Healthcare Management Master’s Programs

Q: What graduate degree is best for healthcare management?

The best degree for you will depend on your career aspirations and areas of interest. Healthcare management master’s programs vary widely, potentially paving the way toward pursuing opportunities in areas such as public health, health systems leadership and business administration, allowing you to gear your degree studies toward your preferred career path and interests.

Q: What is the difference between an MBA and an MS in Health Administration?

The main difference between the two is that an MBA prepares graduates for multiple career fields with a broad set of skills and trainings, typically focusing on leadership skills. In contrast, an MS in Health Administration is more specific to obtaining management and leadership positions within the healthcare field.3

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Overview

Advance Your Healthcare Leadership Skills

As the population ages, the need for professionals with healthcare management skills continues to rise.^{(See disclaimer 1)} Grand Canyon University looks to address the needs of for-profit and nonprofit hospitals and other healthcare organizations by offering a variety of healthcare leadership degree programs that are designed to teach you the skills needed to effectively manage and lead contemporary healthcare systems.

Our graduate healthcare programs are offered by the College of Nursing and Health Care Professions and the Colangelo College of Business. These degree programs are designed to empower you to build upon your previous foundation of competencies in healthcare management, as well as continue to develop skills in areas like leadership, critical thinking and problem-solving. Discover your many options for working toward becoming a forward-thinking healthcare leader.

28%

Estimated job growth for health services managers from 2022 to 2032, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics^{(See disclaimer 1)}

Programs

Healthcare Management Master's Degrees: Find the Right Fit for You

As you decide to take your education to the next step, you can choose from a broad array of graduate degrees in healthcare management. These include the degree programs below.

Master of Public Administration (MPA) in Health Care Management Degree

If you’re looking to examine the operational and business models of contemporary healthcare organizations, consider the Master of Public Administration (MPA) with an Emphasis in Health Care Management degree. This program focuses on analyzing aspects of a healthcare organization that affect patients and staff. This includes looking at various contemporary models, reviewing ethical dilemmas and considering compliance, legal and safety implications in the workplace.

Master of Science in Health Administration – MSHA Degree

MSHA: Health Care Quality and Patient Safety Emphasis

Those with an interest in patient care and management positions within healthcare organizations may be drawn toward to the Master of Science in Health Administration with an Emphasis in Health Care Quality and Patient Safety degree. This program teaches a skill set necessary to analyze, improve and impact healthcare quality measures and standards within organizations. In this graduate healthcare management program, you will be expected to reflect upon policies, research methods and technologies, along with organizational structures and project management models for the healthcare field.

MBA: Health Systems Management Emphasis

If you’re interested in exploring ethical leadership and the optimization of healthcare systems, an MBA with an Emphasis in Health Systems Management may be a good choice for you. In this program, you will examine strategic operations management and develop applicable business, finance and management skills. This degree will teach you how to lead others with confidence and make ethical managerial decisions as they pertain to the patient population in your organization.

MS in Mental Health and Wellness: Community Mental Health Administration Emphasis

If you are passionate about mental health and aim to effect positive change in the health of your community, the Master of Science in Mental Health and Wellness with an Emphasis in Community Mental Health Administration degree may be a great fit for you. This degree is designed to prepare you to lead and inspire others by integrating mental, physical, cognitive and spiritual health practices into your community through communications with stakeholders, policies and program planning.

MSN: Leadership in Health Care Systems Emphasis

MSN-MBA Dual Degree

Those seeking to grow their healthcare management skills in both business and nursing may wish to pursue a Master of Business Administration & Master of Science in Nursing: Nursing Leadership in Health Care Systems. The goal of this MSN-MBA dual degree is to teach you leadership skills needed for work within a healthcare organization by prompting you to refine skills in management, leadership theory and application, accounting, marketing management, ethics and more.

FAQ

Healthcare Management Graduate Program FAQs

If you feel called to pursue a master’s degree, read through our frequently asked questions to learn more about this field and pursuing a career in healthcare management.

What graduate degree is best for healthcare management?

Is healthcare management a good career?

Healthcare management can be an ideal career path for those who want to drive healthcare organizations toward positive growth while keeping patients’ best interests and quality of care as the top priorities. The BLS estimates job growth for health services managers to increase by about 28% from 2022 to 2032, faster than average, accounting for an estimated increase of 144,700 jobs in the field.^{(See disclaimer 1)}

According to the BLS, medical and health services managers have a median annual wage of $104,830 as of May 2022^{(See disclaimer 2)} — one of the many job opportunities that may be associated with this career field.

What is the difference between an MBA and an MS in Health Administration?

What does healthcare management consist of?

Healthcare management professionals are responsible for developing the overall vision, goals, policies and procedures of a healthcare organization or department. They must also ensure their department or facility is in full compliance with all healthcare regulations and that it is flexible enough to adapt to changes in healthcare technology. These professionals manage staff, develop budgets, organize facility records and serve as representatives of their facility or department.^{(See disclaimer 4)}

Why GCU

Invest in Your Healthcare Administration Future

At GCU, you can choose from several graduate degrees in healthcare management, providing you with a course of study that aligns with your advanced career goals in management. Knowledgeable faculty will teach you critical course materials as you work toward developing an understanding of how best to improve the quality of patient care, nurture staff development and create a financially sound healthcare organization that benefits the community it serves.

All our healthcare management graduate programs are integrated with a Christian worldview, encouraging you to reflect upon situations involving professional ethics from the Christian perspective. Furthermore, you can choose from conveniently scheduled evening courses or online classes as you position yourself to pursue potential career advancement.

Learning Your Way

Earn Your Healthcare Management Master's Online

GCU is pleased to offer convenient ways to advance your education and prepare yourself for the next step in your career. Complete your healthcare management graduate program exclusively online and receive quality instruction delivered by knowledgeable faculty.

Online Learning

Complete Healthcare Management Courses on Campus

For those who prefer face-to-face learning, GCU offers healthcare management master’s programs on GCU’s campus. Take advantage of in-person instruction and all the campus learning resources that GCU offers as you pursue your degree.

Campus Experience

Accreditation

GCU Offers Accredited Master’s Degrees in Healthcare Management

The College of Nursing and Health Care Professions and the Colangelo College of Business are pleased to offer healthcare management graduate programs that have earned various accreditations. The MBA with an Emphasis in Health Systems Management, for example, has been accredited by the Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP).

In addition, GCU is proud to be an institutionally accredited university by the Higher Learning Commission since 1968. Our accreditation demonstrates our commitment to offering quality education that effectively prepares the healthcare leaders of tomorrow to tackle modern challenges with confidence. The College of Nursing and Health Care Professions and the Colangelo College of Business share the university’s commitment to upholding the principles and standards established by our accrediting bodies.

University Accreditation

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COVID-19 has adversely affected the global economy and data from 2020 to 2022 may be atypical compared to prior years. Accordingly, data shown is effective September 2023, which can be found here: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook, Medical and Health Services Managers, retrieved Feb. 1, 2024.
The earnings referenced were reported by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (“BLS”), Medical and Health Services Managers as of May 2022, retrieved Feb 1, 2024. Due to COVID-19 data from 2020 to 2022 may be atypical compared to prior years. BLS calculates the median using salaries of workers nationwide with varying levels of education and experience. It does not reflect the earnings of GCU graduates as medical and health services managers, nor does it reflect earnings of workers in one city or region of the country or a typical entry-level salary. Median income is the statistical midpoint for the range of salaries in a specific occupation. It represents what you would earn if you were paid more money than half the workers in an occupation, and less than half the workers in an occupation. It may give you a basis to estimate what you might earn at some point if you enter this career. Grand Canyon University can make no guarantees on individual graduates’ salaries. Your employability will be determined by numerous factors over which GCU has no control, such as the employer the graduate chooses to apply to, the graduate’s experience level, individual characteristics, skills, etc., against a pool of candidates.
Faubion, D., BSN, RN. (n.d.). MHA vs. MBA in Healthcare Management: Which One is Best for You? NursingProcess.org. Retrieved Jan. 29, 2024.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. (2023, Sept. 6). What Medical and Health Services Managers Do. Occupational Outlook Handbook. Retrieved Jan. 29, 2024.