15 Best Healthcare Management Associates Degree Online Programs
By Joy Miller
Edited by Briana Sukert
Updated on December 3, 2024
Looking for Healthcare Management Associates degree online programs? Compare schools and see what you could be doing after graduation.
Getting your Healthcare Management Associates degree might be one of the smartest moves that you can make. There are often plenty of job openings in this sector with excellent salaries.
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Methodology: The following school list is in alphabetical order. To be included, a college or university must be regionally accredited and offer degree programs online or in a hybrid format.
Bossier Parish Community College is a public community college situated in Bossier City, Louisiana. The school was created by the Louisiana State Legislature in 1967. Current enrollment is 7,077. The school is known for its extensive programs and resources related to studies in health sciences.
Several options for associate’s degrees and professional certificates are offered.
Bossier Parish Community College is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges.
Central Christian College is a private college located in McPherson, Kansas, with an affiliation with the Free Methodist Church. The college was founded in 1884. While the school primarily offers programs focused on associate’s and bachelor’s degrees, options for master’s programs are available.
Central Christian College of Kansas is regionally accredited by the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools.
In 1914, Colorado Christian University was founded by Clifton Fowler as Denver Bible Institute. Today, this interdenominational Christian liberal arts university is ranked among the top colleges nationwide by the American Council of Trustees and Alumni.
Aside from that, the Chronicle of Higher Education named this institution as one of the fastest-growing universities.
Colorado Christian University is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.
Founded in 1965, Colorado Technical University offers paths of study for bachelor’s, master’s, and doctorate degrees. Roughly 92 percent of CTU’s 25,000 students conduct their studies fully online. The school ranks highly as a learning institution for active military and veterans by U.S. News & World Report and other ranking entities.
The National Security Agency and the Department of Homeland Security both recognize Colorado Technical University as Center of Academic Excellence in Information Assurance Education.
Colorado Technical University is regionally accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.
Located just miles away from the Kennedy Space Center, Florida Institute of Technology is a private research school comprised of four academic colleges. Enrollment of this school in Melbourne, Florida, stands at 6,402. Florida Tech was established in 1958. Bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral programs are offered across all four colleges within Florida Tech.
Florida Tech is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges.
Herzing University is a private university based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. While the school has nine campuses around the country, students also have the option to pursue their degrees fully online. Herzing was founded in 1965. Degree options for bachelor’s and master’s studies are available.
Herzing University is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.
Iowa Central Community College is a public community college located in Fort Dodge, Iowa. Founded in 1966, the school currently offers options for obtaining two-year associate’s degrees in a variety of fields.
More than 80 degree options in the arts and sciences are available. Current enrollment at Iowa Central Community College stands at more than 5,000 students.
Iowa Central is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Secondary Schools.
Keiser University has a main campus in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. This private school was founded in 1977. Students can pursue undergraduate, graduate, and doctorate programs both on campus and online. Close to 20,000 students are currently enrolled at Keiser University.
Keiser University is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges.
Minnesota West Community and Technical College is a public community and technical college with five campuses throughout Minnesota. Students can earn associate’s degrees and certificates in more than 60 disciplines. Minnesota West Community and Technical College was founded in 1997.
It is a member of the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities system.
Minnesota West Community and Technical College is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.
Founded in 1964, Montgomery County Community College is a public community college located in Blue Bell, Pennsylvania. It has an enrollment of more than 12,000 students. MCCC offers more than 100 programs for associate’s degrees and professional certificates.
Montgomery County Community College is fully accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education.
New England College is a private liberal arts college located in Henniker, New Hampshire. Founded in 1946, enrollment currently stands at more than 2,800 students. New England College offers nine associate’s degree programs, 37 bachelor’s degree programs, 12 master’s degree programs, and one doctoral program across its four divisions.
The school’s main campus is located just minutes from the New Hampshire capital of Concord.
NEC is regionally accredited by the New England Commission of Higher Education.
Northwest Iowa Community College is a public community college in Sheldon, Iowa, that opened in 1966. Studies can choose from 43 programs when studying at NCC. Specialties offered include vocational technical programs and arts and sciences transfer courses. Students can choose to study on campus, fully online, or using a hybrid learning style.
Northwest Iowa Community College is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.
Founded in 1903, Waldorf University is a private university located in Forest City, Iowa. Waldorf University offers a variety of associate’s, bachelor’s, and master’s degree programs. Courses can be completed on campus or fully online.
More than a dozen majors are available. In addition, Waldorf is home to the oldest and largest national honor society for non-traditional students.
Waldorf University is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.
You may learn a tremendous amount of skills and sound practices when you pursue an on-campus or online degree in health management. There is a certain kind of person who is most suited to work in health management.
You might be a good fit if you’re interested and invested in people, want to work in medicine, and have enough technical knowledge to be able to operate specific online systems.
You also likely need to be up-to-date on all healthcare terminology and be able to understand complex codes and acronyms for healthcare phrases and terms.
You can specialize in a few different areas, including coding, healthcare technology, marketing, or administration. Still, you’ll also need to take some foundational courses that set you up with a basic understanding of how business in healthcare operates.
Since health management workers differ from doctors, they don’t need serious medical training, but they do need to understand how the business side of healthcare works. It’s good to take several courses on business, especially if you want to work in an administrative or managerial capacity.
Expect to take these foundational courses early on in your training. Your specialty courses will take place later.
Once you have the basics down, you can really drill into your area of specialty. Many Healthcare Management workers opt for more technical specialties, like coding. This requires a certain amount of computer knowledge and a meticulous personality.
Since coders need to be as accurate as possible, an ideal candidate for this job would be detail-oriented and focused.
Those who want to delve more into administration would learn the basics of people management and customer service. There are other elective courses that you can take to fill you in on more of the science behind medicine.
Many Healthcare Management degrees offer courses in basic anatomy and physiology. This may better help you understand the people that you are serving and allow you to be able to be more effective at your job.
By learning the basics of anatomy and medicine, you may also be able to communicate with doctors and nurses more fluidly and get things done much quicker. Ultimately, if you are interested in medicine, you may want to get the background anyway.
There are plenty of jobs that you may pursue in Healthcare Management, and depending on your skill level and expertise, you might be able to make a very good living by working in this field!
Many people like to work in an administrative support capacity. This usually entails either supporting a head administrator or being an administrator yourself. Others may want to work as patient liaisons, where they run interference between the patient and the doctor or nurse.
You may also work in coding, where you’ll be responsible for keeping accurate medical charts. Coders must be very proficient and detail-oriented, and they need to adhere to patient confidentiality strictly.
On the upper end of the management spectrum are program managers, who oversee lots of people and make sure that day-to-day activities are being performed correctly. These people are also sometimes in charge of audits, and making sure that the books are appropriately balanced.
Ultimately, in any specialty of Healthcare Management, you may rise up through the ranks and really make a name for yourself in the industry. You just need experience and a little bit of hard work.
Of course, salaries in Healthcare Management vary depending on what level you start off at, and what specialty you prefer to work within.
There are plenty of different ways to get your feet wet with Healthcare Management. To give you an idea of what you can realistically expect from your degree, some careers in healthcare management field, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, include:
| Careers | Annual Median Salary |
| Medical and Health Services Manager | $104,280 |
| Clinical Manager | $100,860 |
| Outpatient Care Center Manager | $100,690 |
| Nursing Home Administrator | $89,880 |
| Administrative Coordinator in Healthcare | $87,920 |
| Social and Community Service Manager | $69,600 |
| Patient Navigator | $56,500 |
| Medical Coder in Hospitals | $46,880 |
| Cancer Registrar | $44,090 |
| Medical Secretary | $37,350 |
| Medical Assistant | $35,850 |
This is by no means a comprehensive list, but it shows the range of possibility. Please keep in mind that some employers look for a minimum of a bachelor’s degree to be considered for a few of these positions.
There are plenty of different organizations that you may join to help you out in your Healthcare Management career.
Some of them have specialty areas that focus on different aspects of Healthcare Management. Others are specifically to join together higher-level people.
You will gain a lot from networking and interacting with your peers. Choose the organization that is right for you.
Regional accreditation allows you to be able to use your credentials and degree to be able to pursue work in Healthcare Management. It basically says that your degree is legitimate and that you are a professional who has been appropriately schooled in Healthcare Management.
Regional and national accreditation occurs when a school can prove that their curriculum is excellent and fits within the perimeters of what skills are needed for the career path.
Make sure that you get your degree from a university that is regionally accredited. This may allow you to work all over the world and lend a certain air of importance and credibility to your degree.
Depending on your income level and where you reside, you might qualify for financial aid when pursuing your degree in Healthcare Management. There are both grant programs and loan programs. Grants you don’t need to pay back, so they are often your best bet if eligible.
They are also a little bit more challenging to obtain, so most people opt for taking out student loans and paying them back after they graduate.
You may also get loans for living stipends and course materials. Look at what you really need to be able to pursue your degree, and only borrow that much. Otherwise, you might be paying off your loans for years to come!
See what you qualify for by filling out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).
It’s normal to have plenty of questions related to what you can expect to get out of your degree.
Generally speaking, those with Bachelor’s Degrees make more than those with Associate’s Degrees, but experience is really valuable in Healthcare Management.
You might quickly move up the ranks and wind up making quite a bit of money on the administrative side of things. Generally, you may start off with an average salary of around $35,000 per year (Bureau of Labor Statistics), but you might make up to $100,000 or more depending on your job and experience.
You can generally get your Associate’s Degree in Healthcare Administration in about two years. Some people may stretch it out for longer because they are working while going to school.
Generally speaking, this degree program has the shortest length compared to that of a bachelor’s degree that typically takes four years, and a master’s in healthcare management online or on-campus which is about two years on top of a bachelor’s degree.
One of the great things about taking classes online is setting your own schedule.
Yes, an Associates degree in Healthcare Management is worth it for many students. The Bureau of Labor Statistics is projecting 15% job growth in healthcare occupations over the next 10 years. Common careers in this field include medical assistant, cancer registrar, patient navigator, and medical and health services manager.
There are many different options that you may pursue with your degree in Healthcare Management, and if you are good with technology and have a flair for people, you may be able to find a stable and rewarding career in Healthcare Management.
If you’ve always wanted to take the leap to change your career, now might be the best time to do it. Check out online associate degrees in healthcare management and start working toward a brighter future today!