You’re not alone if you’re wondering what a bachelor’s degree in healthcare administration will pay you. Salaries can vary widely based on your location and skill set, so to get an idea of what you’re likely to net, I’ve created an easy-to-read guide on salary for bachelor’s degrees in this field, compiled from survey data and my own experience consulting with healthcare facilities. This healthcare administration bachelor degree salary guide will walk you through the numbers, show you how to make more money, and give some tips for negotiating your starting salary in this field.
If you’re considering a bachelor’s degree in healthcare administration, you might be wondering just how much you can expect to earn.
Before we answer that question, it’s important to note that the salary you can expect will vary depending on many factors: your degree and school; the city and state where you live; and even the position you hold within your company or organization. But as general guidelines, here are some numbers from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).
According to BLS data from 2016-17, bachelor’s degree holders in healthcare administration were earning an average of $93,500 per year. That number varied by industry: for example, when looking at registered nurses who worked directly in patient care settings (rather than as managers), their salaries averaged $69,000 per year.
The BLS also reports that healthcare administration graduates who completed their degrees in 2016-17 had a median starting salary of $56,000 per year—which means that half of students earned more than this amount while half earned less.
Salary for bachelor degree in healthcare administration
When people seek a bachelor’s in healthcare administration degree, they will often come across the term healthcare management as well. This can lead to confusion for prospective students wondering about healthcare management vs healthcare administration. What is healthcare management, and how is it different from healthcare administration?
What can also confuse people is that the healthcare management definition often looks interchangeable with the one for healthcare administration. However, when it comes to healthcare management vs healthcare administration there are some differences. Those differences can help a career seeker choose which path to take when pursuing their bachelors in healthcare administration degree.
Healthcare Management vs Healthcare Administration
To put it in the simplest terms, the healthcare management definition includes people who run or manage an organization centered on healthcare. What is healthcare management if not exactly what it says?
By contrast, the healthcare administrator will handle staffing and other administrative duties for a healthcare organization or facility. The two terms have some overlap and can often seem interchangeable. To make things even more confusing, some people use the term “administrator” to refer to a manager of a sufficiently sized healthcare organization.
People pursuing their degree need to pay attention to what kind of focus they are following. In this way, they will not wonder what is healthcare management, because they will know that healthcare management is the thing they are specifically pursuing.
Is healthcare management a good major? Yes, it is an excellent major, but so is healthcare administration. The degree achieved can go towards both avenues as they are both technically part of the same healthcare management definition and discipline.
Education in Healthcare Administration
To major in healthcare administration, applicants will have to find proper healthcare management degree schools, choose one, and begin their administration healthcare management major. For people interested in a major in healthcare administration or a healthcare management major, there is a tremendous number of ways to go about getting your degree.
The best schools for healthcare administration undergraduate programs are not always the same for everyone. For example, applicants can find schools dedicated to medical degrees, or even take these programs at a business school. A search will reveal healthcare management degree schools and healthcare management major college programs are plentiful.
That means it is not always about finding the best schools for healthcare administration undergraduate programs, but finding the best schools to fit an individual applicant’s needs. However, applicants must not choose just any school. As with any higher education institute, online or offline, choosing the right place to major in healthcare administration depends on some research and diligence.
Accreditation for Healthcare Administration Colleges
When seeking healthcare administration colleges or programs, applicants must ascertain if the program or school has proper accreditation. This is one of the most important criteria for choosing a healthcare administration colleges and programs. Accreditation will tell an applicant if a program or school meets or exceeds quality standards set by a recognized accreditation body.
In this way, accreditation is just as important as the group that gives the accreditation status. Accredited online healthcare degrees and degrees obtained traditionally all have more weight and will receive more consideration when the applicant starts seeking jobs and careers
Different Types of Healthcare Administration Accreditation and Certification
Healthcare administration colleges and programs have a number of accrediting bodies. There are also various groups that issue certifications to these programs. Certifications are not exactly the same as accreditation, but, depending on the group involved, they can hold just as much weight and prestige. To start with, the regional accreditation from one of the regional accreditation bodies is important.
After the regional accreditation comes to the special or programmatic accreditation bodies. For applicants looking for the best experience, these accreditors and certifiers should represent what they are looking for:
- AUPHA accredited schools
- AUPHA certified schools and programs
- CAHME accreditation
- CAHME accredited online programs
- HIMSS certification
- HIMSS membership
Other groups exist, but these are the ones applicants should focus on. The Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Management Education (CAHME) has the distinction of DOE and Council of Higher Education recognition. Accreditation from the CAHME is very important for applicants who may want to pursue graduate studies beyond their bachelor’s degree.
CAHME accredited online programs also count, so applicants do not have to assume accreditation only applies to traditional universities. Is CAHME accreditation important? Outside of the regional accreditation, the CAHME accreditation is possibly the most important thing for an applicant to look for in a school or program.
The Association of University Programs in Health Administration (AUPHA) is a collection of colleges and others in the health administration field who promote growth, excellence, and high standards. Applicants will want a program that is part of AUPHA. In fact, the AUPHA has criteria for programs to join that usually includes the program or college having CAHME accreditation.
What does HIMSS stand for? The Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society (HIMSS). HIMSS membership means the program or school takes an active interest in promoting modern IT and healthcare management systems.
The goal of HIMSS membership is to promote better health with information and technology. The HIMSS certification of a school or program means applicants will receive an education in line with current technology standards in the field.
Applicants would do well to seek out these accreditations and certificates in a school or program. Even for accredited online healthcare degrees, an applicant will know they are getting the education they need.
Types of Healthcare Management and Administration Degrees
A few different types of BS healthcare administration degrees exist. As previously stated, pursuing a bachelor of healthcare management can also coincide with pursuing a bachelor of health administration. Applicants will also have to decide if they want a Bachelor of Arts in health administration or a Bachelor of Science healthcare administration degree.
It is possible to pursue a healthcare administration career with both types of degrees, but there is a small difference between the two. The Bachelor of Arts health administration degree requirements have a focus on more general studies, liberal arts, and some business. This degree delves adequately into administration and management.
In comparison, a Bachelor of Science healthcare administration degree will focus more on the science involved in healthcare administration. If the applicant thinks they will deal more with managing people, then the Bachelor of Arts will work fine. In either case, the average bachelor’s in healthcare administration or management will last 4 years of full-time study.
If the applicant thinks they will do more technical or clinical work, then the Bachelor of Science healthcare administration degree will likely work better. A bachelors of science in healthcare management typically represents the BS healthcare administration degree people are looking for.
No matter the type of degree, a BS healthcare administration degree will allow applicants to pursue a specialty. That way, no matter what, the applicant can ensure they are on the path they want to be on towards their career goals.
Several specialties exist, which means applicants can usually find BS healthcare administration degrees they can tailor to a specific goal. The first thing an applicant should consider is if they want to become a generalist or a specialist. Generalist positions include things like:
- Facility management or department management
- Patient outcome supervisors
- Systems management or information technology support
Meanwhile, even more specialized healthcare administration programs can include positions like:
- Administrative management
- Finance specialists
- Healthcare informatics
- Program support and directors
Choosing the type of focus will depend a lot on the applicant and what they want to accomplish. For example, one applicant may want to work in a large hospital while another may want to work in a hospital-adjacent field.
One applicant may want to deal with finances while another may want to manage a nursing home. In all cases, a bachelor of health administration or a bachelor of healthcare management can help the applicant achieve their goals.
Healthcare Management Degree Salary Expectations
With a bachelor’s in healthcare administration, salary numbers look good. A healthcare management degree salary will largely depend on location and occupation. For example, a hospital department manager salary will look different from a healthcare management major salary giving for another position.
According to the BLS, Medical and Health Services Managers with a bachelor’s in healthcare administration salary can have a median of $98,000 a year, or $47 an hour. By contrast, an Administrative Services Manager has a median salary of $94k. As these are medians, pay can still vary depending on several factors when it comes to healthcare administration careers salary.
As with most professions, some healthcare management careers come with high salaries because they are currently in high demand. Right now, project managers are earning a lot more than consultants are. On the same token, titled positions often come with higher starting salaries than other positions. Since what is considered high demand can change from place to place, applicants should look for opportunities where they plan to work.
Just because some job lists have high salaries in one place does not mean the same job in another place will also pay that much. With a little searching and resource, career seekers may find a surprising path that fits their goals and pays well that is not the same as what is stated as in demand within the healthcare administration field.
