Best Affordable Online MHA Programs of 2026

The online master of health administration (MHA) programs featured on this list are among the most affordable. However, keep in mind that they’re not necessarily the cheapest.

Our methodology uses a custom scoring system that emphasizes factors most important to students. To identify these, we conducted comprehensive surveys that determined students prioritize:

So, while tuition cost is important, you’ll find that the online MHA programs on this list strike a balance between affordability and educational value.

How We Measured Student Satisfaction: We partnered with College Pulse to bring you data from students themselves on the schools on our list. The data and reviews aren’t part of our ranking methodology.

Tuition is a major indicator of program affordability, but it doesn’t tell the whole story in the long run. The online degree programs with the lowest “sticker price” might not necessarily offer the best overall value after you consider financial aid options, program quality, and overall return on investment (ROI).

For instance, higher-priced programs generally offer better student support through experienced faculty, a rigorous curriculum, and professional-development services. This can lead to better employment rates for students after graduation. In simple terms, a better education can help you generate a higher ROI by improving your job prospects and earning potential.

Also, keep in mind that financial aid — scholarships, grants, tuition discounts, and work-study opportunities — can greatly reduce the net price of tuition. The net cost of college is the amount of money that actually comes out of your pocket to cover tuition. The table below illustrates how different a program’s advertised “sticker price” can be from its net price:

Data from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) offers several valuable insights into the cost of an MHA degree:

An online MHA degree can lead to excellent long-term career and financial benefits.

To estimate your potential ROI, calculate how much you expect to pay for your degree. Then, compare that figure to your expected salary, with and without the degree. This will give you an idea of the financial value the degree could provide.

An MHA can lead to well-paying jobs, even for new graduates. According to the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE), 2023 graduates with master’s degrees in health and medical administration secured an average starting salary of $73,110.

In comparison, those with only a bachelor’s degree in the same field had an average starting salary of $54,510 — that’s an immediate salary difference of nearly $18,600 per year.

Based on these figures, and drawing on the average tuition rates discussed in the section above, you could recoup the costs of a two-year online MHA program in just over one year of employment.

However, note that the exact ROI of your degree over your career depends on several factors, such as the industry you work in, years of experience, and where you live.

These strategies can help you reduce the cost of your studies, no matter how affordable a program’s tuition may already be:

As a first step, complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) to be considered for federal financial aid and work-study programs. Many states and schools also use your FAFSA profile to verify your eligibility for their own funding programs.

Note that half-time enrollment rules may apply if you don’t study full time. This usually means you must take a minimum number of credits — around half of what’s considered full-time — to be eligible for financial aid.

If you’re applying for private loans, you may be tempted to borrow the maximum amount you’re eligible for. However, this will be more expensive over the long run since larger loans mean higher interest payments.

With this in mind, try to limit the amount you borrow to what you strictly need to pay for tuition and other necessities. Also, make sure to compare your borrowing options since federal loans offer more advantageous terms than private ones.

Graduate schools generally calculate tuition on a per-credit basis, so you can lower the cost of your degree by reducing the number of credits you must complete. If you have relevant credits from a previous college experience, you may be able to transfer your credits and get some course exemptions.

Some MHA programs also offer the option of taking competency exams to test out of general prerequisites. For example, you could take accounting or statistics exams to demonstrate you have enough knowledge in these areas and skip those courses.

In some areas, MHA programs need state authorization or accreditation from the Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Management Education (CAHME).

Enrolling in a program that is state-authorized and CAHME-accredited means you can transfer your credits to other programs if you ever need to, and it can help you get access to field learning opportunities.

Before enrolling in a program, research your state’s requirements. You can also research a program’s CAHME accreditation status using the CAHME database.

If you’re already working in a hospital, healthcare network, or healthcare-focused nonprofit group, you may qualify for employer-based tuition assistance programs. Also, some schools have partnerships with major health-related employers and provide reduced tuition rates to their employees.

Note that tuition assistance programs have certain conditions for eligibility. For example, you may need to work for the company for a set period of time (before and after enrolling), maintain a minimum GPA, and attend a program from a list of approved ones.

Also, keep in mind that some employers may provide the funds upfront, while others reimburse them after a set amount of time.