Online Healthcare MBA Programs

“Healthcare MBA degrees help students appreciate that healthcare is also a business and that the ethical application of sound business principles can improve the design and delivery of care.”

Jose Proenca, PhD, Professor and Associate Dean for the School of Business Administration Graduate Programs, Widener University

The healthcare industry’s prime focus is helping people with medical concerns, but to do that effectively, it needs businesspeople to keep track of financial transactions and make operations more efficient. Facilities benefit from people who can manage people, organize resources, and streamline processes. By implementing smart, efficacy-minded changes, business leaders can allow healthcare providers more opportunities to do what they do best: tending to patients.

A master of business administration (MBA) with a healthcare focus can prepare graduates for a wide range of roles—many of which carry a high earning potential. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS 2024), medical and health services managers earn a median annual salary of 110,680. Furthermore, the BLS predicted a 28 percent increase in openings nationwide in this occupation, an addition of 144,700 jobs between 2022 and 2032. This is much more robust than the 3 percent average growth anticipated across all fields during that same period. And this is only one of the job opportunities for those with an MBA in healthcare.

This degree can be a useful step for people currently working in healthcare, or even someone in the business world wanting to join the industry from elsewhere. For instance, George Washington University, one of several schools featured below, stated that several professionals could benefit from a healthcare MBA, including dentists, entry- to mid-level administrators, nurses, pharmacists, physicians, and scientists, among many others.

A majority of healthcare MBA programs call for candidates to have at least a bachelor’s degree and a few years of work experience. In addition to the traditional MBA programs on campuses across the country, there’s been a recent trend in reputable business schools adopting online MBA programs as well. These can allow students the flexibility to fit their course requirements around the other obligations in their lives such as a full-time job and caring for a family. Some programs require online students to visit campus for specific intensives or orientations, while others can be completed 100 percent at a distance.

This guide explores the varied online healthcare MBA programs.

Featured Online Healthcare MBA Programs
Purdue Global Online MBA - Health Care Management View Full Profile
Purdue Global Online MSN-MBA View Full Profile
Texas A&M International University Online MBA - Healthcare Administration View Full Profile
Texas A&M University - Corpus Christi Online MBA in Healthcare Administration View Full Profile
Grand Canyon University MBA - Health Systems Management View Full Profile
Southern New Hampshire University Online MBA In Healthcare Management View Full Profile
Lamar University MBA - Healthcare Administration View Full Profile
Lamar University MSN-MBA Dual Degree View Full Profile
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Meet The Expert: Jose Proenca, PhD

Jose Proenca

Dr. Jose Proenca is a professor and the associate dean for the School of Business Administration graduate programs at Widener University. With a diverse background that includes experience in marketing and operations within the pharmaceutical and hospital industries, he brings a wealth of practical knowledge to his academic role.

His educational journey led him to earn a PhD in business and healthcare management from the University of Alabama, Birmingham. Throughout his career, he has been recognized for his outstanding contributions with multiple Distinguished Graduate Teaching Awards and prestigious accolades, such as the American Academy of Medical Administrators Award and the ACHE Health Management Research Award. He specializes in teaching leadership development, change management, strategy, and population health management and has facilitated leadership development workshops across various industries, including healthcare, pharmaceuticals, medical equipment, and entertainment.

Dr. Proenca’s research interests include human capital management issues in healthcare organizations, service matters within the healthcare sector, and community orientation. His scholarly work has been published in reputable journals, such as the Academy of Business Research Journal, Medical Care, and Health Services Research.

MHAOnline.com: What is something you wish the public understood about healthcare MBA degrees?

Dr. Proenca: Healthcare MBA degrees help students appreciate that healthcare is also a business and that the ethical application of sound business principles can improve the design and delivery of care.

Many organizations in the largely non-profit healthcare sector struggle to fulfill their mission of providing their communities equitable access to high-quality yet affordable medical care. Regulatory and financial constraints, tight labor markets, growing competition, operational inefficiencies, and demanding consumers and payers are some causes.

Healthcare MBA programs focus on the interplay between medical and business forces and are uniquely positioned to prepare students to navigate and address these highly complex issues.

MHAOnline.com: What advice would you give to aspiring healthcare MBA students?

Dr. Proenca: If you are an experienced healthcare professional enrolling in a healthcare MBA program, you should keep an open mind and recognize that, while healthcare is unique in many ways, it can also learn a lot from the business practices being deployed in other industries. Many of the vexing problems facing the healthcare sector today are being successfully tackled in other business settings through innovative strategies and technologies. Use the MBA to expand your horizons!

If you are new to healthcare, you should recognize the additional layers of complexity that come into play in a healthcare business. The moral imperative to offer compassionate care, the notion that clinical work is a calling rather than just a job, and the complicated nature of medical diagnosis and treatment processes are just some of the unique features of managing healthcare organizations and professionals. Use the healthcare MBA to gain a more nuanced view of how organizations can do good while also doing well!

Farheen Gani
Farheen Gani
Writer

Farheen Gani has written many how-to career, online program, and scholarship guides related to master of healthcare administration degrees since 2018. Some guides she has written include online healthcare management programs, master's in regulatory science programs, and health administration scholarships. She writes about healthcare, technology, education, and marketing. Her work has appeared on websites such as Tech in Asia and Foundr, as well as top SaaS blogs such as Zapier and InVision. You can connect with her on LinkedIn and Twitter (@FarheenGani).

Kimmy Gustafson
Kimmy Gustafson
Writer

With a unique knack for simplifying complex health concepts, Kimmy Gustafson has become a trusted voice in the healthcare realm, especially on MHAOnline.com, where she has contributed insightful and informative content for prospective and current MHA students since 2019. She frequently interviews experts to provide insights on topics such as collaborative skills for healthcare administrators and sexism and gender-related prejudice in healthcare.

Kimmy has been a freelance writer for more than a decade, writing hundreds of articles on a wide variety of topics such as startups, nonprofits, healthcare, kiteboarding, the outdoors, and higher education. She is passionate about seeing the world and has traveled to over 27 countries. She holds a bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of Oregon. When not working, she can be found outdoors, parenting, kiteboarding, or cooking.

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