Online MHA Programs Ranked by Affordability (2024-2025)

Check out the 20 most affordable online MHA programs for the 2024-2025 academic year.

Topping our list as the most affordable online MHA program, Rasmussen University offers a 100 percent online MS in health administration (MHA) which students can complete 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: $218/credit
• Number of credits: 48 credits
• Total cost: $10,464 + fees

The Auburn University at Montgomery (AUM) offers an AACSB International accredited MHA degree program designed to train students in the skills necessary to take on leadership roles in varied settings including hospitals and healthcare systems. Students complete a total of eleven courses and ultimately learn from disciplines such as economics, policymaking, and marketing. Particular emphasis areas include quality improvement and patient safety, policy in the healthcare industry, and leadership and innovation.

AUM faculty regularly update the curriculum to be consistent with the needs of current healthcare administration careers. While students can ultimately complete the program in as little as three semesters, the average program is four semesters over two calendar years.

• Cost per credit: $511/credit
• Number of credits: 33 credits
• Total cost: $16,863 + fees

Ranked among the “Top Public Schools” by U.S. News & World Report (2024), the Northern Kentucky University Department of Allied Health offers a master of science degree in health administration. This 34-credit program can be completed in as little as 12 months. The program is designed for working professionals seeking new credentials to advance their careers. Graduates possess the knowledge to manage businesses through a healthcare lens effectively.

Students study some business topics typically found in an MBA program but focus specifically on the particular aspects of business management unique to the healthcare industry. Graduates may fill various roles including, but not limited to, chief nursing officer, practice manager, and long-term care administrator.

• Cost per credit: $547/credit
• Number of credits: 34 credits
• Total cost: $18,598 + fees

Methodist University, located in Fayetteville, North Carolina, offers a 100 percent 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: $545/credit
• Number of credits: 36 credits
• Total cost: $19,620 + fees

Texas State University offers a fully online accelerated master’s degree program in healthcare administration accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Management Education. This particular master’s program features an executive track orientation targeted to students seeking to become leaders in the field of healthcare administration and management.

The curriculum emphasizes skills in data collection, analysis and presentation, collaboration in team and related contexts, and critical-thinking. Instruction is offered by faculty who are board-certified by the American College of Healthcare Executives. Students can reduce their credit requirements to 40 credit hours via prior learning assessment. The curriculum prepares graduates to achieve Lean Six Sigma Certification. Upon graduation students may work in a variety of roles including compliance executive, director of managed care and hospital administrator.

• Cost per credit: $536.43
• Number of credits: 40
• Total cost: $21,457.20

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 Association of University Programs in Health Administration (AUPHA) and the Healthcare Leadership Alliance (HLA) standards. 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.

SNHU is located in Manchester, NH, and offers an MS in health information management. Its students have access to an extensive support system to ensure their success.

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

Ohio University offers a 100 percent 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

Arizona State University (ASU) offers a 100 percent online master of international health management (MIHM) program with four specializations: hospital management, health economics, health informatics, and quality improvement in healthcare.

Courses are offered through both universities, in partnership with the University of New South Wales in Sydney, Australia. Through this partnership, students have global access to the expertise of peers and leaders through the PLuS Alliance, which includes 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 full-time or two years part-time. It encompasses 30 credits over 10 courses plus a culminating digital portfolio project that 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: $863/credit
• Number of credits: 30 credits
• Total cost: $25,890 + fees

Capella University offers a 100 percent online master of health administration (MHA) with a general path or one of three specializations in healthcare: leadership, operations, or informatics. The Capella MHA program is competency-based and offers 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. 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.

The curriculum for the online MHA is patterned after the National Center for Health Care Leadership (NCHL) Competency Model. Capella University is an online-only institution based in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

• Cost per credit: View Capella’s school profile for details
• Number of credits: View Capella’s school profile for details
• Total cost: View Capella’s school profile for details

The University of Arizona Global Campus, headquartered in Chandler, AZ, offers an online MA in healthcare 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 healthcare-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. The program has 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 healthcare informatics, strategic management in healthcare organizations, healthcare leadership, finance and accounting, and health policy, law, and ethics.

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

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

Walden University operated out of Minneapolis, MN, offers an online master of health administration (MHA) with a general path or specializations in leadership and organizational development, population health, systems and policy, and 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: $525/credit
• Number of credits: 53 to 68 credits
• Total cost: $27,825 to $35,700 + 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: $774/credit
• Number of credits: 36 credits
• Total cost: $27,864 + fees

Grand Canyon University offers a 100 percent online master of healthcare administration (MHA) that helps 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, usually eight-week courses. Students learn 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: View GCU’s school profile for details
• Number of credits: 48 credits
• Total cost: View GCU’s school profile for details

The University of New Haven offers a 100 percent online master of healthcare 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: $828/credit
• Number of credits: 36 credits
• Total cost: $29,808 + fees

Ranked among the top tier of America’s Best Colleges by U.S. News & World Report, the University of Cincinnati offers a fully online master of health administration degree program for mid-career health professionals seeking to advance into executive roles within the healthcare industry. Students develop the skills necessary to provide executive leadership in numerous aspects of healthcare administration, including policy, strategic vision, financial management and patient care.

This CAHME-accredited program offers students two program duration options. Fast-track students may complete the program in five semesters, while extended track students typically finish in eight semesters. Regardless of the pace of study, students are eligible to receive financial aid for up to five semesters of study.

• Cost per credit: $769/credit
• Number of credits: 40 credits
• Total cost: $30,760 + fees

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 helping students discover and develop their strategic management style. The degree plan includes a 100-hour field experience in a healthcare setting. Courses may include concepts in health administration, healthcare quality management, and health ethics and law.

• Cost per credit: $875/credit
• Number of credits: 36 credits
• Total cost: $31,500 + fees

Queens University of Charlotte offers a 100 percent 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: $900/credit
• Number of credits: 36 credits
• Total cost: $32,400 + fees

The University of Central Florida (UCF) Department of Health Management and Informatics offers a 44-credit-hour, two-year online executive master of health administration (EMHA) degree. This program is designed for working healthcare professionals who need the flexibility of an online program that allows them to advance their skills while retaining the option to work. The curriculum explores the structure of healthcare organizations and major issues that affect the functioning of the healthcare industry as a whole.

Recognizing the rapidly evolving nature of the healthcare industry, the curriculum is frequently adjusted to meet current industry standards and needs. The curriculum is offered using a collaborative learning model. Students may be admitted in the spring and fall.

This UCF program is recognized as a Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Management Education (CAHME) Mentorship Circle program. Member institutions of this mentorship program are chosen based on their demonstrated commitment to advancing the quality of healthcare management education. Academic programs holding this designation may mentor other programs working to improve the quality of their education programs and also to obtain and retain accreditation.

• Cost per credit: $772.69/credit
• Number of credits: 44 credits
• Total cost: $33,998.36 + fees

Several other online healthcare programs may not directly fall into the MHA programs category. These 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:

Lamar University offers many AACSB-accredited accelerated online MBA programs designed to prepare professionals with the skills necessary for success in many business specializations. Students choosing a general MBA program complete coursework in subjects including core managerial finance, accounting, marketing, strategic management, economics and international management courses. MBA program specializations include accounting, business analytics, construction project management, criminal justice management, healthcare administration and still more!

Students may complete their degree in as little as 12 months. Lamar University strives to make its programs accessible through affordable tuition rates and a decrease in the required number of leveling courses. A leveling course provides an overview of all core subjects associated with a particular program of study.

Affordable tuition, multiple available start dates, interactive courses, and the flexibility inherent to an online learning delivery model make Lamar University’s MBA program offerings highly competitive within the higher education marketplace. In addition, the many MBA specializations make it possible for graduates to pursue various careers across multiple industries.

• Cost per credit: $438/credit
• Number of credits: 30 credits
• Total cost: $13,140 + fees

The University of Southern Indiana (USI) offers a 100 percent online MBA in healthcare administration that can be completed in 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: $465/credit
• Number of credits: 30 credits
• Total cost: $13,950 + 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

The University of Mount Saint Vincent 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

Texas State University (TSU) offers a 33-credit hour online master’s degree in long-term care administration. As medical knowledge, technology and average lifespan have all grown, a new industry within healthcare has emerged. That industry is long-term care. More professionals must work within this field to provide reliable, quality care to diverse patient populations. Graduates of this program have the organizational, problem-solving, and management skills necessary to successfully work in long-term care operations in various settings. Some of these settings include skilled nursing facilities, independent living, and assisted living communities.

The curriculum includes healthcare information systems management, financial management, and governance. This TSU program is groundbreaking as it is the first in Texas. The degree requires a 1,000-hour Administrator-in-Training (AIT) internship, which must be completed at a nursing facility. Upon successful completion of all requirements, students become eligible for state and national licensure boards. The program can be completed in as little as 15 months.

Students interested in pursuing graduate education in the healthcare industry at Texas State University may also be interested in the master’s degree in healthcare administration – executive track and the master of health information management (MIHM) degree programs.

• Cost per credit: $499/credit
• Number of credits: 33 credits
• Total cost: $16,467 + 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

Jacksonville State University offers an online AACSB International-accredited MBA degree in healthcare administration. This 30-credit-hour program may be completed in as little as 12 months.

The curriculum features coursework focused on major current themes in healthcare such as the use of healthcare information databases, the legal and regulatory frameworks in which healthcare systems provide care, and the healthcare economics methods that influence how resources are conceptualized, created and allocated. Students develop a greater understanding of core business functions and how they influence the operations of modern healthcare systems. Upon graduation students may seek a number of career pathways including hospital administration, medical practice management and much more.

• Cost per credit: $600/credit
• Number of credits: 30 credits
• Total cost: $18,000 + 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 Association accredits the TAMU-CC online MBA in healthcare administration to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB International).

• Cost per credit: $507/credit
• Number of credits: 36 credits
• Total cost: $18,252 + fees

Murray State University offers a 100 percent 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: $581.50/credit
• Number of credits: 33 credits
• Total cost: $19,189.50 (fees included)

Ranked among the “Top Public Schools” by U.S. News & World Report in 2024, Northern Kentucky University offers an online master of science degree in health informatics designed to further develop compassionate healthcare professionals. The curriculum of this program teaches students to effectively use health data to enhance healthcare delivery. Students are further taught how to understand, integrate and improve the operations of entire healthcare information systems for the purpose of enhancing healthcare system operations at organizational and even larger levels. The curriculum is offered by faculty who also teach on-campus courses.

Multiple start dates and pay-by-the-course tuition offer students added flexibility in their educational endeavors. Courses are seven weeks in duration. Upon graduation students may work in a variety of roles including project manager, healthcare data analyst, health informatics consultant and more.

• Cost per credit: $584/credit
• Number of credits: 33 credits
• Total cost: $19,272 + fees

With the rising education costs, graduate programs may seem too expensive of a proposition. These MHA programs ranked by affordability can open up some options you might have yet to consider.

In fact, many if not most online programs in healthcare administration can be convenient, affordable, and completed in just one to two years. With the growing need for master’s-prepared healthcare professionals, these programs can provide a career pathway without the heavy burden of more expensive tuition costs.