Best Accelerated Healthcare Administration Degrees Online

• Accelerated healthcare administration programs save you time on your degree.
• You'll strengthen leadership, financial, human resources, and management skills.
• You can prepare for in-demand careers with a fast-track healthcare administration degree.

You probably have a good idea of what doctors and nurses do, but what is healthcare administration? In hospitals, doctor's offices, and other healthcare settings, administrators tackle the non-clinical tasks that keep patient care and operations running smoothly.

And earning an accelerated healthcare administration degree online prepares you for these high-paying, in-demand roles.

Ready to get started on your accelerated degree? Next, we'll look at what to expect from accelerated healthcare administration programs and your career opportunities after graduation.

Accelerated Healthcare Administration Degree Overview

Accelerated healthcare administration programs prepare you for in-demand careers. You'll build industry-specific skills in your core health administration courses.

Many programs also offer electives to prepare for specialized career paths. For example, take courses in financial management to work on the finance side of healthcare. Or study informatics and analytics to work in data management roles.

By earning an accelerated healthcare administration degree online, you'll enter the workforce faster — and start seeing the payoff of your degree sooner.

Common healthcare administration specializations include:

Business Analytics
Financial Management
Gerontology Management
Health Policy
Health Services
Health Informatics
Healthcare Marketing
Organizational Leadership
Project Management
Quality Improvement

Types of Accelerated Programs for Healthcare Administration

You can earn an undergraduate or graduate degree in healthcare administration. Each degree level leads to different healthcare administration career paths. For example, a master's degree helps you qualify for management-level roles. Or build foundational skills by earning an associate degree in healthcare administration.

Online Associate Degree in Healthcare Administration

Want to launch your healthcare career quickly? Then consider an associate degree in healthcare administration. While traditional programs take two years, accelerated programs take around 18 months.

With an associate degree, you'll qualify for support roles like medical assistant or patient intake clerk. Or transfer into a bachelor's program to increase your earning potential and career opportunities.

Online Bachelor's Degree in Healthcare Administration

Many healthcare administration careers require a bachelor's degree. And accelerated healthcare administration programs can shave years off the typical four-year schedule. If you've got an associate degree or bachelor's in another major, you can complete a bachelor's in healthcare administration in 1-2 years.

With a fast-track healthcare administration degree plus experience, you can become a healthcare administrator or health services manager. Or work as a medical marketer, healthcare financial analyst, or nursing home administrator.

Online Master's in Healthcare Administration

Hone your leadership skills with a master's in healthcare administration (MHA). During an MHA, you'll study healthcare budgeting, health policy, and healthcare regulations. Instead of the typical two-year timeframe, accelerated MHA programs take as little as 18 months.

With your master's, you can become a hospital administrator, healthcare consultant, or health services manager.

Online Doctorate in Healthcare Administration

You'll qualify for leadership, policymaking, and academic careers with a doctorate in healthcare administration. And with an accelerated program, you can earn a doctorate in three years or less.

Work as a hospital CEO, research director, or healthcare administration professor after your fast-track healthcare administration degree.

Careers With a Degree in Healthcare Administration

After earning your accelerated healthcare administration degree online, you'll qualify for administrative and managerial roles. Healthcare administrators report above-average salaries. The median pay for healthcare administrators exceeded $72,000 in Apr. 2023, according to Payscale data.

With a bachelor's degree, you can also work in healthcare finance, hospital administration, information management, or human resources. Trying to choose a healthcare administration career path? Learn more about the earning potential for different careers below.

Frequently Asked Questions About Accelerated Healthcare Administration Degrees

Is healthcare administration a good career?

Healthcare administration offers many lucrative career paths, and it's an in-demand field. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, medical and health services managers are projected to see a 28% job growth from 2021-2031.

That translates into over 56,000 job openings annually. These healthcare administrator jobs also report a median annual salary of over $101,000. Careers in healthcare administration also offer advancement opportunities with experience.

What can I do with a bachelor's in healthcare administration?

With a bachelor's degree in healthcare administration, you'll qualify for roles like doctor's office manager, healthcare financial analyst, or health informatics specialist. After gaining experience in the healthcare industry, you can move into administrative roles like hospital administration, nursing home administrator, or health services manager.

You can also earn a master's in healthcare administration to move into supervisory roles and increase your earning potential.

What is the difference between an MHA and an MBA in healthcare administration?

An MHA and an MBA in healthcare administration both prepare you for management-level roles in healthcare. However, an MHA focuses more exclusively on the healthcare industry, while an MBA in healthcare administration includes core business classes in finance, marketing, and organizational leadership.

If you're interested in roles outside of healthcare, an MBA offers more versatility. Both degrees take around two years to complete, with accelerated healthcare programs offering a faster route to a master's degree.

What's the difference between a Ph.D. in healthcare administration and a doctor of health administration (DHA)?

A Ph.D. in healthcare administration and a DHA are both doctorate-level degrees. However, Ph.D. programs emphasize research and academic career paths, while DHA programs focus on practical applications. Ph.D. programs typically take 4-7 years to complete, while many DHA programs take 3-4 years.

Graduate students interested in becoming professors or researchers often choose a Ph.D. in healthcare administration. Those interested in policymaking or leadership roles in healthcare typically pursue a DHA.