An associate’s degree in healthcare administration online paves the way to today’s leading career opportunities in the field. To illustrate, healthcare administration is a multidisciplinary occupation. These professionals know the policies, IT, business, and facility management practices that captain the medical marketplace.
Plus, students can build towards a bachelor’s degree at a four-year school with transferable credits afforded by associate degrees. In fact, an associate’s degree in healthcare administration online is a brilliant way to start in medical service management.
After comparing the 16 best online healthcare administration programs from 15 colleges, GetEducated created this “Best Buy” list. Below are the most affordable associate’s degrees in healthcare administration online. Each costs less than the national average and offers an accredited curriculum, so you know you’re getting the best bang for your buck.
ARTICLE NAVIGATION: Rankings Table | Career Guide
Average Cost (In-state): ~$22,600
Least Expensive: Gaston College – $5,461.00
Most Expensive: Manor College – $37,760.00
Our data-driven research of public and non-profit colleges creates a genuinely reliable system of scientific rankings. There are no misleading formulas here. We meticulously calculate total full-time tuition—including any fees—for the most accurate total cost. Our rankings cannot be bought, and they factually showcase the cheapest associate’s degree in healthcare administration online. The associate’s degrees listed above the gray dividing line are official 2022 “Best Buys” and cost less than the national average.
Best Affordable Associate’s Degree in Healthcare Administration Online
| Rank | School / Degree | State | Price | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Gaston College | (NC) | $5,461.00 $18,709.00 | In-State Out-of-State |
2 | Broward College | (FL) | $7,374.00 $14,604.00 | In-State Out-of-State |
3 | Saint Johns River State College | (FL) | $8,265.00 $34,980.00 | In-State Out-of-State |
4 | Oklahoma State University-Oklahoma City | (OK) | $10,166.75 $25,491.50 | In-State Out-of-State |
5 | Bossier Parish Community College | (LA) | $10,257.60 | All Students |
6 | Minnesota West Community and Technical College | (MN) | $12,573.00 $13,323.00 | In-State Out-of-State |
7 | Montgomery County Community College Associate of Science in Health Care Administration 14 | (PA) | $20,700.00 $29,940.00 | In-State Out-of-State |
8 | New England College | (NH) | $22,500.00 | All Students |
| School / Degree | State | Price | Note | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Point University | (GA) | $25,600.00 | All Students | |
Point University | (GA) | $26,420.00 | All Students | |
 Colorado Christian University | (CO) | $31,020.00 $17,880.00 | In-State/Out-of-State Military | |
Florida Institute of Technology | (FL) | $32,640.00 $16,000.00 | In-State/Out-of-State Military | |
Elizabethtown College | (PA) | $36,160.00 | All Students | |
Pittsburgh Technical College | (PA) | $36,570.00 | All Students | |
Concordia University Wisconsin & Ann Arbor | (WI) | $37,589.00 | All Students | |
Manor College | (PA) | $37,760.00 | All Students |
Accreditation & Program Notes
To qualify for a ranking, a program must be regionally accredited. Additional programmatic accreditation is noted in the rank table.
14 Options for this program have changed since publication.
Rankings Note
These online college rankings are based on a GetEducated Summer 2022 review of regionally accredited associate’s degree in healthcare administration online programs. Total cost includes full-time tuition and fees and was valid at the time of collection and specific to the online learning program. School profiles for the online associate degree programs in our directory may reflect a slightly different cost based on different editorial update schedules.
The published cost is an estimated sticker price for the entire online degree including fees. Actual costs may vary by student. Factors such as transfer credits, prerequisite courses, professional licensing and financial aid availability will affect final cost.
Editorial Note
Online schools do NOT pay to be included in any GetEducated online degree ranking. These rankings are editorially independent, open to any non-profit, regionally accredited or candidate college that offers an associate’s degree that is available at least 80 percent through online learning and that is open to enrollment by the public. If your online college is regionally accredited and not currently reviewed by GetEducated, please contact us for inclusion.
These rankings of the cheapest online schools for healthcare administration may NOT be re-posted online or reprinted in any format without a license from GetEducated ®. Consumer finance bloggers and writers can contact our editors for a free custom article on the best associate’s degree in healthcare administration online for use on your website. Our mission: Help consumers GetEducated ® about the best online colleges for cost and credibility.
Career Guide: Associate’s Degree in Healthcare Administration Online
The healthcare industry, which is seeing rapid growth, needs nurses, doctors, surgeons, and support staff. It also needs managers and administrators who can set goals, organize schedules, and lead groups of elite medical experts.
If you want to play an important role in healthcare, an associate’s degree in healthcare administration online may be the perfect choice for your future.
What to Expect from a Healthcare Administration Degree
These are associate degrees, which means you can complete them in roughly two years, assuming a typical class load. This allows you to complete your education and prepare for a rewarding career in healthcare in far less time than a bachelor’s degree.
While many people complete associate degrees with the intention of going straight into the career field, these programs are intentionally designed for a smooth transfer into a four-year degree. While you’ll need to check the transfer standards for your next school, the programs should create a seamless transition into a more advanced degree, such as a bachelor’s in nursing or healthcare management.
These programs are not focused directly on medical care. Instead, they are designed for aspiring leaders, managers, and administrators in the healthcare industry. They teach students how to organize schedules, build a staff, and manage healthcare budgets. Students will learn models that help optimize outcomes, develop communication skills between health departments, and articulate managerial concepts within a medical organization.
Classes can take many forms, but you can expect subjects that include organizational behavior, medical law, resource management, and project management. You will also learn basic medical terminology so you can “speak the language” with doctors, nurses, surgeons, and other medical professionals. Above all, you’ll learn to be a functional leader in the medical industry.
Popular Careers After an Associate’s Degree in Healthcare Administration Online
After completing an associate’s degree in healthcare administration online, you can transfer into a variety of bachelor’s degrees. Eventually, you can use your education to enter one of the top professions in the industry.
Health Services Manager
- Salary: $101,340
- Education: Bachelor’s Degree
- Experience: 5 years or more
Studying healthcare administration is one of the best ways to become a health services manager. These leading professionals plan and direct medical and health services, helping to guide organizations so they are efficient yet effective at delivering the best possible care.
To become a health services manager, you need experience. Most managers will need at least five years in the industry, usually working in an administrative role. However, it’s also possible for managers to come from direct medical positions like nursing.
Registered Nurse
- Salary: $77,600
- Education: Bachelor’s Degree
- Experience: None
After completing an associate’s degree in healthcare administration online, you could transition into a nursing program. This combination of management and nursing would make you a wonderful addition to an organization; you’ll appreciate the operations of an organization while understanding how healthcare is delivered to patients.
To become a registered nurse, you will need a nursing education, which will build your understanding of biology, physiology, anatomy, and other important medical subjects. However, no experience is required so you can go straight from the classroom to the workforce.
Additional Requirements for Healthcare Administration Careers
Many careers, especially ones in the medical and healthcare field, require licensing and certification. Doctors, surgeons, and nurses all need appropriate licensing through the state. But administrative, management, and leadership roles do not automatically require licensing.
As we discussed above, a health services manager needs at least five years of experience with a medical organization. They do not, however, need to be certified. As a healthcare manager, you are not directly administering care, so states do not mandate licensing or certifications. While it may not be required, voluntary certification through major organizations could boost your career.
Some of the top organizations include:
- The Professional Association of Health Care Office Management
- The American Health Information Management Association
- The American College of Health Care Administrators
There is one notable exception. All states require administrators for nursing homes to hold licensing. The requirements may change, but state-approved training and a completion of a licensing exam will be required if you want to lead a nursing home.
If you take your career in the direction of direct medical care (such as nursing), you will need licensing and certification. For example, a registered nurse must graduate from an approved institution, have a license issued by the state, and pass the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX-RN).
With an associate’s degree in healthcare administration online, you can launch a rewarding career in the medical industry.