Verified September 2026

MBA in Healthcare Management Programs

What Is an MBA in Healthcare Management, and When Is It a Better Choice Than an MHA?

An MBA in healthcare management is a business school MBA with a health concentration, and this site lists 126 of them at 111 schools, 93 of which you can take online. Estimated tuition runs from $13,245 at Wichita State to $125,510 at Boston University, with a median of $26,640. Only 8 of the 126 are covered by CAHME accreditation, against 143 of the 452 health administration master's on the site, so pick the MBA when you want a business degree that travels beyond health care, and a Master of Health Administration when you want to run hospitals and health systems.

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126programs
111schools
8CAHME accredited
$26,640median estimated tuition
36median credits
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What an MBA in Healthcare Management Actually Is

An MBA in healthcare management is a Master of Business Administration from a business school, with health care added as a concentration, track, emphasis or major. The school names give it away: “Health Care Management concentration,” “Health Sector Management,” “Healthcare Administration specialization,” “Health Systems Management emphasis.” The degree on your diploma is an MBA.

That matters because the health content is usually the smaller share. CU Denver’s CAHME-accredited MBA in Health Administration is one of the more health-heavy versions, and it still splits into 24 credit hours of MBA fundamentals and 15 credit hours of health administration fundamentals such as Healthcare Systems, Healthcare Operations Management and Healthcare Quality and Outcomes. In a general MBA with a concentration, the health share can be a few courses.

Across the 126 MBA in healthcare management programs on this site, the median length is 36 credits. The range is wide. Immaculata University and UMass Lowell list 30 credits, Grand Canyon University lists 54, and Purdue University Global lists 76 quarter credits, which works out shorter than it sounds because quarter credits are smaller than semester credits.

MBA vs MHA: How the Two Degrees Differ

A Master of Health Administration (MHA) is built around running health organizations from the first course. An MBA in healthcare management is built around running any business, then points that training at health care. The clearest way to see the difference is to put the MBA set next to every health administration master’s on the site.

Measure MBA in healthcare management All health administration master’s on this site
Programs 126 452
Covered by CAHME accreditation 8 143
Offered online 93 294
List a residency, internship or practicum 14 155
Median credits 36 39
Median estimated tuition $26,640 $27,000
No GRE or GMAT needed 50 202

Two rows carry the story. First, CAHME: 8 of 126 MBAs are covered, against 143 of 452 programs overall. CAHME is the accreditor for graduate healthcare management education, and it grades programs against competency-based criteria for healthcare leadership. Of the 143 CAHME-covered programs on this site, only 8 are MBAs, so if CAHME status matters to the employers you’re targeting, the MBA route narrows your choices fast.

Second, field experience: only 14 of the 126 MBAs list a residency, internship or practicum. Across all 452 programs on the site, 155 list one. For an early-career student, that placement is the first real work inside a health organization, and it’s the part an MBA most often leaves out.

Cost is close to a wash. The median estimated tuition for the MBA set is $26,640, a few hundred dollars under the all-program median of $27,000.

When the MBA Is the Better Choice

Pick the MBA when you want the option to leave health care later, when you’re aiming at the business side of health (finance, consulting, strategy, health tech, insurers, pharma), or when you’re a clinician who wants general management training more than hospital operations. Pick the MHA when you want to run hospital departments, clinics or health systems and you’d benefit from a residency. If you want both, the MHA/MBA dual degree guide lists every school that offers one, and the MHA vs MBA comparison goes deeper on the trade-off.

Who This Degree Suits

Working adults who need online and fast. 93 of the 126 programs run online, and several are short. Western Governors University says as little as 12 months at $4,850 per six-month term. UNC Wilmington says as few as 12 months for $20,257 in total tuition and fees for North Carolina residents. Culver-Stockton College and Champlain College each list 1 year.

Managers with years behind them. Executive MBAs expect experience and charge for the format. CU Denver’s Executive MBA in Health Administration requires at least five years of healthcare experience and costs $67,500 for 16 months, including an international residency. The University of Miami’s Executive MBA in Health Management & Policy reports that students average 15 years of work experience.

Clinicians moving toward leadership. Baylor’s Robbins Healthcare MBA splits into an Administrative Residency Track (22 months), a Clinical Track and a Pre-Clinical Track, and the Pre-Clinical Track asks for an MCAT, DAT or GRE score.

15 Most Affordable Online MBAs in Healthcare Management

How this list is ranked: lowest estimated tuition first. Estimated tuition is the school's published per-credit rate times the credits it states, before fees, or the school's own published program total, for programs that publish those figures (one program per school). Rates were read on each school's site in September 2026.

  1. Immaculata University: Online MBA, Health Care Management ConcentrationOnline MBA, Health Care Management Concentration

    $15,000estimated tuition

    Immaculata University (Immaculata, PA, private nonprofit) offers this online MBA in 30 credits (5 semesters (possibly less than 2 years)). At $500 per credit, estimated tuition is $15,000 before fees. Required experience: culminating real-world business scenario in the final semester.

    School's tuition wording: $500 per credit ($15,000 for the degree)

    Immaculata University MBA credits, tests and tuition · Total cost of Immaculata University's MBA with loans

  2. University of Louisiana at Lafayette: MBA in Health Care AdministrationMBA in Health Care Administration

    $15,127estimated tuition

    University of Louisiana at Lafayette (Lafayette, LA, public) offers this online and on campus MBA in 39 credits. At $388 per credit, estimated tuition is $15,127 before fees. Required experience: internship listed among online program learning experiences.

    School's tuition wording: $387.88 per credit (100% online format); $15,127 total for 39 credits

    Admission rules for University of Louisiana at Lafayette's MBA · Can 2026 federal loans cover University of Louisiana at Lafayette?

  3. Culver-Stockton College: Master of Business Administration, Healthcare Management TrackMaster of Business Administration, Healthcare Management Track

    $15,450estimated tuition

    Culver-Stockton College (Canton, MO, private nonprofit) offers this online MBA in 30 credits (1 year (accelerated format)). At $515 per credit, estimated tuition is $15,450 before fees. No GRE or GMAT required.

    School's tuition wording: $515 per credit hour plus $15 per credit hour fee

    How the Culver-Stockton College MBA is structured · Monthly payment on a Culver-Stockton College MBA

  4. American Public University System: Master of Business Administration, Concentration in Healthcare AdministrationMaster of Business Administration, Concentration in Healthcare Administration

    $15,510estimated tuition

    American Public University System (Charles Town, WV, private for-profit) offers this online MBA in 33 credits. At $470 per credit, estimated tuition is $15,510 before fees.

    School's tuition wording: $470 per credit hour; $250 per credit hour with the Preferred Military Rate

    American Public University System MBA format and requirements · American Public University System MBA cost with fees and living costs · All 2 programs at American Public University System

  5. University of the Potomac: Master of Business Administration - Healthcare Administration ConcentrationMaster of Business Administration - Healthcare Administration Concentration

    $16,200estimated tuition

    University of the Potomac (FALLS CHURCH, VA, private for-profit) offers this online, on campus and hybrid MBA in 36 credits (typically 2 years; accelerated option). At $450 per credit, estimated tuition is $16,200 before fees. No GRE or GMAT required.

    School's tuition wording: $450 per credit (domestic master's degree)

    What the University of the Potomac MBA asks of applicants · Loan gap at University of the Potomac under 2026 limits · Compare University of the Potomac's other programs

  6. Waldorf University: Master of Business Administration in Health Care ManagementMaster of Business Administration in Health Care Management

    $16,920estimated tuition

    Waldorf University (Forest City, IA, private for-profit) offers this online MBA in 36 credits. At $470 per credit, estimated tuition is $16,920 before fees.

    School's tuition wording: $470 per credit hour (graduate online rate), plus a $60 per-course resource fee (2026-27)

    Waldorf University MBA credits, tests and tuition · Total cost of Waldorf University's MBA with loans · Waldorf University school profile and CAHME status

  7. Crestmont University: Master of Business Administration in Healthcare Management and LeadershipMaster of Business Administration in Healthcare Management and Leadership

    $17,568estimated tuition

    Crestmont University (Sioux Falls, SD, private for-profit) offers this online MBA in 36 credits. At $488 per credit, estimated tuition is $17,568 before fees.

    School's tuition wording: $488 per credit; $1,659 per course including e-books; $20,253 total

    Admission rules for Crestmont University's MBA · Can 2026 federal loans cover Crestmont University?

  8. Mount Vernon Nazarene University: Master of Business Administration in Health Care Administration (MBA-HCA)Master of Business Administration in Health Care Administration (MBA-HCA)

    $17,928estimated tuition

    Mount Vernon Nazarene University (Mount Vernon, OH, private nonprofit) offers this online MBA in 36 credits (most students finish within 19 months; Fast-Track option in 11 to 15 months). At $498 per credit, estimated tuition is $17,928 before fees.

    School's tuition wording: $498 per credit hour

    How the Mount Vernon Nazarene University MBA is structured · Monthly payment on a Mount Vernon Nazarene University MBA

  9. West Texas a &Amp; M University: Master of Business Administration in Healthcare ManagementMaster of Business Administration in Healthcare Management

    $18,500estimated tuition

    West Texas A & M University (Canyon, TX, public) offers this online MBA in 37 credits. At $500 per credit, estimated tuition is $18,500 before fees. Admission tests: GMAT waiver available.

    School's tuition wording: Approximately $500 per credit hour

    West Texas A & M University MBA format and requirements · West Texas A & M University MBA cost with fees and living costs

  10. Charleston Southern University: Master of Business Administration, Healthcare Management EmphasisMaster of Business Administration, Healthcare Management Emphasis

    $18,750estimated tuition

    Charleston Southern University (Charleston, SC, private nonprofit) offers this online and hybrid MBA in 30 credits (12-plus months (three-plus semesters)). At $625 per credit, estimated tuition is $18,750 before fees. Admission tests: GMAT typically waived based on educational and professional background; may be required.

    School's tuition wording: $625 per credit hour (online and traditional/blended)

    What the Charleston Southern University MBA asks of applicants · Loan gap at Charleston Southern University under 2026 limits

  11. Concordia University-Saint Paul: Online MBA in Health Care ManagementOnline MBA in Health Care Management

    $18,900estimated tuition

    Concordia University-Saint Paul (Saint Paul, MN, private nonprofit) offers this online MBA in 36 credits (2 years). At $525 per credit, estimated tuition is $18,900 before fees. No GRE or GMAT required.

    School's tuition wording: $525 per credit

    Concordia University-Saint Paul MBA credits, tests and tuition · Total cost of Concordia University-Saint Paul's MBA with loans

  12. Belhaven University: Master of Business Administration, Health Administration ConcentrationMaster of Business Administration, Health Administration Concentration

    $19,050estimated tuition

    Belhaven University (Jackson, MS, private nonprofit) offers this online MBA in 30 credits (as little as 18 months). At $635 per credit, estimated tuition is $19,050 before fees.

    School's tuition wording: $635 per credit hour (standard rate) (2026-27)

    Admission rules for Belhaven University's MBA · Can 2026 federal loans cover Belhaven University? · Belhaven University school profile and CAHME status

  13. University of Massachusetts-Lowell: Master of Business Administration, Healthcare OptionMaster of Business Administration, Healthcare Option

    $19,650estimated tuition

    University of Massachusetts-Lowell (Lowell, MA, public) offers this online, on campus and hybrid MBA in 30 credits (full-time or part-time). At $655 per credit, estimated tuition is $19,650 before fees. No GRE or GMAT required.

    School's tuition wording: $655 per credit (online business graduate tuition)

    How the University of Massachusetts-Lowell MBA is structured · Monthly payment on a University of Massachusetts-Lowell MBA · All 2 programs at University of Massachusetts-Lowell

  14. Champlain College: Online MBA, Healthcare Administration SpecializationOnline MBA, Healthcare Administration Specialization

    $20,064estimated tuition

    Champlain College (Burlington, VT, private nonprofit) offers this online MBA in 33 credits (1 year). At $608 per credit, estimated tuition is $20,064 before fees. No GRE or GMAT required.

    School's tuition wording: $608 per credit

    Champlain College MBA format and requirements · Champlain College MBA cost with fees and living costs · Compare Champlain College's other programs

  15. University of North Carolina Wilmington: MBA in Healthcare Management (Online)MBA in Healthcare Management (Online)

    $20,257published program total

    University of North Carolina Wilmington (Wilmington, NC, public) offers this online MBA in 36 credits (as few as 12 months). The school publishes a program total of $20,257. No GRE or GMAT required.

    School's tuition wording: $20,257 total tuition and fees (NC residents)

    What the University of North Carolina Wilmington MBA asks of applicants · Loan gap at University of North Carolina Wilmington under 2026 limits · University of North Carolina Wilmington school profile and CAHME status

All 126 MBA in Healthcare Management Programs

Filter by format, accreditation, admission tests and state; tick up to three programs to compare them side by side.

126 programs

Program facts come from each school's own pages, reviewed September 2026. Estimated tuition is the published per-credit rate times the stated credits, before fees, or the school's published program total; "resident rate" means the school charges nonresidents more. CAHME status comes from CAHME's accredited-program list.

What an MBA in Healthcare Management Costs

Estimated tuition (published per-credit rate times credits, before fees) runs from $13,245 to $125,510 across the 79 programs where it can be worked out, with a median of $26,640. Per-credit rates run from $367.92 to $2,887, with a median of $728.

Where a school shows two rates, the lower one is for residents. Wichita State charges $367.92 per credit hour to Kansas residents and $903.59 to nonresidents. CU Denver charges $795 per credit for Colorado residents and $1,685 for nonresidents. If you don’t live in the state, re-price the degree at the higher rate before you compare.

Here’s what the range looks like in real programs:

Program Format Credits Length Estimated tuition CAHME
UNC Wilmington MBA in Healthcare Management Online 36 As few as 12 months $20,257 (published total, NC residents) No
Immaculata Online MBA, Health Care Management Online 30 5 semesters $15,000 No
Liberty MBA, Healthcare Management Online 45 8-week courses $27,000 No
Clarkson MBA in Healthcare Management Online 42 1 year full time $43,932 Yes
Suffolk MBA, Health Sector Management Campus or online 36 Under a year full time $70,920 No
Baylor Executive MBA in Healthcare Administration Campus, one weekend a month 45 21 months $96,975 No
Boston University Health Sector MBA (Part-Time Flex) Hybrid 55 2 to 6 years $125,510 Yes (on probation)

Watch the fee lines too. Baylor’s executive program adds $56 per credit hour in fees and publishes an estimated program cost of $99,495. Culver-Stockton adds $15 per credit hour. Crestmont University lists $20,253 in total including e-books. Run your shortlist through the MHA cost calculator to compare totals on the same basis.

GMAT and GRE Policies

Testing is rarely a barrier. 35 of the 126 programs say no GMAT or GRE is needed, and 15 more waive it on stated conditions. The waivers are specific, so read them against your own record:

  • Wichita State waives the GMAT or GRE for applicants with three or more years of managerial experience, a U.S. master’s degree, or a qualifying GPA.
  • Grand Canyon University asks for a GMAT (500) or GRE (300) only if your GPA falls between 2.5 and 2.8.
  • Stockton University requires the GRE or GMAT only below a 3.0 undergraduate GPA, and waives it for master’s degree holders.
  • Creighton’s online MBA requires a score only from applicants whose undergraduate degree is from outside the U.S. or an exempt English-speaking country.

If testing is your main worry, the no-GRE MHA list covers the MHA side.

CAHME-Accredited MBA Programs

Eight programs in this set are covered by CAHME accreditation, and they cluster in a few schools:

  • CU Denver: the MBA in Health Administration (45 credits, evening classes, $795 per credit for residents) and the Executive MBA in Health Administration.
  • Clarkson University’s MBA in Healthcare Management, the only fully online program of the eight, at $1,046 per credit.
  • Baylor’s Robbins Healthcare MBA, full time on campus, with $33,878 flat tuition per fall or spring semester.
  • Creighton’s Executive Healthcare MBA, hybrid, 16 months, with four on-campus residencies.
  • The University of Miami’s Executive MBA in Health Management & Policy, 42 credits at $2,887 per credit.
  • Boston University’s full-time and part-time Health Sector MBAs. Boston University is one of six schools on probation with CAHME as of September 2026.

Check any program’s current standing with the CAHME checker before you apply.

Residencies, Capstones and Experience Requirements

Only 14 of the 126 programs list a residency, internship or practicum, and they vary a lot. Baylor’s Administrative Residency Track includes a paid 9-month executive administrative residency. Clarkson requires an internship but waives it for students with professional managerial experience in health care. La Sierra University’s Online MBA for Working Professionals brings students together for two in-person residential conferences. MCPHS University pairs a Strategic Management Capstone with one experiential choice, which can be a practicum or a Global Comparative Healthcare seminar with travel to London.

Some programs screen on experience instead. The University of St. Thomas Health Care MBA asks for at least five years of relevant health care work experience. Oregon Health & Science University’s joint Healthcare MBA with Portland State asks for at least 3 years of professional experience. The University of New England ties its GPA floor to experience: a 2.5 with five or more years of work, or a 2.8 with fewer.

If you have no health care background, favor a program with a real placement. If you already work in a hospital, a capstone built around your own organization may be worth more than an internship.

Jobs and Pay After the Degree

The job most graduates aim for is medical and health services manager: the people who plan, direct and coordinate services for a facility, a department or a physician practice. The Bureau of Labor Statistics puts the median annual wage at $123,860 in May 2025, with the lowest 10 percent earning less than $73,390 and the highest 10 percent more than $224,340. BLS says a bachelor’s degree is the typical entry point and that advancement to top executive positions may require a master’s degree. So the MBA is usually a promotion tool, not a license to enter the field. The healthcare administration careers guide covers the roles in more detail.

How to Choose an MBA in Healthcare Management

  • Decide whether CAHME matters to you. Only 8 of 126 MBAs qualify. If the employers you want list CAHME in their postings, look at the CAHME-accredited MHA programs too.
  • Count the health credits. A concentration can be a handful of courses. CU Denver’s 15 credit hours of health administration fundamentals are a useful benchmark.
  • Price it at your residency status. Resident and nonresident rates can differ by more than double, as Wichita State’s $367.92 and $903.59 show.
  • Check the unit. Purdue University Global charges $485 per quarter credit and Capella $815 per quarter credit. WGU and Strayer price by term or course, not credit.
  • Match the format to your life. Baylor’s executive program meets one weekend per month, Ottawa University’s Executive MBA adds one on-campus weekend every sixteen weeks.
  • Look for a placement if you’re new to health care. It’s the one thing an MHA does better by default.

Not sure which degree fits? Try the degree chooser or compare this list with the MS in healthcare administration and the broader master’s in healthcare management programs.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can You Earn an MBA in Healthcare Management in One Year?

Yes, at several schools. Western Governors University says as little as 12 months, UNC Wilmington says as few as 12 months, and Culver-Stockton College and Champlain College both list 1 year. Each of those is fully online. A one-year pace means a heavy course load, so most working students take longer.

Does WGU Offer an MBA in Healthcare Administration?

Yes. The WGU MBA in Healthcare Administration is online, charges $4,850 per six-month term plus a $200 e-books and resources fee, needs no GRE or GMAT, and ends with an MBA Healthcare Management Capstone. WGU awarded 1,796 master's degrees in health administration fields in 2022-23, the most of any school on this list.

What Is the Most Affordable MBA in Healthcare Management?

By estimated tuition (published per-credit rate times credits, before fees), Wichita State's MBA with a Health Care Administration concentration is lowest at $13,245, using the Kansas resident rate of $367.92 per credit. Among online programs, Immaculata University's 30-credit online MBA is lowest at $15,000 for the degree.

Is an MBA in Healthcare Management Worth It Without Health Care Experience?

It can be, if the program puts you inside a health organization. CU Denver ends with a Health Field Studies Capstone with a healthcare organization, Boston University's full-time Health Sector MBA includes a summer internship, and Baylor's Robbins Healthcare MBA runs a paid 9-month executive administrative residency. Without that kind of placement, an MBA alone is a harder way into hospital management than an MHA with a residency.

Can an MBA in Healthcare Management Lead to Nursing Home Administration?

Only with a state license on top. The Bureau of Labor Statistics says all states require licensure for nursing home administrators and that requirements vary by state. See the nursing home administrator license guide before you choose a program.

Are Executive MBAs in Healthcare Different From Regular Ones?

Yes. They're built for people already in management. CU Denver's Executive MBA in Health Administration requires at least five years of healthcare experience and costs $67,500 for 16 months, and Baruch College's Executive MBA in Healthcare Administration lists a $72,500 all-inclusive price over 22 months.

Related Program Lists

Sources

  1. Official program, tuition and admissions pages of each school listed, reviewed September 2026
  2. Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Management Education (CAHME), accredited and certified programs
  3. U.S. Department of Education, IPEDS 2022-23 completions and institutional characteristics
  4. CAHME: accredited and certified programs
  5. CAHME: about the Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Management Education
  6. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook: Medical and Health Services Managers
  7. CU Denver Business School: Health Administration MBA

Every program on this site was checked against the school's own website. Accreditation comes only from the Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Management Education (CAHME) list, and graduate counts from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS). Sponsored listings are labeled and never change which programs we list or how we rank them. How we verify programs