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Guide to earning your online associate degree in healthcare administration

Table of Contents

Why we love online healthcare administration associate’s

Salary Estimate (BLS)

$117,960

Career Advancement

Length

What is a health administration online associate?

An online associate of health in administration degree program is an excellent first step if you want to hold an administrative career in the healthcare industry. During the degree program, you will learn the ins and outs of the healthcare industry, including key elements like medical terminology, the technology programs used in most healthcare offices, important leadership skills and more.

Since the program is delivered online, it’s an ideal choice for anyone balancing work schedules or personal commitments with their education. The programs don’t require any relocation, and usually incorporate at least some self-paced learning.

Earning your associate of science in health administration is an important step in beginning your healthcare career. Given the increasing healthcare needs of the aging baby boomer population, there’s an increased need for talented health administrators. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) projects that employment of medical and health services managers should grow by 28% through 2034, with about 54,700 positions opening each year.

While you can step into an entry-level role after earning your associate degree, you may need to pursue additional schooling, such as earning a bachelor’s or master’s degree, or leverage your work experience to advance to other positions, like a healthcare manager or health information manager career. With an associate degree, you’ll have the foundational knowledge and skills necessary to follow many potential career paths.

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What to expect from an online associate of science in health administration program

An online associate of science in health administration program will help you to develop the skills and knowledge that you need for entry-level healthcare employment. Programs accomplish that through a combination of coursework and experiential learning opportunities, like internships or case studies.

Coursework

An online associate of science in health administration degree program will include coursework that covers a broad selection of topics:

Introduction to healthcare administration: Explore key elements of healthcare administration, including legal and business issues, healthcare environment settings, health facility design, patient safety best practices, leadership skills and physician practice organizations.
Administrative skills: Learn and develop technology and office skills needed in a healthcare environment, including software like Access, PowerPoint, and Excel, employee evaluation, telecommunication technologies, records management, budgeting and more.
Healthcare information systems: Gain the skills and knowledge needed to navigate healthcare information systems, including an exploration of hardware, software, and communications technology, how to access and use electronic health records, the basics of patient scheduling and office automation technology.
Interpersonal relations: Develop the skills and tools needed for effective communication with patients, coworkers and superiors, including how to observe, effectively listen, relay accurate messages and understand human behavior, especially centering around grief and loss.
Legal elements of health administration: Understand legal constraints surrounding the healthcare industry, including issues of liability and negligence, patient rights, how to ensure patient confidentiality and more.
Medical terminology: Learn key medical terminology and human physiology, including clinical and administrative office examples of how those terms will be used.
Leadership in healthcare: Explore leadership concepts, including leadership models and best practices that are valuable in a healthcare setting.

Experiential learning opportunities

Experiential learning opportunities that allow you to put the skills you’re learning into practical use can be a great way to gain experience before your first job. Consider looking for a degree program that includes an internship or externship component. During an internship or externship, you will gain experience in a real-world healthcare setting, and you’ll have the benefit of close supervision. This experiential learning helps to further develop your skills, and it can also be an excellent way to establish professional connections and build your professional network.

Certification requirements

Earning a certification in a health administration field can help to make your resume stand out from other applicants. Employers may be willing to offer professionals with certifications a higher salary, and your certification shows that you’re invested in your career, so it may help you to pursue career advancement opportunities.

The National Healthcareer Association offers an Electronic Health Records Specialist (CEHRS) certification that validates your skills in auditing patient records, performing coding for reimbursement claims, reviewing patient insurance information and more. To qualify to take the exam to earn your certification, you must have a high school diploma or GED and have completed an electronic health records specialist training or education program within the last five years. Alternatively, you must:

Have a diploma and have at least one year of supervised work experience in an electronic health records specialist field during the last three years, or
Have two years of supervised work experience in the electronic health records specialist field within the last five years

The Certified Healthcare Administrative Professional (cHAP) certification offered by the Association for Healthcare Administrative Professionals is designed for professionals already working in healthcare organizations. Both fast-track and traditional programs are available; the fast-track program requires applicants to have been an administrative professional in a healthcare setting for at least seven consecutive years, and to have been a member in good standing with AHCAP for at least five years. Candidates must pass a cHAP exam to earn their certification.

Popular online associate of science in health administration programs

Here are just three examples of online associate degree in health administration programs:

St. Petersburg College Health Services Associate in Science Degree

This program is delivered completely online and prepares students for entry-level healthcare or human services positions. An embedded certificate in Health Care Services also prepares students to work in non-clinical healthcare fields. Students who wish to pursue additional education can transfer the health services associate degree to the school’s bachelor of applied science degree in health services administration. Students must complete 60 credit hours of coursework to earn this degree.

Admission requirements: None

Tuition and fees: Not specified

University of Arkansas Grantham healthcare administration online associate degree program

This online associate degree program helps to prepare students for entry-level healthcare administrative positions. It also helps to prepare students to sit for the National Healthcareer Association Certified Electronic Health Records Specialist exam. The 60-credit program takes 24 months to complete, and most courses start monthly, so students can get started when they’re ready to begin their education. The University of Arkansas Grantham provides new and returning degree-seeking students with a laptop at no additional cost, and the program also features a low tuition rate.

Admission requirements: Copy of high school diploma and transcript or copy of GED

Tuition and fees: $295 per credit

North-West College Associate of Science in Healthcare Administration

This associate degree program helps students develop business, medical and human resources knowledge needed to pursue an allied health industry career. The program is available online, as well as at multiple campuses. North-West College is a vocational school, and its Placement Assistance Program helps many graduates to find employment by helping to secure and arrange interviews with prospective employers.

Admission requirements: Not specified

Tuition and fees: Not specified

Career pathways for healthcare administrators

Graduates of online associate of science in health administration programs will be prepared for entry-level healthcare administration positions. According to the BLS, medical and health services managers earned a median annual wage of $117,960 in 2024. Keep in mind that the BLS doesn’t differentiate between entry-level and advanced positions; the lowest 10% of workers earned less than $69,680, while the highest 10% earned more than $219,080. Salaries may be gauged by where you work, location, education and time on the job, among other factors.

The job outlook for medical and health services managers is promising, as job opportunities are predicted to grow by 23.2% through 2034. That’s a much faster growth than the average for all occupations says the BLS, and is partially driven by the fact that the aging baby boomer generation has increased need for healthcare services. The increased use of electronic health records means that administrators are also needed to help organize and oversee the use of these records throughout the healthcare industry.

As healthcare administrators gain experience and pursue additional education and training, they may be able to advance to other careers:

Healthcare consultants use critical thinking skills and their knowledge of the healthcare industry to help improve a practice’s efficiency and quality of care.
Medical records managers are highly organized and detail-oriented, and they ensure that patient records are updated and are sent to the appropriate medical professionals.
Health information managers are responsible for adding test results and medical documents to patient files and discussing medical conditions and procedures with patients.
Health service managers help to coordinate medical and health services, including scheduling procedures, monitoring budget plans and implementing policies and procedures that adhere to new laws or regulations.

Browse our vetted online health administration associate programs

How to succeed in an online associate of science in health administration program

Study tips: Understanding how you best study and learn will help you to maximize your study time. Try different study techniques, such as flashcards or teaching a lesson out loud to a friend or family member, to see how you learn best. Connect with classmates and see if they would be interested in holding a virtual study group over Zoom. A study group gives you the chance to learn from and support each other, and it can help to keep you accountable for studying, too.
Time management tips: Time management is important when pursuing an online degree program, especially when some of the program components are self-paced. Schedule time for your coursework just as you would schedule other appointments or work commitments. By booking off these dedicated hours, you can maintain consistent progress in your coursework.
Test-taking tips: When it comes to taking tests, start preparing well in advance. Ask your instructor if any practice tests are available, and clarify the types of questions that you will need to respond to on the test.
Tips for experiential learning opportunities: Experiential learning opportunities, including internships, are valuable opportunities for you to develop real-world experience and to make professional network connections. These opportunities can help you to put the skills you’ve been learning to use. When completing an online degree program, you may need to take an active role in identifying local internship opportunities. Start this process early, since internships can be important in helping you to secure your first job placement.

Resources for students pursuing an online associate in health administration

Professional associations

The Association for Healthcare Administrative Professionals holds an annual educational conference, maintains resources including a buddy program and offers the cHAP certification.
The American Association of Healthcare Administrative Management offers five certification options, hosts an annual national institute and maintains a career center.
The Health Care Administrators Association hosts an annual summit and maintains a library of webinars and podcasts.

Scholarships

You may find available scholarships through your college or university. The above professional organizations may also notify you of available scholarships to help pay for your education. Be sure to also complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) to determine if you’re eligible for any financial aid to help cover your educational costs.

Choosing the right online program for you

Align with your career goals: Carefully consider your career goals when deciding which associate of science in health administration program is right for you. If you want to pursue certification, look for a program that will help to prepare you for that specific certification exam. Some programs also allow you to choose from specific tracks, like a medical billing or leadership track, so you can receive specialized education in a particular field that you plan to pursue.
Evaluate reputation: Take the time to thoroughly research any program and school that you’re considering. Look for a program that has a strong reputation of preparing students for their careers. A school that is well-known in the healthcare industry may help to make your resume stand out from other applicants, and hiring managers may value your degree more than they’ll value a degree from a lesser-known or unaccredited institution.
Cost-effective decision making: Consider the cost and the value of each degree program, too. If a program offers extra resources, such as an active career services support system, it may be worth an extra investment compared to a lower-cost program that doesn’t have those benefits. It’s important to find a program that fits in your budget, but also take the time to contact the school’s finance office to explore any financial aid options that might be available.
Accreditation assurance: Accreditation confirms that the education you receive meets certain quality educational standards. Attending an accredited school means that you’ll be able to transfer at least some of those credits to another school, or to apply them to a bachelor’s degree program if you decide to pursue one. Earning a degree from an accredited program is also important because it may give your resume more validity. An employer might also want to see that you’ve attended an accredited school, and might respect your degree more than a degree from a non-accredited school.

Final thoughts

An online associate of science in health administration can help to prepare you for many career paths, whether you pursue an entry-role right after graduating or decide to pursue a bachelor’s degree next. With the healthcare field growing rapidly, healthcare administrators are in demand, and that demand is predicted to continue to grow throughout the next decade. A healthcare administrator career can be personally and financially rewarding, and earning your associate’s degree is a great first step in pursuing that opportunity.

Take the next step in your career and explore available online associate of science in health administration programs today.

Home » Online Degrees » Online Associate Degree » Healthcare Administration

Written by:

Paige Cerulli
Contributing Writer

January 9, 2024

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