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Healthcare Administration

Advance your career. Lead the future of healthcare.

Master's

Nearly every healthcare organization relies on knowledgeable, compassionate leaders to guide operations, improve patient care and navigate complex systems.

The UW-La Crosse Online Master’s in Healthcare Administration prepares you to step confidently into those leadership roles. Designed for working professionals, this 100 % online program offers the flexibility you need to balance your education with your personal and professional life while equipping you with the skills and insight needed to lead in a rapidly evolving healthcare environment.

A program within Public Health & Community Health Education

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Program at a glance

Degree: Master of Science in Healthcare Administration
Delivery format: 100% online – Access lectures, participate in discussions, and complete assignments on your schedule, from any device.
Credits: 37 (13 courses)
Start dates: Fall (early September), Spring (late January), or Summer (early June)
Application deadline: Two weeks before the semester start date
Tuition: $725 per credit

NEW: Nursing Home Administration Certificate

Launches in spring 2026

Explore a focused pathway to leadership in long-term care. The Nursing Home Administration Certificate prepares you to meet growing demand for senior living and elder care services, including:

  • Assisted living and skilled nursing facilities
  • Memory care and adult day centers
  • Home healthcare
  • Hospice care
  • Continuing care retirement communities

Learn more: Nursing Home Administration Certificate

Career outlook

What jobs are there?

Healthcare leadership roles are in high demand — and growing fast.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment of medical and health services managers is projected to grow 23% between 2024 and 2034, significantly faster than the national average. This growth is fueled by:

  • An aging population
  • Increasing demand for personalized, senior-focused care
  • Rapid changes in healthcare delivery and technology

Potential career paths

Graduates of this program are prepared for a wide range of leadership roles in hospitals, clinics, senior care, government agencies, nonprofit health organizations and beyond.

Job titles include:

  • Health Services Director
  • Executive Director of Surgical Specialties
  • Chief Nursing Officer (CNO)
  • Medical Director
  • Director of Nursing
  • Practice Manager
  • Nursing Home Administrator
  • SVP of Clinic Operations
  • Health Information Manager
  • Pharmacy Manager
  • Clinical Manager
  • Chief Medical Officer
 What salary can I expect to make?

Median Salary: $117,960 per year (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2024)

What makes our master’s degree in healthcare administration distinct?

100% online, flexible format

Study on your schedule—from any device, anywhere. Attend class, participate in forums, and complete assignments when it works for you. Our flexible, asynchronous design allows you to balance education with work and life responsibilities.

Built-in leadership curriculum

No electives, no guesswork—just a focused path to leadership. Our 13-course curriculum is strategically designed to build the key competencies needed in today’s healthcare administration roles through 11 healthcare administration courses (3 credits each), a capstone preparation course (1 credit), and a capstone project course (3 credits).

Develop expertise in:

  • Healthcare financial management
  • Technology, data analytics & information governance
  • Strategic leadership & change management
  • Health law & policy
  • Quality & performance improvement
  • Human resources & organizational behavior
  • Marketing & communication in healthcare

You’ll also complete a real-world capstone project that allows you to apply your learning in a professional context — showcasing your leadership potential to current or future employers.

Start when you’re ready

With three start dates per year (fall, spring and summer), you don’t have to wait to begin moving your career forward.

Featured courses

  • US Healthcare Systems
    HCA 700 | 3 credits
    Introduces the many public and private elements of the U.S. healthcare system. Explores the historical, social and cultural, financial and economic, and political, as well as regulatory factors, and how they interact to influence the delivery of care and services that affect individual and population health outcomes. Consent of department. Offered Fall, Spring.
  • Healthcare Technology, Data Analytics, and Information Governance
    HCA 715 | 3 credits
    This course covers various topics including electronic health records; health IT privacy and security; health information exchanges; IT for revenue cycle management; utilizing technology to analyze healthcare data including MS-DRG data, hospital readmission data, Medicare spending, and healthcare quality data; technologies for diagnosis and treatment; big data applications in healthcare. Consent of department. Offered Fall, Spring.
  • Healthcare Financial Management
    HCA 720 | 3 credits
    A study of the principles of healthcare finance. Topics include financial and management accounting, the financial reporting structure of healthcare organizations, healthcare financial statement analysis, costing and budgetary methods, sources of healthcare revenue and expenses, processes for healthcare billing, and capital investment decisions. Consent of department. Offered Fall, Spring.

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Returning 31 years later Master’s program graduate shares insights from her lifelong educational journey