Healthcare organizations are businesses, and businesses need leaders who can adapt to the changing medical landscape. Artificial intelligence, big data, telehealth, and other technological advances continue to shape healthcare for the better — so long as professionals at the top manage their organizations well. Healthcare managers and healthcare administrators oversee personnel, shape workplace culture, and create settings for providing patients with the best possible care. 

Two popular graduate programs for prospective managers and administrators in healthcare are the Master of Business Administration (MBA) in Healthcare and the Master of Health Administration (MHA). Both degrees prepare graduates for leadership positions in healthcare, but are structured in different ways. Professionals looking to run a healthcare organization should consider these two degree paths, MHA vs. MBA, and the job outlook for graduates from each program, including MHA vs. MBA salaries. 

Master of Health Administration (MHA) career paths

Graduates with a master’s in healthcare administration develop a focused understanding of operations and leadership roles in the healthcare field. Typical classes for MHA students emphasize the knowledge needed to thrive in medical administrative settings, such as courses on healthcare human resources and population health management.

With degrees focused on administration in healthcare settings, MHA graduates find work in medical settings such as doctor’s offices, home healthcare services, nursing homes, clinics, and hospitals. 

Whether working in hospitals, private practices, or insurance companies, those who earn an advanced degree in healthcare administration often go on to work in essential roles, ensuring that operations run smoothly in their organization. 

Some examples of other emerging healthcare businesses in which MHAs may find work include:

• Healthcare app creation
• Hospital equipment distribution 
• Retail pharmaceuticals
• Medical billing services 
• Medical record management 

What do MHA graduates do?

Key responsibilities of professionals with an MHA include:

• Ensuring efficiency in patient care (by streamlining administrative processes
• Integrating and adopting new technologies for their organization (such as new charting systems and telehealth programs)
• Keeping morale high
• Overseeing budgets
• Supervising employees
• Training  new employees

Careers for MHA graduates

MHA graduates have many different career opportunities, especially as healthcare continues to grow and evolve as an industry due to an aging population and rapid technological advances. 

Graduates with an MHA degree may find successful careers as:

• Hospital administrators: These professionals oversee hospital business needs. Hospitals often staff hundreds of employees who are responsible for managing staff, creating budgets, and evaluating and improving patient care standards. 
• Medical and health services managers: These high-level administrators oversee operations for entire clinical departments, such as an oncology department, or medical facilities, such as a radiology lab. 
• Nursing home administrators: These administrators oversee logistical and clinical affairs in a nursing home facility. This includes budgeting, managing personnel, and planning activities for residents.

For prospective graduate students who are considering an MHA vs. an MBA, the decision about which degree to pursue may come down to degree focus: The MHA provides a much narrower focus on administration in healthcare, while the MBA affords graduates with a broad business background that prepares them to become administrators in healthcare settings and beyond.