Best Online Associate’s in Healthcare Administration Degree Programs

An online associate’s degree in healthcare administration is a great way to enter the lucrative, growing healthcare industry. Behind the scenes in every successful hospital, clinic, retirement center, or other medical care facility, there is a group of professional healthcare administrators.
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The 10 Best Online Associate’s in Healthcare Administration Degree Programs!

As more and more members of the nation’s large baby boom population enter retirement age, jobs in the healthcare field will continue to grow. In fact, the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) expects healthcare administration positions to expand by 23 percent by 2022, a much faster rate than the average 14 percent for all occupations.

Individuals with an online associate’s in healthcare administration degree will be qualified to help run the day-to-day operations of hospitals, nursing homes, outpatient care centers, and clinics. Duties include everything from creating and managing budgets to developing strategies for increasing revenue.
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Qualifications include strong problem-solving and communication skills. Today’s healthcare administrators also must stay on top of current and proposed healthcare legislation and be technologically savvy enough to keep up with the latest in databases and Internet security measures.

Students working towards their online associate’s degree in healthcare administration can expect coursework in business management, accounting, and strategic planning principles in addition to healthcare industry–specific classes such as healthcare laws, regulations, and ethics.

In response to the growing demand for healthcare management professionals, many well-respected colleges and universities now offer accredited online healthcare administration degree programs. These fast-paced and interesting programs combine online coursework with traditional classroom settings and offer hands-on, real-world learning experiences supervised by healthcare professionals.
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Online Healthcare Administration Programs Ranking Guidelines

We selected the degree programs based on the quality of the program, types of courses provided, faculty strength, school awards, rankings and reputation, including the reputation for providing online degree programs.

RANKING METHODOLOGY
Methodology for College Rankings

The motto of TheBestSchools.org is Finding the best school for you. Here is how we do it:

The value of any ranking list of schools and/or degree programs depends on having a methodologically sound assessment of each school’s/program’s characteristics, especially insofar as these can be objectively measured. A college or university is a complex entity, with numerous factors to consider, and distilling these down to the place where meaningful comparisons can be made to form a defensible ranking list becomes part science and part art.

To meet this challenge—and thereby provide you with the most useful and insightful educational rankings on the Internet—TheBestSchools.org formulates our rankings based on five informational categories (six, when considering online schools). The major metrics and qualities for which we rank are these (with expanded, detailed considerations and weights listed):

1. Academic excellence based on a school’s curriculum generally or within the selected discipline [weight = 25%]

    Weighs school against known leading schools in that discipline
    Weighs number of core curricula listed as advanced courses within that discipline and compares against introductory courses
    Weighs school’s curriculum against known knowledge needs of major employers in that discipline
    Considers number and types of specializations offered within that discipline
    Considers faculty expertise in that discipline
    Considers range of electives within that discipline
    Considers quality of online environment offered to students (if applicable), particularly within that discipline

2. Strength of faculty scholarship [weight = 25%]

    Considers education background of the faculty
    Considers years of faculty experience both inside and outside of academia.
    Considers faculty membership and leadership within relevant, prominent associations
    Considers academic papers published by faculty in relevant, prominent periodicals
    Considers awards and recognitions given to faculty members from prominent organizations and from other sources

3. Reputation [weight = 20%]

    Considers a school’s reputation among academic peers and employers regarding the following:
        Faculty
        Curriculum
        “Freshness” of academic knowledge
        Adaptability to changes in employment sectors
        Suitability of graduates for the workplace

4. Financial aid [weight = 10%]

    Mandatory: Requires full accreditation from an agency endorsed by the U.S. Department of Education and listed on the federal register to accept student federal financial aid
    Considers range of school-sponsored financial aid such as scholarships and grants

5. Range of degree programs [weight = 20%]

    Considers range of degree levels: associate’s, bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral and professional
    Considers range of degree subjects offered, such as art & design, computers & technology, education & teaching, criminal justice, and business

6. Strength of online instruction methodology (if applicable) [weight = 25%; subtract 5% from each of the above for online schools/programs]

    Considers the following of the online classes:
        Types of online technology used to deliver content
        Pedagogy style: asynchronous, synchronous, or both (depending on the degree)
        Extent and quality of the online, community learning environment, including options for communication, interactivity, and collaboration between students and also between students and instructors
        Variety, breadth, and depth of coursework, and its support, including project options and online tutoring
    Considers the following of instructors:
        Extent of training for teaching within an online learning environment
        Amount of timely, consistent feedback to students
        Extent of collaboration with prospective employers to ensure suitability of instructional materials for achieving desired skills
        Ratio to number of students in a class
    Number and quality of internships in a student’s geographical area for applicable degrees

Because students tend to review a variety of information when choosing a school, the weight a student gives any one criterion will vary. For instance, it’s not enough to offer a carefully constructed ranking of great schools if many are too expensive or too difficult to get into.

To better serve the needs of prospective students, we are therefore increasingly offering filters that help you better use our rankings to find the schools that match your specific needs. These supplement our ranking criteria and include:

    Accreditation
    Public or private status
    Acceptance rate
    Retention rate
    Graduation rate
    ACT/SAT requirements
    Cost in-state / out of state
    Undergrad, grad, or both offered
    Region
    State
    City

Get the best rankings here AND get them to suit your personal needs. That’s TheBestSchools.org advantage!

If you have any questions about our ranking methodology, please contact us.

Citations: For a broader account of our ranking methodology, especially as it relates to TheBestSchools.org’s underlying educational philosophy and, in other ranking articles, looks beyond academic excellence (as here) to such factors as return on investment or incidental benefit, see our article “Ranking Methodology: How We Rank Schools at TBS.” Reputation of schools and degree programs can at least in part be gauged through the rankings of other well-known educational ranking companies. At TheBestSchools.org, we keep track of such social and peer validation: “Making Sense of College Rankings.” For nuts-and-bolts information about colleges and universities, we look to the National Center for Education Statistics and especially its College Navigator. Insofar as salary and inflation data are relevant to a ranking, we look to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Finally, nothing beats contacting schools and degree programs directly, which our researchers often do, with the result that all the entries in this article should be considered as belonging to this citation!
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Featured Schools

    Florida Tech
    Florida Tech

    Campus & Online

    AA in Healthcare Management

    The online associate of arts in healthcare management at Florida Tech examines trends in the organizational structure and management of healthcare. This 61-credit program can be completed in two years of full-time study and prepares graduates for entry-level positions as risk managers, case coordinators, medical administrators, and more.
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The 10 Best Online Healthcare Administration Associate’s Degree Programs
1Florida Institute of Technology

(Melbourne, Florida)

Florida Institute of Technology
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FIT ranks #1 on The 10 Best Online Associate’s in Healthcare Administration Degree Programs!

Online Associate of Arts in Healthcare Management

Florida Institute of Technology (widely known as “Florida Tech”) is a private research university with five academic divisions with a strong emphasis on science and mathematics. Located on 130 acres in east-central Florida, the institute’s main campus is in the heart of Florida’s “Space Coast.” Melbourne, situated beside both the Indian River and the Atlantic Ocean, is about an hour’s drive south of the Kennedy Space Center and about 90 minutes east of Disney World.

Founded as Brevard Engineering College in 1958, Florida Tech has a nearly 5,000-member on-campus student body. The school has strong ties to the nation’s space program. Alumni include a former NASA director and five Space Shuttle astronauts.

You can earn an online associate’s degree in healthcare management from Florida Tech in less than 20 months. The Associate of Arts in Healthcare Management includes instruction in the areas of healthcare organizations, managed care, and medical ethics, and also offers a strong business foundation. You can also apply your AA degree to earning a Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration-Healthcare Management.

An AA in Healthcare Administration requires 61 credit hours. Some of the degree-specific coursework includes:

    Business computer skills
    Global business perspectives
    Healthcare organizations
    Macroeconomics
    Medical ethics
    Microeconomics
    Principles of accounting

Florida Tech University Online classes include chat rooms, streaming video, discussion boards, and a messaging system.

Florida Tech received regional accreditation from the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools.
2Liberty University Online

(Lynchburg, Virginia)

Liberty University
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Liberty University Online ranks #2 on The 10 Best Online Associate’s in Healthcare Administration Degree Programs!

Online Associate in Applied Science in Medical Office Assistance

When you include its huge online student body, Liberty University is the largest private, nonprofit university in the nation and the largest Christian university in the world. The university offers some 350 programs to about 15,000 students on its 7,000-acre campus in the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia, and more than 90,000 students online.

The university’s highly successful online program, called Liberty University Online, features interactive online discussions between students and instructors and limits class sizes to 25 students. All associate’s degrees are available completely online. Sixty-one credit hours are required for your associate’s degree.

Liberty University Online’s Associate of Arts in Medical Office Assistance program helps prepare students for a career as a medical office assistant in public health departments, hospitals, and clinics.

Career-related coursework includes:

    Bookkeeping
    Introduction to health professions
    Medical office billing
    Medical office systems and procedure
    Medical terminology

Last year, more than 6,500 online students walked across the commencement stage at Liberty University (Jerry Falwell founded the university as Lynchburg Baptist College in 1971) to receive their diplomas.

Liberty University received accreditation from the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission.
3Colorado Christian University

(Lakewood, Colorado)
Colorado Christian University
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Colorado Christian University ranks #3 on The 10 Best Online Associate’s in Healthcare Administration Degree Programs

Online Associate in Health Care Administration

Founded in 1914 as the Denver Bible Institute, Colorado Christian University (CCU) is a private evangelical and interdenominational institution. All courses are taught with a Christian worldview, so with your online healthcare administration associate’s degree, you will gain experience in and insight into the ethics and leadership opportunities of the healthcare management profession.

The online Health Care Administration program requires 60 credit hours. Students can complete the program in less than two years.

Coursework includes information on:

    Delivery systems
    Healthcare terminology
    Human resources
    Informatics

Students can apply an online associate’s degree in healthcare management from CCU to a Bachelor of Science in Healthcare Administration degree.

Colorado Christian University received regional accreditation from the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools.
4Concordia University Wisconsin

(Mequon, Wisconsin)

Concordia University Wisconsin
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Concordia Wisconsin ranks #4 on The 10 Best Online Associate’s in Healthcare Administration Degree Programs!

Online Associate in Health Care Management

Concordia University Wisconsin, a private liberal arts institution, is a Lutheran higher education community. Concordia University Wisconsin is an affiliate of the Concordia University System. The university provides a variety of undergraduate and graduate degrees.

The university includes the following schools: School of Arts & Sciences, School of Business Administration, School of Education, School of Health Professions, School of Nursing, and the School of Pharmacy.

The online Associate in Health Care Management degree teaches students to evaluate research results pertinent to healthcare practice and to evaluate healthcare systems.

The online Associate in Health Care Management degree includes courses such as:

    Statistical Methods
    Management Principles in Health Care
    Human Resource Management
    Health Care Marketing
    Health Care Ethics
    Eldercare
    Financial Issues in HC
    Strategic HC Planning and Evaluation

The program also includes a Health Care Practicum.

The Higher Learning Commission provides Concordia University Wisconsin with Accreditation.
5College of Health Care Professions

(Houston, Texas)

College of Health Care Professions
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Health Care Professions ranks #5 on The 10 Best Online Associate’s in Healthcare Administration Degree Programs!

Online Associate’s-Medical Office Specialist

The College of Health Care Professions (CHCP) is a network of institutions based in Texas that offers students training for entry-level employment in the allied healthcare fields. The college has six campuses, including the main campus in Northwest Houston and satellite locations in Austin, Dallas, Fort Worth, San Antonio, and Southwest Houston. There is also a growing online program.

CHCP’s online Associate’s-Medical Office Specialist degree program provides students with the knowledge, skills, and abilities to build a strong career in the healthcare industry.

Required degree-related coursework emphasizes the following skills:

    Coding/billing proficiencies
    Computer abilities
    Electronic health records accuracy
    Managerial communication
    Project management training

The normal amount of time for completion of the online program is two years or less.

CHCP’s online program received national accreditation from the Accrediting Bureau of Health Education Schools.

Featured School

    Florida Tech
    Florida Tech

    Programs:
    AA in Healthcare Management

    The online associate of arts in healthcare management at Florida Tech examines trends in the organizational structure and management of healthcare. This 61-credit program can be completed in two years of full-time study and prepares graduates for entry-level positions as risk managers, case coordinators, medical administrators, and more.

ADi
6Kaplan University

(Chicago, Illinois)

Kaplan University
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Kaplan University ranks #6 on The 10 Best Online Associate’s in Healthcare Administration Degree Programs!

Online Associate of Applied Science in Medical Office Management

With 15 campus locations throughout the country, Kaplan University has more than 45,000 degree-seeking students, and almost 90 percent of them complete their coursework online.

Based in Davenport, Iowa, Kaplan University has 15 campuses in Indiana, Iowa, Maine, Missouri, Nebraska, Maryland, and Wisconsin. The university’s primary administrative building is located in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, and a Kaplan University Learning Center is located in in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

With such a large online student body, Kaplan features support centers specifically for its online students in Florida, Illinois, and Arizona.

Kaplan’s Associate of Applied Science in Medical Office Management Highlights requires 91 credits hours and includes the following coursework for healthcare managers:

    Appointment scheduling
    Health insurance processing, coding, and billing
    Medical and financial record management
    Office operations

Prior to graduation, students are required to complete a period of work at an actual healthcare facility to gain on-the-job experience under the guidance of a professional in the healthcare industry.

Kaplan University, established in 1937 as the American Institute of Commerce, received accreditation from the Higher Learning Commission and is a member of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools.
7Pima Medical Institute

(Tucson, Arizona)

Pima Medical Institute
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Pima Medical Institute ranks #7 on The 10 Best Online Associate’s in Healthcare Administration Degree Programs!

Online Associate of Applied Science in Health Care Administration

Pima Medical Institute (PMI), a for-profit medical career college established in 1972, trains students for careers as allied healthcare professionals.

PMI provides bachelor’s degree completion programs, associate degree programs, and certificate programs.

PMI provides an array of allied healthcare training programs at numerous campuses across the western United States. PMI also provides online degree programs.

The Health Care Administration Associate of Applied Science online degree program, designed as an associate degree completion program, provides courses in subjects such as management, business communication, psychology, and finance. The program covers fundamental business skills.

Pima Medical Institute created the Associate in Health Care degree program for students who have at least 27 credits. Most students obtain their degree in approximately one year.

The program includes courses such as:

    Introduction to the Health Care System
    Medical Law and Ethics
    Health Care Management
    Human Resources Management

Pima Medical Institute received national accreditation from the Accrediting Bureau of Health Education Schools.
8Herzing University

(Milwaukee, Wisconsin)

Herzing University
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Herzing University ranks #8 on The 10 Best Online Associate’s in Healthcare Administration Degree Programs!

Online Associate of Science in Medical Office Administration

Henry and Suzanne Herzing founded Herzing University in 1965 as a computer programming school in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The founding couple’s daughter, Renée Herzing, is currently the university president, making Herzing the only accredited, private, woman-owned university in the United States.

Since its founding, the university has expanded its focus on career-oriented education to include campuses in eight states, plus a thriving online division.

Herzing University’s Associate in Medical Administration degree requires 60 credit hours, and graduates can easily apply credit towards the bachelor’s degree program if they so choose.

The Associate of Science in Medical Office Administration includes coursework in:

    Ethics and Health Information Management
    Healthcare Systems and Operations
    Insurance Claims, Processing, and Adjudication
    Keyboarding
    Pathophysiology and Pharmacology
    Medical Terminology for Healthcare Professionals

The program, which students can complete in 64 weeks, also includes a required internship or research project.

Herzing University received accreditation from the Higher Learning Commission and is a member of the North Central Association.
9Virginia College

(Birmingham, Alabama)

Virginia College
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Virginia College ranks #9 on The 10 Best Online Associate’s in Healthcare Administration Degree Programs!

Online Associate’s-Medical Office Administration

Founded in Roanoke, Virginia, in 1983, Virginia College today is a group of private for-profit institutions located mostly in the southeastern states and headquartered in Alabama.

With its online associate’s degree in Medical Office Administration, Virginia College prepares students for administrative duties in a medical office or clinic.

Coursework for an Associate’s-Medical Office Administration degree includes:

    Accounting
    Customer service
    Medical law and ethics
    Medical records systems
    Medical terminology
    Office automation

An important part of Virginia College’s associate’s degree program is small class sizes and required hands-on learning in a real physician’s office, clinic, or other healthcare facility under the supervision of a doctor, nurse, or other qualified medical professional.

Virginia College received national accreditation from the Accrediting Council for Independent Colleges and Schools.
10Hodges University

(Naples, Florida)

Hodges University
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Hodges University ranks #10 on The 10 Best Online Associate’s in Healthcare Administration Degree Programs!

Online Associate in Science in Health Services Administration

Founded in 1990 as International College, Hodges University is a non-profit institution that offers Associate in Science, Bachelor of Science, and Master’s degree programs in business and professional disciplines, both onsite in several South Florida locations as well as through its online program.

Hodges University’s Online Associate in Science in Health Services Administration degree program prepares students for entry-level business or supervisory jobs in many healthcare office settings and facilities.

Students can apply all credits earned from the online associate’s degree toward a Baccalaureate Degree in Health Services Administration. A full-time online student can complete the program in five terms, or 20 months.

Some of the courses students take for an online associate’s degree in health services administration are the following:

    Introduction to Healthcare Information Technology
    Introduction to Healthcare Services
    Introduction to Health Services Management
    Medical Law and Ethics
    Medical Terminology
    Reimbursement and Revenue Cycle Management

The Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools provides accreditation to Hodges University.

* * *

The American College of Healthcare Executives (ACHE) offers tips and advice for students wishing to become a healthcare management professional. A student membership offers résumé review services, continuing education programs, subscriptions to healthcare management journals, and other information related to the profession.

A great way to learn about a career in healthcare management is by talking with those already in the field, visiting a local hospital or other healthcare facility, and participating in a healthcare-focused volunteer program to observe first-hand how administrators go about their jobs.

You also may want to visit the website, healthmanagementcareers.org,  for more information.
A school to consider:LeTourneau University

(Longview, Texas)

LeTourneau University

Founded in 1946 by Mr. R.G. LeTourneau, LeTourneau University is a comprehensive institution of Christian higher education where educators engage learners to nurture Christian virtue, to develop competency and ingenuity in their professional fields, to integrate faith and work, and to serve the local and global community. LeTourneau University is an accredited, nondenominational Christian university, consisting of six schools as well as a fully online program where students can further their educational and career goals.

The online Health Care Management consists of 36 credit hours in major courses, 44 credit hours of general education, 46 credit hours of general electives for a total of 126 credit hours.

With LeTourneau University’s online, accelerated format, classes are divided into three-seven week sessions, allowing you to focus on fewer subjects at once and tailor your course sequence around your schedule.

Some of the courses in your major include:

    Financial Analysis for Managers
    Human Resource Management
    The U.S. Health Care System
    Health Care Delivery Systems
    Legal, Social, and Ethical Aspects of Health Care
    Marketing Health Care Services
    Integrating Faith & Work in Health Care

LeTourneau University is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges to award associate, baccalaureate, and masters degrees.

Featured Schools

    Florida Tech
    Florida Tech

    Campus & Online

    AA in Healthcare Management

    The online associate of arts in healthcare management at Florida Tech examines trends in the organizational structure and management of healthcare. This 61-credit program can be completed in two years of full-time study and prepares graduates for entry-level positions as risk managers, case coordinators, medical administrators, and more.