Online master's in healthcare

Many master's of healthcare programs can prepare you for management and leadership positions and open doors for careers in hospitals, insurance companies, and healthcare organizations. Discover what you can learn and the roles master's programs in healthcare can help prepare you for.

Types of master's in healthcare programs

Here are a handful of master's in healthcare programs, with salary and job outlook data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) and O*NET:

Master's in health administration

What will I learn?

Graduates of take courses that teach leadership, healthcare policy, financial management, operations, and strategic decision-making. You can develop skills to help improve patient care and navigate complex healthcare environments.

• Course topics: business statistics, healthcare organizations and behavior, health law for managers, health policy for managers, and leadership, innovation, and change management.
• Skills required: health policy analysis, financial management, leadership, data analysis, operations management, and communication.
• Admissions requirements: bachelor's degree, minimum 3.0 GPA, two years of work experience, letters of recommendation, personal statement, and résumé or CV.

What can I do?

With a master's in health administration, graduates can pursue roles as healthcare administrators or medical and health services managers, overseeing operations in hospitals, clinics, and nursing homes.

Responsibilities include managing budgets, improving patient care, ensuring regulatory compliance, and leading teams. Alternative careers include policy analysts or healthcare consultants.

• Median annual salary for medical and health services managers (2023): $110,680
• Projected job outlook for medical and health services managers (2023-2033): +29%

Master's in health informatics

What will I learn?

Graduates from a learn about data management, healthcare systems, and information technology. Skills learned include analyzing healthcare data, improving patient outcomes, and managing electronic health records to improve patient outcomes.

• Course topics: current perspectives in health informatics, fundamentals of health informatics, health informatics database modeling and applications, health information communication, leadership and professionalism, and clinical decision support and evidence-based medicine.
• Skills required: analytical thinking, computer programming, data analysis, health information management, problem-solving, and knowledge of healthcare regulations that you must integrate into all patient care-related data.
• Admissions requirements: bachelor's degree from a regionally accredited institution, undergraduate cumulative GPA of 3.0, letters of recommendation, letter of intent, and résumé or CV including personal, professional, and educational background.

What can I do?

Graduates can pursue roles as health informatics specialists, data analysts, or clinical informatics managers. These positions involve managing healthcare data and ensuring data security. Jobs are available in hospitals, government agencies, or healthcare IT companies.

• Median annual salary for health informatics specialists (2023): $103,800
• Projected job outlook for health informatics specialists (2023-2033): +9%

Master's in healthcare management

What will I learn?

In a master's in healthcare management program, students learn about healthcare policy, leadership, and healthcare operations. The skills learned — including data analysis and organizational management — can help prepare you to navigate complex systems, improve efficiency, and lead teams in various healthcare settings.

• Course topics: healthcare financial management, health insurance, managed care and reimbursement, quality management and patient safety, healthcare policy and politics, strategic planning and management, and ethical and legal issues in healthcare.
• Skills required: critical thinking, communication skills, interpersonal skills, leadership skills, active listening, and analytical skills.
• Admissions requirements: bachelor's degree from an accredited institution, minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0, prerequisite coursework, résumé or CV, personal statement, and letters of recommendation.

What can I do?

Graduates of healthcare management programs may work as hospital executives, medical practice managers, healthcare administrators, or medical and health services managers. In these positions, graduates oversee operations, manage budgets, and ensure regulatory compliance.

• Median annual salary for medical and health services managers (2023): $110,680
• Projected job outlook for medical and health services managers (2023-2033): +29%

Master's in nursing

What will I learn?

The program covers advanced clinical practices, healthcare policy, leadership, and research methods. In a , students can develop skills in diagnosis and treatment, healthcare systems management, and evidence-based decision-making. These skills can help improve outcomes in diverse patient populations and various healthcare settings.

• Course topics: biostatistics, healthcare policy, clinical management, research and best evidence for clinical reasoning, clinical practicums in target patient populations, advanced physiology, pathophysiology, pharmacology, assessment, and differential diagnosis.
• Skills required: advanced clinical care, leadership, critical thinking and decision-making, healthcare systems management, evidence-based practice, and communication.
• Admissions requirements: active and unrestricted current RN license, bachelor of science in nursing from an accredited institution, undergraduate statistics degree, minimum of one year RN experience in the U.S., minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0, letters of reference, goal statement, and résumé or CV.

What can I do?

Graduates with a master's in nursing can become nurse practitioners, clinical nurse specialists, and nurse educators. In these roles, graduates provide advanced patient care, diagnose illnesses, and implement healthcare strategies. Nurse practitioners and clinical specialists may work in hospitals, clinics, or private practices, while nurse educators can teach in academic settings.

• Median annual salary for nurse practitioners (2023): $129,480
• Projected job outlook for nurse practitioners (2023-2033): +46%

Master's in nutritional sciences

What will I learn?

A may cover advanced topics in human metabolism, clinical nutrition, public health nutrition, and food science. Students can develop skills in nutritional assessment, research, and diet planning. The program emphasizes clinical thinking, the role of nutrition in disease prevention, and improving community health outcomes.

• Course topics: research design and topics in nutrition, nutrition in health and disease: adulthood and aging, statistical data analysis, cooking for disease prevention and treatment, introduction to biostatistics, and assessment methods of nutritional status.
• Skills required: nutritional assessment, research, and communication.
• Admissions requirements: baccalaureate degree from an accredited institution, cumulative minimum GPA of 3.0, letters of recommendation, and prerequisite coursework including an introductory nutrition course, one year of general chemistry, biochemistry, and anatomy and physiology.

What can I do?

Graduates of a master's in nutritional sciences program can become registered dietitians and nutritionists. In these roles, graduates create customized nutrition plans, research, and promote public health initiatives. Dietitians and nutritionists can work in hospitals, clinics, research institutions, or government agencies.

Professionals in this career may assess nutritional and health needs, counsel clients on nutritional issues, develop meal and nutrition plans, create educational materials, evaluate and monitor the effect of nutrition plans, and promote healthy lifestyles.

• Median annual salary for dietitians and nutritionists (2023): $68,680
• Projected job outlook for dietitians and nutritionists (2023-2033): +7%

Master's in public health

What will I learn?

Graduates from a take courses in epidemiology, health policy, biostatistics, and environmental health. Students are taught how to assess public health issues, analyze data, and design interventions based on the chosen concentration. Concentrations include biostatistics, global health, occupational public health, and epidemiology.

• Course topics: biostatistics for public health, introduction to qualitative methods, social and behavioral foundations of public health, project management and evaluation, epidemiology, leadership, communication, and systems thinking in public health management.
• Skills required: data analytics and assessment, communication, health equity, management and finance, public health sciences, and critical thinking and decision-making.
• Admissions requirements: bachelor's degree from an accredited institution with a minimum GPA of 3.0, prerequisite math courses, résumé or CV, reflection essay describing your personal and academic background, personal statement, recommendations, and mission and values statement.

What can I do?

Graduates of a master's in public health program can pursue careers as public health program managers, health policy analysts, or epidemiologists. You may work at government agencies, healthcare organizations, international health organizations, or nonprofits.

Responsibilities may include designing public health programs, managing healthcare initiatives, and shaping healthcare policy.

Alternative roles can include biostatisticians or community health directors.

• Median annual salary for epidemiologists (2023): $81,390
• Projected job outlook for epidemiologists (2023-2033): +19%

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