Degree Comparison
MHA vs MBA: Which Degree Fits a Healthcare Leadership Career?
MHA vs MBA: Which Degree Should You Pick for Healthcare Leadership?
In the MHA vs MBA choice, the MHA is the specialist degree for running hospitals and health systems, and the healthcare MBA is a business degree with a healthcare concentration. Across 216 MHA-type programs and 126 healthcare MBAs, the MHA is far more likely to carry CAHME accreditation (122 programs against 8) and to require a residency (102 against 14), while the MBA runs shorter, with a median of 36 credits against 42. If you want both, 46 schools offer an MHA/MBA dual degree.
MHA vs MBA: The Core Difference
An MHA (Master of Health Administration) is a healthcare degree from start to finish. A healthcare MBA is a Master of Business Administration where healthcare is the concentration. That one difference drives almost everything else in the MHA vs MBA comparison: what you study, whether there’s a residency, and which accreditor reviews the program.
Both degrees lead to the same jobs. The BLS lists health administration and business among the common degree fields for medical and health services managers, and it doesn’t split the occupation by which master’s you hold. So the question isn’t which degree employers accept. It’s which one fits where you’re starting from and where you want to end up.
There are 216 MHA-type programs (MHA, MHSA, MSHA and equivalents) at 167 schools, and 126 healthcare MBAs at 111 schools. The numbers table on this page lines them up side by side.
What You Study in Each Degree
In an MHA, the healthcare context runs through every course. The concentrations MHA programs offer show how deep it goes: Medical Laboratory Management at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Health Care Compliance and Privacy at University of Phoenix, Long-Term Care Administration, Population Health Management, Quality and Patient Safety, and Health Informatics and Analytics.
In a healthcare MBA, the concentration sits on top of a general business degree. The concentration names are broader: Health Sector Management at Boston University and Suffolk, Health Systems Management at Grand Canyon, Healthcare Management at Liberty and Southern New Hampshire. A few go narrower, like CU Denver’s Financial Health Management, Health Information Technology Management, and International Health Management and Policy.
The practical upshot: an MHA spends more of its credits on how hospitals and health systems run. An MBA spends more on business skills you can carry to another industry. If there’s any chance you’ll leave healthcare, the MBA keeps that door open.
MHA vs MBA by the Numbers
The two degrees look alike on price and very different on structure.
Length: MHA-type programs have a median of 42 credits, and healthcare MBAs have a median of 36.
Cost: estimated tuition (published per-credit rate times credits, before fees) has a median of $29,000 for MHA programs and $26,640 for MBAs. The per-credit medians are $698 and $728. The ranges overlap almost completely: $8,460 to $121,872 for the MHA and $13,245 to $125,510 for the MBA.
Accreditation: 122 MHA-type programs are covered by CAHME, against 8 healthcare MBAs.
Field work: 102 MHA programs require a residency, internship or practicum, against 14 MBAs.
Online: 126 MHA programs and 93 MBAs offer an online format.
Run your own figures in the MHA cost calculator.
Schools That Offer Both: Same Campus, Two Prices
The cleanest comparison is at a school that runs both degrees, because the tuition rate, faculty and admissions office are the same. These schools publish both.
| School | MHA and credits | MHA estimated tuition | MBA and credits | MBA estimated tuition |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wichita State University | Wichita State University MHA: 43 | $15,821 | Wichita State University MBA: 36 | $13,245 (Kansas resident rate) |
| UNC Wilmington | UNC Wilmington MHA: 48 | $17,033 (NC residents, published total) | UNC Wilmington MBA: 36 | $20,257 (NC residents, published total) |
| Belhaven University | Belhaven University MHA: 36 | $22,860 | Belhaven University MBA: 30 | $19,050 |
| Colorado State University Global | Colorado State University Global MHA: 36 | $24,300 | Colorado State University Global MBA: 42 | $28,350 |
| Purdue University Global | Purdue University Global MHA: 52 quarter | $25,220 | Purdue University Global MBA: 76 quarter | $36,860 |
| Capella University | Capella University MHA: 48 quarter | $25,920 | Capella University MBA: 45 quarter | $36,675 |
| University of New Haven | University of New Haven MHA: 36 | $32,184 | University of New Haven MBA: 38.5 | $45,623 |
| Grand Canyon University | Grand Canyon University MHA: 60 | $36,600 | Grand Canyon University MBA: 54 | $36,450 |
| University of Miami | University of Miami MHA: 40 | $98,280 | University of Miami MBA: 42 (executive) | $121,254 |
The pattern isn’t one-way. At Wichita State and Belhaven the MBA costs less. At Capella, Purdue Global and New Haven the MHA does. And at several of these schools only the MHA is CAHME-covered: Wichita State, UNC Wilmington, Purdue Global and New Haven. At Miami, both are.
Western Governors University prices both by the term instead of the credit: $4,995 per six-month term for the MHA and $4,850 for the MBA, each plus a $200 resources fee.
Accreditation: CAHME for the MHA and the Few MBAs It Covers
CAHME, the Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Management Education, accredits graduate programs in healthcare management and builds its standards around measurable, competency-based criteria. Its own site says programs may offer the MHA, MBA, MHSA, MPH, MS and other graduate degrees. So an MBA can be CAHME-accredited. Few are.
These are the 8 healthcare MBAs covered by CAHME:
| Program | Format | Key detail |
|---|---|---|
| CU Denver MBA in Health Administration | On campus, evenings | 45 credits; $795 per credit for Colorado residents |
| CU Denver Executive MBA in Health Administration | Hybrid | 16 months; $67,500 including the international residency |
| University of Miami Executive MBA in Health Management & Policy | On campus | 21 months; students average 15 years of experience |
| Clarkson University MBA in Healthcare Management | Online | 42 credits; estimated tuition $43,932 |
| Creighton Executive Healthcare MBA | Hybrid | 16 months; four on-campus residencies |
| Baylor Robbins Healthcare MBA | On campus | Paid 9-month executive administrative residency track |
| Boston University Health Sector MBA, full time | On campus | $73,024 per year; CAHME probation status |
| Boston University Health Sector MBA, part time | Hybrid | 55 credits; CAHME probation status |
If CAHME matters to you, the MHA gives you far more choices. Check any program in the CAHME checker or browse CAHME-accredited MHA programs.
MHA and MBA Program Data Side by Side
| MHA | Healthcare MBA | |
|---|---|---|
| Programs verified | 216 | 126 |
| Offered online | 58% | 74% |
| Covered by CAHME | 122 (56%) | 8 (6%) |
| No GRE/GMAT or waivable | 52% | 40% |
| Residency or internship required | 47% | 11% |
| Median credits | 42 | 36 |
| Median estimated tuition | $29,000 | $26,640 |
MHA includes MHSA, MSHA and equivalent degree titles; MBA means an MBA with a healthcare concentration or specialization. Percentages are of programs whose pages state the detail. Verified September 2026.
Residencies and Field Work
This is the biggest structural gap. Of 216 MHA-type programs, 102 require a residency, internship or practicum. Only 14 healthcare MBAs do.
At the long end, the USC MHA requires a 1,000-hour administrative residency under a senior-level manager, and the Johns Hopkins MHA puts you in a full-time, compensated 11-month residency in the second year. Online MHAs often use something shorter: Wichita State’s online MHA has a 3-credit practicum you can complete in your own state.
MBA field work is usually lighter. Clarkson’s MBA includes an internship you can waive with healthcare management experience. Boston University’s full-time MBA has a summer internship. The exception is Baylor’s Robbins MBA, whose administrative residency track includes a paid 9-month executive residency.
If you’re early in your career and don’t have healthcare management experience yet, a residency puts you inside a healthcare organization under a working executive. That’s a strong argument for the MHA.
Admissions: Tests and Work Experience
Neither degree leans hard on test scores anymore. Among MHA-type programs, 90 state no GRE or GMAT requirement, 22 make it waivable and 3 require it. Among healthcare MBAs, 35 state none, 15 make it waivable and none require it without a waiver route. See MHA programs with no GRE.
Experience matters more, and it’s where the executive versions of both degrees converge. The USC Executive MHA looks for five to seven years of health administration experience, and the CU Denver Executive MBA requires five years of healthcare experience. At that level, the two degrees serve the same person, and price and schedule decide it. Compare formats in executive MHA programs.
MHA vs MBA Salary and Career Paths
Salary is where the MHA vs MBA debate gets the most attention and deserves the least. The BLS reports pay for medical and health services managers as one occupation, whatever master’s the manager holds. The May 2025 median was $123,860, with the bottom 10% at $73,390 or less and the top 10% at $224,340 or more. New York had the highest state median at $164,120.
Where the degrees differ is focus. MHA concentrations such as Long-Term Care Administration and Medical Laboratory Management aim at specific healthcare settings. An MBA is a business degree first, so its core courses aren’t tied to healthcare if you later change industries. The healthcare administration careers guide covers the jobs in detail.
The MHA/MBA Dual Degree
If you can’t choose, 46 schools offer an MHA/MBA dual degree (51 listings in all). You’ll spend more time and more credits than on either degree alone.
Examples from the list: Texas Woman’s University at 57 credit hours, Pfeiffer University online at 60 credit hours over 30 to 36 months, Mary Baldwin University online in 20 months full time, and the University of Pittsburgh in three years. The MHA/MBA dual degree guide lists every one.
Which Degree Should You Choose?
- You want hospital or health system operations, and you’re early in your career: choose the MHA. Residencies are common (102 programs) and CAHME coverage is broad (122 programs).
- You might leave healthcare later: choose the MBA. Healthcare is a concentration on a business degree you can carry anywhere.
- You’re a clinician moving into management: compare an executive MHA and an executive healthcare MBA at the same price point, since both assume experience.
- Cost is the deciding factor: compare the same school’s two options, because the lower-cost one flips from school to school.
- You want CAHME accreditation and an MBA: you have 8 programs to choose from.
- You want both credentials: look at the 51 dual-degree listings.
Still unsure? The degree chooser asks a few questions and points you to the right family. Then browse MBA in healthcare management programs or the full MHA programs list. If public health is also on your mind, read MHA vs MPH.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is an MHA or MBA Better for Hospital Administration?
For hospital leadership tracks, the MHA has the edge on structure: 122 of 216 MHA-type programs are covered by CAHME and 102 require a residency, internship or practicum. Only 8 of 126 healthcare MBAs are CAHME-covered, though several of those, such as Baylor's Robbins Healthcare MBA, include a paid administrative residency.
Does an MBA in Healthcare Management Pay More Than an MHA?
The BLS reports pay by occupation, not by degree. Medical and health services managers earned a median of $123,860 in May 2025, with the top 10% at $224,340 or more, whichever master's they hold.
Which Costs Less, an MHA or a Healthcare MBA?
The medians are close: $29,000 estimated tuition for MHA-type programs and $26,640 for healthcare MBAs (published per-credit rate times credits, before fees). The lowest MHA estimate is $8,460 and the lowest MBA estimate is $13,245.
Can You Get a CAHME-Accredited MBA?
Yes. CAHME accredits graduate healthcare management programs that may offer an MBA. Eight healthcare MBAs are covered, including programs at CU Denver, the University of Miami, Clarkson, Creighton, Baylor and Boston University.
How Long Does an MHA/MBA Dual Degree Take?
Longer than either degree alone. Examples include Pfeiffer's online MHA/MBA at 60 credit hours over 30 to 36 months, Texas Woman's at 57 credit hours, and the University of Pittsburgh's joint degree at three years.
Do Healthcare MBAs Require the GMAT?
Rarely outright. Among the 126 healthcare MBAs, 35 state no test requirement, 15 make it waivable and none require it without a waiver route.
Keep Reading
- Healthcare Administration Degree LevelsAssociate, bachelor's, master's and doctoral degrees in healthcare administration and what each qualifies you for
- MHA vs MPHThe Master of Health Administration and the Master of Public Health compared, and when a joint MHA/MPH makes sense
- MHA/MBA Dual DegreesEvery verified MHA/MBA and other dual degree with a health administration master's, by school
- Healthcare Administration CertificatesGraduate certificates in healthcare administration and management at schools with a verified master's program
- MHA Admission RequirementsWhat MHA programs require for admission, with counts from verified program pages
- Is an MHA Worth It?MHA costs from verified programs set against BLS pay for health services managers