Online MHA Programs Ranked by Affordability (2023-2024)

Check out the 20 most affordable online MHA programs by total cost in 2024.

Topping our list as the most affordable online MHA program, Rasmussen University offers a fully online MS in health administration (MHA) that can be completed in as little as 18 months.

The Rasmussen MHA is a Competency-Based Education (CBE) program in which students complete modules that may contain simulations, exercises, case studies, and applied projects. Each module lasts 11 weeks and students move through at their own pace while getting feedback on completed work and participating in live sessions with faculty and peers.

The Rasmussen online MHA curriculum aligns with the National Center for Healthcare Leadership (NCHL) Health Leadership Competency Model which focuses on various domains such as organizational awareness, innovation, analytical thinking, change leadership, and community collaboration. Courses in the online MHA focus on leadership, ethics, scholarly writing, healthcare delivery systems and quality management, population health, and many other important concepts.

Each student has access to a Student Success Coach to guide them through the program and into their careers. Rasmussen University is based in Bloomington, Minnesota, with other campuses in Florida, Illinois, Kansas, Minnesota, North Dakota, and Wisconsin.

• Cost per credit: $260/credit
• Number of credits: 48 credits
• Total cost: $12,480 + fees

Concordia University Nebraska (CUNE) offers an online master of health administration (MHA) that can be completed in one to two years. There are four concentrations to choose from: Gerontology, health information technology (HIT), leadership, and population health. Courses last eight weeks each, and a 70-hour practicum experience is required.

Through Blackboard, students complete coursework and collaborate with faculty and peers through live web conferencing, discussion boards, and participation in group projects. Courses cover concepts in health services organization, Healthcare management, health information technology, Healthcare Financial management, quality improvement in healthcare, healthcare policy law and ethics, and strategic management and healthcare.

Applicants should have a bachelor’s degree with a minimum GPA of 2.8 on a 4.0 scale. No GMAT or GRE is required. No campus visits are required.

• Cost per credit: $500/credit
• Number of credits: 36 credits
• Total cost: $18,000 + fees

Methodist University, located in Fayetteville, North Carolina, offers a fully online master of health administration (MHA) that can also be completed in as little as 18 months. A graduate certificate in healthcare administration is also offered, which can be completed in just two semesters and be applied to the full online MHA.

Courses for the online MHA cover organizational behavior, strategic management, global health, applied business statistics, leadership in healthcare, business law and ethics, and healthcare policy. The Methodist University online MHA is offered both part-time and full-time, and no entrance exams, work experience, or campus visits are required.

The program begins in the fall and spring and ends with a healthcare capstone. Those without a significant healthcare background complete a healthcare internship during the capstone.

• Cost per credit: $540/credit
• Number of credits: 36 credits
• Total cost: $19,620 + fees

Strayer University, based in Washington, DC, offers an online MS in health services administration with a choice of two concentratins: clinical care management or public health management. Students in both concentrations complete a capstone project in a clinical or public health setting. Courses are delivered asynchronously, with each week’s homework due by Sunday at midnight.

Graduates of this program may be eligible for certain healthcare certifications, and the MSHSA program is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP). Concentration courses for clinical care management include healthcare operations management, long-term care management, and physician’s practice management. Concentration courses for public health management include managerial epidemiology, public health management, and environmental health management.

For every three classes they successfully complete, students earn one tuition-free that they can redeem as they near the end of their current degree programs. Eligible bachelor’s students are automatically enrolled in the Graduation Fund. Eligibility rules and restrictions apply. Please click “View Full Profile” for further details.

Lindenwood University, located in St. Charles, MO, offers an online MHA that can be completed in 14 to 24 months. An optional internship is available for interested MHA students. This ACBSP-accredited program focuses on several areas in healthcare, including law, organizational management, ethical decision-making, and strategic planning. The program was designed for current professionals in healthcare and human services.

Some students might need to complete up to three foundational courses unless these were completed in the undergraduate degree with a grade of B or higher. Courses last eight weeks each, and start dates land six times yearly, with two each in the fall, spring, and summer.

Courses focus heavily on healthcare topics such as public healthcare administration, healthcare law, analytics, medical records, ethics in healthcare, strategic management in healthcare organizations, healthcare marketing and finance, and healthcare economics.

• Cost per credit: $597/credit
• Number of credits: 36 credits
• Total cost: $21,492 + fees

Southern New Hampshire University (SNHU) offers an online MS in healthcare administration that can be completed in just 15 months at two courses per term. Areas of focus include healthcare finance, healthcare law and policy, planning, high-level communication skills, relationship management, and computational skills and informatics. Courses may include global health and diversity, biostatistics, and health policy and law.

This degree curriculum is aligned with the standards of the Association of University Programs in Health Administration (AUPHA) and the Healthcare Leadership Alliance (HLA). The online delivery is very hands-on, including discussion questions, papers, group projects, and larger assignments due at the end of the ten-week term.

Students have access to an extensive support system to ensure student success. SNHU is located in Manchester, NH, and also offers an MS in health information management.

• Cost per credit: $637/credit
• Number of credits: 36 credits
• Total cost: $22,932 + fees

Ohio University offers a fully online master of health administration (MHA), designed for working professionals. As such, it can be completed in two years, attending part-time at one course per seven weeks. This collaborative program offers classroom discussions with professors, fellow students, and healthcare professionals to ensure a well-rounded, real-world education.

Focus areas include healthcare law, finance, resource management, ethics, and quality of care. Courses may include human resource management in healthcare, epidemiology in health administration, and health law. Applicants must have two or more years of full-time professional work experience in healthcare to apply.

• Cost per credit: $677/credit
• Number of credits: 36 credits
• Total cost: $24,372 + fees

Utica University offers a 100 percent online MS in healthcare administration (MHA). It can be completed in two years, taking six eight-week courses per year. Utica keeps class sizes small, fostering a more personal, student-centered learning experience. Students study administrative and leadership strategies designed to promote organizational change.

Students complete courses such as healthcare systems: a continuum of care, human resources management, ethical and legal issues in healthcare, data analysis for healthcare leaders, and healthcare financial management, as well as a final capstone course. Applicants do not need prior healthcare experience to be admitted to this program. The Utica online MHA program is ACBSP-accredited.

• Cost per credit: $690/credit
• Number of credits: 36 credits
• Total cost: $24,840 + fees

Purdue Global offers a fully online master of health care administration (MHCA) that can be completed in 18 months to two years. Courses are delivered in 10-week terms and require 12 to 15 hours of student input per week. Topics covered include quality assessment, leadership, healthcare law, finance, human resource management, administration, and organizational development.

Frequent start dates (twice per month) make this program flexible to join. No GRE scores or work experience are required, and applicants must have at least a 2.5 cumulative GPA in their bachelor’s degree. Students can access Purdue Academic Success Centers, where they can receive free tutoring and participate in success seminars.

The 52-credit online MHCA includes courses such as healthcare financial management, leadership in healthcare, healthcare operations and quality assessment, community health assessment, and healthcare ethics. The program ends with a capstone experience.

• Cost per credit: $485/credit
• Number of credits: 52 credits
• Total cost: $25,220 + fees

Arizona State University (ASU) offers a fully online master of international health management (MIHM) program with four specializations: hospital management, health economics, health informatics, and quality improvement in healthcare.

Offered in partnership with the University of New South Wales in Sydney, Australia, courses are offered through both universities. Along with this partnership, students have global access to the expertise of peers and leaders through the PLuS Alliance, including ASU, the University of New South Wales, and King’s College London. This alliance seeks to create solutions to global health challenges.

The MIHM can be completed in one year on a full-time basis or two years part-time. It encompasses 30 credits over 10 courses plus a culminating digital portfolio project which allows students to demonstrate skills acquisition. Applicants should have a prior degree in the health sciences with a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher.

• Cost per credit: $841/credit
• Number of credits: 30 credits
• Total cost: $25,230 + fees

Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota offers an online MA in health and human services administration that can be completed in 24 months. Specifically designed for nursing home administrators, this degree seeks to prepare students to address issues faced in nursing homes and long-term care facilities.

Focus areas include quality of care, sustainability of systems and programs, healthcare regulations, and management of healthcare staff and economics. Courses may include strategic health and human services leadership; finance for health service administrators; and academic research, writing, and communications. This 100 percent online program is accredited by the Minnesota Board of Examiners for Nursing Home Administrators (MN BENHA).

• Cost per credit: $730/credit
• Number of credits: 36 credits
• Total cost: $26,280 + fees

Capella University offers an online master of health administration (MHA) in two flexible learning paths: GuidedPath and FlexPath.

GuidedPath is similar to traditional university learning, where students take courses each quarter and may follow a part-time or full-time path. The online MHA can be completed in as little as one year by taking three courses per quarter or about three years by taking one course per quarter. Courses are delivered online with assignments, online discussion boards, and assessments.

FlexPath is a much more self-paced learning path where students may take up to two courses at a time and as many courses as they can in 12 weeks. Once one course is complete, another can be started. This pathway is for highly motivated individuals and can significantly reduce tuition costs. Students earn points, rather than credits in this pathway, and work one-on-one with faculty to complete the required competencies.

Capella University is based in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and is an online-only institution. As the MHA program is flexible and offers multiple learning pathways, its duration and therefore its cost will be determined by several factors, including the path chosen and the courseload taken. While we made what we believe to be reasonable “middle of the road” assumptions in including the Capella MHA on this list and in this position, please click “View Full Profile” for more details, as the cost may vary significantly from student to student.

The University of Arizona Global Campus, headquartered in Chandler, AZ, offers an online MA in health care administration that can be completed in 18 months by taking one accelerated six-week course at a time. A healthcare capstone allows students to work on a project with a health care related entity.

The MA in healthcare administration covers health policy, ethics, law, administration, strategic planning, healthcare marketing, global and population health, management information systems within the healthcare industry, business intelligence, managerial accounting, and health economics. Students learn to lead by developing strategic goals, modeling professional values, and remaining sensitive to diversity in healthcare settings.

Graduates may go on to positions such as healthcare facility managers, clinical research managers, human resource managers, healthcare strategists, health information managers, and health services managers.

• Cost per credit: $740/credit
• Number of credits: 36 credits
• Total cost: $26,640 + fees

Sacred Heart University offers a part-time-only, fully online MHA that can be completed in two years, with six start dates – two each in the fall, spring, and summer. Courses last eight weeks and students gain real-world experience through a capstone project with a healthcare facility or in a research setting.

Applicants may come from both healthcare and non-healthcare backgrounds. Those without a healthcare background must complete a three-credit foundational course and an internship during the program. Two years of work experience is required. Courses cover topics such as healthcare informatics, strategic management in healthcare organizations, healthcare leadership, finance and accounting, and health policy, law, and ethics.

This 37-credit program is currently seeking Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Management Education (CAHME) accreditation.

• Cost per credit: $725/credit
• Number of credits: 37 credits
• Total cost: $26,825 + fees

Maryville University offers a 100 percent online master of health administration (MHA) degree with four concentrations: data management; healthcare strategies; population management; and senior services. Following the competencies of the American College of Healthcare Executives, the MHA curriculum focuses on professionalism, leadership, business knowledge and skills, the healthcare environment, and communication.

The curriculum is collaborative and interactive, utilizing online chat, conference calls, and online discussions. Courses may include healthcare technology, healthcare law, ethics and risk management, and population health management.

• Cost per credit: $749/credit
• Number of credits: 36 credits
• Total cost: $26,964 + fees

Walden University operated out of Minneapolis, MN, offers an online master of health administration (MHA) with a general path or a specialization in leadership and organizational development, population health, systems and policy, or social entrepreneurship and innovation.

Students have the option of two study paths: course-based and tempo learning. The course-based path runs on quarters; students take one to two courses quarterly. This is a traditional learning format where courses are charged per-credit while students are taught by faculty and have set deadlines. This learning pathway takes approximately 18 months to complete.

Tempo learning is competency-based and allows motivated students to complete modules at their own pace within the set limit of two modules simultaneously. Tuition is charged for each three-month session, and students can complete as many modules as possible. The time to completion depends on each student.

The Walden MHA curriculum aligns with the competency model published by the National Center for Healthcare Leadership (NCHL). Courses cover healthcare administration topics such as financial management, informatics, organizational development, law and ethics, human resource management, and technology management. Each specialization includes three additional courses in its field.

• Cost per credit: $510/credit
• Number of credits: 53 to 68 credits
• Total cost: $27,030 to $34,680 + fees

Grand Canyon University offers a fully online master of health care administration (MHA). The program can help students to decipher their individual leadership styles while focusing on servant leadership from a Christian worldview. Online discussion boards and group projects help promote a collaborative learning environment and develop relationships between peers and faculty.

The GCU online MHA program consists of 48 credits, with courses usually lasting eight weeks. Students are taught to deliver cost-effective, high-quality healthcare using their unique leadership style. Courses may include an analysis of contemporary healthcare delivery models, legal and ethical principles in healthcare, healthcare research methods, analysis, and utilization, healthcare policies and economics, leadership styles and development, and essential healthcare business analyses.

• Cost per credit: $575/credit
• Number of credits: 48 credits
• Total cost: Please refer to the GCU website

Regis College offers a 100 percent online master of health administration (MHA) that can be completed in as few as 24 months on a part-time basis. Focusing on healthcare costs and delivery from a political and policy level, students learn to promote social justice and high-quality, affordable healthcare for all socioeconomic levels.

A key aspect of this program is student discovery and development of their strategic management style. The degree plan includes a field experience encompassing 100 hours in a healthcare setting. Courses may include concepts in health administration, healthcare quality management, and health ethics and law.

• Cost per credit: $759/credit
• Number of credits: 36 credits
• Total cost: $27,324 + fees

The University of New Haven offers a 100 percent online master of health care administration (MHA) that can be completed in 18 months. A 150-hour healthcare administration internship is required. Following the Peregrine learning outcomes core competencies, students in the UNH MHA take the Peregrine assessment at the beginning and end of the program to ensure career readiness. The assessment covers 11 core competencies for mastery.

Full-time and part-time learning plans are available for maximum flexibility for working adults, with start dates landing three times per year. A bachelor’s degree with a minimum GPA of 3.0 is required; however, no GMAT, GRE, or work experience is required. Courses cover topics such as the US healthcare system, financial management of healthcare organizations, communication, strategy and innovation, healthcare law, ethics, public health, and healthcare statistics.

The University of New Haven MHA is accredited through the Commission on the Accreditation of Healthcare Management Education (CAHME), with the main campus in West Haven, Connecticut.

• Cost per credit: $800/credit
• Number of credits: 36 credits
• Total cost: $28,800 + fees

Queens University of Charlotte offers a fully online master of health administration (MHA) that can be completed in 24 months. Focus areas include improving patient care and outcomes, cost-effective measures, and management of healthcare organizations.

Through hands-on experiences, students learn to assess and redesign existing policies, create and implement new policies, streamline current processes, and evaluate and improve spending. Queens University offers many online tools for collaboration, including Skype web conferencing, shared blogging, and social media tools.

Applicants must have two years of healthcare work experience to apply. Courses may include clinical issues in health services management, quality improvement in healthcare organizations, and strategic planning and marketing for healthcare organizations.

• Cost per credit: $830/credit
• Number of credits: 36 credits
• Total cost: $29,880 + fees

There are several other online healthcare programs that may not fall directly into the MHA programs category, which offer healthcare professionals and students a variety of paths to choose from, depending on career aspirations and personal interests. These may include programs in healthcare informatics, healthcare business, and health information management.

Check out these other affordable master’s programs listed in order of affordability:

The University of Southern Indiana (USI) offers a fully online MBA in healthcare administration that can be completed in just 11 months with accelerated eight-week courses. Core MBA courses cover topics such as financial markets, innovation, information systems, leadership skills, technology, strategic management, and managerial economics. Designed for graduates to move into administrative positions in the healthcare industry, healthcare administration concentration courses focus on risk management in patient safety, financial and systemic risk, and political risk, as well as the role of business analytics in decision-making and Lean Six Sigma methodology.

• Cost per credit: $430/credit
• Number of credits: 30 credits
• Total cost: $12,900 + fees

The University of West Alabama (UWA) offers an online MBA in healthcare administration that can be completed in just one year with accelerated eight-week courses. No campus visits or internships are required. Students have the option to complete a healthcare project or a thesis project. Covered topics include healthcare management, healthcare policy, economics, and finance, emerging technologies, the role of the healthcare administrator, and healthcare information systems.

A comprehensive exam is taken during the final semester of the program. The UWA online MBA in healthcare administration is ACBSP-accredited and includes 33 credits. Students who complete the thesis project may complete more than 33 credits. A minimum GPA of 2.75 or higher is required for admission, and students must maintain a GPA of 3.0 or higher to graduate.

• Cost per credit: $429/credit
• Number of credits: 33 credits
• Total cost: $14,157 + fees

Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi (TAMU-CC) offers a 100 percent online MBA in healthcare administration that can be completed in 12 to 24 months with accelerated seven-week courses. A key focus of the program is to prepare graduates with the decision-making tools they need to solve problems effectively, collaborate with healthcare professionals, and lead teams.

Courses cover topics such as accounting, managerial finance, organizational behavior, marketing management, and administrative strategy. Healthcare concentration courses cover healthcare systems, healthcare law and ethics, health economics and policy, and healthcare financial management.

Applicants with a non-business bachelor’s degree may need to complete four foundational courses and the 36 required credits. GMAT scores are not required for those with a GPA of 3.0 or higher on a 4.0 scale. The TAMU-CC online MBA in healthcare administration is accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB International).

• Cost per credit: $434.54/credit
• Number of credits: 36 credits
• Total cost: $15,643.44 + fees

The College of Mount Saint Vincent (CMSV) online MBA in healthcare administration can be completed in just 12 months and is fully online. Graduates will be equipped to analyze financial management systems, improve healthcare organizational effectiveness and financial stability, and conduct risk analyses to propose solutions.

This ACBSP-accredited online MBA begins six times yearly in the fall, spring, and summer. The seven-week courses include six healthcare management courses such as healthcare administration, healthcare finance, marketing for healthcare programs, law for healthcare professionals, and healthcare policy.

Asynchronous courses are delivered through the Canvas online learning management system (LMS) and may include readings, case studies, research assignments, recorded lectures, and assessments. CMSV is a private Catholic institution founded on empathy and a commitment to human dignity, teaching students to excel professionally while positively impacting the world around them.

• Cost per credit: $521/credit
• Number of credits: 30 credits
• Total cost: $15,630 + fees

Avila University offers a fully online MBA in healthcare administration that can be completed in as few as 12 months with accelerated eight-week courses. Key benefits of the program are one-on-one mentorship with faculty and connections with alumni and professional organizations. Students will graduate with the critical thinking and effective decision-making skills employers search for when hiring.

Core concepts include financial accounting for decision-making, marketing management, applied microeconomics, behavior and well-being, healthcare ethics, and global strategic management. Healthcare administration courses may include healthcare systems, special problems in healthcare management, and current issues in healthcare administration.

Graduates of this program may work in careers such as health information management, financial planning for healthcare organizations, corporate development, and healthcare consulting. The Avila online MBA in healthcare administration is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Business Education (IACBE).

• Cost per credit: $600/credit
• Number of credits: 30 credits
• Total cost: $18,000 + fees

Murray State University offers a fully online, AACSB-accredited MBA in healthcare administration that can be completed in 12 months, even with no prior business experience. Leveling courses are offered free and completed by all MBA students. Seven-week courses begin twice each in the fall, spring, and summer.

The online MBA in healthcare administration prepares graduates to manage healthcare systems and execute management and leadership concepts effectively, analyze global healthcare topics, and apply effective problem-solving, analysis, and decision-making skills. Courses cover business analytics, organizational behavior, corporate finance, strategic management, marketing, and accounting.

Applicants should have a GPA of 3.25 or higher for full admission without additional requirements. Those with a GPA of 3.0 to 3.24 must have two years of full-time relevant work experience. Applicants With a GPA of 2.5 to 2.99 must have four years of relevant work experience.

• Cost per credit: $564.50/credit
• Number of credits: 33 credits
• Total cost: $18,628.50 (fees included)

The Southern Illinois University, Edwardsville (SIUE) online MBA in healthcare administration can also be completed in 12 months with no prior business background. No foundational courses are required. Students are prepared with skills in effective management, organizational decision-making, accounting, information systems and technology, and quantitative analysis. Other topics covered may include healthcare policy, corporate finance, healthcare policy, marketing, managerial economics, and strategic management.

Start dates land six times yearly in the fall, spring, and summer. Online NBA students must maintain a 3.0 GPA in all NBA courses. Healthcare administration courses may include health economics and policy, managing organizational change and innovation, healthcare financing, customer relationship management, and topics in healthcare. The program is AACSB-accredited.

• Cost per credit: $526.13/credit
• Number of credits: 36 credits
• Total cost: $18,940.68 + fees

Southern Oregon University (SOU) offers a fully online healthcare administration MBA designed to be completed in 16 months. This program prepares MBA graduates to apply learned business and administrative skills in healthcare settings, focusing on quality improvement, performance measurement, communications with patients and families, healthcare technology, and organizational management. A capstone experience integrates core MBA coursework through business case studies and analysis.

A minimum GPA of 3.0 in a bachelor’s degree is required to apply, although SOU may conditionally accept students with a 2.75 to 2.99 GPA. Courses focus on advanced organizational behavior, legal and ethical issues, microeconomics, information systems and technology, financial management, and managerial accounting. The online MBA program is ACBSP-accredited.

• Cost per credit: $430/credit
• Number of credits: 45 credits
• Total cost: $19,350 + fees

Lindenwood University offers a fully online MBA in healthcare administration that can be completed in 15 to 36 months. Core courses cover marketing, managerial accounting, business on financial policy, business strategy, quantitative analytics, linear statistics, and operations management. Healthcare focus courses may include human resources in healthcare, issues in public healthcare administration, medical records, health information law, and strategic management and marketing in healthcare organizations.

This ACBSP-accredited program prepares graduates for leadership and management positions in healthcare organizations. No work experience or GMAT/GRE test scores are required. Depending on prior education, students may need to complete up to 18 credits of foundation courses. Courses are delivered asynchronously and may include case studies, videos, recorded lectures, readings, and exploration of current business issues, as well as assessments and discussion boards.

• Cost per credit: $597/credit
• Number of credits: 33 credits
• Total cost: $19,701 + fees

The University of Saint Mary in Leavenworth, Kansas, offers an online MBA in healthcare management. This program keenly focuses on business management skills in healthcare, such as ethics in healthcare, corporate responsibility, a global perspective, and the dynamics in the workplace, including communication and collaboration.

The degree can be completed in just one year for those with a business background. Healthcare management concentration courses include leadership and business operations in healthcare, healthcare informatics and technologies, and legal and ethical issues in healthcare. This program is accredited by the International Accreditation Council for Business Education (IACBE).

• Cost per credit: $605/credit
• Number of credits: 33 credits
• Total cost: $19,965 + fees