits, making the total cost less for these options.

Scholarships and grants offer opportunities to reduce the cost of your program significantly. In some cases, you may be able to receive a scholarship or combination of scholarships that covers all your expenses. Search for scholarships and grants related to the healthcare industry. Ask your employer about any tuition reimbursement programs that may help further reduce the amount you need to pay.

Part-time students may not have the same scholarship opportunities as full-time students. Check your grant and scholarship applications to be sure they qualify for part-time students before you apply. Taking a part-time degree program offers you more opportunities to work as you study, but it may be difficult to receive the same scholarship and grant opportunities.

Average Salary for a Bachelor’s in Healthcare Management

An online bachelor’s in healthcare management may improve your application for healthcare management positions, such as medical and health services managers. These managers earned a median salary of approximately $104,300 in 2020, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, or BLS.

Another position that a bachelor’s program may qualify you for is healthcare actuary. Actuaries earned a 2020 median salary of $111,000. These positions may require five years or more of work experience before you’re qualified.

Entry-level positions in the healthcare industry include medical secretaries and administrative assistants. These positions earned a mean annual wage of $39,000 in 2020. When you take entry-level and upper-level positions into account, the median salary for Bachelor of Science in Healthcare Administration degree holders is around $62,400, according to PayScale.

Consider your previous experience and career passions as you explore this bachelor’s degree program. Some programs offer concentrations to help you focus on a particular role, while others offer broad coursework to prepare you for the job market or a postgraduate program.

Postgraduate degrees and years of experience in the healthcare industry may improve your salary expectations. If you’re pursuing a higher-than-median salary, then a master’s or higher degree may be a great career option following your bachelor’s in healthcare management. Salary averages also vary depending on your regional area. Different states and cities offer different median salary expectations. You can review the state and metropolitan data available through the BLS.

What Is the Job Outlook for Bachelor’s in Healthcare Management Holders?

Management positions in the healthcare industry are expected to increase significantly in the coming years. From 2019 to 2029, the number of medical and health services managers is expected to grow 32%, according to BLS. This is significantly higher than the average job growth.

This significant job growth can mean a few important things for you if you’re seeking a position in this industry. First, you can expect, on average, more positions available in your region that suit your career ambitions. A wide range of new positions that will need to be filled between 2019 and 2029 give you more opportunities to apply for the career of your dreams.

A high job growth expectation can also make your individual application more competitive. If the number of degree holders and applicants doesn’t grow at the same rate as the number of positions, then you may be able to expect less competition for the available positions.

Courses in Healthcare Management

If you choose to enroll in an online bachelor’s in healthcare management, you can dive into a number of courses in the healthcare, management, finance, and business fields. Here are some common courses in accredited programs:

• Medical terminology
• Finance and accounting for the healthcare industry
• Human resources management
• Business law and ethics
• Epidemiology

Medical terminology courses help you dive into the medical field and understand key terminology. You may not be practicing medicine and treating patients in the same way as a doctor or nurse. However, you will still need to understand the root words, suffixes, and prefixes used in medicine. With medical terminology courses, you’ll be able to understand the documentation and communication process as you work closely with industry professionals.

Finance and accounting courses are key to your position if you plan to work in the finance department of a hospital or other medical facility. Some courses are the same ones offered in finance and business courses, but others may be more specifically related to the healthcare industry.

Study human resources management to prepare to staff, train, and manage teams of professionals in healthcare settings. You don’t have to be working in a human resources department to benefit from principles of industrial relations, organizational behavior, and other management principles.

Epidemiology courses offer you the opportunity to help leading professionals in this critical area of medicine. Learn about key terminology in the field and how to take on managerial tasks in the field. Whether you’re working with epidemiologists in your region or as part of a global network, your management experience and medical terminology knowledge put you in a competitive position to help fight the latest outbreak.

Business law and ethics is essential for all practicing healthcare facilities. Examine the ethics of operating a healthcare facility, essential laws that protect private information, and legal procedures as part of your training.

These are only some of the course examples offered as part of your degree. Whether you focus on a particular aspect of healthcare management or choose a more general course load, you may have the opportunity to personalize your program with electives and courses from other disciplines.

Some students choose a concentration as part of their program. Depending on your school of choice, you may be able to concentrate in law and policy, financial management, informatics, or safety and quality during your undergraduate program.

You typically have the opportunity to add electives and general education courses to your degree. Enjoy a wide range of courses in the sciences, humanities, and other fields. If you find a particular aspect of healthcare you’re interested in, add elective courses to personalize your learning.

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